Hartford Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Successfully Resolving Drunk Driving Accident Cases in Connecticut for 20+ Years
Have you been injured in a serious Hartford Drunk Driving accident?
Contact The Law Office of Michael L. Chambers, Jr. today for help.
Hartford Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
It is devastating enough if one is involved in a bad traffic accident, but doubly so (and even harder to cope with the injury or loss) when a drunk driver causes the accident. Drunk driving is a serious problem that continues to cause many injuries and deaths despite increased efforts to educate the public on the dangers of DUI and enforce DUI laws.
In the unfortunate event that you are the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver, you need an experienced Hartford drunk driving accident Lawyer to obtain maximum compensation for your injuries and loss. Contact Michael L. Chambers Jr., Attorney at Law, for help today.
Drunk Driving in Numbers
Overall, there has been a reduction in deaths and injuries related to or driving under the influence (DUI) across the country over the past 20 years because of stepped-up law enforcement efforts, changes in laws on drinking age limits, and more awareness of the dangers of DUI. However, DUI is still a big problem because drunk driving accidents account for one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S.
Connecticut is even a bit higher than the national average, and in a recent year, over 39 percent of traffic fatalities involved drunk driving. One-third of these drunk driving crashes involved repeat offenders, and over 63 percent involved a driver with a high blood alcohol content (BAC) over .15 percent.
How Alcohol Impairs Driving
The legal BAC limit across the United States is .08 percent. Still, the amount of alcohol needed to reach or exceed that limit depends on several factors, including a person’s height, gender, weight, and whether they ate before drinking.
For most people, having one drink generally translates to a BAC of about .02 percent, which reduces one’s ability to multi-task or visually focus on one object. The higher the BAC, the less one can control one’s bodily functions, and the higher the risk for a collision when driving. At .08 percent, there can be short-term memory loss, inability to concentrate, impaired judgment, loss of self-control, and diminished ability to detect dangers around you.
When Can I Get Compensation?
Connecticut is an at-fault state, which means that if you have suffered an injury in a traffic accident and you wish to pursue an insurance claim for compensation, you must prove that the other driver is to blame for the accident. If you are pursuing an insurance claim, you will need to do so against the at-fault driver’s insurance provider.
However, because Connecticut follows a modified comparative negligence rule, you do not even have to prove that the other driver was entirely at fault for the accident – rather, it is sufficient to only prove that the other driver was more at fault than you were. You are eligible to obtain compensation so long as you were less than 50 percent at fault.
How We Can Help
At the office of Michael L. Chambers, Jr., Attorney at Law, you can count on excellent legal advice and representation in:
- Examining Evidence. There is often dispute regarding who caused a crash, especially if a drunk driver did not end up arrested. Should that be the case, we will work with law enforcement and experts to determine exactly what happened in the accident and who is responsible.
- Determining Maximum Compensation. If you suffered a severe injury, then chances are you may not be going back to work anytime soon. You may also require ongoing medical care for some time. We work with you in evaluating your injuries and assist in determining how the accident changed your life and the lives of your loved ones. This allows us to determine the maximum compensation you can obtain for your injuries and losses.
- Negotiating with Insurance Company. In most cases, you will likely get a phone call from an insurance company seeking to have you accept a quick settlement rather than extend the claim process. However, it is in your best interest to have an experienced lawyer handle these negotiations for you because they can be complex and challenging. The objective for insurance companies is to pay out as little as they can for every accident involving their policies. Your objective is to try and get the maximum you can, so having an experienced accident lawyer is a big plus as they know how to negotiate and get the best outcome for you. That is exactly what you can expect from our law firm – namely, excellent negotiation using our experience, skills, and resources.
- Court Representation. If we have done our best to obtain the maximum compensation you deserve from the insurance company, but we are not satisfied with the outcome, we may advise you to file a lawsuit and have your case proceed toward a court trial. Should that be the direction that you choose to go in your case, you can count on us to thoroughly prepare you and gather all the necessary evidence to ensure success at trial. However, it is important to note that just because you decide to pursue litigation and we file a case in court for you, it does not mean that the case will ultimately go to trial. Rather, chances are the case will settle without a trial because, on average, about 95 percent of personal injury cases typically resolve during pretrial settlement negotiations.
Hartford Drunk Driving Accident FAQ
When motor vehicle operators choose to get behind the wheel while they are under the influence of alcohol or otherwise intoxicated, they significantly increase their chances of causing a collision with another vehicle—or with a pedestrian who is on or near the roadway. Since alcohol is a depressant, it can have an impact on the central nervous system and how it functions. This, in turn, can lead to a serious accident in which other drivers and passengers suffer serious injuries.
If you have suffered an injury in a drunk driving accident, seek out an experienced attorney to explain your legal options. Hartford drunk driving accident attorney from Michael L. Chambers, Jr., Attorney at Law, can determine if you are eligible to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If so, we can pursue the claim, and if necessary litigate it, on your behalf. We make it our priority to help drunk driving accident victims recover all of the compensation that they need for their drunk driving accident injuries.
Please call us today to learn how we can assist you with pursuing a personal injury claim or lawsuit arising from your drunk driving accident. We can work to protect your rights.
How Does Alcohol Intoxication Affect a Driver’s Abilities?
Alcohol intoxication can have a significant impact on a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle in a careful, safe, and prudent manner. Alcohol intoxication slows down the functioning of a person’s central nervous system.
As a result, the accident victim’s reaction time might become slower, preventing him or her from stopping in time to avoid a collision. In addition, alcohol intoxication can make a driver’s vision blurry, preventing the driver from safely judging distances and speeds. Finally, alcohol intoxication might cause a driver to operate his or her vehicle erratically, bringing about a collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian.
Hartford drunk driving accident attorney Michael L. Chambers, Jr. can pursue the monetary compensation and damages that you deserve if you are the victim of a drunk driving accident.
What are the Legal Limits of Alcohol Intoxication in Connecticut?
State law determines that motor vehicle drivers who law enforcement finds to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher are per se intoxicated. Commercial drivers, including commercial truck drivers, are held to a higher legal standard, and minors who are under 21 years of age are essentially prohibited altogether from being under the influence of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle.
Suppose law enforcement finds a motor vehicle operator driving while under the influence of alcohol or while intoxicated; the driver can incur criminal penalties if the state ultimately convicts them for the offense. In addition, if the drunk driver causes an accident that leads to injuries, the accident victim can file a claim or lawsuit with the drunk driver’s insurance company. Hartford drunk driving accident lawyer Michael L. Chambers, Jr. can assist you with filing the claim in pursuit of the monetary damages that you need.
What Types of Injuries do Accident Victims Suffer in Hartford Drunk Driving Accidents?
Victims of Hartford, Connecticut, drunk driving accidents can suffer extremely severe injuries. This is because these accidents often occur at high rates of speed, and drunk drivers sometimes also cause head-on collisions, resulting in serious damages. Potential injuries that an accident victim can suffer in a drunk driving collision include bone fractures, internal damage, traumatic brain and head injuries, soft tissue injuries, and the like. These injuries can impact your life in many ways.
If you suffer any of these injuries in a motor vehicle accident that is caused by a drunk driver, you should seek follow-up medical treatment as soon as possible after your accident. Hartford drunk driving accident lawyer Michael L. Chambers, Jr. can handle all of the legal aspects of your claim while you focus your energies on fully recovering from your injuries.
How Do You File a Personal Injury Claim Against a Drunk Driver’s Insurance Company?
When it comes to motor vehicle accidents, the State of Connecticut is an at-fault state. Therefore, your lawyer must file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company to recover monetary compensation on your behalf. In some drunk driving accident cases, where it is clear that the other driver was under the influence of alcohol, the insurance company might go ahead and admit fault or liability for the accident. In that instance, the accident victim will only need to prove they suffered injuries and damages in the accident and that those injuries and damages resulted from the accident.
In satisfying this burden of proof, you may need a medical expert to causally relate various injuries to the accident itself. Knowledgeable Hartford drunk driving accident attorney Michael L. Chambers, Jr. can help you prove the legal elements of your claim and pursue the compensation that you need from the at-fault driver’s motor vehicle insurance company.
Call a Hartford Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today for a Free Consultation
Drunk driving accidents in and around Hartford, Connecticut, can lead to serious injuries and damages. You might need to undergo medical treatment for your injuries, miss time from work, or even change careers altogether if you suffer a permanent disability. In addition, your injuries might cause you to experience significant pain and suffering, along with emotional distress. All of these damages are compensable under the law when you file a claim or lawsuit arising from your accident.
A Hartford drunk driving accident attorney from Michael L. Chambers, Jr., Attorney at Law, is ready to zealously advocate for you and pursue the monetary compensation that you need and deserve for your drunk driving accident injuries. For a free legal consultation and case evaluation with a knowledgeable Hartford drunk driving accident attorney, please call us today on (860) 231-9535 for more information about how we can help.
Google Reviews
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Vanessa Castrogiovanni
2 reviews2 months agoMichael Chambers is an excellent lawyer! I received expert guidance and attentiveness from start to finish. Michael is knowledgeable and dedicated to get you the best results. I would 100% recommend Mr. Chambers to represent you!
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Karina Dejesus
5 reviews5 months ago10/10 would recommend. Everything was done as they told me. Attorney Chambers is one of kind! I appreciate all the hard work and effort he put into my case! Also ,I’m super impressed by how quickly I received my settlement check! Put your trust in this office they got your back !!
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Melly Dee
3 reviews2 weeks agoAttorney Chambers, Is a man that is true to his words. Also made the process easy. He was very easy to talk to and understandable.
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