Drunk drivers put everyone on the roads at risk. This flagrant arrogance and selfishness cause tragedy after tragedy. Drunk driving accident victims often face a lifetime of pain or disability. In the worst cases, families find themselves making funeral arrangements. A car accident lawyer serving Newport News is here to help victims hold drunk drivers accountable for the wreckage they cause.
The Pendleton Law Team has a perfect A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We are committed to providing every client with exceptional service and representation. To fight for justice after an accident, get help from a drunk driving victim accident lawyer handling cases in Newport News.
Get Immediate Legal Help After a Drunk Driving Accident
The priority after a drunk driving accident is your safety. Sadly, these accidents often result in serious injuries, and victims leave the scene in an ambulance. Even if you can leave without emergency transportation, get to a doctor right away to have your injuries documented and treated. Doing this supports your medical well-being and your injury claim. Once you’ve secured your medical safety, reach out to an attorney.
If you are able to move safely at the scene, take pictures and video of the vehicles involved and the traffic and road conditions. Capture the locations of cameras mounted nearby. Get contact details from witnesses. Exchange information with the other party. If interaction with the other party could put you in harm’s way, wait for the police to arrive.
Our personal injury lawyers serving Newport News can carry out a thorough investigation, whether you are able to gather evidence or not. We can also offer immediate guidance to help you avoid mistakes that could harm your claim.
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Damages Available to Drunk Driving Accident Victims
There is no average car accident settlement amount. Compensation varies from one claim to the next based on situation-specific factors. For example, the severity of your injuries and how they affect your earning potential and quality of life both matter.
A drunk driving victim accident attorney serving Newport News can assess your losses with care and fight for the highest amount available. Typically, compensation covers or acknowledges:
- Medical expenses, including future care costs as applicable
- Income loss, including lost future earnings as applicable
- Costs for property repair or replacement
- Your physical and emotional pain
- Reduction in your enjoyment of life
- Any other financial losses or costs incurred by the accident
Count on us to challenge attempts by the other side to minimize your losses and deny you justice.
When Punitive Damages May Apply
You could be eligible for additional punitive damages under Virginia Code § 8.01-44.5. This law allows for “punitive damages for persons injured by intoxicated drivers” when the driver’s actions are “so willful or wanton as to show a conscious disregard for the rights of others.”
Those who drink when they know they will be driving, and who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15% or higher when the crash occurs, often fit these criteria.
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An Attorney Serving Newport News Drunk Driving Accident Victims Knows How Virginia’s Laws Can Affect Your Accident Claim
A swift partnership with an attorney supports your claim. First, it allows for more productive evidence collection as there is less time for valuable information to go missing. Second, it ensures you file your claim within the two-year statute of limitations established in the Virginia Code § 8.01-243.
If you are afraid you have missed this deadline, do not assume you have lost your chance for justice without talking to an attorney. Some situations have grounds for deadline extensions. Our team offers free case consultations. This means you can find out if you have a valid claim without paying us a single penny.
Contributory Negligence
The Pendleton Law Team also knows how a case can be affected by contributory negligence. Virginia’s personal-injury system of contributory negligence is not especially friendly to victims. It only allows victims to sue for damages if they bear no fault for the accident in question. The other side will work hard to put even a small amount of blame on you to avoid accountability.
As a victim of a drunk driving accident, you are in a better position to avoid blame, as Virginia has strict driving under the influence laws. Still, you need protection. Even innocently saying “I was rushing that day” can cost you compensation. Our team can provide critical guidance and gather evidence to show the other side’s culpability and your lack of fault.
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What to Do if a Loved One Dies in a Drunk Driving Accident
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving causes 32 deaths per day nationwide. That number represents one death every 44 minutes. Over a recent year, 11,904 lives were lost to impaired driving.
Official traffic crash facts show Virginia’s alcohol-related motor vehicle statistics. There were 6,979 alcohol-related crashes throughout the Commonwealth during a recent year. These accidents led to 4,400 injuries and 293 fatalities. If your loved one is killed by a drunk driver, reach out to a drunk driving victim accident lawyer handling cases in Newport News.
Your loved one and your family deserve justice, and fighting for justice is what a wrongful death lawyer does. You may be entitled to compensation for the financial expenses and losses incurred by your loved one’s death and the suffering they experienced prior to death. Surviving family members’ emotional anguish and loss of affection and companionship also warrant compensation.
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Drunk Driving Accident Victims Deserve Justice
Drunk drivers do more than violate the law. When they cause injury or death, they rob their victims. They steal physical health, emotional stability, and financial security. Sometimes, they take entire lives.
A drunk driving accident victim attorney serving Newport News is here to help. The Pendleton Law Team knows what it takes to fight for justice, and we are ready to get to work.
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