Don’t Overlook Civil Damages Recovery for Drunk Driving VictimsThe consequences of drunk driving, especially in places like Las Vegas, are grim. People who get behind the wheel while they are drunk put the lives of other drivers and pedestrians at serious risk.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Nevada saw 107 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2008. While this number had decreased from the year before, it is still 107 people whose families will never again experience their love or support.
Nevada's criminal laws on drunk driving are strict. The legal limit for blood alcohol content while driving is .08 percent; any detectable amount of a controlled substance is also illegal. The limits for teen drivers and commercial drivers are even lower. A conviction for driving drunk in Nevada can result in a jail time, license revocation and other punishments, not to mention injury to the offender's reputation.
The human cost of drunk driving, however, is immeasurable. The lost lives, the medical woes and the heartache caused by drunk drivers continue to add up. Even though the number of alcohol-related crashes has decreased slightly in recent years, Nevada still had more victims of drunk driving accidents than it should.
Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents Have Legal Options
People who have been injured by a drunk driver, or lost a loved one to an intoxicated motorist, may take some comfort if the driver is punished by the criminal law system. At the same time, however, injured victims suffer due to accumulating medical bills, the inability to work and the anguish such accidents can cause.
In many cases, these victims can take legal action against the drunk drivers who harmed them. Drunk drivers and their insurance companies must compensate victims for a variety of damages:
- Medical bills: Past and future medical bills arising from the accident.
- Pain and suffering: The mental and emotional suffering related to the crash.
- Lost wages: The inability to work due to the injuries caused by the drunk driver.
- Property damage: The losses to property, such as damage to the vehicle the victim was driving.
- Related expenses: The money spent on renting a car, traveling to doctors' appointments and similar expenditures.
Speak With an Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, or if you have lost a family member to an intoxicated motorist, contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away.
The drunk driver not only owes a debt to society; the driver also must provide appropriate compensation for the damages caused by his or her reckless decisions.
