DUI Accidents and the Laws That Surround Them

One of the more complex car accident claims that a team of skilled Riverside car accident attorneys will have to deal with is that of Driving Under Impairment or DUI. When most people think about DUI, they automatically assume that this means driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Whilst this is correct in part, it can also mean driving with undue care and attention which can incorporate talking on the phone, texting, eating, (in the case of women) applying makeup whilst driving, being distracted by others in the vehicle and a whole host of other offenses that make up DUI.

Figures show that as many as 80% of all car accidents are attributed to driving while distracted so it is a really big problem, but in order to prove a DUI case the representing team of car accident lawyers Riverside County will have to ascertain as to whether he driver was in fact either under the influence of alcohol or drugs or was distracted, and that they did in fact cause the accident in question.

If you are involved in a car accident, what steps should you take?

If you are in the unfortunate position of being involved in an automobile accident then there are some important steps that you need to take. If you can follow these steps, then it will make it a whole lot easier if and when it comes to the point where you need to call upon the services of a lawyer. These are as follows:

• If not already done so, stop the vehicle when it is clear and safe to do so
• Be aware of the laws of moving a crashed vehicle. In some states it is illegal to move any vehicle from the scene of a crash, unless it presents a real safety issue.
• Do a quick first aid check of all persons involved in the car accident
• Call emergency medical services and the police
• Make the scene as safe as possible until the police arrive by marking out the area with triangle warning signs
• Try to get the names of people involved and take down details of any witnesses
• Try to make some quick notes about the incident involving time and date of the car accident, weather conditions and positions of cars
• Log the other person's licence number
• Exchange insurance information but it is wise 'not' to discuss fault with them. In fact, don't make any statements about the accident, except to the police
• Obtain a copy of the police report
• Contact an experienced team of Riverside car accident attorneys

If you follow all the above steps, then by the time you get to call a representing attorney you should have all the information to hand that will make the case that much easier to prove. Many of these cases are disputed, which means that no one person will admit liability. With the information that you have, it will certainly move the whole process along that much quicker.

In most instances a car accident lawyer involved in a DUI case will call upon a series of independent experts who can help to prove negligence: people such as accident reconstruction and investigation experts, motor engineer specialists, highway design and traffic experts and even human behavioral specialists. Between them, the team should be able to pinpoint where the finger of blame lies.

In the case of a person who is suspected as being under the influence of alcohol the police will conduct an 'on the spot' test known as a 'field sobriety test'. However in many cases they are not deemed to be accurate and many successful attorneys have challenged field sobriety tests as being antiquated.

A car accident involving another party who is suspected to have been DUI is not something that you should be dealing with on your own and many insurance carriers simply won't cover the cost of what you should really be entitled to. By calling upon the services of an experienced team of Riverside car accident attorneys, then they will see that justice is done and that you get the compensation that you truly deserve.