Everyone knows that drunk or impaired drivers can cause crashes that result in serious injuries and fatalities.
Alcohol, or drugs adversely affect the skill and judgment that a driver requires to drive safely. Alcohol or drugs reduce your reflexes, and your ability to recognize or respond to ordinary driving situations. Excessive drinking can cause highly irresponsible and negligent behavior, with catastrophic results.
Here are some real examples:
I represented a mother whose daughter, an ASU student, who was a passenger on a motorcycle. The driver was overserved at a Tempe bar. He was drunk, he crashed the motorcycle, and my client’s daughter was killed. At a jury trial the drunk driver and the bar were found responsible, and the jury awarded damages for the wrongful death.
In another case, I represented a young man bicycling home from work, who was on a sidewalk. A drunk driver was overserved at a Tempe bar and drove his vehicle on the sidewalk, and ran over my client, who suffered multiple leg fractures, requiring surgery. A lawsuit was filed, resulting in a settlement with the insurance companies for the bar and the drunk driver.
I represented two University of Arizona students who were proceeding in their car, on Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale. They were going home after getting some coffee. Their car was rearended by another vehicle, the driver was going 80 miles an hour on Shea, she was impaired, and overserved at a Scottsdale bar. Each of my clients were hospitalized, each had high medical bills. Following a lawsuit each received a judgment for his and her injuries and medical bills.
My clients also received additional compensation, from the drunk driver and the bar, because of the drunk driving and bar’s overservice of alcohol.