5 Steps To Take After An Accident With a Drunk Driver

Anyone who has been involved in a car crash knows how damaging it can be, especially when the accident involves a drunk driver. Drunk driving kills upward of 10,000 people every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and accounts for 28% of all traffic-related deaths across the country.

What To Do After a Drunk Driving Accident

If you were involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver, it’s important to know what to do. After a crash, make sure you:

  1. Call an Ambulance: Drunk driving crashes may result in serious injury, which means you’ll need an ambulance immediately. Calling 911 may be the best way to do that.
  2. Call the Police: Even if nobody seems to have serious injuries, you still want to call 911 to report the drunk driver and have them apprehended before they cause more damage, and to confirm that the person who struck you was drunk at the time of the accident.
  3. Gather Evidence: As you wait for the police to arrive, gather evidence of the crash and the condition of the other driver. Take photos of the vehicles, any injuries you sustained, the injuries of others, and the condition of the crash site. If, for example, you hit a telephone pole or a wall, take a photo of the damaged area and any signs of tire marks or debris on the road.
  4. Exchange Information with Witnesses: To strengthen your claim later on, you’ll need as much evidence as possible, which includes eyewitness testimonies. Talk to any witnesses and ask them if they’d give you a statement describing what they saw. Be sure to write down their full names and contact information. The police may or may not do the same once they arrive, so it’s good to obtain the witnesses’ contact information yourself.
  5. Contact a Personal Injury Attorney: There’s no time to lose after a drunk driving accident. You will need to obtain medical care, file a claim with the insurance company, get your car repaired, and take on many other tasks. An experienced attorney can not only help guide you through each necessary step following a drunk driver crash, providing you with useful information about your case and insurance claims, but also protect your interests and help you navigate the difficult issues that arise in drunk driving cases so that you can be fully compensated.

Injured in a Drunk Driving Accident? Contact us Today.

A drunk driver’s judgment, eyesight, and hearing are not as sharp as they ought to be. As a result, drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol often speed, drift into neighboring lanes, ignore traffic laws, overlook red lights, and make countless other careless mistakes. Fortunately, when drunk drivers crash or harm other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians due to their carelessness, they can be held liable for the resulting damage. At Simeone & Miller, LLP, our firm is here to help. We can gather evidence in your favor, file a claim with the insurance company, and obtain the compensation you deserve and to which you are legally entitled.