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Injured By A Drunk Driver In Tacoma? Call Today.

Alcohol, even in small amounts, can limit a driver’s reaction time, ability to stay in a lane, and response to dangerous road conditions. Drivers should always be focused and mindful when they get behind the wheel. If they are not, they can cause a catastrophic collision.

If you or someone you love was injured by a drunk driver, you deserve full compensation for your trauma. These accidents should never be dismissed as “minor” or “simple mistakes.” At Pendergast Law, our Tacoma drunk driving accident attorneys can use nearly 30 years of experience to fight to get you compensation after a collision. To learn how, call us toll-free at 888-539-9211 to get a free case evaluation.

Drunk Driving In Washington State

In the state of Washington, any person who drives with a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.08% or higher can be charged with a DUI. These drivers can be sent to jail, lose their licenses, have to pay court fines, and have to attend substance abuse classes. Sometimes, they are forced to pay restitution to their victims.

Unfortunately, despite strong DUI laws in our state, more than 1,600 individuals lost their lives to alcohol-impaired drivers over a 10-year period. Across the United States, roughly one in three fatal car accidents involves a drunk driver, but here in Washington, DUIs account for 50% of all traffic deaths. This behavior should never be accepted on our roads. If an intoxicated driver caused your injuries, then you deserve full compensation for your trauma.

The Danger Of Commercial And Teen Drivers

For commercial drivers, such as delivery drivers and truckers, the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is 0.04%, and anyone under the age of 21 is limited to a flat 0% BAC. These rules are not arbitrary, as both groups are more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents. Commercial drivers haul large amounts of cargo, operate powerful vehicles, and transport passengers. Any amount of intoxication in a trucker, whether due to alcohol or drugs, can result in a catastrophic accident and great loss of life.

While teen drivers do not share the same responsibilities as commercial drivers, their lack of experience puts them at high risk of being involved in serious accidents. Drivers aged 16-19 are three times as likely to be involved in fatal accidents. When alcohol is added to the mix, it increases the risk drastically. In fact, 24% of all teen drivers who died in accidents had at least a BAC of 0.01%. It is never okay to drink and drive.

Common Drunk Driving Accidents

Alcohol impacts a driver’s ability to focus, stay awake, and respond to dangerous scenarios. Given that nothing is more dangerous than operating a heavy vehicle at high speeds, driving while intoxicated can lead to several catastrophic accidents, including:

  • Driving off the road
  • Sudden lane changes that lead to sideswipes
  • Running red lights
  • Head-on collisions
  • Failing to brake in time and rear-ending other vehicles
  • T-bone collisions at intersections
  • Collisions with pedestrians or cyclists in crosswalks

Drunk driving kills thousands of people every year, causes millions of dollars in property damage, and sends even more people to the hospital every day. Accident victims may be left with hefty medical bills and struggle to work again due to chronic injuries. A single collision with a drunk driver could forever change your life. Beyond the financial costs of a drunk driving accident, you must also deal with emotional trauma. Car accidents on their own can lead to PTSD (especially if you received a head wound), but the full weight of the experience can also cause depression and anxiety. Victims may struggle to get back in a vehicle and may need therapy to fully move on from the collision.

Healing from a drunk driving accident takes time, care, and money. If you were injured by a drunk driver, then you should not have to pay for these costs alone. Instead, their insurance company should provide compensation for your trauma.

Recovering Compensation After A Collision

It’s hard to put a price on a car accident. You may be in a great deal of pain, dealing with a disability, struggling to go to work or pay your rent, and left with deep emotional scars. But if a drunk driver injured you, you deserve full compensation for all the losses you have suffered.

Drunk driving is a clear act of negligence and, after a collision, you should be able to pursue an auto accident claim to recover compensation for:

  • All medical bills, including past and future expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Disabilities

If you lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death claims provide compensation to the family of the deceased after a fatal accident. While there is no amount of money that can replace a loved one, a claim can provide compensation for lost wages, leftover medical bills, and other costs your family has suffered due to a negligent driver. The only people eligible to file wrongful death claims in the state of Washington are the deceased’s spouse, child, and parents, but our team at Pendergast Law can explain your options.

Strong Representation For Accident Victims

After a drunk driving accident, you may hope that the at-fault driver’s insurance will pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. The truth of the matter is that insurance companies, even local ones here in Tacoma, are driven by profits. If they can find a way to devalue or deny your claim, then they will do it in a heartbeat.

To get full compensation for your injuries, trust your case to the dedicated Tacoma personal injury attorneys at Pendergast Law. For nearly 30 years, our firm has stood up for accident victims throughout Tacoma and recovered millions of dollars in compensation. We can provide the expertise you need to get the most out of your claim and move on after being injured by a drunk driver.

To get a free consultation and learn what we can do for you, call us toll-free at 888-539-9211.