Have you been involved in a car accident involving a drunk driver? Contact the drunk driving accident lawyers at Mama Justice to get the maximum compensation available for your claim.

Drunk driving is a choice and a dangerous one at that because it often leads to accidents that can cause severe injuries and death, leaving victims and their loved ones traumatized. Accidents caused by drunk drivers can be very costly, both emotionally and financially. However, suing the drunk driver can help you recover the losses you have suffered. Our experienced Memphis drunk driving accident lawyers at Mama Justice will fight to help you get compensation for your injuries and losses.

Memphis DUI Accident Lawsuits

After a severe DUI accident, victims can file a civil lawsuit to recover monetary compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Drunk driving accident victims can file a civil lawsuit to recover damages. This civil suit can seek monetary compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Memphis DUI Accident Claims

Car accidents involving intoxicated drivers are incredibly tragic because they are easily avoidable. Thus, drunk driving accident victims have the right to file accident claims against the intoxicated driver. Victims can file car accident lawsuits against the perpetrators and recover compensation for the various expenses they have to bear.

How Alcohol Impacts Your Ability to Drive

Drunk drinking is dangerous because alcohol can reduce your ability to drive a vehicle. Some of the ways alcohol can affect the body include:

  • Concentration: Alcohol reduces driving ability by hindering an individual’s ability to process multiple stimuli at once. This can lead to dangerous judgment errors, severely affecting driving performance and increasing the risk of being involved in car accidents.
  • Judgment: Drinking alcohol reduces a person’s ability to think, reason, make smart decisions, and exercise caution. Inability to think clearly can lead to accidents.
  • Comprehension: A drunk driver is less able to comprehend traffic signs, traffic signals, or a dangerous driving situation. This can limit their ability to respond appropriately and slow down, stop suddenly, or swerve out of the way of a crash.
  • Coordination: Alcohol consumption limits a driver’s fine and gross motor skills, including hand, eye, and foot coordination. This makes it more difficult to respond quickly in an emergency.
  • Vision and Hearing: When a person is drunk, their sense of distance is impaired and their peripheral vision diminishes. This makes it more difficult to avoid collisions.
  • Reaction Time: Alcohol impairs reflexes, affecting a person’s ability to make fast or complex decisions.

Who is Responsible for Drunk Driving Accidents?

Drunk drivers are responsible for their behavior, including choosing to drive their vehicles after consuming alcohol. However, other people may also be responsible for drunk driving accidents. The people that can be held liable for a drunk driving accident include:

  • Driver: Drunk drivers have a choice. They can choose to drive after having too much to drink, and they can also choose not to drive. Either way, they are responsible for their actions and must live with the consequences.
  • Host: Hosts serving alcohol to an intoxicated individual may be liable under the social host liability law if that guest causes a car accident.
  • Bar and Restaurant Owners: It is the responsibility of bar and restaurant owners and employees to stop serving alcohol to patrons that appear to be intoxicated. They may be held liable for any injuries caused by drunk drivers who leave their establishment.

Most Common Types of DUI Accidents in Memphis

Drunk drivers cause thousands of preventable accidents every year. Some common types of accidents caused by drunk drivers in Memphis include:

  • Head-On Collisions: Some head-on collisions result from drowsy or distracted drunk drivers who branch off the road and hit oncoming traffic.
  • Rear-End Collisions: A drunk driver may be unable to react quickly enough when another driver slows or stops in front of them. This can lead to rear-end collisions.
  • Wrong-Way Accidents: A wrong-way accident is a collision on a road or highway which occurs when one vehicle traveling in the wrong direction collides with another vehicle traveling in the correct direction.
  • Pedestrian Accidents: Drivers who have been drinking are at a much greater risk of being involved in a crash with a pedestrian. A driver with impaired vision may not see a pedestrian, particularly at night.
  • Jackknife Accidents: Jackknife accidents are one of the greatest dangers of truck driving. The trailer swings around and strikes nearby vehicles or sometimes pedestrians.
  • Rollover Accidents: Rollover accidents take place when cars flip over. They are a serious hazard to both passengers and any motorist, pedestrian, or driver in the area.
  • Drowsy Driving Accident: Drowsiness is a side effect associated with the consumption of alcohol. Drowsy driving accidents often result in severe injuries or even death.
  • One-Vehicle Accidents: One-vehicle accidents are a common occurrence, especially among drunk drivers.
  • Unsafe Passing: Drunk drivers pass on two-lane roads at their own peril. Drunk drivers are bad at judging the speeds of the cars they’re passing, so they’re likely to misjudge the time needed and speed required.

Can You Sue a Drunk Driver?

Yes, you can file a lawsuit to cover your medical and other damages. You can use evidence of their intoxication and other traffic violations to show that they were negligent. Once you prove negligence and establish your physical, emotional, and financial injuries, then you may be entitled to compensation.

How Do DUI Charges Affect Drunk Driving Lawsuits?

Personal injury claims for car accidents are usually handled separately from DUI cases. This means that you do not have to wait until the drunk driver is convicted or a civil case against them concludes to receive payment for damages. You can file a personal injury claim to seek compensation from a drunk driver while they deal with their criminal charges. Our experienced Memphis drunk driving accident lawyers can help you begin this process today.

What are Tennessee Dram Shop Laws?

Dram shop laws are legal measures put in place to help protect the general public from the irresponsible behavior of establishments that serve alcohol to minors or individuals who are visibly intoxicated. Specifically, dram shop laws seek to hold both the bar owner and server accountable for serving alcohol to a minor or an individual who is visibly drunk if that person then goes out and injures or kills another person in a drunk driving accident.

Who Can You File a Dram Shop Claim Against in Memphis?

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a major safety hazard. In Memphis, TN, dram shop laws hold business owners responsible for injuries that are caused by their intoxicated customers.

By law, any person injured by an intoxicated person is entitled to seek compensation for the damages. By bringing a dram shop claim, a claimant can be compensated for injuries caused by the intoxicated driver. Our Memphis drunk driving attorneys can help guide the injured person through the process of filing a dram shop claim.

Injuries That Occur During Drunk Driving Accidents

Thousands of people have lost their lives, while over 10,000 people suffer from various injuries ranging from mild to severe as a result of drunk driving accidents in Memphis.

Common injuries that people in Memphis suffer during drunk driving accidents include:

  • Traumatic Brain Injuries: A traumatic brain injury can be devastating and life-altering. These injuries are costly to treat and manage.
  • Broken Bones: Broken bones can lead to lifelong pain. Expensive surgeries often do little to correct this type of injury, leaving victims with long-term problems.
  • Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury can lead to permanent paralysis or partial paralysis. It can also cause nerve damage and pain.
  • Internal Injuries: Internal injuries are serious, in some cases even deadly. Immediate medical attention and surgery are often required for internal injuries.
  • Soft Tissue Injuries: A torn ligament, tendon, or muscle around the shoulder, back, or neck can cause pain and limit a person’s range of motion.
  • Burns: When cars collide, sometimes the vehicles explode and catch fire. A victim could suffer serious burns resulting in permanent disfigurement and scarring, infections, and psychological trauma.
  • Psychological injuries: Being the victim of a drunk driving accident can cause long-term emotional, mental, and physical issues for survivors.

What Should You Do After Being Involved in a Drunk Driving Accident?

Drunk driving is a serious crime that harms people every day. If you’ve been in a car accident with a driver who may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs, here’s what you should do:

  • Contact the Police: An official police report on the incident can be used to build your case.
  • Seek Medical Attention: Get treatment for your injuries at once. Your medical records will be an important form of legal documentation.
  • Take Pictures of the Accident Scene: Take concrete steps right now to protect your rights. Take photos of the vehicles, your injuries, and anything else to help show what happened at the scene.
  • Do not Give Insurance Companies any Sensitive Information: The adjuster may seem caring and concerned. However, the adjuster must act in the best interests of the insurance company at all times. Anything you say to an insurance adjuster can be used against you in a court of law.
  • Contact an Experienced Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer: Whenever you’re involved in a drunk driving crash, you need to retain the services of a Memphis drunk driving accident lawyer working at Mama Justice to handle your personal injury case and ensure you get justice.

Why You Need A Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Memphis

The earlier you retain the services of an attorney, the more advantages you get from their experience and expertise. Our drunk driving accident lawyers at Mama Justice will:

  • Assist You in Understanding Your Legal Rights: If you were not at fault for the car accident, you should seek legal representation to find out what your rights are. Our experienced lawyers at Mama Justice will help you understand the laws around car accidents.
  • Offer You Legal Advice: After an accident, you can find yourself facing numerous legal options. Our experienced Memphis drunk driving accident lawyers can offer you legal advice and guide you in making the right decision.
  • Assess the Full Extent of Your Damages: After an accident, many people feel financial pain and immediate medical costs. A car accident lawyer will consider all of these things in addition to the ways that injuries have affected your daily life, like pain and suffering.
  • Contact Medical Professionals on Your Behalf: Our lawyers have professional relationships with medical doctors and physical therapists who can offer you the best treatment and ensure you get better as soon as possible. The expert knowledge of good medical practitioners is also invaluable to serious injury lawsuits.
  • Help You Negotiate for a Fair Settlement: Car accident claims can often be tricky. An experienced car accident lawyer knows how to negotiate the car insurance claim process to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
  • Represent You in Court: Some car accident cases can be resolved with a settlement. However, if you do have to go to court, our experienced lawyers will represent you and do whatever it takes to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
  • Help You Gather Evidence: Our Memphis legal team will help you obtain evidence to prove that your injuries were caused by the negligence of the drunk driver.
  • Investigate the Case Completely: To strengthen your case, our qualified car accident lawyers will compile the facts surrounding the accident, including the accounts of any witnesses.

Our experienced accident attorneys at Mama Justice have several years of experience handling drunk driving accident cases and will ensure you get the justice you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today.

Let Mama Justice Help You Get Justice

Being a victim of a drunk driving accident is a difficult experience, but with the help of a qualified lawyer, you can get the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been in an accident caused by a drunk driver and want to discuss a legal claim, Mama Justice is here to help. Call (888) 484-1476 now to speak with a qualified drunk driving accident lawyer in Memphis.