An allegedly impaired driver crossed over the center line and struck an SUV around 5:30 pm, Tuesday, November 13, 2018. According to Spokane Police, the driver will be charged with DUI and vehicular assault once released from the hospital. He sustained nonlife-threatening injuries.

His passenger, however, suffered broken bones and other serious injuries in the collision. Police said that the SUV driver had no time to react and avoid the head-on collision, however, he walked away with only scrapes and bruises.

Impaired Driving

Impaired driving is a serous problem Washington State with over 8,000 DUI-related collisions in 2017. Of these, 133 resulted in death and another 500 resulted in serious injuries. Though the number of DUI’s as a percentage of drivers is decreasing over the last decade, the number of accidents, injuries and deaths have been slower to decline. This is most likely because of the increase in the raw number of drivers on the road.

According Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the number of deaths and injuries across the nation has declined since 1980, however, DUI’s still place every driver and passenger on the road at risk for serious injury or death.

DUI Injuries

Victims of a crash involving an impaired driver are often unable to defend themselves because of the nature of a DUI crash. Impaired drivers can be unpredictable often having control of the vehicle on moment, and in a split-second, they lose control. This often eliminates the defensive driving ability of the injured drive and in many cases, causes the most danderoug type of crash, the head-on collision.

Do I need an attorney if I’m injured by an Impaired Driver?

The answer is almost always yes. There is a chance that the insurance company and their lawyers will do what’s right, but that is not usually the case. You need an attorney that knows the law and the types of damages that can occur from a DUI. Just a few of them are:

• Medical bills,
• Loss of wages, both during the treatment and for any disability,
• Emotional/psychological damages,
• Loss of intimacy with spouse or partner,
• Loss of quality of life.

These are just a few, and you need an attorney skilled and experienced in dealing with insurance agents and defense attorneys as well as being knowledgeable in the impaired driving law. Don’t let the insurance company give you as little as possible, but get someone who can stand up to them for you.

You need to get an attorney that specializes in these types of cases to make sure the highly-paid defense lawyers and the insurance companies treat you fairly. Crary, Clark, Domanico, & Chuang, P.S., has experienced attorneys trained in the law dealing with drunk driving and personal injury. They can go toe-to-toe with the insurance companies and their lawyers to get you fair compensation for your injuries. Call them at (509) 926 4900 or send them a message.