San Jose Drunk Driving Victim Attorneys
Drunk driving is a serious crime that causes hundreds of thousands of deaths and serious injuries every year in the United States. Despite decades of campaigns seeking to educate Americans about the tragic results of driving while intoxicated, thousands of people continue to make conscious decisions to get behind the wheel of a two-ton machine under the influence of drugs or alcohol, endangering every stranger they happen to pass. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics for 2005 show that alcohol was a factor in 39% of all fatal automobile crashes nationwide and 40% of fatal crashes in California. That's two-fifths of all deaths in auto accidents. All of those deaths -- and thousands more disabling and disfiguring injuries -- are completely avoidable.
Hurting or killing someone while driving under the influence is a crime with serious penalties in California. But even if the irresponsible driver is punished, the criminal justice system can do nothing to compensate victims for their injuries, or for the steep costs of medical care they now must have because of the drunk driver's bad decision. Victims may be left with permanent brain damage, paralysis, missing limbs, multiple fractures, serious burn scars or other catastrophic, life-changing injuries. They may need multiple surgeries, years of physical therapy and other special medical care just to learn how to function again. Many may not be able to work, or must make a radical an unexpected career change. Families who lose a loved one must adjust not only to an emotional hole in their lives, but also the permanent loss of an income and a helpmeet. Money may not be able to bring back the life a victim led before an accident, but it can help ease the adjustment to a radically changed life.
If you or someone you love is the victim of a drunk driver, you should speak with the experienced San Jose drunk driving injury attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates as soon as possible. Victims and their families may be able to recover significant monetary compensation for their injuries, including compensation for medical bills, auto repairs, lost income, pain and suffering, wrongful death or permanent disability. But victims must move fast; depending on the circumstances, they may have as little as six months from the date of the accident to take action.
Van Der Walde & Associates has helped hundreds of injured Northern Californians seek justice through the civil courts. We are proud to have won millions for victims of drunk driving accidents and other personal injuries caused by another person's carelessness. We are recognized as leaders in personal injury law because we believe every client -- no matter how small -- has the right to assertive, competent representation in a court of law. And because we know injured people are often financially strained, we never take a fee unless we win your case. To speak with an experienced San Jose drunk driving injury attorney, call us today for a free consultation at 1-877-862-6288.
