Labor Day is one of the biggest and most popular travel weekends of the summer in the Houston area. Over the holiday weekend, many Houstonians head to the beach, to barbecues, and to other outdoor activities. Along with the increased numbers of travelers on the roads, however, comes the risk of collisions with drunk drivers.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for all of your injuries and damages. If it is determined that you have a case, personal injury attorney Stewart J. Guss can help you prove the elements of your negligence claim and assist you with obtaining compensation for your injuries.
Drunk drivers cause car accidents
Alcohol is a depressant that severely slows down and hinders the functioning of a driver’s central nervous system, as well as a driver’s reaction time on the road. As a result, alcohol can severely impact a driver’s abilities while behind the wheel of a car. Drunk drivers are far less capable of judging speeds and distances than sober drivers. Their vision also becomes extremely blurry.
When drivers operate their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they are more likely to collide with nearby objects, such as guardrails, walls, or buildings; pedestrians in crosswalks or on sidewalks; or other motor vehicles on the roadway. When intoxicated drivers collide with other motor vehicles, the resulting injuries can be serious and even deadly.
Recovering compensation
To prove negligence in a drunk driving personal injury case, the plaintiff must introduce evidence to show that the other driver was operating the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. In some cases where liability is clear-cut, the drunk driver’s insurance company may simply admit liability.
Yet even in admitted liability cases, the injured plaintiff must still prove damages. Additionally, insurance companies have an incentive to pay less than the total amount to which the victim is entitled. Injured accident victims in drunk driving cases may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of earning capacity, and loss of spousal support.
Contact a Houston drunk driving accident attorney today to discuss your case
Motor vehicle accidents that result from another driver’s intoxication while behind the wheel can be severe and result in serious injuries and damages to both person and property. If you have been involved in an accident with an intoxicated driver, you should contact an attorney who has experience with drunk driving cases. To schedule your free case evaluation today, contact Stewart J. Guss, attorney at law, by calling 800-898-4877 or sending an email through our online contact form.