It is important to recognize that you should take critical steps immediately after being in an accident in California. If you are coherent and able to contact the police, do so immediately.
A chemical test and a police report can be the best ways to illustrate that someone was operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A consultation with a trusted attorney can help you to identify your next steps in filing for compensation.
Getting information from the other driver should be a top priority at the scene of the accident so you can provide this information to your personal injury attorney and your car insurance carrier. The details to collect include their driver’s license number, their license plate number, their name, their vehicle identification number and their insurance policy number.
If you have video or photo of the vehicles and the site of the accident too, this can be helpful in retelling the story. This information will likely be requested multiple times in order to file a lawsuit or make an insurance claim. No one should have to go through the experience of being hit by a drunk driver, but it is all too often the reality for a person who finds themselves on the side of the road or worse, in the hospital as a result of someone else’s negligent actions.
Showing that this person was violating the law and driving recklessly can help you to recover the compensation you’ll need to pay for your medical bills and to move on with your life. It can be devastating to suffer the consequences of a drunk driving accident but it is your responsibility as a victim to take proactive steps to protect your interests and move forward.
At our San Francisco injury office, we’ll help you determine the legal impacts of your case so you can create a plan going forward.