Being involved in any type of vehicle accident can be a difficult and jarring experience. If your injuries are the result of a drunk driver, it can be even more difficult. After all, a drunk driver made a choice to drive while impaired, rather than simply making a driving error. If your injuries are severe, the drunk driver may also be charged criminally, which may or may not affect your civil claim. In some cases, a drunk driver may have prior impaired driving offenses, so they may have been driving without insurance.
If this is the case, your claim will be significantly more difficult to process—and can benefit even more from having experienced drunk driving attorneys in Hamilton from Kruger & Hodges. According to the Westchester, Ohio website, from January through June 2023, there was a combined total of 116 impaired driving-related crashes, with four resulting deaths in Butler County. Moneygeek found that across the state of Ohio, 32.3 percent of all fatal accidents involve drunk driving.
Getting Help Following a Drunk Driving Accident in Hamilton
Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law are drunk driving accident attorneys with offices in Hamilton, Ohio who work with victims and families whose lives have been impacted by drunk drivers. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), drunk driving leaves 30 people dead every day and results in 290,000 injuries each year. Victims alone are not the only ones who suffer. Family, friends, and loved ones also suffer when a person is hurt in a drunk driving accident. Serious injuries can leave individuals out of work or unable to care for their families.
Victims may no longer be able to participate in life activities they formerly enjoyed. Drunk driving is a choice. This choice has the potential to devastate lives forever. If you or a loved one were hurt in a drunk driving accident, the Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law drunk driving accident attorneys in Hamilton, Ohio represent victims. We work hard to protect victims’ rights and to hold responsible parties accountable. Our lawyers can review the details of your case, estimate the value of your claim, and fight to help you get the best possible settlement permitted under the law.
For a free legal consultation, call 513-894-3333
What to Do After You’ve Been Hurt By a Drunk Driver in Hamilton, Ohio
It’s difficult enough to be hurt in a car accident in Hamilton, Ohio. But when drunk individuals get behind the wheel, and injure the innocent, your anger might be even greater. Fortunately, the law offers important protections to drunk driving accident victims. However, the steps you take after your crash can be incredibly important when it comes to protecting your rights and getting the settlement you might deserve under the law. Here are some important steps you can take to protect yourself after an accident:
- Call the Police. Always call the police at the scene of the accident, especially if you suspect that the other driver has been drinking. Police can perform breath tests, and blood tests, and make arrests if the other driver is drunk. Without police on the scene, it’s just your word versus the word of the other driver. Having a police report that explicitly shows that the other driver was arrested for drunk driving can be incredibly helpful. When you are involved in an accident with a drunk driver, he or she may ask you not to call the police because they know they could be charged criminally. They also may not have auto insurance if they’ve had prior drunk driving convictions. For these reasons, you MUST make sure the police come and make a report.
- Seek Medical Attention. If you’ve been hurt in a crash, always seek medical attention after your accident and follow the instructions of your doctor. You may think you are not that badly hurt, or you may know that you have minor injuries but don’t want to go through the process of going to the ER and spending hours there. When you are involved in an accident, your body is flooded with adrenaline. This adrenaline rush can mask injury symptoms, and then later—even a day or a week later—you may realize that your injuries are much more serious than you thought. While this will not prohibit you from seeking damages from the liable party, it can make it more difficult. The insurance company may claim that if you had been too badly injured you would have sought medical attention.
- Exchange information with the other driver—collect insurance information and contact information from the other driver involved in the accident.
- If you are able, take photos at the scene of the accident and obtain witness contact information.
- Contact Your Car Insurance Company. Report your accident to your insurance company after a crash, as soon as you are home from the hospital or doctor. Provide your insurance company with the basic facts of the accident. It’s a good idea not to go into too much detail, as there is always the possibility that you will end up filing against your own insurance company if the at-fault driver did not have sufficient insurance—or had no insurance at all.
- Contact the drunk driving accident attorneys in Hamilton from Kruger & Hodges. This could end up being the most important step you will take following your car accident with a drunk driver. Your attorney will advocate for you at every turn, ensuring you receive appropriate medical attention and that you receive a fair settlement that fully covers all your injuries.
Below are some of the emergency services in Hamilton, Ohio that you may find helpful following your auto accident.
POLICE
- Hamilton Police Department
- 331 S. Front Street
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 868-5811
FIRE DEPARTMENTS
- Hamilton Fire Department, Station 22
- 77 Pershing Avenue
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 785-7501
- Hamilton Fire Station 24
- 605 Main Street
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 785-7501
HOSPITALS
- Kettering Health Hamilton Hospital
- 630 Eaton Avenue
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 867-2000
- TriHealth Bethesda Butler Hospital
- 3125 Hamilton Mason Road
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 894-8888
URGENT CARES
- Hamilton Urgent Care
- 1 N. Brookwood Avenue
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 805-4499
- CareFirst Urgent Care
- 1492 S. Erie Blvd.
- Hamilton, OH 45011
- (513) 795-6890
Hamilton Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 513-894-3333
How to Choose the Best Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys for My Claim
Choosing the ideal attorney is pivotal following a drunk driving accident in Hamilton, Ohio. Your decision carries significant weight, as adept legal representation is highly valued by insurance companies.
When seeking the most suitable personal injury lawyer for your drunk driving accident case, keep the following aspects in mind:
Expertise: Opt for an attorney with a proven track record of handling cases involving drunk driving accidents.
Feedback & Reputation: Investigate online reviews and gather recommendations from dependable sources.
Communication: Opt for a lawyer who prioritizes clear communication and remains accessible for discussions.
Resources: Ensure the attorney possesses the necessary resources to handle the intricacies of your case.
Accessibility: Evaluate the attorney’s responsiveness and availability to cater to your requirements.
Fee Structure: Inquire about the lawyer’s fee structure and any potential supplementary expenses.
Following a consultation with a lawyer from Kruger & Hodges, your choice will become evident. Our dedicated attorneys are resolute in safeguarding your rights as you navigate the aftermath of a drunk driving accident.
At Kruger & Hodges, we understand that there are many personal injury attorneys out there and that it can be difficult to choose. We also believe that once you have spoken to the Kruger & Hodges hometown lawyers your choice will be clear. We will work hard on your behalf because we truly care about you, your family, and your future. We have compassion for the situation you are in and will take as much of the burden from your shoulders as possible. Our attorneys are highly skilled negotiators and experienced, aggressive litigators when the situation warrants.
Click to contact our car accident lawyers today
Contact Our Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys
The Hamilton, OH drunk driving accident attorneys at Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law may be able to assist you with various aspects of your drunk driving accident claim. There may be many stakeholders involved after a drunk driving accident claim. For example, the drunk driver may be responsible for damages and losses.
The drunk driver’s insurance company may also be responsible for covering your losses. Furthermore, victims and families may even be able to pursue claims under Ohio’s “dram shop laws.” Under the law, bars and other establishments that serve alcohol have a responsibility to not sell alcohol knowingly to a person who is clearly intoxicated.
While the standards for seeking compensation under Ohio’s dram shop laws are high, if you can show that a bar served drunk individual alcohol even though he or she was intoxicated, and then this individual went on to get into a crash with you or a loved one, you may be able to seek compensation from the bar or establishment.
Finally, under Ohio’s crime victims’ compensation funds, victims and families may be able to seek money to cover their medical costs and other losses if a drunk driver caused serious injuries and insurance or the driver won’t be able to cover all your losses. With so many avenues for justice for drunk-driving victims, it can be helpful to have a drunk-driving lawyer on your side. If you’ve been hurt in a crash in Hamilton, Ohio, consider reaching out to Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law.
These are just some of the basic steps you may need to take after your drunk driving crash. The advice of a lawyer can be paramount when navigating a drunk driving claim, and the information above is purely informative and isn’t designed to replace the counsel of drunk driving lawyers like the attorneys at Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law. Contact us today for a free, initial consultation.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
SEEKING JUSTICE FOR THE INJURED IN HAMILTON, OHIO
If you have been hurt by a drunk driver in Hamilton, Ohio, you may only have a limited amount of time to pursue a case under the law. Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law are drunk driving accident attorneys in Hamilton who can take the time to review police reports, estimate the value of your claim, and fight to help you get the settlement you may deserve under the law. We can provide you and your family with a free initial consultation during which we can review your case and provide you with a road map forward. Contact Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law today.
Call or text 513-894-3333 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
