It is easy to forget just how dangerous it can be to drive on the streets and highways of Virginia. Most of the time, car trips are uneventful and are simply another activity in a person’s day-to-day life. But when something goes wrong and you are involved in a car accident, your life can change dramatically in an instant.

Any accident can be serious enough to cause severe and permanent injuries, but it is particularly upsetting when you are involved in a car or truck accident caused by a drunk driver. People who drive drunk put innocent people at risk, and they should be held accountable for their actions. The Virginia Beach drunk driving accidents lawyers at The Law Firm of Carlton F. Bennett, P.L.L.C., can help you seek compensation for the injuries and expenses that stem from your drunk driving accident.

The attorneys at The Law Firm of Carlton F. Bennett, P.L.L.C., have several decades of experience helping people who need to be compensated as a result of the negligent actions of a drunk driver.

COMMON DRUNK DRIVING INJURIES

Injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries can be sustained in almost any kind of accident, but when the other driver involved has been drinking, the harm done can often be more severe.

A driver under the influence of drugs is often reckless and takes chances that a sober driver would not. Dangerous behaviors such as excessive speeding, improper passing, and even driving the wrong way down a busy highway can lead to severe injuries and even fatalities for those unlucky enough to be involved in a collision with an impaired driver.

The severity of your injuries will play a role in calculating the potential damages. Here are some common injuries suffered in drunk driving accidents.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is one of the most common injuries victims suffer. It can cause devastating changes to a person’s memory, reasoning, emotions, vision, and hearing. A traumatic brain injury can also limit the victim’s ability to work and perform basic day-to-day activities.

Spinal Injuries

When the spine is injured, a person can suffer partial to complete paralysis. In addition, discs can rupture or slip, causing the victim to experience chronic pain and nerve damage.

Limb Injuries

Broken or crushed limbs caused by a drunk driving crash can require surgery and long-term physical therapy. Severe cases may require amputation of a person’s arm, leg, or other body parts.

Neck Injuries

Neck injuries such as whiplash frequently occur in DUI accidents. With these soft tissue injuries, it is critical to seek medical treatment to ensure your spinal cord is not injured.

In most cases, whiplash occurs when muscles and ligaments stretch due to a sudden head and neck movement. Such an injury could lead to chronic pain, lengthy physical therapy, or even surgery.

Chest Injuries

Drunk driving accidents often involve injuries to a driver or passenger’s chest. Chest injuries can occur as a result of seat belts tightening upon impact.

Scrapes and Cuts

Many drunk driving accidents lead to scrapes and cuts. These injuries can come from broken glass, airbags, or miscellaneous objects within your vehicle.

While most of these injuries are relatively minor, some cuts and scrapes can result in disfigurement or significant scarring.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries may not present themselves in the same way as external injuries, but they represent a dangerous category of drunk driving. The lungs, kidneys, and spleen are the most common internal organs injured in a wreck. These injuries often require emergency medical care and surgery.

If a drunk driver has injured you, you would be well-served by speaking with an experienced drunk driving attorney as soon as possible. You can explain your side of the story and move toward the recovery you need. The Virginia beach drunk driving accidents lawyers at The Law Firm of Carlton F. Bennett, P.L.L.C. can help you every step of this journey.

How to Prove the Other Driver Was Intoxicated

Succeeding in any personal injury claim for drunk driving requires proving that the other driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Lawyers for drunk driving accidents in VA Beach must prove, on the plaintiff’s behalf, that the driver was intoxicated. This evidence may include the following:

• Police reports,
• Breathalyzer or blood test results,
• Records of the other driver’s DUI arrest or conviction,
• Witness statements,
• Photographs, and
• Accident recreations.

Short of the other driver’s admission or criminal conviction for DUI, you will need to rely on the evidence above to prove that the other driver was drunk at the time of the accident. In a personal injury claim, you need to prove only that it was more likely than not that the other driver was drunk and that their intoxication caused the accident.

When you have the experienced Virginia Beach drunk driving accidents attorneys at The Law Firm of Carlton F. Bennett, P.L.L.C. on your side, you can feel confident that they’ll know how to prove the driver was intoxicated and caused your collision.

Contact the attorneys for a drunk driving collision in VA Beach us today to learn more about how we fight for our clients and their rights so that they can move on from the trauma suffered in a drunk driving accident. Call us today to schedule a free consultation, or complete and submit our online contact form. You can also view some of our past case results.