St. Petersburg Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), every two minutes someone is injured in a drunk driving crash. Furthermore, drunk driving is still the number one cause of death on American roadways. When a drunk driver causes a crash, the victims can seek compensation through a personal injury claim. While it does not take away the pain, compensation for damages can ease the financial burden of being injured. If you or a loved one has been hit by a drunk driver, talk to a skilled St. Petersburg  drunk driving accident lawyer from the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely.

How Alcohol Impairs a Person’s Driving Abilities

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported that there were 32,177 arrests for DUIs made in 2018. Each time a person gets behind the wheel after drinking too much, they risk causing a crash because alcohol impairs several functions that help a driver safely maneuver the roads. Examples of how alcohol impairs a driver include:

• Slower reaction time;
• Blurred vision;
• Decrease in the ability to track other vehicles’ movements on the road;
• Decrease attention;
• Reduced coordination;
• Inability to make rational decisions or follow directions; and
• More.

Proving Fault Against a Drunk Driver

Florida is a no-fault state, which means unless your injuries are severe you are barred from filing a personal injury claim with the liable driver’s insurance. The first insurance policy that will apply after a crash is the PIP insurance that is mandatory for all Florida drivers. Your PIP insurance will help cover medical expenses and lost wages. However, if you sustained severe scarring, disfigurement, loss of a bodily function, or there was a fatality you can file a personal injury claim with the liable driver’s insurance. This will allow you to recover compensation for pain and suffering as well.

If the police arrive at the crash scene, they may do a blood alcohol test on the other driver to determine what their blood alcohol concentration is. Anybody with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is considered legally impaired. Even if there is no proof that they were drunk at the time of the crash, they can still be held liable if their actions while drunk caused the collision. For instance, if they swerved into oncoming traffic or ran a red light. Other evidence that can be used to prove liability include traffic cameras, crash scenes photos, eyewitnesses, and more.

Contact a Drunk Driving Accident Attorney From the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely

If you or a loved one have suffered serious injuries because of a drunk driving incident, you can file a personal injury claim. Even if you are dealing with your own insurance, it can be prudent to work with a lawyer who can make sure you are not denied any coverage. The skilled St. Petersburg drunk driving accident attorneys at the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely are ready to assist you through the legal process. Contact our offices today at 727-550-8800 to schedule a free consultation today.