What You Might Not Know About Being Injured By a Drunk Driver

Drunk driving accidents are often the deadliest vehicle accidents. Each day about 30 people die in the United States due to drunk driving accidents. This is a very serious problem in the United States. The Center for Disease Control has reported about one-third of traffic fatalities are caused by a drunk driver. DUI crashes that involve severe injuries can involve difficult circumstances when it comes to legal claims. The Arizona lawyers at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS, PLLC have resolved numerous DUI cases. We have a great understanding of the considerations involved in DUI crashes. Listed below is some information about drunk driving accidents.

Drunk Driving Accidents

If you have sustained injuries in a drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to punitive damages. The purpose of punitive damages is to punish the liable party for endangering innocent individuals. The jury in Arizona will determine the number of punitive damages that will go to the injured victim. In Arizona, and across the United States the legal limit for blood alcohol content is .08 percent. This means that any individual driving with a BAC about .08 will be charged with a DUI.  Many calculations attempt to show how much an individual can consume and stay below the legal limit to drive safely. 

Many different factors will affect these calculations such as weight, food consumption, gender, alcohol consumption, and the total duration of drinking alcohol before driving a vehicle. It is important to note that the number of drinks an individual can consume before driving is not universal. For example, everyone weighs different amounts and that weight is distributed differently. Two individuals could weigh the same but have a different muscle to body fat ratio. Muscles will metabolize alcohol quicker than body fat does. This proves that everyone consumes different amounts of alcohol to stay under the legal limit of .08 percent.

Arizona DUI Law

The state of Arizona takes DUI’s very seriously. They will not hesitate to charge individuals with DUI’s if they are caught driving while impaired. The DUI law in Arizona states that on the first offense, an individual driving with their blood alcohol content over .08 percent could go to jail for 10 days and pay a fine over $1200. The second offense is 90 days in jail and a fine of $3000. Following a DUI, individuals are required to fulfill jail time, community service, participate in an education program, and these drivers could lose their license for a while.

Finding An Arizona Automobile Accident Attorney 

If you have sustained injuries in a drunk driving accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to a car accident attorney in Phoenix. It can be very confusing to determine all of the legal aspects that are affected by this accident. The auto accident attorneys at ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS, PLLC are experienced in dealing with victims of reckless driving. We are knowledgeable about Arizona driving laws and want to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact our team of Phoenix attorneys to explore all of your legal options and set up a consultation. Call us today at either Phoenix or Mesa Arizona law offices at (623) 877-3600.