Las Vegas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Everyone who drives a car knows that drinking and driving is dangerous and illegal past a very low threshold of intoxication (the legal limit is .08% blood alcohol content). Nevertheless, people get behind the wheel every day after they have had too much to drink, too often with disastrous and deadly results. The statistics in Nevada for drunk driving car accidents are particularly shocking and disturbing. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation, between 2015 and 2019, nearly 43% of traffic fatalities in the state involved a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more and/or who tested positive for drugs. An impaired driver was the leading cause of all fatal crashes during that period, more than lane departure accidents, speeding crashes, or intersection collisions. As you might have guessed, the vast majority of these drunk driving car accidents occurred in Clark County.
Cameron Law is a Las Vegas personal injury law firm dedicated to helping people get medical care and compensation when they’ve been hurt by the negligence of another. We take on car accident cases of all types throughout Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Paradise, Spring Valley and surrounding areas. If you or a loved one were struck by a drunk driver and suffered serious injury or worse, call our experienced Las Vegas drunk driving accident lawyer today.
Alcohol Immediately Impairs the Ability to Drive
Experienced drivers take for granted how much skill and attention is required to safely control a vehicle because they are so used to doing it, and they might not realize just how affected they are by having alcohol in their system. After just a drink or two, a person may be below the legal limit and able to lawfully drive, but their driving ability could still be significantly impaired. Alcohol impacts every skill and function needed to drive safely, including:
- Sense perceptions
- Motor functions
- Information processing
- Concentration
- Attention
- Focus
- Reflexes
- Judgment
Drunk drivers get into accidents more often than sober drivers, and the crashes they cause tend to be more severe, resulting in catastrophic or fatal injuries. Drunk drivers are more likely to overreact or underreact, creating situations where the collision is much more forceful than with another negligent driver who might still be able to avoid the worst consequences of a crash.
As with any car accident case, the burden falls on the injury victim to prove the other driver was negligent and at fault in causing the accident and resulting injuries. If the driver who hit you was impaired by alcohol, we’ll use this fact as strong evidence of their fault in causing the accident. We file claims against negligent drivers whether or not they were arrested, charged or convicted of DUI; any evidence of alcohol impairment can be used against them when settling your case or taking the driver to court.
Nevada Authorizes Punitive Damages Against Drunk Drivers
Nevada law specifically allows “exemplary and punitive damages” in car accident cases against a person who operated a motor vehicle after “willfully consumer or using alcohol or another substance,” knowing they would thereafter operate the motor vehicle. Exemplary and punitive damages are on top of any other damages meant to compensate the injury victim for their loss. Exemplary and punitive damages are meant to punish the drunk driver and serve as an example to others that society will not tolerate drunk driving. Our team will go the extra mile in pursuing a fitting punitive damages award in all appropriate cases to further the ends of justice and hold negligent drunk drivers accountable to the people they have harmed.
Nevada Limits Dram Shop Liability to Social Hosts
Many states allow injury victims to hold bars and restaurants liable when they overserve an intoxicated customer or serve alcohol to a minor who later causes a drunk driving car accident. Nevada is not one of those states. Nevada law does, however, impose liability on any unlicensed person who knowingly serves, sells, or furnishes alcohol to an underage person or knowingly allows an underage person to consume alcohol on their premises. For example, if a minor obtained alcohol at a party hosted by adults, and the minor later caused a car wreck, the adult hosts could be held liable for the harm suffered by the injury victim, as well as punitive damages if warranted. At Cameron Law, we work to hold all liable parties responsible for their actions and maximize the compensation we can recover for our clients.
Contact Cameron Law Today
If you’ve been injured in a car accident with a drunk driver, or if you lost a loved one to a fatal crash with an impaired driver, call our experienced and dedicated Las Vegas drunk driver accident victims lawyer today for immediate help getting the care and compensation you need and deserve.
