No motorist should ever get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking or using drugs because of the risk of causing an accident. If an intoxicated driver operates a large tractor-trailer truck, the chance of life-altering or fatal injuries occurring in an accident significantly increases.
If you were injured in a truck crash and suspect the truck driver was drunk, you should meet with a knowledgeable truck crash attorney from Kaveny Sarmas Injury Lawyers. While we are a small firm, we have big firm experience successfully handling claims involving drunk driving truck accidents in Chicago.
What Are the Relevant Local Laws for Drunk Truck Driving Crashes?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration holds truck drivers to a higher standard than passenger drivers when it comes to drunk driving. For passenger drivers, the blood alcohol level limit is generally 0.08 percent, while the federal limit for truck drivers is only 0.04 percent. If the truck driver who caused your Chicago crash had a blood alcohol level of 0.04 percent or higher, they could face criminal charges for being drunk in a commercial vehicle. They could also lose their driver’s license.
Although you might feel a sense of justice knowing that the drunk truck driver who harmed you is no longer a danger to others on the road, this would not help you solve the financial problems you are facing due to the accident. Fortunately, our skilled local attorneys can help you pursue compensation in a civil lawsuit.
Recoverable Damages After a Collision Caused by a Drunk Trucker
When drivers are drunk, they experience impaired judgment, blurred vision, reduced coordination, and slower reaction times, which makes it difficult for them to control their vehicles and increases the risk of an accident. Due to the large size and weight of commercial vehicles, impaired driving truck wrecks in Chicago frequently result in devastating harm, which can lead to unexpected medical bills and other costly expenses.
If you believe the truck driver who struck you was intoxicated, you have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit to reimburse you for all the monetary costs and other losses you have suffered from the crash. This may include the following:
- Current and future anticipated medical expenses, such as hospital stays, medical procedures, doctors’ visits, physical therapy, medication, and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and future lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering and mental anguish
- Inconvenience
- Decreased or lost enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Physical and cognitive impairment
- Property damage
Our compassionate legal team will work closely with your doctors and other medical experts to gain a full understanding of your anticipated medical prognosis. We will also consult with you and your family to learn how the accident and your recovery have affected your overall quality of life. If an impaired truck driver caused the untimely death of a loved one, our lawyers can help your family seek accountability in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Call a Chicago Lawyer After a Drunk Driving Truck Accident
Drunk driving truck accidents in Chicago should never occur. If you believe the truck driver who struck you was intoxicated, our skilled attorneys at Kaveny Sarmas Injury Lawyers know how to help you. We will work with you to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Call today.
