It is upsetting to be involved in a car accident, and you can be especially angry when you were hurt in one which could have been prevented. When one drives under the influence of alcohol, he or she puts other people at risk. Driving when intoxicated is no victimless crime, and several individuals could just be affected by someone else’s poor choices.
If you have been hurt in an automobile crash involving a drunken person behind the wheel, then you will probably want judgment against the one who caused you harm. While the driver will possibly be held to explain the reason for his or her action in criminal court, you can hold him or her to account for the damages you suffered in civil court too.
Winning a personal injury claim against the driver who was drunk at the time of accident needs several important steps, none more significant than proving fault. In some cases, the evidence will be in the air the driver breathes out as he or she tries to apologize for the behavior. However, you will sometimes have a piece of criminal case-worthy evidence to use in the civil case of yours.
For example, if the driver was declared guilty in criminal court, then a certified copy of the conviction can be used as evidence to prove that he or she was drunk. You can also use other kinds of evidence, including the following ones.
- Police reports or accident reports
- Witness statements
- The concerned driver’s own statements
- Lab reports of his or her blood alcohol concentration
- Photographic evidence and physical evidence
Sometimes it could be rather easy to prove that your accident happened due to the driver’s negligence, but other times this will be more difficult. Not all drunk drivers act drunk, and some might just refuse to talk to the police officer after an accident.
It is useful to have an attorney help you with establishing the fact that it was a drunk driver who caused the accident, so that the chance of your case success will improve.When you have been injured in an accident, you have to deal with many things in the aftermath of it. Your attorney can assume the responsibility of looking into your accident and proving negligence on the driver’s part. Your lawyer will know what kinds of evidence to collect and how to gather the documentation required to win your injury claim.