Need an Injury Attorney for Your Tennessee DUI Accident?
Drunk driving comes with serious consequences, as anybody is able to determine in the U.S. today. Are you one of those who have suffered due to the effects of a DUI accident? In 2016, 1 person lost their life every 50 minutes in America due to the negligence of a drunk driver. We wish to see better numbers on our roadways because we care about the people of Tennessee and want what is best for them. However, without more measures in place, nothing will change.
Alcohol impacts every aspect of a driver’s thinking – from cognitive impairment while making decisions on the roadways, to reasoning and muscle coordination that only gets worse when you add drinks into the mix. When a driver has been driving with a BAC over .08 grams of alcohol, there is a good chance that you will be involved in a crash with this driver and face severe injuries. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a driver who chose to drink and get behind the wheel of a car, you may have questions for us on how you can move forward with a case. We want to help you recover from a negligent party and gain the compensation you deserve in this devastating time.
DUI: Criminal and Civil Matters
When it comes to your case, proving the other party liable is most important. You may wonder how you can show a driver is liable for your accident in any event, which becomes more clear when a driver has been drinking and driving. The aspects of a drunk driving case are unique because liability is not as difficult to determine. For instance, when the police arrive at the scene of the crime, they could see open containers or be able to distinguish right off the bat that a driver has had too much to drink. If this occurs, an arrest will be made. When it comes time to make your civil claim for damages, don’t you think that a criminal record showing drunk driving will be useful in your case? Bingo. Having the police report can help significantly when it comes time to show how the driver acted negligently and this contributed to your case and serious injuries.
Can Another Party Be Liable?
You might think that liability is obvious in a drunk driving case because the person who chose to drink and drive is always liable for injuries, right? Though this is true, you may find that there is another party who can be held liable in your case – the bar or tavern owner. Under something known as dram shop laws, a bar, restaurant, or tavern may be liable for your claim if they have continued to sell alcohol to somebody who was already intoxicated. If someone is already quite drunk, they might not have the ability to reason or form a decision to drive home with a friend or in a taxicab. As a result, they might have been pushed to take their own vehicle, which is why the bar owner could also share liability in your claim. However, you may find that this is a difficult aspect to prove because how do you show that this is where the driver came from, and that they were already intoxicated when they purchased more alcohol?
As you can see, there is the potential for drunk driving cases to become vastly complex and confusing, which is why you should always have an attorney on your side. We want to help you if you have been involved in a Tennessee DUI accident and have sustained serious injuries. Call us for more information on how we can assist you with your case today, and answer all of your questions regarding your claim.