With the ease and inexpensiveness of rideshare apps, you would think that drunk driving would be less prevalent than it is. However, the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has reported that over 13,000 people were arrested for driving under the influence in Oregon in a single year.
If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident or lost a loved one because of a drunk driver, you could be entitled to compensation under Oregon state law. Get help recovering compensation for your economic and non-economic damages with former insurance defense and coverage lawyer turned personal injury attorney Richard Rizk of Rizk Law.
Common Injuries Victims Can Suffer in a Portland, Oregon Drunk Driving Accident
Despite decades of anti-drunk driving campaigns and public safety awareness, drunk driving is still a pressing issue in Oregon and throughout the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that drunk driving still claims the lives of about 28 people every single day in the United States.
Victims hurt in drunk driving accidents often have higher expenses to deal with than most other car accidents. This is because drunk driving accident victims typically suffer from more severe injuries than those involved in crashes with sober drivers. Drunk drivers cannot take evasive maneuvers in the moments before impact like a sober driver would, so DUII-related accidents tend to be more severe.
Victims of drunk driving accidents are liable to suffer a wide array of horrifying injuries, such as:
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Lacerations
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limb
- Seat belt injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Soft tissue injuries
- Paralysis
- Burn injuries
- Herniated discs
- Internal organ damage or loss
- Nerve damage
- Abdominal injuries
- Significant disfigurement
- Road rash
- Concussion
In certain circumstances, the driver may not be the only party to be found responsible for injuries victims sustain in a drunk driving accident. Oregon Revised Statute ORS 471.565, also known as Oregon’s Dram Shop Law, makes it illegal for commercial providers of alcohol and social hosts to serve alcohol to people who are visibly intoxicated. Anyone who serves alcohol to a person showing visual signs of being drunk could be held liable for any personal injuries caused by the intoxicated person.
Types of Compensation Available to Drunk Driving Victims in Portland, Oregon
Oregon uses a fault-based system, meaning that if you are involved in an accident that a negligent driver caused, you have the right to pursue damages from them in court. Oregon State Statutes, Sections 31.700-31.735 states that compensation may be awarded to you for any of the following damages you or a loved one may have incurred in a drunk driving accident:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses (both past and future)
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Lost wages and future lost income
- Funeral costs
- Reconstructive surgery
- In-home rehabilitation
- Disability
- Rental car costs
- Motor vehicle repairs
- Change in lifestyle
- Loss of companionship
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages meant to punish the party responsible for your damages may also be awarded to victims of drunk driving accidents and their families. Although it is to be noted that Oregon Revised Statutes 31.730 states that punitive damages may only be awarded in certain situations. Civil cases when there is clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted recklessly and with malice, along with displaying an outrageous indifference to the unreasonable risk of harm for the wellbeing, health and safety of others could qualify for payment of punitive damages.
Partner with a Compassionate Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Portland, Oregon
The Rizk Law team of car accident lawyers believe that drunk drivers should always be held liable for the pain, suffering, and financial losses they cause victims and their families. Whether you have questions about your rights after a drunk driving accident or need help figuring out how to get your medical bills paid, we are here to help. Call us to schedule a free evaluation of your drunk driving accident today at (503) 342-0783 or by completing our contact form.