Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, there are nearly 300,000 drunk driving episodes every day in American but only about 4,000 of these motorists are arrested for their actions. That means that more than 98 percent of drunk drivers are not apprehended and are allowed to continue driving in a reckless or threatening manner simply because an officer is not in the area to notice the conduct. With so many drunk drivers on America’s roads, it should not be surprising that thousands of people are injured every year in Chicago drunk driving accidents and that many more are left suffering from the impact of these collisions.
Far too often, impaired drivers injure others with their actions and leave responsible motorists in pain and in need of medical care. While nothing can erase these accidents once they happen, victims in Illinois may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their damages including any medical bills they have incurred or are likely to incur in the future. As every case involves a unique set of facts and circumstances, you may want to speak with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney in Chicago to learn about the laws as they apply to you if you have been hurt in a car accident.
It is illegal in all 50 states to drink and drive, and according to local reports, that is a lesson that professional basketball player Ty Lawson is learning today. Reports out of Denver indicate that the Denver Nuggets point guard was arrested early this morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol while on Park West Avenue. Reports indicate that Lawson was driving 61 miles per hour in an area with a 35 mph speed limit and that when officers pulled him over, Lawson’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and watery, and he was swaying at the scene. When questioned, Lawson reportedly admitted to officers that he was previously arrested for DUI while in Missouri.
Lawson was a successful and highly-touted college basketball player for the University of North Carolina from 2006 through 2009 before being drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft. As the number 18 overall pick, expectations were high for Lawson in Denver and prior to this morning’s incident, he had been having one of his best NBA seasons to date.
It is not clear at this time what effect, if any, Lawson’s arrest and charges will have on his eligibility with the Nuggets in the coming weeks and at this time, the team has not released any comment on the situation.
Fortunately, in this instance, a car accident did not occur and no injuries resulted due to the alleged drunk driving of Ty Lawson. However, in many instances in Chicago, that is not the case as drunk drivers are more likely to cause collisions than those motorists who are not impaired and these crashes produce thousands of injuries annually.
If you have been the victim of a drunk driving accident or if your loved one was injured or killed, know that you have legal rights and options that may entitle you to compensation and that may help you seek the relief you deserve. If you have questions or if you need help, call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a free case consultation without any obligation about your accident and your injuries. We have a licensed lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and everything discussed during your call will be kept confidential.
Prior Blog Entry:
Single Car Crash on I-55 Leaves 2 People Injured, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published January 22, 2015.
Resource:
Nuggets Ty Lawson arrested in Denver on suspected DUI, by Kieran Nicholson and Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post, published January 23, 2015.