Drunk drivers that cause accidents deserve a lot more that just points on their licenses or a few days in jail. A drunk driver that causes a serious injury or death should be held responsible for financial losses that their victims suffer. Barbara S. Williams is an experienced attorney that has built her career on helping the injured receive fair and just compensation.

Injuries Sustained From Drunk Drivers

Nobody plans to get into a car accident.

In fact, most drivers do everything they can to avoid them. They pay attention behind the wheel and avoid talking on the phone while they are driving. They don’t speed or get angry behind the wheel. And most drivers would never even consider getting behind the wheel after they have been drinking.

The problem with driving is that your responsibility behind the wheel is only part of the battle. Any driver still has to contend with the thousands of other people sharing the road at any given moment. This means that even if you do everything right, you can’t count on other drivers doing the same.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Virginia had 347 alcohol related traffic fatalities in 2005, and 28 % of the fatalities involved a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08%.

It is difficult enough when someone suffers a severe or life changing injury in a regular traffic accident. When left to their own devices, insurers always take the cost-effective and easy way out of their obligations. It’s the standard practice of insurers to deny claims and delay payment, so any injury victim has to deal with mounting bills, collection agencies, and even bankruptcy. These feelings of frustration and anger are multiplied when the accident occurred due to an incident of drunken driving. Knowing that the accident could have been avoided had the other driver simply exercised the responsibility of not getting behind the wheel adds insult to the injury.

Barbara S. Williams has spent her career helping the injured get fair and decent settlements from insurance companies. To them, injuries and losses are simply ledger items to be resolved, preferably in the cheapest way possible. To Barbara Williams, your loss is a father who won’t be able to raise his kids, or parents that won’t see their daughter graduate from college. A death or crippling injury due to a drunken driver is much more than lines and clauses on an insurance policy, and Barbara Williams will do her best to see that any settlement reflects that fact.

Smart Strategies for Decent Treatment

In a drunken driving case, it has to be established that the driver voluntarily drank to the point of intoxication, and did so with the knowledge that he or she would be eventually be driving. Making it known that the driver acted with utter disregard for the safety of others could allow for the award of punitive damages, and this could dramatically increase the compensation amount. Similarly, it is also possible to take a look at the source of the alcohol. Virginia has what are called “dram shop laws,” which means that establishments that willfully provide alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons can be held responsible for the consequences of their actions. Was the driver visibly intoxicated and served alcohol anyway? Was the alcohol purchased by a minor? Did the person who was working at the store adequately check the identification of the buyer? These are all valid questions that should be asked. Alcohol doesn’t just materialize in front of people. It has to be purchased, and the person or business that sells it has to do so in a responsible manner.

Barbara S. Williams: The Right Choice for the Injured and their Families

If you have been severely injured by a drunk driver, or have lost a loved one due to a drunken driving related accident, it is imperative that you have attorneys that are committed to you and your case. You’ll need someone who can cut through the red tape of insurance companies and fight for the compensation that you deserve. You’ll also need someone that can bring the driver to account for his or her actions. Barbara S. Williams has years of experience in fighting for the rights of victims, and has obtained maximum settlements for the families of those who have lost their lives due to the reckless irresponsibility of others. If you have lost a loved one or have yourself been severely injured due to a drunken driver, contact our offices for a free legal consultation.