Drinking and driving is a major cause of accidents in every city and state in America. Although the news media, the police, and educators, have repeatedly warned people of the dangers of drinking and driving, people continue to do it. If you have been injured by a drunk driver, you need a personal injury law firm to get the financial compensation you need to recover from your injuries. The attorneys at Wattel and York have years of experience representing injury victims. They are among the top drunk driving accident attorneys in Arizona.
Drunk Driving Accident Statistics
There were 243 alcohol-related fatalities on Arizona roads in 2021. This is over a 6% increase from the previous year. In 2021, there were 3,609 alcohol-related injuries. This is a significant increase from 2020, when there were 2,899 alcohol-related injuries.
Financial damages from accidents in Pima County totaled $2,466,856,812 in 2021. Insurance companies, individuals, and the county government helped pay for those costs.
Insurance Laws In Arizona
The United States has two different types of insurance rules: fault and no fault. In a fault state, the negligent driver’s insurance company pays the collision-related bills. In a no-fault state, a person’s insurance provider will pay their bills even if they were responsible for the accident. There are some no-fault states where an insurance company can deny payment if their client was drunk at the time of the accident.
Arizona is a fault state. When you are hurt in a car accident involving drugs or alcohol, it is important to collect all the evidence you can to get the money from the drunk driver’s insurance company to pay for damage to your car and medical bills.
Insurance companies can be very tight-fisted. The more evidence you have, the less likely they are to deny your insurance claim.
What to Do at The Scene of a Drunk Driving Accident
Whenever you are involved in any kind of car accident, you should pull over to the side of the road to see if anyone is hurt. Call the police and wait for them to arrive. Get the names and numbers of witnesses who may have seen the accident. Exchange insurance information and contact information with anyone else involved in the crash.
Always take pictures of the cars after an accident. Insurance adjusters will look at the configuration of the vehicles to find out who caused the accident. If you suspect the other driver is drunk based on their behavior, let the police officer know.
Look in the other driver’s car window and see if there is evidence of alcohol or drug use, such as bottles or needles. Take a picture if you can. Ask for a copy of the accident report, which should reveal if the other person failed a breathalyzer test.
You will want to keep informed of any criminal charges against the other driver for drunk or reckless driving. You may be called as a witness in a criminal case if you were injured by a drunk driver.
Arizona has the toughest drunk driving laws in the U.S. A person can pay $1,250 in fines, face driver’s license suspension, and jail time if they injure someone. A third offense can result in license revocation.
Save Your Bills
Save every medical bill you get including:
- Doctor visits
- Physical therapy
- Alternative treatments (such as massages and cryogenic therapy)
- Surgical procedures
You should also save the bills from any household service you need due to your accident. If you are unable to drive, include the bills for any ride-share services you used.
Ask your employer to write a letter stating the number of hours you have missed from work. If you are self-employed or a freelancer, write a letter for yourself.
What an Insurance Company Looks For
Once you have gathered your motor vehicle accident-related bills, you will file an insurance claim with the other driver’s insurance company. They will assign your case to an insurance adjuster who will review the evidence and decide if they can approve your claim. If they approve of it, they will make you a settlement offer. You should never accept this offer without talking to an attorney first.
Why You Need a Lawyer For Drunk Driving Accidents
If you have been hit by an intoxicated driver, you may think that you do not need an attorney. However, a car accident is not always a person’s fault just because they were driving drunk. The insurance company will try to argue that you were completely or partially responsible for the accident. They will try to pay you less because of your culpability.
An attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. They will use facts to show the other driver should be held responsible. They can subpoena records in a court case that you cannot.
The victims of drunk drivers often suffer serious damage, such as spinal cord injuries. An attorney may be able to get you additional compensation for pain and suffering.
If your family member suffered fatal injuries, an attorney could represent you in a wrongful death case.
What Sets Us Apart
There are a lot of drunk driving accident lawyers in the state of Arizona. However, few of them have the experience that the lawyers at Wattel and York do. Our attorneys have a proven track record of negotiating the best deals for our clients.
We have been named one of the top 100 law firms in the country and have won a 2021 Lawyers of Distinction award and a Client Champion Silver Medal.
Dave Wattel and Michael York have represented innocent victims of drunk driving accidents, Uber accidents, and speeding accidents for decades. They help drunk driving victims get fair monetary compensation for property damage, lost income, and medical bills after a car crash. Call us for your free legal consultation.
