Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog

The Fourth of July is a dangerous time for drunk drivers. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 161 people were killed in intoxicated driving collisions just over the Fourth of July weekend in 2011. This was a 70 percent increase in the average number of drunk driving fatalities per day.

While Independence Day is a time for barbeques, fireworks and picnics with friends, it does not have to be a time when motorists take their lives into their hands and get behind the wheel drunk. Motorists should make the smart choice this holiday season to stay sober and avoid intoxicated driving so they don’t hurt or kill themselves or someone else on the road. Victims who are injured by an intoxicated driver need to understand their legal rights and should contact a Boston drunk driving accident attorney for help.
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Drinking alcohol and getting behind the wheel can be dangerous. While beer and wine can also create the risk of DUI, hard alcohol, can be especially deadly for drivers, particularly teens. According a recent publication, underage binge drinkers prefer hard alcohol, especially vodka. Binge drinking is popular among teens and college students and can pose a significant risk of health problems. Those who regularly binge drink are more likely to suffer injuries and falls, alcohol poisoning, and other consequences, including drinking and driving accidents.

Researchers found that beer is consumed in less than one third of binge-driving episodes among drinkers aged 13 to 20. Researchers also found that binge drinking was more likely when teens were consuming specific brands. The study sheds light on certain binge drinking practices and is a reminder to parents and teens that drinking can be a dangerous pastime, especially if teens decide to get behind the wheel. Our Boston drunk driving attorneys are familiar with drinking trends among teens and young people. We are dedicated to raising awareness to prevent drinking and driving accidents and to keep roads safer for all motorists.
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Drinking and driving accidents can occur at high speeds on the interstate, intersections, parking lots, even, as in a recent case, the private driveway of the victim. In a tragic drinking and driving accident, a woman struck and killed her own father while he was trying to stop her from getting behind the wheel. According to reports, a former Laotian military officer, was struck and killed by his 37-year-old daughter who was drunk and peeled out of the driveway, striking her father. This accident sheds light on the dangers of drinking and driving and serves as a reminder that split-second bad decisions can ruin lives.

Family members of the victim said that he was a former military officer who aided the U.S. during the Vietnam War. He was attempting to stop his daughter from getting behind the wheel when she backed over him with her BMW convertible in Riverside, California. Prior to the accident, the father tried to take his daughter’s keys away. Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys are dedicated to helping our clients recover compensation after an injury. We will investigate a drunk driving case and will provide strategic advocacy to achieve the best possible outcome for victims and their loved ones.
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Graduation, summer, and the end of the school year means parties and more inexperienced drivers on the road. This excitement combined with alcohol use and parties can make summer a dangerous time for teen drivers and anyone else sharing the road. In a recent accident, a 17-year-old driver was headed to graduation rehearsal when he slammed into two women on their morning walk around 7 a.m. Authorities say he was intoxicated at the time of the collision. The New Hampshire teen is now facing criminal charges, including aggravated driving while intoxicated.

Drunk driving can be deadly, especially when accidents occur at high speeds or on the interstate. Fortunately, the victims in this case survived the accident, but they suffered serious, possibly life-altering injuries. Our Boston drunk driving injury attorneys understand the severe loss and impact suffered by accident victims and their loved ones. We know that recovery is a long road and can take months or years. Our priority is to help victims recover maximum compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, long-term care needs and any other additional costs associated with an accident.
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Campaigns warning of the dangers of getting into a car with someone who has been drinking have largely been effective. Unfortunately, the same stigma is not necessarily attached to driving while impaired by marijuana. A recent press release from a researcher at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst reports that underage college men tend to discount the dangers of getting into the car with someone who is high.

Driving under the influence of marijuana is just as dangerous, and just as illegal, as driving under the influence of someone who has consumed alcohol. Victims injured by an impaired driver should consult with an experienced Boston injury lawyer for more information and for assistance with a claim to recover compensation for losses.
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Motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. Unfortunately, in about 20 percent of cases, there is at least one legally intoxicated driver involved in the fatal accident that costs the child his life. A study in the June 2014 issue of Pediatrics called “Child Passenger Deaths Involving Alcohol-Impaired Drivers” shed some light on who these children are.

The data showed a surprising fact: many of the children killed by impaired drivers were actually passengers in the car of the person who was driving drunk. As Medical Daily reports, this is contrary to what many people believe about drunk driving crashes that kill children, as most tend to believe that kids are killed when a drunk hits the family car out of nowhere.
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When a driver causes a fatal collision while impaired, he may be charged with homicide or vehicular manslaughter. However, as a recent article in The Intelligencer indicated, not every death in a DUI crash leads to a homicide charge. This is because, in some cases, the victim who is killed in the collision may have been engaging in behaviors that led to the crash. Prosecutors generally have to prove that the intoxication was the cause of the accident in order for someone to be charged with homicide for driving drunk, and they may be unable to meet this burden of proof if the victim of the collision was partly to blame for the accident.

The rules for civil lawsuits, however, are different from the rules for criminal cases. In Massachusetts, as long as the drunk driver is at least 51 percent responsible for causing the collision, the victims or surviving family members can pursue legal action to obtain compensation. This means that a wrongful death or personal injury claim could be brought even in cases where the drunk driving is not criminally charged with causing the accident or the death. Victims injured by a drunk driver should consult with an experienced Boston drunk driving attorney for more information on how to pursue a damage claim.
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Many young people look up to athletes, especially football players who are in the NFL and others who play pro sports. Unfortunately, some of the biggest stars in the NFL may be bad role models as there is a “sustained” and “pervasive” drunk driving problem within the National Football League.

USA Today Sports recently wrote about this problem, highlighting the unusually high number of people who are affiliated with the NFL and who have been arrested for drunk driving or who have been involved in drunk driving collisions. Unfortunately, these famous people who are involved with pro sports and who get drunk are not only putting themselves and others at risk but could also be making young people believe it is OK to drive while intoxicated.
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In Massachusetts, drivers are required by law to purchase auto insurance protection. But when you truly need it, you may find that the insurance company will fight tooth-and-nail to avoid a payout.

If an insurance compensation claim is rejected or delayed without good cause, or if the consumer is bullied into a low-ball settlement, a court may find that the firm has acted in bad faith. That can result in penalties that are paid to the victim over and above what would otherwise be owed, regardless of policy limits.

Boston drunk driving injury lawyers know that if it’s possible to reach a fair settlement prior to trial, that’s often the preferable route. But if your insurer is playing hardball, know that we’re ready to fight back aggressively on your behalf.
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