Little Rock Drugged Driving Accidents

What is considered to be intoxicated under the law? Alcohol intoxication is clearly defined under the law and can be easily measured. If a person has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or more, then he or she is legally intoxicated. Compared to alcohol, it is much more difficult to measure drug impairment at the time of a traffic stop or accident. Unlike alcohol, some drugs remain in the body for several days or weeks after use so it makes it difficult for blood or urine tests to accurately determine whether someone was driving under the influence of drugs at the time of an accident.

How then can you hold a drugged driver responsible for your injuries after a crash? You will first need to prove the drugged driver’s negligence. Officers have been trained to determine drug impairment in motorists based on their eye movements and behaviors following a traffic stop or accident. If the driver was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, information from the defendant’s criminal case can prove useful in your civil case. An experienced drugged driving accident lawyer in Little Rock can monitor the criminal case on your behalf.

What if the defendant was not cited for driving under the influence? In that case, you may have to rely on the testimony of eyewitnesses or other evidence to show that the drugged driver was responsible for the accident. To prove negligence, you will generally need to show that the other driver breached a duty of care to you which caused (1) the accident and (2) you to suffer injuries and damages. Testimony or evidence of erratic driving, suspicious conduct, or an incriminating statement made by the defendant may be helpful in proving that the defendant was driving while intoxicated.

Due to certain limitations of drug tests, it is especially important for drugged driving accident victims to contact a knowledgeable Little Rock drugged driving accident lawyer who has experience in these types of cases. A lawyer can interview eyewitnesses, obtain available surveillance footage of the accident, gather evidence from the scene of the crash, review toxicology reports, and take other steps to investigate your claim and prove the defendant’s intoxication.