Drunk driving remains amongst the leading causes of death on US roads. About one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the country can be traced back to alcohol impairment.
Here in San Diego, we face some unique risk factors that make drunk driving accidents more likely. Below, we cover some of the reasons why drunk driving accidents are so common in San Diego and we’ve included details about how a trustworthy lawyer can help after an accident, too.
Anywhere there’s warm weather and a beach, leisurely cruises become the norm. Plenty of the people you pass on the road in San Diego are driving around for fun.
When people drive for recreation, they’re more likely to drive drunk. Some drivers might even intentionally drink before heading out onto the road. San Diego’s amazing weather and beautiful geography mean that lots of people head out onto the road for joyrides.
Whether it’s a college party or you’re in town for an anniversary vacation, it seems like half of San Diego is always busy celebrating. We’re all for excitement! Oftentimes, though, parties and vacations lead to drinking alcohol.
Unfortunately, not everybody follows the rules of the road. People who have been drinking have the option to coordinate with a designated driver or call a rideshare. When they drive under the influence, they put everyone on the road at risk.
San Diego is home to thousands of local restaurants and bars. Whether you live here or you’re a tourist, chances are that you have spent time in San Diego eating and drinking.
Some people drink irresponsibly. Because our drinking and dining culture is so vibrant, there’s a very high risk of people drinking throughout the city and then driving home.
San Diego’s amazing food and drinks help give the city its unique pulse, but the prevalence of alcohol does increase the risk of drunk driving accidents.
Some cities and towns have robust public transit systems to help support their populations. Here in San Diego, our public transportation leaves a lot to be desired.
Any time a city has minimal options for public transit, it increases the risk of drunk driving accidents. Most people in San Diego need to drive everywhere that walking isn’t feasible. That means that there are lots of people who have been drinking on the road who could be safely riding a bus or train instead.
Drunk driving is dangerous in more ways than one. Alcohol is a depressant. It slows the central nervous system, which results in body-wide effects.
Drinking alcohol:
Somebody’s blood alcohol concentration (or BAC) refers to the percentage of alcohol in their bloodstream. BAC is influenced by a variety of factors.
Weight, biological sex, medications, and drinking timeframe all affect BAC.
Even at a BAC of 0.01 to 0.06 or 0.07, it is safest not to drive. We recommend searching for public transportation or rideshare services instead. Drunk driving—even with a small amount of alcohol in your system—is not safe.
Most people notice difficulty navigating at a BAC of 0.07 or higher. Nobody should drive once they reach this level of blood alcohol concentration.
Several factors influence a person’s BAC. The number of standard drinks (a 12-ounce beer, five-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor) someone consumes is the most obvious.
BAC is also affected by:
Even after becoming the victim of a drunk driving accident, an insurance company may try to push some (or all) of the blame for the accident onto you. Never admit or accept blame after an accident you did not cause. Drunk drivers should be held fully accountable for their conduct.
Chances are, the insurance company is badgering you for a recorded statement. They might even say that you have to give this statement. You do not. The only reason they want your statement is so that they can look for details to diminish your claim’s value.
Since it can be difficult for an insurer to avoid liability after a drunk driving accident, sometimes they take a different approach to contacting you and offer you an early settlement. Don’t give in to their pressure to settle early. When you settle a claim early, you do not receive the full amount of compensation that you deserve.
Every state has a statute of limitations that defines how long accident survivors have to make a claim. Think of statutes of limitations as deadlines. Here in California, the statute of limitations on car accidents allows accident survivors two years to file a claim.
It’s important to start your claim before the two-year point arrives. A lawyer can promptly handle your case. There’s no good reason to wait to take legal action after a drunk driving accident—you don’t want to miss out on compensation just because you ignored a time limit.
If you were in a drunk driving accident, chances are that you have medical expenses to contend with. You can work with a lawyer to pursue compensation for these expenses. Past, current, and projected medical bills associated with the accident may all be compensable.
Compensation for medical expenses extends to include almost every type of cost you can imagine. The costs of emergency transport and treatment, surgeries, prescriptions, long-term care, and even custom medical equipment may all be recoverable.
Most drunk driving accidents are severe enough that survivors have to miss time from work after a crash. If you missed time from your job because of an accident, you may be eligible to collect damages for lost wages. These help compensate accident survivors for the wages they lost because of a crash.
Lots of people don’t realize this: an accident can have an impact on your ability to earn money. Drunk driving crashes don’t just force survivors to miss time from work; in some cases, these accidents permanently change survivors’ ability to earn money and make a living.
If your injuries or mental health prevent you from earning as much money as you did before your accident, you could be eligible to pursue compensation for diminished earning capacity. Some people’s earning capacities are only partially diminished because of a crash. For others, working may become next to impossible.
If a drunk driving accident causes any physical damage at all, the damage is likely reflected on your vehicle. Sometimes, even property inside of a vehicle is damaged in a crash.
Compensation through a civil claim can also pay for property damage after an accident. These help with repair and replacement costs.
Most of the time, if a car accident causes injuries, those injuries cause pain. You don’t deserve to experience pain and suffering because of someone else’s recklessness or negligence. If you were in a drunk driving accident and you’ve experienced pain and suffering, your attorney can help you recover compensation.
Mental anguish can occur after any kind of drunk driving accident. The impacts that these accidents have are often long-lasting; many people feel a sense of anxiety or hopelessness when they’re faced with injuries, medical bills, and so on.
You deserve to be compensated for your mental anguish. When you work with a drunk driving accident lawyer, they can help you pursue justice and compensation for your experiences.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a drunk driving accident, a lawyer can help you pursue justice and compensation for your losses. Experienced drunk driving accident attorneys support their clients throughout the legal process.
Your lawyer will handle:
If your case needs to go to trial, your lawyer will bring the case for you. Most cases settle outside of court, but you never know when a case may need to escalate to secure a just settlement or verdict.
The right drunk driving accident lawyer for your case will be empathetic and aggressive. Ideally, you should find a firm that does not represent defendants in drunk driving cases. Look for someone who specializes in fighting for the interests of injured victims.
John Gomez founded the firm alone in 2005. Today, John acts as President and Lead Trial Attorney. He has been voted by his peers as a top ten San Diego litigator in three separate fields: Personal Injury, Insurance and Corporate Litigation. Since 2000, he has recovered over $800 million in settlements and verdicts for his clients with more than 160 separate recoveries of one million dollars or more. A prolific trial lawyer, John has tried to jury verdict more than 60 separate cases.
no fees unless we recover money on your behalf
No Fees Unless We Recover Money On Your Behalf