Winston-Salem Drunk Driving Accident Victim Attorney

Professional Drunk Driving Accident Victim Lawyers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Education, increased awareness, and stronger penalties have helped reduce the rate of fatal drunk-driving accidents in the U.S. by about 50 percent since the early 1980s. However, drunk driving remains a significant problem on the nation’s roads as the following statistics demonstrate.

• Over 1 million people a year are arrested for drunk driving in the U.S.
• It is estimated that a person has driven drunk at least 80 times before he or she is finally arrested.
• Of the more than 300,000 people who drive drunk each day only about 1 percent are arrested.
• About 1/3 of those arrested for drunk driving are repeat offenders.
• Every day, drunk driving injures about 800 people – 1 injury every 2 minutes.

At Nagle & Associates, P.A., we are familiar with the damage drinking and driving can cause. Our Winston-Salem drunk driving accident victim attorneys represent those who are seriously injured because of a drunk driver. If you were injured in a drunk driving accident, we can help. Call us today at (336) 723-4500.

Why Hire Nagle & Associates, P.A.?

You want to work with a firm that has handled a lot of similar cases and been able to obtain substantial recoveries on behalf of their clients. Our firm is known for its:

• Experience – For over 20 years, we have represented people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents.
• Results – We know what we’re doing. We have secured over $500 million for our clients and have a consistent record of successful outcomes.
• Compassion – We understand this is about your life. We work hard to get to know you and learn how you have been damaged by your accident. We make it convenient for you to contact us when you need us.

The Difference a Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Will Make

Getting in an accident with a drunk driver raises some issues that are not involved in accidents where alcohol is not a factor. When you hire an attorney at our firm, they will:

• Protect your legal rights – An attorney will make sure that you provide requested information in such a way that it does not jeopardize your claim.
• Know how to investigate and prove your claim – That the other driver was drunk is to your advantage in proving causation for the accident and your attorney will know how to use the evidence to your benefit.
• Have familiarity with law enforcement, insurance companies, and the court system – Having the relevant associations and knowing how the process works means your claim is handled efficiently and with the best chance of success.

Is a Drunk Driver Automatically at Fault for an Accident?

The short answer is ‘no’ because the fact of being drunk does not in itself establish legal fault – though it does trigger criminal penalties. It kind of makes sense that driving drunk would be wrong enough so you could just assume the drunk driver is responsible. But the law requires that the driver’s wrong be something that leads directly to the accident. Drunk is likely not a factor when a drunk driver slams into you from behind because he got hit from behind by a semi. Drunk is likely a factor when a drunk driver hits you head-on going the wrong way on a one-way road.

The fault of the drunk driver is less of an issue if other people saw the accident and/or there is evidence at the scene that gives a pretty clear picture of what happened. However, when there is not a lot of independent evidence as to how an accident occurred, the credibility of the people involved becomes critical. If only you and the other driver were there, it can become he said, she said and the determination of fault becomes more about believability.

Someone who was driving drunk at the time of the accident may not be as believable as a person who was sober. So while getting in an accident with a drunk driver doesn’t guarantee the driver will be held responsible, the driver’s impairment can make it easier to prove you were not at fault.

Proving that the drunk driver caused the accident is the first big hurdle you have to overcome in North Carolina. An injured person seeking compensation cannot have any fault for causing the accident. The law bars recovery for those who in any way contributed to their own injuries.

Contact Our Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today

A good drunk driving accident attorney will know how to prove the drunk driver was the cause of the accident that resulted in your injuries and then be able to clearly establish the amount of recovery you are entitled to. The Winston-Salem drunk driving accident victim attorneys at Nagle & Associates, P.A. know how to present the evidence so that you have zero fault for the accident and are entitled to recover fully. Call our office at (336) 723-4500 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help, or click here to contact us.