Drunk Driving Accidents

New Jersey Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Aggressive representation for those injured by drunk or drugged drivers in NJ

While drunk driving has decreased by a third in the past few decades, it continues to plague our roadways and create a major traffic hazard for other drivers. Each day, about 29 people die in alcohol-impaired traffic crashes, which works out to about one death every 50 minutes and more than 10,000 people every year according to the NHTSA. To help you cope with the aftermath of a New Jersey drunk driving accident, the personal injury lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP, are available to evaluate your case.

If you choose to retain our legal services and we accept your case, we will keep a close watch on the outcome of any DUI charges against the other driver. Key pieces of evidence may come to light during a criminal trial. All relevant facts are important as your NJ drunk driving accident injury attorneys prepare a strong case for full, fair compensation for you.

Why driving drunk is so dangerous

Alcohol impairs thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination. It slows reaction time and it makes drivers who have drank too much useless behind the wheel. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in New Jersey and everywhere else in the U.S. The legal limit of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) as measured in a breathalyzer, which is a device that a suspected drunk driver blows into after he or she has been pulled over by law enforcement. Drunk driving accidents regularly result in serious injuries as well as fatalities.

Proving liability after a drunk driving accident injury

All licensed drivers owe a duty of care to the other drivers with whom they share the road to drive safely and to obey the traffic laws. When drivers make the choice to get behind the wheel after having had too much to drink, they put others at grave risk. If you have been injured in a car crash that was caused by a drunk driver, his or her drunk driving conviction can be helpful to your NJ personal injury attorney who is pursuing compensation for your injuries and other losses. Knowing that a drunk driver caused the accident does not guarantee any level of compensation. However, the drunk driving element can make your injury claim or wrongful death claim more compelling.

If you were injured or if your family member was killed or seriously injured in a drunk driving accident, your biggest concerns are not statistics or trends. Rather, you most likely need compensation for medical expenses and other losses. If you sustained a catastrophic injury, you will have special needs for a lifetime. If your next of kin lost his or her life in a drunk driving accident, your entire family must live the rest of their lives without that person’s contributions to the family. An experienced NJ drunk driving accident injury will fight for the compensation you deserve when you have been injured because of a drunk driver’s negligence.

What damages are available in a NJ drunk driving accident injury claim?

If you were injured in a traffic crash that was caused by a drunk driver and you intend to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses, depending on the severity of the injuries and the nature of the crash there are several types of damages you might recover including:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Diminished earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Funeral costs
  • Other losses

Third-party liability for drunk driving crashes

If a person was over-served alcohol, and then left the restaurant and caused a crash that resulted in injury or death, you may be able to hold the business liable for the accident. New Jersey has a dram shop law, which imposes a liability on restaurants, bars, clubs, and liquor stores. This law also applies to social hosts who serve alcohol at private parties. Your experienced NJ drunk driving accident injury attorney from Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow is thoroughly familiar with dram shop laws and determining who is liable for your injuries and losses.

Whether we settle your claim with the insurance companies or take your case to trial, you will enjoy the benefit of working with an award-winning legal team that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and our partners have received an important designation from the New Jersey Supreme Court as Certified Civil Trial Attorneys. We are available to meet with you at the hospital if you are unable to come to our offices, and we are dedicated to fighting for you all the way through to the end.

Hurt by a drunk or drugged driver in New Jersey? Call us now

From offices in Edison, Red Bank, and Toms River, our New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP advise and represent clients in personal injury and wrongful death litigation matters throughout New Jersey. Contact us online or call our office at 732-777-0100 or to arrange a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey car accident lawyer.