Like accidents involving a drowsy or distracted driver, those involving a drunk driver are entirely preventable. The moment that a person decides to get on Tennessee’s roads after drinking, he or she shows a disregard for the safety of everyone unfortunate enough to share those roads. If you had the misfortune of coming across one of these drivers, and his or her vehicle collided with yours, you may have suffered serious injuries.
Understanding what alcohol does to a person could help explain why alcohol-related crashes happen even when a driver does not meet or surpass the legal blood alcohol concentration limit of .08. The following information could give you pause the next time you order that second or third drink while out with friends or family.
Alcohol’s effects on the body
From the first drink, the following begin to happen to your body:
- Your reaction time slows.
- Your judgment declines.
- Your inhibitions drop.
- Your coordination declines.
- Your vision decreases.
- Your concentration drops.
- Your ability to multi-task declines.
Depending on several factors such as your height, weight and gender, it could take your body anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to metabolize one drink. If you continue to drink during that time, you could find yourself intoxicated in no time.
With a blood alcohol level as low as .02, you become a danger on the roadways. Driving requires all of your attention, and anything that removes your attention from the road creates a danger. Even if you believe you can safely drive with a “buzz,” you probably shouldn’t. The person responsible for the accident that caused your injuries may have thought the same thing.
Receiving compensation after a drunk driving accident
Every day of your recovery reminds you of what happened. If your injuries leave you permanently disabled, you may have a lifelong reminder of what one person’s selfishness can do. Beyond your physical and emotional losses, you probably sustained significant monetary losses as well. You can’t get back the life you had prior to the accident, but you may have the opportunity to recover compensation for your financial losses and other damages.
If evidence establishes that the other driver was drunk at the time of the crash, you may pursue compensation for your injuries. Before doing so, however, you may need to gain an understanding of how to prove that someone else caused your injuries and how to assess the damages you may request from the court.