What to do and not do Following a Drunk Driving Crash

If you happen to be involved in a drunk driving accident, there are some things you should do and shouldn’t do. Here are some pointers that Albuquerque, NM drunk driving accident lawyers such as Brian K Branch want to emphasize and not for superficial reasons – this advice can be the difference of you receiving $75,000 or $7,500, for instance. Yes, that is not an exaggeration.

Remain Calm

As soon as your vehicle comes to a halt, remain calm and take stock your immediate situation. If you find that anyone is injured, call 911 right away and seek help from the emergency personnel. At this juncture your highest priority must be your own as well as the safety of all the others in your motor vehicle or at the spot of the DUI accident. Use your better judgment to avoid any the situation that might put you at risk.

Just because you have survived the initial crash and things seem to be tranquil at the moment does not mean you are in a safe location at all. The situation could be tranquil right then and there but could be extremely violent in a few more seconds.

Don’t stand between two vehicles that are damaged, as any secondary impact can cause injuries. Be careful about fires or collapsing structures that are common to many accidents (well the latter is not too common but be aware of your surroundings nonetheless). Unless it is risky to do so, don’t leave the accident scene. You also have the duty to halt and offer aid and it is mandatory too after a vehicle accident under law, as any Central New Mexico drunk driving accident attorney will tell you and one ofthe best in the legal world in the state that was once home to Billy the Kid isBrian K Branch.

Did you see the series finale to Seinfeld? If you did not, that finale showed why it is legal and also ethical to help someone in need. You certainly should not be laughing at them and making jokes about their misery.

Don’t Apologize or Admit Fault

At the accident scene, all you need to do is to provide the necessary aid. However, any communication with the at-fault drunk driver must be limited. You should refrain from confronting or arguing with the drunk driver either. Nothing ought to be said or done to cause conflict or anger between individuals at the scene of the accident. However, it is important to get the necessary details about the other driver, his motor vehicle, as well as his automobile insurance. 

Most importantly, don’t apologize or say that you are sorry as this could be interpreted as an admission of guilt in causing the accident. To be brief, the scene of the accident is not the time of place to express regrets or accept liability for the crash. You ought to reserve this for the court, in consultation with your legal representation.  

Contact the Police ASAP

No matter what, Albuquerque, NM drunk driving accident lawyers recommend that the police should be informed about the drunk driving accident immediately after the collision or as soon as you can. Don’t allow the other driver, or any other person at the accident scene try to persuade you to not notify the police. In addition, it is mandatory in most states to call the police immediately after an accident.

When the police arrive at the scene, cooperate and follow all reasonable instructions. As with the drunk driver, never volunteer admissions of fault on your part, but mention the facts and tell them what you saw. In fact, you have the Fifth Amendment right to refuse to reply to any questions put forward by the police that will cause you to offer any kind of self-incriminating information. However, you must answer truthfully any questions that the police ask you. For the most part, not being fully truthful with police officers will be a grave mistake. Yes, this situation can be complicated.

Being involved in a DUI accident is no easy matter. Under the circumstances you ought to hire a Central New Mexico drunk driving accident lawyer immediately so that you can get the compensation you deserve and the best one in the area is Brian K Branch who can be seen and contacted via his terrific website which is http://www.bkblaw.net/. He should be your go to guy in this situation. He has long list of satisfied clients and he will get you the right amount of compensation for what your case is worth.