Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, an injury crash caused by drunk driving occurs every two minutes, and 28 people a day are killed in drunk driving accidents. Statistics show that you are more likely than not to be involved in a drunk driving crash at some point in your life. Driving while intoxicated is not only illegal; it is the kind of unreasonable, dangerous behavior that may be considered a violation of the duty every driver owes to other drivers and pedestrians on the road. New York auto accident law is complicated, but the attorneys at Dupée & Monroe in Goshen have the knowledge, skills and experience to obtain justice for those injured by drunk drivers in car accidents in the mid-Hudson Valley.
Drunk driving accidents are often serious or fatal
Intoxicated drivers get involved in accidents because their senses and their judgment are impaired. They pay less attention to the road and have slower reflexes. They may fail to react to a dangerous situation, or when they do react, they overreact and cause an accident by their overcorrection. The types of driving behaviors engaged in by drunk drivers lead to car accidents which are more likely to result in serious injury or death. These behaviors include:
- Speeding
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Swerving or drifting into other lanes, including oncoming lanes
- Driving the wrong way down a divided highway
- Failing to apply the brakes when an impact is imminent
Special issues should be considered in drunk driving car accidents
If a driver was arrested at the scene or later charged with driving while intoxicated, this fact can help establish the driver’s liability in a civil lawsuit. However, even if the driver is not convicted, or even if the driver is never charged, evidence of intoxication may still be used in a civil case, which has different standards than a criminal case. Also, given the fact that choosing to drive drunk may in some instances be properly characterized as wantonly negligent or reckless, it is possible in some cases that punitive damages may be sought against the drunk driver, in addition to compensatory damages such as medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Help is Available in Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers in the Hudson Valley
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver in Orange County and surrounding areas, call Dupée & Monroe in Goshen at 845-294-8900 for a free consultation with dedicated and experienced Hudson Valley personal injury attorneys.
