New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are often a time of celebration. Unfortunately, this can also make these days dangerous days to be on the road. If you end up getting hurt in an accident during these holidays, you don’t have to pursue compensation on your own. A Washington, D.C. drunk driving accident lawyer from our firm is ready to help you.
Is New Year’s Really a Dangerous Time to Drive?
Statistics from the NHTSA and other researchers show that New Year’s Eve and Day can both be more dangerous for drivers. An obvious culprit, especially on the night of NYE and the early morning hours of January 1st, is alcohol. More drivers are out there, driving under the influence of alcohol and making mistakes that can lead to crashes with other drivers.
This is not the only issue though. This holiday period is also a popular time to travel, so the roads can be more crowded than usual. There are also those driving on New Year’s Day who celebrated the night before. They did the responsible thing and didn’t drive the night before, but now they could be driving while tired and this can affect their reaction time and decision making skills.
What Should I Do If I Get Into an Accident on New Year’s?
If you get into an accident during this holiday period, treat it like any other accident. You should:
- Pull the vehicles over somewhere safe
- Call the police to the scene
- Exchange info with the other driver
- Get contact information for any witnesses
- Take pictures of the cars and the accident scene
- Get medical attention as soon as possible
If the driver flees the scene, quickly write down or record anything you can remember about them and their vehicle in a voice memo. A physical description of the driver, their car, and a partial license plate number can help cops track them down.
Can I Sue For Damages?
After you get checked out by a doctor, you can start treating your injuries. From this point on, the medical bills can start to pile up and you might end up missing days of work. That’s when it’s time to start thinking about suing for damages that can help you make up for the economic and non-economic costs of the accident.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
It can be tough to prove negligence and fight for fair compensation on your own though. When you hire a lawyer, we can negotiate with insurers on your behalf. We’ll fight for a fair settlement that includes compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and more.
Contact Our Law Firm
So if you were hurt in a New Year’s accident, we want to help you hold a negligent driver accountable and claim the compensation that you deserve. Contact Trombly & Singer, PLLC to schedule a case consultation and learn more about your legal options.
