Contact us today to schedule a free initial confidential consultation: (302) 777-1000

Motor Vehicle Accidents Involving Drunk Drivers

It’s the holiday season and everyone is filled with good cheer. Unfortunately, too many of them are also getting behind the wheel of a car. Statistics show that traffic volumes go up dramatically in the days leading up to Christmas, and that alcohol can be involved in up to 40% of holiday traffic accidents. And with motor vehicle accidents involving drunk drivers, there can be some complicating factors.

Does The Other Driver Have Insurance?

The reality is that many drunk drivers are repeat offenders. If a driver has a prior conviction for driving under the influence, he or she may find it cost prohibitive to get more than the basic insurance coverage, or may simply choose to drive without insurance at all. Of course, when you are hurt in a car accident, the first place you tend to look for recovery is the negligent party’s insurer.

If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, or only had coverage for property damage, you can look to your own policy to see if you have coverage for uninsured or underinsured motorists. Most insurers offer this type of coverage, but typically as an optional rider on your policy. If you have it, it will provide an additional amount of coverage for personal injuries you have suffered.

Another option is to look for another potentially liable party. For example, if there were roadway defects, you might be able to seek damages from the municipality responsible for maintaining the roads. Also, if you can show that the drunk driver was served alcohol at a bar, tavern, restaurant or even a private party, you may be able to pursue compensation from the party who served the alcohol, under what is known as social host liability, or dram shop liability.

Contact Our Office

To arrange a free initial consultation, contact us online or call our office at (302) 777-1000. Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We will come to your home or the hospital, if necessary.

WIlmington Deleware – Drunk Driving and Motor Vehicle Crashes

Allen Belile, 48, of Wilmington, DE, stands accused of injuring three people in a late-night crash last week in Middletown, DE. When Mr. Belile attempted passing a tractor-trailer, he veered into northbound lanes, and proceeded to strike another vehicle.

Mr. Belile, who was allegedly under the influence during the time of the crash, was also injured and taken to a nearby hospital. This was Mr. Belile’s 4th DUI charge.

Three injured adult crash victims were taken to Christiana Hospital Trauma Center. Their injuries were serious, but not critical.

Allen Belile is facing several charges once released from the hospital, including:

  • One count of 4th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
  • Two counts of Vehicular Assault 1st degree
  • One count of Reckless Driving Alcohol Related
  • One count of Failure to have Proof of Motor Vehicle Insurance

The office of Michael J. Hood, LLC offers full-service legal representation to anyone who has been injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver, whether as the driver of another vehicle, a passenger in any car or a bystander. We represent individuals who were passengers in the drunk driver’s car, handling injuries suffered in collisions, rollovers and single-vehicle accidents. Often times, drunk drivers are repeat offenders and, could have been driving with very little or no insurance.

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

To schedule a free initial consultation, contact us online or call our office at (302) 777-1000. Our office is open Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but we will meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We will travel to your home or the hospital if necessary.

A Bar’s Liability for its Patrons

Enjoying a night out with friends can be a great time, but it can also lead to serious consequences. When you’re out having fun it can be difficult to keep track of how many drinks you’ve had, so when you’re visibly intoxicated and still being served drinks by a bar, restaurant, or other establishment, they may be liable for damages caused by your subsequent actions. Holding these places of business accountable for negligence is known as dram shop liability.

Dram shop liability varies from state to state, currently; Pennsylvania has dram shop laws, while Delaware does not. Generally, PA dram shop law is used after an intoxicated person causes a serious automobile accident; but it can also be used if a bar serves a visibly intoxicated person who then causes injury to another patron. In these cases, the party injured in the auto accident or the injured patron can sue the establishment under the dram shop law.

If an intoxicated person has seriously injured you or a loved one, The Law Office of Michael J. Hood can help. We have focused our practice on the needs and rights of victims in Delaware and Pennsylvania since 1982. We take a direct approach, learning as much as we can about your accident, as well as your goals, so that we can give you a timely and accurate assessment of the potential value of your claim, as well as your prospects for success. We will keep you fully informed of all developments in your case, as well as your options, so that you can make good decisions about how to proceed.

Contact Michael J. Hood

The Law Office of Michael J. Hood represents accident & injury victims throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania including individuals in New Castle County, Kent County and Sussex County in Delaware. Also Delaware county, Chester county and Philadelphia county in PA. We offer a free initial consultation to every client. For an appointment, contact us online or call our office at (302) 777-1000. We are open Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but we will meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We will travel to your home or the hospital if necessary.

Wrongful Death Suit

The purpose of a wrongful death suit is to recover damages from a responsible party for the loss of a family member. Each state has its own legislation on what is required to file a wrongful death suit, and the statute of limitations is very limited, so it is important to act quickly. A large number of wrongful deaths result from a loved one being killed at the hands of a drunk driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a drunk driver kills someone every 51 minutes. That is over 10,000 people per year. Additionally, 3,000 people were killed in 2011 in what the NHTSA calls “distracted driving” accidents, which involve texting while driving or the use of other electronic devices. If you have lost a family member due to the negligence of another The Law Office of Michael J. Hood can help.

The NHTSA also reports that 5,953 passengers in vehicles were killed in 2011. If your loved one was killed while riding in a vehicle, it was likely though no fault of their own, yet their family must suffer. Coping with the loss of a loved one can be one of the most trying times of your life, and it is intensified when it is the result of someone else’s negligence.

At the Law Office of Michael J. Hood, we bring more than 31 years of experience to our clients in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Our clients appreciate our straightforward approach to wrongful death claims. We will carefully gather as much information as we can about your case so that we can give you a realistic assessment of the strengths and weaknesses, what you can realistically expect to recover and your likelihood of success.

Contact Attorney Michael J. Hood

We offer a free initial consultation to every client. For an appointment, contact us online or call our office at (302) 777-1000. We are open Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but we will meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We will travel to the hospital or your home to meet with you if you are unable to travel.