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Baltimore Drunk Driving Injury Lawyer

 

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Rated 5.0 for Drunk Driving Injury Claims.

As reported by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) , one in three traffic accidents are caused by intoxicated drivers. Many people act irresponsibly and decide to sit behind the wheel after a night out drinking, not thinking about the risk of ruining someone’s life. Some of these accidents cause immediate death and some cause minor or serious body injuries.

If you are a victim of a drunk driving accident in Maryland, the law gives you the power to be in control of the case and seek compensation for the caused pain. Hiring a drunk driving accident lawyer in Baltimore, MD can benefit you in many ways and help you recover while someone makes sure things are done properly.

DUI (DRIVING UNDER INFLUENCE) cases are very complicated in terms of evidence and laws can be confusing for an individual who recently experienced physical and psychological pain. Dubo Law drunk driving accident attorneys can thoroughly examine everything from the first contact with officers, including violation of any rights or laws, to breathalyzer, blood, and urine test results.

At Dubo Law, we have seen and have many years of experience in how drunk driving accidents can ruin an individual’s life. We stand up for those who seek legal advice, and we are dedicated to fighting for your rights. Contact us today and get free legal consultations.

Statistics on Drunk and Driving Accidents in Maryland

Maryland Department of Transportation reported that yearly around 7,000 accidents are caused by drunk drivers. One-third of all accidents include drunk drivers.

Maryland is ranked 8th in the number of fatal drunk driving accidents per person, with 2.7 deaths per 100,00 people.

65% of drunk driving offenders are males, and 45% of accidents are caused by people between the age of 21 and 34.

From 2013-2017 the number of people who were either killed or injured in drunk driving accidents in Maryland is 17,237.

I Am a Victim of a Drunk Driving Accident. What Should I Do?

Immediately after being involved in DUI accident you should:

  • Call 911
  • Let police officers to handle the potential drunk driver. Do not fight!
  • Take photos and check for any eyewitnesses. If there are any, ask them for their personal information.
  • Your injuries should be documented right after the medical staff arrives.
  • Do not sign any papers and insurance documents without contacting the attorney first.
  • Do not post anything on social media.

Contact Dubo Law at (443)275-6345 as soon as possible!

What Evidence I Should Collect from Drunk Driving Accident?

No matter how positive you are about other driver’s DUI, there is still need for proof to recover compensation. Auto accident attorney at Dubo Law will perform a full insight and collect necessary evidence to support the lawsuit.

  1. Police report – After arriving at the scene of an accident, police officers have the right to ask drivers to perform breathalyzer or toxicology test. If the officer receives positive results on a driver being intoxicated, that should be included in the report. This positive report can help you in further legal battles.
  2. Photos and videos – Nowadays, many bars, restaurants, or clubs have cameras installed all around. The driver who is believed to have caused the DUI accident may have visited some of these places prior to the crash. Security cameras can record how much he drank.
  • Eyewitness statements – Both bartenders and witnesses who saw the crash can be crucial to testify how the suspect driver behaved before or after the accident.
  1. Expert statements – Medical and reconstruction professionals can use their special skills and methods to determine causes and effects of an accident.
  2. Bills, invoices, receipts – It is very important to collect medical bills, vehicle repair invoices, and receipts to show how much were the financial damages due to the accident.

Damages Caused by Drunk Driving Accident in Maryland

All circumstances of the case must be taken into consideration to determine the types of damage you suffered from a drunk driving accident.

The damage can include both injuries and financial ruin.

DUI injuries can be fatal for the victim and victim’s family. If, however, you decide to file a personal injury claim a rare type of compensation can be raised. Punitive damages compensate victims injured by at-fault parties who were deliberately malicious or exceedingly careless.

Possible financial damages can be:

  • Future and past medical charges – it includes all costs associated with your injury and recovery after it.
  • Lost wages – You probably won’t work until fully recovering from an accident. In this period the employee can deny your wages.
  • Future wages may be lost too. Sometimes the injury causes permanent disability, preventing you from working again.
  • Cost of repairing the vehicle – Sometimes one may have to buy a new vehicle due to the caused damage.
  • Pain and suffering – Accident can cause serious traumas and loss of quality of life.

Possible injuries you can suffer from drunk driving accident include:

  • Head and spine injuries
  • Permanent paralysis and disability
  • TBI (traumatic brain injury)
  • Fractures and broken bones
  • Internal bleeding
  • Disorientation and disfigurement

Maryland Laws On Drunk Driving Accidents

BAC (Blood Alcohol Concertation)

BAC being above the legal level immediately results facing with DUI charges. The Law also states that even if the level of BAC is below the legal level you can face DWI (driving while impaired) in case being too impaired to control the vehicle.

Within the Maryland Law adults over 21 years old involved in drunk driving accidents are to be charged od DUI if their BAC is 0.08% and above. For those who are under 21, a BAC of 0.02% can result in DUI charge. DWI level is a bit lower, 0.07% and commercial vehicles even lower. 0.04%.

DUI and DWI

These are separate legal matters, and they don’t impact the result of the case. Why? Because they are considered criminal charges and your accident claim would be civil matter. The court will prosecute drunk driver for illegal activity, and he/she will face prison or penalties.

Remember that using the other driver’s convictions and charges as evidence in your case can help you prove that they were negligent and DUI/DWI.

Personal Injury Claim

We already said that these types of cases are civil matters and are held in civil court. If an impaired driver is charged in a civil lawsuit, their criminal record won’t be affected by it. In this case the court can order that they pay compensation for the victim’s injuries, for both physical and emotional pain.

Dubo Law attorney specialized in drunk driving cases can for sure help you recover finances such as medical bills and lost payments. Make sure to contact us and you will be rightfully compensated for the injuries.

Maryland’s Statute of Limitations for Drunk Driving Lawsuits

Statute of Limitations is a law which regulates due dates for filing a claim. For all car accidents, including drunk driving lawsuits, the state of Maryland has a three-yeas deadline. A victim of drunk driving accident won’t be able to file a claim if he/she doesn’t meet the deadline. In this case, a victim will lose the right to hold a drunk driver liable for damages caused by a DUI accident.

There are some exceptions to this rule. You will have a shorter deadline if a government agency is involved in the case. Another one is if a victim is a minor, he/she will have additional time after turning 18.

Talking to a drunk driving attorney at Dubo Law can stop you from making initial mistakes and fail to recover the compensation you deserve.

drunk driving accidents attorney dubo law

Contributory Negligence in DUI Accident

Drunk driving, being a violation of the law, is also considered negligent driving. Maryland Law is very persuasive in driving behavior, expecting that drivers operate their vehicles carefully, responsibly and obey traffic laws.

The state of Maryland adopted harsh Contributory Negligence law on shared liability in car accident cases. If you share even 1% of responsibility in the accident, chances of compensation are 0%. The law doesn’t recognize if the driver was driving under the influence, and you don’t bear any responsibility for it. The best thing to do is to contact Dubo Law DUI accident lawyer and we will fight false allegations for you.

Noah’s Law

Noah Leotta was a police officer killed on duty by drunk driver, and the law was named after him. Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016 or Noah’s Law, states that every driver charged with DUI must have IID (Ignition Interlock Device) installed in their vehicle.

IID (Ignition Interlock Device)

This is a breath test machine (breathalyzer) and it is connected with vehicles ignition system. The vehicle won’t start until the driver breathes into the IID and proves there is no alcohol in their breath. The Ignition Interlock Program began in 1989 in Maryland and this state has the highest number of vehicles with IID installed. The length of IID installed will depend only on how serious the offense was.

Implied Consent Law

The driver can refuse to take breathalyzer test but will disobey Implied Consent law. This law states that if an individual is arrested by an officer who suspects driver to be intoxicated must consent to taking breathalyzer test. If a driver refuses to take the test, he/she will face additional consequences and longer license suspension.

Trial vs. Settlement in Drunk Driving Case

When involved in accident insurance companies are the first ones to benefit from it. But finding a good attorney to negotiate in your favor will compensate your losses. Insurance companies are the one handling the settlements and they prefer it because this resolves the case faster and usually to their advantage.

If on the other hand you don’t agree to a settlement, there is always a trial. Some injuries require ongoing medical care and bills and sometimes settlement doesn’t compensate enough.

To prevent serious financial losses and future issues hire Dubo Law as Neil Dubovsky, the founder, once worked in favor of insurance companies so he saw both sides of the medal. It is crucial that the attorney has knowledge and knows some insurance tricks which can prevent an individual from being damaged.

What Penalties I Face If DUI/DWI In Maryland?

First time DUI drivers can face the following consequences:

  • Maximum one year in jail,
  • up to $1,000 in fines,
  • and six months license suspension.

Second-time DUI drivers face:

  • Up to two years in prison,
  • maximum $2,000 in fines,
  • one-year without driver’s license and an installation of IID.

Third-time offenders can face up to

  • three years in jail,
  • pay $3,000 fines and
  • minimum 18 months driver’s license suspension.

How Alcohol Impacts Driving Behavior?

We think that if we drank two bears our judgment can’t be affected? But even these two bears can cause difficulties in operating the vehicle and track other vehicles and pedestrians on the road. Reaction time and vision are necessary parts of driving a vehicle, and these two can be easily compromised by alcohol usage.

Usually, DUI drivers swerve into ongoing traffic, change lanes, crash into stopping or parked vehicles, hit pedestrians, etc. Unfortunately, random people suffer some serious and life-threatening injuries. Driving while intoxicated is illegal, toxic and a pure example of how drivers behave negligently and irresponsibly.

What You Can Do to Prevent Drunk Driving?

  • If you are planning to have a night out, make sure to take Uber or Lyft in case there isn’t a designated driver with you
  • Don’t pressure people to drink with you
  • Don’t serve an alcoholic drink to minors
  • Pull over immediately and contact 911 if you suspect someone has been driving while being impaired

Testimonials from Our Satisfied Clients

5-stars rated law firm in maryland

‘’I had a great experience with the Dubo Law firm, they will go out of their way to make sure you get what is owed to you. The team I had the pleasure of working with were very professional!!! I am truly satisfied with my result.’’

C Johnson, Baltimore

‘’Thank you Neil and your team at DuboLaw! You guided me the whole way with my car accident and was straight up and to the point throughout the whole case. If anyone needs a lawyer (one that’s actually gonna fight for you) call Neil Dubovsky!! Once again thank you so much guys! Good job!!’’

Russel Hynes

‘’Neil was very professional and a pleasure to work with, I’m very pleased with the outcome of my accident. I highly recommend Neil and his Team there extremely knowledgeable, helpful and compassionate for their clients.’’

Carlene Littleton

Make Sure to Hire Best Drunk Driving Attorney in Baltimore, MD

Whether you are a victim or suspect in a DUI or DWI accident hiring Dubo Law car accident attorney can benefit you in many ways. We have experience in fighting legal battles for our clients by making sure no one’s rights get violated during t

  • Neil Dubovsky has two decades of experience, especially in car accident cases
  • At Dubo Law our clients receive needed attention and honesty
  • Results state that we helped recover millions of dollars during our career
  • No fee unless you recover!
  • Our main advantage is that we don’t take cases if we can’t handle them now. Therefore, if you hire us, the case won’t take long to resolve.

Contact Us for Your Free Case Review!

Address
9515 Deereco Rd, Suite 704
Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093

Phone
(443) 275-6345

Texting number
(443) 870-4329

Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

COVID-19 Update
Your health and safety are important to us. Please be advised that we are open for business during COVID-19 quarantines. All consultations will be conducted either via video chat, phone, or email.

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