Drunk drivers are responsible for thousands of injuries in death in the United States and Columbus has not been spared. Witnes the notorious punk that killed a man and then made a youtube video about the drunk driving death. (1) There are multiple things you should do after a traffic crash with a drunk driver to protect your right to full and fair compensation.
5 Critical Steps to Take If a Drunk Driver Injures You
1. Call 911 and Get the Police to the Scene
The police will document important information such as insurance , drinking, name of the adverse drive . They will give a field sobriett test and if the driver fails they will arrest him and request he take a intoxilizer. This evidence can be used in a civil claim
2. Get yourself checked out if you are the slightest bit injured. When the life squad arrives let them take you to the hospital if they make that offer.
The more you delay tratment the less likely the insurance company will be to relate your injury to the automobile crash. So it is critical to get prompt and appropriate medical car and treatment.
3. Inform your Own Insurance Company About the Crash
There is a high likelihood that a drunk driver will not have insurance or very limited insurance. Therefore your own auto policy may come into play to compensate you with underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage. If there is no insurance you need to have your own insurance company take care of your car damages. So call your insurance agent and report the motor vehicle crash.
4. Call the prosecutors Office and Find Out What Prosecutor has Been Assigned The Case
At this stage the criminal justice system brings a criminal action against the driver. However they do not represnt your interests. It is unlikely they will contact you unless you are needed for trial and then the will just send out a subpoena. they are very busy , but you want to establish a line of communication with them . A civil lawyer you hire is the best person to do this which brings me to number 5.
5. Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Bodily Injury Insurance Settlement Claim Lawyer
As a personal injury lawyer for over 32 years I get many calls asking what are my rights? Or what are my options. Unfortunately some people never call and they become a victim twice . They are afraid that a lawyer will take all the money. There are horror stories about settlement mills and ambulance chasers , but it is not that difficult to find a good injury lawyer that will help you get compensation. (2) The call is generally free and you can decide from there if you want to hire a civil lawyer.
Anthony Castelli Attorney practice personal injury law through out Ohio . He has helped hundreds of people recover thousands of dollars for their injuries. In Columbus call 614.438.2672 or you can meet with him personally in Columbus at 100 East Campus Viw Boulevard , Suite 250 Columbus, Ohio 43235
Columbus, Ohio, 43235
1. The perpetrator drunk driver that made the youtube.com video got the sentenced he deserved today.
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/matthew-cordle-sentencing-live-video-stream-man-who-filmed-dui-confession-viral-video-in-court Wptv.com reporting
2. https://plus.google.com/100247713464316294157/posts/YyQazpxyri2