A car crash can happen just like that. You’re driving down the road, heading home after a long day, and all of a sudden your world goes up in a tailspin.

Your first line of action is to get to the hospital and treat any injuries. Your second line of action is to no doubt contact your insurance carrier. What happens after that, though? Should you suspect negligence or alcohol involved in your car crash, a criminal defense lawyer is your next stop. Not only do you want to make sure this sudden detour in your life reaches an ideal conclusion, you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. A car accident lawyer can make sense of all the bills and questions being thrown your way.

Here’s what you should know should you find yourself on the receiving end of a car crash.

The Rate Of Crashes In America

Car crashes happen every day. Drivers take every precaution possible to reduce the risk of a crash, from adding a new set of winter tires before it starts to snow and taking the car to the repair shop for a routine check-up, but there’s always a possibility your life could be thrown out of wack. Recent estimates state three million people are injured every year in car accidents on American roads, with a total of six million crashes or more. The cause of your car crash can determine whether or not a criminal defense lawyer will get involved.

The Prevelance Of Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is a common occurrence. Not only does drunk driving cause dozens of crashes every day, many drunk drivers are actually repeat offenders. Data has found the average drunk driver has driven while under the influence as much as 80 times before their first arrest. Every single day people will collectively drive drunk almost 300,000 times, but fewer than 4,000 will actually be arrested. Driving drunk doesn’t just involve alcohol, either. It can involve driving while drowsy from prescription medication or illegal drugs.

The Definition Of Distracted Driving

Let’s say distracted driving might have been the cause of your car crash. Do you still need to call a criminal defense lawyer? Absolutely. Distracted driving is a phenomenon that involves a driver attempting to operate a vehicle while preoccupied with a ‘sub-manual task’. This can include talking to children in the backseat, changing the radio dial, eating, drinking or texting. Talking on the phone is a significant road hazard that compromises the driver’s attention and leaves them in a poor position to react if they’re faced with a slow driver or sudden lane merge.

Personal Injury Across The Country

The function of a personal injury lawsuit is to help injured individuals receive legal support. This can be related to a workplace injury, medical malpractice and, yes, a car crash caused by distracted driving or drunk driving. The number of Americans with criminal records today is greater than the entire American population back in 1990. The most common personal injury cases made today? Auto accidents, product liability, wrongful death claims, premises liability and medical malpractice.

Preparing To See A Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve never gone through the process of reaching out to a criminal defense lawyer, particularly involving a car crash, there are a few tips to keep in mind. The first thing you need to do is gather up all relevant information. This includes medical bills, your car insurance, your health insurance and any outlying factors involved in the case. You may have to interrogate witnesses if alcohol or distractions are involved. Some lawyers also offer consultations to help give you a better idea of the services they provide and whether or not your case will actually see a courtroom.

Visit your law firm and file a personal injury claim with the help of a professional to make this accident a thing of the past.