If you have been injured in an accident in Hattiesburg caused by a drunk person’s recklessness, you deserve justice and compensation for your losses. Contact the Hattiesburg drunk driving accident lawyers at Mama Justice to get started on your claim today.

Motor vehicle accidents with drunk drivers are a menace on the road, and anyone can become a victim at anytime. While no one wants to have the experience of getting injured, motor vehicle accidents caused by people driving under the influence are pretty common in Hattiesburg.

If you were injured in a drunk driving accident, you could be left with medical bills and property damage on top of your physical and mental suffering. Fighting with the insurance company is one of the most frustrating things about being in an accident. Getting an insurance company to pay you what you’re owed can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

In situations like these, our experienced Hattiesburg drunk driving accident lawyers at Mama Justice can help you get the compensation you deserve. They can also offer civil court representation to ensure your case is heard and justice is done. Schedule a free consultation with our car accident lawyer immediately to discuss your vehicle collision case with our skilled legal team.

What Are the Common Injuries That Victims of Drunken Driving Accidents Suffer?

Drunk driving crashes can result in severe or fatal injuries. Common car accident injuries suffered by victims of car accidents with drunk drivers include:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury: It is an injury to the head that results in damage to the brain. A traumatic brain injury is a severe head trauma that may impact a victim’s physical functioning, cognitive ability, memory, and other brain functions. It causes more deaths than all other types of serious injuries combined. It’s essential to seek treatment immediately so complications can be avoided and a full recovery can occur.
  • Internal Injuries: Internal bleeding can be life-threatening, especially the ones suffered in car accidents. It often occurs when organs inside the body are damaged. This type is not immediately apparent, so that immediate medical treatment can prevent further complications in the days following the car accident.
  • Amputation: Some people even risk losing their arms and legs due to car accidents with intoxicated drivers. Physical therapy and surgery can significantly reduce their pains and discomfort.
  • Broken Bones: Broken bones occur more frequently in DUI accidents than other types of injuries. The forces involved in an accident can easily bend the person’s limbs beyond their usual limits. This can cause a bone to break.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries: All in all, the spinal cord allows a person to function. Spinal cord injury can make a person lose the ability to control many areas of their body. This can lead to permanent disabilities such as paralysis and limited mobility.
  • Whiplash: These injuries are widespread in head-on collisions with intoxicated motorists. Whiplash injuries occur when the head is forcibly bent back and forth or side to side. Every movement of the head triggers pain. Other symptoms include muscle spasms and stiffness, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the affected body areas.
  • Soft Tissue Injuries: Soft tissue injuries often result in torn ligaments, tendons, and muscles. It can be treated by physical therapy and surgery.
  • Burns: In a severe collision, a vehicle can explode. This explosion can lead to burns, disfigurement, infection, and psychological trauma.

Suffering severe injuries after a car accident can be incredibly difficult to overcome. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your crash, you may be able to recover compensation. A personal injury lawyer can help you seek financial compensation to alleviate the costs and losses you face. Schedule a free initial consultation with our personal injury law firm today to get started on your car accident case.

Compensation Available to Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents

When victims are injured or killed in car accidents due to a drunk driver’s negligence, the victim or their family may be eligible for compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. The amount awarded depends on the severity of the injuries sustained. In Mississippi, two main types of damages can be recovered in an auto accident case.

  • Economic Damages: These cover medical bills and other expenses related to injuries sustained in the accident. Here are some of the economic damages that may be available to victims of auto accidents in Hattiesburg:
  • Medical Expenses: The victim has likely incurred medical bills due to their injuries. These include emergency room visits, hospitalization, physical therapy, rehabilitation, nursing care, and medications.
  • Lost Wages: If you were unable to work because of the injuries you sustained in the accident, you might be able to seek compensation for lost wages. This can also include loss of future earnings if you cannot continue your work permanently due to the injuries.

Victims of Hattiesburg drunk driving accidents are also entitled to some non-economic damages. The non-economic damages available to auto accident victims include:

  • Pain and Suffering: No amount of money can replace what it feels like to suffer an injury in a DUI accident. However, compensation for pain and suffering allows you to recover some financial benefit from this horrible experience. It can also include mental anguish caused by traumatic memories or nightmares related to the collision.
  • Property Damages: The property damage compensation covers the damages done to your vehicle and other properties due to the accident.
  • Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are awarded by a court to punish drunk drivers for their misconduct and negligence. They are intended to deter others from engaging in similar conduct.
  • Loss of Consortium: If your spouse has been killed in a drunk driving accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death suit against the driver. This damage is based on losing your spouse’s love, affection, companionship, and sexual relations.
  • Disfigurement: If you or a loved one has been left with permanent physical scars as a result of an accident caused by a drunk driver, disfigurement damages may be available to help cover the costs of treatment and living with your new appearance. Disfigurement can range from minor scarring to significant changes in appearance that require multiple surgeries to correct.
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Many injury victims of drunk driving accidents suffer from a loss of enjoyment of life. This can be difficult to prove, but if you can prove that your quality of life has decreased since the accident, you may be able to recover compensation. To prove this damage, you must keep records of how the accident has impacted your daily activities and hobbies. You will also need testimony from friends and family members about how your personality has changed since the accident.
  • Wrongful Death: Wrongful death is a particularly tragic situation where a loved one has lost their life due to a drunk driver’s actions or negligence. In Mississippi, there are two types of wrongful death claims: survival actions and survival wrongful death actions. A survival action is brought by the deceased person’s estate to recover damages sustained before death. A survival wrongful death action is brought by survivors of someone who died due to another person’s negligence. In both cases, the person bringing suit must prove that the deceased would have lived if not for the defendant’s negligence. Surviving family members can file wrongful death cases if they have been affected by the wrongful death of another person.

Our skilled Hattiesburg personal injury attorneys at Mama Justice can help you determine what damages you’re entitled to and whether or not a lawsuit is necessary. They can also assist you in filing a settlement claim against the drunk driver’s insurance company. Schedule a free initial consultation at our personal injury law firm today to get started on your car accident case as soon as possible.

What to do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Hattiesburg?

It can be challenging to know what to do if you’re involved in an auto accident in Hattiesburg. If you’re the victim of a drunk-driving car crash, the situation can be even more stressful. Here’s what you should do:

  • Call the Police: The first thing you should do after a car accident with an impaired driver is to call the police and file an accident report. The police will need to know about the crash to investigate it properly and ensure that your rights are protected. Police officers can help you make a report with your insurance company and ensure that the accident was handled correctly by law enforcement. It may also help establish fault if there is a dispute over who was at fault for the accident.
  • Seek Medical Attention: After reporting a crash caused by a drunk driver, you should get medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if you don’t feel injured or have any visible signs of injury, it is still possible that you may have internal injuries that will not show up until later. You may not realize how badly injured you are until the adrenaline wears off and your body starts to feel the pain.
  • Take Photos of the Crash Site: Take photos of any damage to vehicles or property and any injuries sustained. You may need these photos later when seeking compensation from an insurance company or filing a personal injury lawsuit against the drunk driver. Collect evidence from the car accident scene to help prove fault in case there’s a dispute over who caused it or what happened.
  • Exchange Contact and Insurance Information with the Other Drivers Involved in the Crash: Exchange insurance information with other drivers involved in the crash. You’ll need their names, addresses, and phone numbers. If possible, get their license plate numbers as well.
  • Get Witness Statements: If any witnesses saw what happened or have photos or videos of the crash scene, get their contact information so they can confirm their statements with law enforcement if needed later on down the line. It also helps to write down everything you can remember about what happened leading up to the crash. This can include details about where the people involved in the accident were going before it occurred, how fast they were going, and if there were any other vehicles nearby that could have been involved.
  • Speak to an Experienced car accident Lawyer: It’s critical to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer working at Mama Justice if you’ve been injured in a drunk driving accident. You need someone who knows how to handle these complex cases and will be able to get you the fair compensation you deserve. Our Hattiesburg personal injury lawyers can guide you through the process of filing a car accident claim, handling insurance companies, and protecting your legal rights. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver, contact Mama Justice for help.

At Mama Justice, we understand that no amount of money can erase the trauma of a drunk driving accident. However, holding the negligent party responsible for their actions can bring you peace of mind and prevent future injuries.

Our personal injury lawyer can help you seek compensation for property damage, medical bills, lost wages, and other economic losses in addition to non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Schedule a free consultation with our personal injury law firm at your earliest convenience to get started on your case.

At your free initial consultation, we will discuss the circumstances surrounding your accident, the other driver’s actions, and the options available to help you move forward.

Statutes of Limitations of Drunk Accident Claims in Hattiesburg

All states have time limits for filing personal injury lawsuits. In Mississippi, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within three years of the date the incident occurred or within one year after an insurance company refuses your car accident claim, whichever comes first. If you miss this deadline and file a lawsuit too late, it can be thrown out of court, and you may lose your right to compensation for your car accident injuries.

Statutes of limitations are intended to ensure that cases are resolved on time but often result in valid injury claims going unaddressed. Do not let this happen to you. Time is of the essence, so if you are dealing with a legal issue, speak to our experienced Hattiesburg car accident lawyer immediately.

Regardless of the situation, contact our Hattiesburg car accident lawyers at Mama Justice for a free case evaluation. The sooner you discuss your car accident case with Mama Justice, the greater the possibility of you getting the compensation you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today to get started on your case.