Last month, in what should have been a night of making fond memories, four young women were killed when a drunk driver plowed into their limousine. The women were touring the North Fork of Long Island celebrating the upcoming wedding of one of their friends.
Four other young women, including the bride-to-be, also were in the limo and survived. But, the tragic loss of these young women, all in their early 20’s, not only devastated their families and friends, but also devastated their community.
The girls had wisely hired a limousine to drive them around. But their smart choice didn’t stop someone else from doing the wrong thing. A local business owner, was arraigned in his hospital bed for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
Regardless of public service announcements, warnings by the police, and the efforts of committed citizens, individuals continue to drink alcohol and drive. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), there were 364 drunk driving fatalities last year, representing over 30% of all traffic deaths on our nation’s roadways. There were 8,386 alcohol crash related injuries. This cost taxpayers roughly $2.5 billion.
Although most victims in these accidents do survive, many of them can be left with devastating impairments that change their entire quality of life. Those injured parties may be entitled to file personal injury lawsuits to cover such things as medical bills, lost wages, and in some cases, personal injury damages.
New York personal injury law states that you have a right to be compensated for personal injuries if you are able to prove those injuries are the result of someone else’s negligence.
In the case of drunk driving, often negligence can be determined at the scene or shortly thereafter. However, to pursue damages, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney on your side.
You will need an attorney you can trust to protect your interests, stand up for what you rightfully deserve, and help you recover the money damages you are entitled to receive from your personal injury claim. If you have been injured as a result of a drunk driver, contact The Noll Law Firm at: (516)252-3496 for a free case evaluation.