Meridian Drunk Driving Accidents
Motor Vehicle Collision Attorneys Representing Victims in Meridian
Have you been injured in a car crash involving a drunk driver? Unfortunately, drunk drivers continue to climb behind the wheel, and drunk driving continues to be a common cause of car wrecks across Mississippi. Drunk driving jeopardizes the safety of drivers, passengers, and all other motorists on the road. If you have been injured in an accident caused by an intoxicated driver, call Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz today for a free consultation with an experienced Meridian drunk driving accident lawyer. With more than 30 attorneys, 100 staff members, and 30 years of experience handling these types of cases, NST can help you fight to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. We are a large regional personal injury law firm.
Drunk Driving Is Against the Law in Mississippi
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2,500 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in Mississippi from 2003 to 2012. The drunk driving rate of death in Mississippi almost doubles the national average. These are staggering, and devastating, statistics.
All 50 states, including Mississippi, have enacted laws to protect the public from the perils associated with drinking while driving. In Mississippi, it is illegal to climb behind the wheel if you have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Mississippi also has an implied consent law, which means that if you refuse to submit to a chemical test to determine your BAC, you will be in violation of that law and subject to a fine and automatic license suspension. Unfortunately, even with these laws in place, Mississippi continues to have a high rate of drunk driving accidents.
Seeking Monetary Damages After a Drunk Driving Collision
To recover compensation for injuries suffered in an accident, you will need to prove that the other driver was negligent. Generally, in order to hold a driver responsible for your injuries, a drunk driving accident lawyer in Meridian will need to show that he breached a duty of care to you that caused you to suffer injuries and losses. If the other driver was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) or another traffic violation after rear-ending you in Interstate 59, for example, then you may be able to show negligence per se, or negligence as a matter of law. Under this theory, negligence is presumed if the other driver violated a law. Our attorneys have experience representing people injured by another driver who got a DUI.
For those involved in a car wreck, the Meridian Police Department will likely be dispatched to the scene. In some instances, the officer may not charge the other driver with DUI. The driver may pass field sobriety tests or may have a BAC below the legal limit. This does not mean that you cannot still show that the other driver was negligent and to blame for the accident and your injuries. A criminal charge or conviction is not required in order for you to succeed in a civil personal injury action. In these cases, you may be able to use the testimony of eyewitnesses, video surveillance footage, the defendant’s admissions, and other circumstantial evidence to prove the defendant’s impairment and resulting negligence.
The Meridian drunk driving accident attorneys at NST are experienced in DUI accident cases, and we have the knowledge and the resources to gather the evidence needed to hold the drunk driver responsible for his or her wrongdoing. We can also help you recover compensation for your losses. You may have to seek emergency medical treatment at a facility like Regency Meridian, located at 1102 Construction Avenue, Meridian, MS 39301. This could cause costly medical bills to pile up. Following a car accident with a drunk driver, you may be entitled to damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Seek the Counsel of an Experienced Drunk Driving Crash Lawyer
If you have suffered physical harm in an accident caused by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to file a claim seeking compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and vehicle property damage. In some DUI injury cases, you may also be able to seek punitive damages. Our knowledgeable attorneys can investigate your claim by interviewing witnesses and obtaining breathalyzer and blood test results so that we can build a convincing case against the drunk driver. Contact us toll-free at 800-529-4004 for a free consultation with a drunk driving accident attorney in Meridian today, or complete our online form. If you need legal representation after a car accident, NST is the way to go.
Most car accidents are preventable and occur as a result of errors by one or more drivers. To prove liability, you will need to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver owed you a duty of care, which was breached, and that your injuries resulted from the driver’s carelessness. Damages that may be available in these cases often include medical expenses, lost income, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.
Truck drivers are required to follow numerous detailed regulations, including rules related to hours of service, keeping a logbook, and maintenance procedures. Many of these regulations are intended to protect other people on the road from harm. In some states, if a driver violated a law that was enacted to protect the public, the violation can create a rebuttable presumption of negligence. Trucking companies are also required to follow a number of regulations, including rules related to background checks of drivers and proper supervision. They often may be held directly or indirectly liable for a truck accident.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates applications for disability benefits. Although many people pay into this system throughout their lives, many legitimate claims are initially denied, and this process may be less straightforward than claimants expect. The SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation to determine whether to grant benefits to an applicant. Each step is considered in a set order. We can present your case in a persuasive manner and help you appeal a denial of a meritorious claim if needed. This could include representing you in a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Workers’ compensation functions slightly differently in each state. In Tennessee, for example, businesses that employ five or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you are injured on the job, you may recover benefits, such as medical costs and disability. Neither your employer’s nor your own culpability for your injuries will prevent you from collecting these benefits. However, it may still be a struggle to obtain benefits from your employer’s insurer. We can help you navigate this challenging process.
If you were harmed by a health care professional’s failure to use the appropriate level of care in providing treatment to you, you may be able to recover compensation. Most medical malpractice lawsuits require retaining an expert to determine the accepted standard of care and explain what the defendant did that fell short of this standard, as well as how the inappropriate conduct caused the patient’s injuries.
When you buy a toy, car, medication, or other product, you do not expect to be hurt. If you are injured, you may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit. There are three types of defects that may be actionable: manufacturing, design, and marketing (also known as failure to warn). Manufacturers may be held accountable under multiple different theories, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, and concealment. For example, if you take a drug that causes you to develop cancer, but you were not told that a potential side effect of the drug was developing cancer, you may have grounds to hold the manufacturer strictly liable for its failure to warn you of the risk.
Nursing home residents are often elderly or disabled, and thus they are especially vulnerable to neglect, physical abuse, and exploitation by staff members. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are understaffed or employ staff members who are inadequately trained to deal with potentially frustrating situations. Nursing homes are required to protect their residents from physical, mental, and emotional harm by providing a safe environment, as well as adequately training and supervising staff. A failure to do so may be grounds for a nursing home negligence lawsuit for damages.
Property owners have a duty to keep their property reasonably safe. In most situations, this includes an obligation to inspect the property for dangerous conditions and fix them or provide warnings about them so that visitors are not harmed. One type of dangerous condition, which may present a particular problem in apartment complexes or shopping centers, consists of inadequate security measures such as broken locks, poor lighting, or a lack of security guards. A failure to take security measures when appropriate may allow third-party criminals to assault, rob, rape, or otherwise harm visitors and tenants. You may be able to recover damages if you can prove that the defendant knew or should have known about a history of attacks similar to yours and taken appropriate security measures to reduce the risk of further incidents.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer in Memphis or the Surrounding Regions
If you are dealing with a devastating injury or medical condition, the Memphis personal injury attorneys at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz can evaluate and explain your options. Our firm has 30 attorneys and more than 100 staff members, and we serve injured people in many areas of Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, including Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo, Columbus, Grenada, Starkville, Oxford, Hayti, and Caruthersville. Contact our office toll-free by calling 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to set up a free consultation with a personal injury, workers’ compensation, or Social Security Disability lawyer. Once you have learned more about our vigorous advocacy for the rights of the injured, you will realize that NST is the way to go.