When people consume alcohol or illegal drugs before getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, the results can be catastrophic and sometimes deadly. Unfortunately, in recent years, instances of drugged driving have increased with the relatively low cost and widespread availability of these dangerous substances.
If you have sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by a drugged driver, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The Gwinnett County car accident lawyers at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC have the legal knowledge and expertise to assist you with filing and pursuing a claim for personal injuries in this situation.
The Dangers of Drugged Driving
Drugs can be classified into stimulants and depressants. Stimulants speed up a person’s central nervous system functioning, while depressants severely slow down and hinder a person’s central nervous system functioning. Both, however, can negatively affect a driver’s abilities to operate a motor vehicle on the road. Common symptoms of drug use include dilated pupils, staggered gait, slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and a dazed or confused expression.
Because drugged drivers are impaired, they can cause their vehicles to collide with objects on the roadway, including guardrails, walls, or buildings, as well as pedestrians or cyclists on or near the roadway. They may also collide with other motor vehicles, leading to serious property damage and personal injuries.
Proving Drugged Driving
To demonstrate that another driver was operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, you will need to rely on police testimony, reports, and observations. Witness testimony can also be helpful, including your own observations about how the accident occurred. In order to show that you are entitled to damages, you will need to demonstrate that the other driver was under the influence of drugs and caused the accident which led to your personal injuries and damages.
In some cases, the at-fault driver’s insurance company may admit liability (or fault) for the accident. This is especially true if the driver received a citation for drunk or drugged driving. Finally, you must be able to show that your injuries directly resulted from the accident, as opposed to some other source (for example, preexisting injuries or conditions).
Call a Gwinnett County Car Accident Lawyer Today to Review Your Case
Motor vehicle accidents that result from another driver’s intoxication or impairment while behind the wheel can result in serious damages to person and property. If the insurance company is refusing to fully and fairly compensate you for your injuries and damages, you need an experienced car accident lawyer by your side every step of the way. The Gwinnett County car accident lawyers at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can meet with you to review your case and discuss its potential value. If settlement negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance company do not work out, our lawyers are prepared to litigate your case or take it to trial.
To schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with a Gwinnett County car accident lawyer, please call us at 404-418-8244 or contact us online.
