Drunk Driver Accidents
On any modern roster of cities that never sleep, Las Vegas would surely sit at the top. Its abundance of casinos and night clubs alone can leave visitors with little desire to go home. Moreover, the free availability of alcoholic beverages, often at no cost to the consumer, enables Las Vegas to beat the others in another area entirely: the number of drunken drivers on the road.
While some over-imbibers do take the responsible measure of calling for a taxi, others have no qualms about stumbling behind the wheels of their own vehicles. Some may fail to realize the extent of their inebriation. Others may truly believe that they can overcome it. Either way, an unwitting pedestrian or innocent driver often pays the price. Sadly, victims of drunk driving mishaps are hardly few in number. Studies show that one out of every three United States residents will, at some point, become involved in such an accident. Many of these unfortunates will die.
Your Behavior at the Accident Scene
If a drunk driver should hit you while you are walking or driving your car, you need to do two things without fail.
To start, you must make every attempt to call the police immediately or ensure that someone else does it for you. If you believe that the person who caused the accident was driving under the influence, be certain to let them know it.
You must also seek medical attention right away, even if you feel your injuries to be minor or nonexistent. You might not realize until later on just how seriously you have been hurt.
Above all, you must restrain your natural impulse to engage the drunk driver either verbally or physically. You may feel impelled to speak your mind, but a seriously inebriated person could easily turn violent.
How Drunk is Too Drunk?
The state of Nevada considers anyone with a blood alcohol content, or BAC, of 0.08 percent or higher incapable under the law of operating any kind of motor vehicle (NRS 484C.020). For this reason, a person who hopes to obtain the monetary compensation to which he is due must prove that the driver in question was indeed drunk. This is where the services of an experienced personal injury attorney from Weiner Law Group can help.
The Meaning of the Blood Alcohol Content
Alcohol depresses more than a person’s breathing, heart rate and cognitive skills. It also diminishes eye-hand coordination and reaction time. Increased consumption worsens the effect.
For example, a person with a blood alcohol content, or BAC, of only 0.03 percent will already have begun to sense an impairment of alertness, reasoning, coordination and concentration. When his BAC rises to a range of 0.11 to 0.20 percent, he will start to stagger, slur his speech and find his motor skills severely lacking. At a BAC level of 0.30 percent, the person may pass out, lose control of his bladder and even die.
When a Drunk Driving Accident Results in Death
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that during the year 2010, someone died in an alcohol-related accident on an average of once every 51 minutes. In 2012, excessive alcohol consumption was the instigating factor in 30 of Nevada’s 170 road fatalities. Some of the victims were elderly. Many were young. Sadly, in the vast majority of cases, those who lost their lives were entirely blameless. Little has changed today. Strong laws and public pressure have been insufficient to quell some people’s belief that they can overcome alcohol’s crippling effects on their driving abilities. The needless deaths continue.
Your Chance for Injury Compensation
When someone driving under the influence has caused injury or death to you or any member of your immediate family, your chances of making a successful claim are excellent. Nevertheless, anyone who hopes to obtain the full amount of monetary compensation to which he is entitled must prove that the at-fault driver was indeed drunk. Doing so will entail the collection of sufficient documentary evidence to substantiate your claim.
This is where the experienced personal injury attorneys from Weiner Law Group come in. We will not rest until we have gleaned all possible documentary evidence from the police report, including the driver’s BAC readings and any incriminating statements he may have made. We will also conduct witness interviews and collect any photographs or videotape that may exist as backup for your case.
If you or a member of your immediate family has suffered injury or death at the hands of a drunken driver, your pain and suffering can be difficult to bear. You deserve compensation for your losses, and Weiner Law Group will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to win you the settlement you deserve. Call us today at 702-202-0500, or fill out our contact form for a personal injury consultation.