Dallas Drunk Driving Accident Attorney
On average, one American dies in a car accident involving an intoxicated driver every 50 minutes or so, not to mention thousands of Americans who get injured in alcohol-related car crashes across the country each day. Luckily, you may be able to recover damages after a drunk driving accident if the other driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds .08. Our Dallas drunk driving accident attorney at Law Office of Dorothy Hyde says that despite numerous public awareness campaigns warning about the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol, the number of annual car crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver has remained at the same level in the past decade or so.
Even though negligence and recklessness are almost always at fault when a driver chooses to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, recovering damages after a DUI accident is not nearly as easy as it seems.
Do you need a drunk driving accident lawyer?
Many victims of DUI accidents make the common mistake of not seeking legal help from an experienced drunk driving accident attorney in Dallas or elsewhere in Texas. “Why would I need a DUI accident lawyer when it’s clear who’s at fault in a car crash caused by an intoxicated driver?” some of you might wonder.
Two words: Insurance companies. Get it? After you get into a car crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver, the insurance company of that driver will be notified of the crash and will attempt to reach out to you, as the victim, to hear your side of the story, find out more details about the accident, and even offer you to settle your personal injury claim for a sum that does not represent the real value of your damages.
Beware of dishonest insurance companies in Texas
You can be sure that the impaired driver’s insurance company will do whatever it takes to get you to accept the offer in order to minimize the compensation. They want you to act quickly so that you do not have enough time to calculate your damages and be “overwhelmed” by the fact that you can receive money any second (even though, oftentimes, the sum of money in those initial settlement offers is not enough to pay for even half of the damages).
But getting an initial settlement offer is the best-case scenario. In the worst-case scenario, you will be dealing with a dishonest or fraudulent insurance company attempting to deny your personal injury claim altogether by conducting a biased investigation, twisting your words, and citing some non-existent terms in your insurance policy.
Yes, you are guaranteed to recover the maximum compensation after a DUI crash and get the insurance company to behave professionally instead of using their fraudulent tactics against you if you seek legal representation from a skilled DUI lawyer.
What to do after a car accident involving an intoxicated driver?
A car driver is deemed “negligent” the moment he or she chooses to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol. Our Dallas drunk driving accident lawyer explains that these drivers put those they share the roads with at an increased risk of bodily injury and death, because operating a vehicle while intoxicated has a negative impact on the driver’s ability to drive safely.
Among many other effects of drunk driving, operating a vehicle while intoxicated reduces reaction times, causes drowsiness and impaired vision, diminishes judgement and decision-making abilities, and results in the loss of concentration and vigilance.
If you or your loved ones have been injured in a car accident caused by an alcohol-impaired driver, you are entitled to seek compensation. Contact our car accident lawyers at Law Office of Dorothy Hyde for a free case evaluation. Call our offices at (214) 883-1700.