Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Denver, Colorado
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If you have been the victim of a drunk driving accident, call one of our Zinda law group denver drunk driving accident lawyers aT (800) 863-5312 today
After a night on the town, you may be tempted to drive home even though you have had a few drinks. Never drink and drive, as it may lead to severe injury, or even death, to yourself or others. Call a sober friend or use a rideshare app to get you home safely. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident and believe the other driver may have been drinking, contact one of our skilled Denver drunk driving accident lawyers at Zinda Law Group as soon as possible.
Our attorneys have the knowledge and resources necessary to answer any of your questions regarding your potential case. We can guide you through the legal process. We are available to our clients 24, 7, so call us at (800) 863-5312 for your 100% free initial consultation. You do not pay us anything unless we are successful in winning your case.
Drunk driving statistics
Driving while intoxicated is never a good idea. This decision may lead to severe injury, or even death, to yourself or others. Unfortunately, people chose to do so every day in the United States.
In fact, approximately 28 people die each day in this country due to drunk driving motor vehicle accidents. This equates to over 10,000 deaths over the course of one year. More statistics on drunk driving are also disturbing:
- One-third of car crash fatalities involve drunk drivers.
- The yearly cost of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes totals more than $44 billion.
- Drivers under the influence of alcohol got behind the wheel of cars almost 147 million times in 2018 alone.
- Of the 50,930 fatal car crashes in 2019, an estimated 19% of the drivers were alcohol impaired.
- In 2019, 24% of drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 who died in car crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01% of higher.
- In 2018, an estimated 29% of all traffic fatalities involved alcohol.
In Colorado specifically, there were 1,548 drunk driving fatalities between 2009 and 2018. Although this number is tragic, it is not the highest in the nation. Within the same years, Texas had 13,592 drunk driving fatalities, the highest in the country, and the District of Columbia had 82, the fewest.
Even if you avoid getting into a wreck while intoxicated, a DUI conviction can result in a number of other consequences. For instance, it can cause jailtime and may increase your car insurance by 67%, according to a study performed by Forbes.
If you never drive while intoxicated but were injured in a car accident due to a drunk driver, contact a Denver DWI lawyer at Zinda Law Group today. We are dedicated to fighting for the legal rights of all of our clients and we may be able to help you as well. Our team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so contact us as soon as possible to discuss your potential case.
How to reduce or prevent impaired driving
Drunk or impaired driving causes thousands of car accidents and subsequent deaths each year. In order to combat this issue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put forth a number of strategies that have been shown to be effective in reducing or preventing impaired driving. Examples of these strategies include:
Alcohol-impaired Driving Laws
Many laws are in place to deter individuals from drinking and driving. For instance, in all 50 states, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Further, each state maintains a minimum legal drinking age of 21 years.
States may also choose to enact their own laws for the safety of their inhabitants. For example, in Colorado, your license will be suspended for 9 months if it can be shown that you have a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08% while driving. The number of months increases to 12 for the second infraction and 24 months for each subsequent violation.
Sobriety Checkpoints
Publicized sobriety checkpoints have also been shown to reduce the number of alcohol-impaired drivers. With these checkpoints, CO police officers may briefly stop a vehicle at a specific and highly visible location. The officers may then check the drivers for drug or alcohol impairment.
Officers may choose to stop all, or only a portion of, vehicles. These checkpoints should be well publicized through mass media campaigns and conducted at regular intervals in order to be more highly impactful.
Ignition Interlocks
Ignition interlocks are devices that can be installed in the vehicles of DUI offenders; they measure the amount of alcohol in the user’s breath. The ignition interlock will prevent the vehicle from starting if the driver has a blood alcohol concentration of a certain level, typically 0.02%.
Use of one of these devices will help prevent an individual from driving while impaired. Further, when combined with alcohol problem assessment and treatment programs, these devices have shown great promise in reducing repeat offenses once the interlocks have been removed.
Alcohol Problem Assessment and Treatment Programs
A variety of alcohol problem assessment and treatment programs are available to Colorado residents. For instance, there are 28-day inpatient rehabs, programs that specialize in counseling, and others that focus on detoxification. These programs have been shown to be most effective when combined with other sanctions and when the offender is closely monitored.
These are just some of the many examples of strategies to reduce the tragedies and devastation caused by drunk drivers. Unfortunately, even with these strategies, individuals may still make the decision to drink and drive, putting the lives of themselves and others at risk.
A Zinda Law Group personal injury lawyer in Colorado can help investigate your motor vehicle accident. We have experience with many cases in which we needed to determine whether the other driver was drinking. We can interview witnesses as part of our investigation, ultimately getting you the compensation you deserve for your property damage, personal injuries, and emotional distress.
How long do I have to file a drunk driving lawsuit in Colorado?
After being involved in a drunk driving accident, you may be left with severe injuries and substantial property damage. Damages caused by a drunk driver can become very expensive, very quickly.
In order to receive compensation for your injuries, you must file a lawsuit on time. The legal time limit you have to file a lawsuit is referred to as the “statute of limitations.” Always check the statute of limitations with an injury attorney near you, as the time may be different for each case and in each state.
For example, in Colorado, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is typically 2 years; however, this time frame is extended to 3 years if the claim involves a motor vehicle. Thus, if you have been involved in a drunk driving accident in or around Denver, you will have 3 years from the date of the accident to file your claim.
Failure to file your injury claim before the deadline ends may result in your case being denied, meaning you will not receive any kind of compensation for your injuries. A Denver injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group will be able to help file your case on time so that you may be able to proceed with your drunk driving lawsuit.
what injuries may occur due to a drunk driving accident?
Injuries from a motor vehicle accident caused by a drinking driver may range significantly, depending on the speed of your vehicle and the type of accident. For example, you may be less injured in a fender bender while in stop and go traffic than when driving 80 miles per hour on a highway.
Always seek medical attention following a motor vehicle accident, even for what you believe to be minor injuries, as some kinds of injuries may be exacerbated through lack of medical care. Examples of the kinds of injuries you may sustain from a drunk driving accident include:
Head Injuries
Head injuries often occur when there is a violent blow or jolt to the head or body. A traumatic brain injury, for example, may occur if you hit your head on a steering wheel during a car accident. Broken glass from a motor vehicle accident may also cause a traumatic brain injury if the glass pierces through brain tissue.
Injuries to this part of the body can have a wide array of symptoms that may appear immediately after the accident, or days or weeks later. If you have suffered a mild traumatic brain injury, you may experience:
- nausea,
- dizziness,
- sensitivity to light or sound,
- and memory or concentration problems.
With a more severe brain injury, you may experience:
- loss of consciousness,
- convulsions,
- profound confusion, and
- slurred speech.
Always seek medical attention if you have experienced a blow to the head or body. These injuries require prompt attention and an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury may occur when there is damage to any part of the spine. This may happen when you are thrown from a vehicle during an accident, for example.
These injuries are often severe and may cause permanent changes in strength or sensation in the body. Further, those affected by a spinal cord injury may feel the effects mentally, emotionally, and socially.
Emergency signs of a spinal cord injury include:
- weakness or paralysis in any part of your body,
- loss of bladder or bowel control, and
- an oddly positioned or twisted neck or back.
A serious spinal injury isn’t always immediately obvious, however, so seek medical attention as soon as possible following any trauma to your head or neck.
Neck Injuries
Common neck injuries that may occur due to a car accident include soft tissue injuries, such as:
- whiplash,
- pinched nerves, and
- herniated discs.
These injuries could be caused by the sudden force of the car accident and pressure to the victim’s neck or spinal column. In order to avoid long-term complications, seeking medical care is necessary.
Cuts and Lacerations
You may also experience a variety of cuts and lacerations following your motor vehicle accident. Minor cuts may not need immediate medical attention. An infection could form, though, so it is important to keep the wound cleaned and to apply the proper antibiotic or ointment. Lacerations, or deep cuts, may require stiches in order to stop the bleeding or to prevent or reduce scarring.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be looking at long hospital stays, expensive therapies, and loss of enjoyment of life. Damages such as these are why you may need to seek legal assistance.
A Denver DWI lawyer at Zinda Law Group can help fight for your legal rights to get you the monetary compensation you deserve for your whiplash, injured back, or whatever injuries you have sustained. After you have sought medical attention for all your injuries, call our Colorado team.
where can I find an injury lawyer near me?
Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents can happen anywhere. National highways, back country roads, and even parking lots are game. Your accident may, therefore, occur in an area you are unfamiliar with.
If that is the case, you can rest easy knowing that Zinda Law Group is nationwide and has offices across the state of Colorado. For example, our team has represented drunk driving accident injury and other personal injury clients in these cities:
- Arvada
- Aurora
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Colorado Springs
- Denver
- Durango
- Englewood
- Fort Collins
- Grand junction
- Greeley
- Highlands Ranch
- Lakewood
- Longmont
- Loveland
- Northglenn
- Parker
- Pueblo
- Thornton
- Westminster
As you can see, our team is available almost anywhere in Colorado. We have helped countless Colorado residents by providing exceptional legal representation and by fighting for their legal rights each step of the way. If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident, contact our knowledgeable team today, no matter where in Colorado you are located.
Contact Zinda law group Denver drunk driving accident lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your potential case
Driving while intoxicated is extremely risky and could result in a DUI, or worse. If you are drinking, it is a better idea to call a sober friend or family member.
If no one is available, contact a rideshare app, such as Uber, from your phone. This way, you will get home safely and will not have to risk putting your life, or anyone else’s life, in danger. Further, if you notice someone swerving on the road or if you witness them drinking from a liquor bottle while behind the wheel of a car, contact the local authorities right away.
Even if you take all the proper precautions, however, Zinda Law Group personal injury lawyers understand that drunk driving accidents still occur. If you have been injured in one of these drunk driving accidents, contact an injury attorney at Zinda Law Group as soon as you can. We have the ability to answer any questions you may have and to walk you through each step of the often-daunting legal process.
Speaking of which, we are dedicated to fighting for your legal rights and to getting you the compensation you deserve for your injuries and property damage. Contact us today at (800) 863-5312.
Your initial consultation is 100% free and you will not be expected to pay us anything unless we are successful in winning your DUI-related car accident case. That is our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.
Meetings with attorneys are available by appointment only.
