Chattanooga Drunk Driving Accidents

While many drunk driving collisions are fatal accidents, those fortunate enough to survive the crash may be left with critical injuries. If so, you may be able to recover damages. When seeking compensation for injuries and losses incurred from a drunk driving collision, you will likely need to establish the drunk driver’s negligence by a preponderance of the evidence by showing that the other driver owed you a duty of reasonable care and breached that duty by drinking and driving, which caused the accident and your injuries. A police officer citing the other driver for driving under the influence (DUI) may be beneficial to your case as well. Hiring an experienced drunk driving accident attorney in the Chattanooga area could help you bolster your case and maximize your recovery.

A drunk driving collision can inflict severe injuries upon those involved. For example, let us say that you are driving through a four-way stop while your light is green, but a drunk driver does not stop at their red light as they approach the same intersection – resulting in a collision between you and the drunk driver. Shattered glass could leave you with lacerations while the impact could possibly cause you to sustain whiplash, head trauma, bruises, skull fractures, broken bones, or spinal cord injuries.

Sustaining significant injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, may result in you attending physical therapy sessions at a hospital or orthopedic clinic. Medical bills can add up quickly after a car wreck. Under Tennessee law, you may be entitled to compensatory damages for your losses and injuries. Economic damages may be awarded to you for monetary losses, including loss of earning capacity, medical bills, and lost wages. On the opposite end of the spectrum, your intangible losses, such as loss of consortium and disfigurement, stemming from the accident may entitle you to non-economic damages. If the insurance company fails to make a reasonable offer to satisfy your losses, litigation may be required to fight for fair compensation. Many Chattanooga car wreck lawsuits are filed in the Circuit Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee, which is located at 500 Hamilton County Courthouse, 625 Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402.