National campaigns aimed at educating the public about the dangers of drinking and driving have existed for decades now. Every state in the nation makes it a crime to drive under the influence of alcohol and the penalties for those who do can be extreme, ranging from fines and fees to the loss of a driver’s license and even incarceration in jail or prison. All of these efforts are aimed at one thing – reducing the number of drunk and impaired motorists so that the streets will be safer.
The truth continues to show that drunk drivers are less capable than other motorists of operating a vehicle in a safe and efficient manner. Alcohol, a depressant, decreases a driver’s ability to respond to changing conditions or to process information in a manner necessary to make decisions. This is often coupled with dulled senses and a lack of ability to make critical choices when alcohol is in a driver’s system, all leading to an increased risk of a car accident or other serious traffic incident.
Every day, people in Chicago become the unwitting victims of drunk driving accidents when another chooses to operate a car after drinking. Far too often, these victims sustain serious, even fatal injuries and their lives may never be the same as a result. Nothing about that suffering is fair or right when those who are injured happened to simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
While the damage done to these victims cannot be undone overnight, there are laws in place in Illinois to enable those who have been hurt to get the monetary relief they need to move beyond an accident and move forward with their lives. Generally called a personal injury action or a civil claim for damages, this type of relief exists to help a victim get payment to cover any and all losses, including medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. The right to seek this payment belongs to a victim and cannot be barred by a drunk driver or that driver’s insurance company so if you have been injured, make sure you understand precisely how the laws apply to your case by speaking with an experienced attorney in Chicago.
An unusual car accident happened in Waukegan last week and now police there have stated that alcohol was a factor in the crash. On August 11, 2015, a 33-year-old man was behind the wheel of a car when he lost control of the vehicle and drove into the water at Waukegan Harbor. The incident happened near the Waukegan Yacht Club at approximately 3:00 a.m. and it sparked a response from local authorities and rescue crews.
A second man in his 30s was also in the vehicle at the time of the incident and was riding as a passenger. One of the men was able to free himself from the car once it was in the water while the second had to be freed by emergency crews who responded to the scene. Each man was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment but neither was believed to be facing life-threatening injuries.
Authorities in the Waukegan area have charged the driver with two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol.
If you were involved in a car accident with a drunk or impaired driver of if someone you loved was killed in a crash, do not let your right to recover lapse by failing to take action. Call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a free, no-obligation case consultation at your convenience because we have a licensed lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call.
You can reach us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 where we always have someone standing by to help. If we represent you in your case, we will fight for the best possible outcome for you and we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
Prior Blog Entry:
Collision with Truck Leaves Two Pedestrians in Chicago Seriously Injured, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 18, 2015.
Resource:
Man charged with DUI after Waukegan Harbor crash, Sun-Times Wire, Chicago Sun-Times, published August 19, 2015.