Hit by a Drunk Driver in the Bronx? The Kohn Law Firm can Help!
New York police reported 7,849 alcohol-related crashes in 2014. Over half of these involved personal injury, and 292 persons were killed that year. After a 50-year trend of decreasing traffic fatalities, car accident death rates have gone up in 2015 and again in 2016, and drunk driving is cited as a leading factor of these fatal crashes, along with speeding and distracted driving. With thousands of taxis, an army of Uber drivers and a robust public transportation system, there is simply no reason to drink and drive, but thousands still do. As a lifelong resident of the Bronx, I want our neighborhoods to be safe and free from these needless tragedies. I’m lawyer Kevin Kohn, and my office helps people who have been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, helping them get the compensation they need to deal with their injuries, while helping to take one more drunk driver off the streets.
Drunk Driving Causes Serious Car Accidents for a Number of Reasons
The effects of just a little alcohol on one’s ability to drive are considerable. Intoxication impairs judgment; slows reflexes and reaction time; impacts vision, perception and motor control; and dulls one’s attention. Drunk drivers are especially dangerous because they tend not to hit the brakes or try to avoid a crash right before it happens, as another driver might. Drunk driving car accidents in the Bronx frequently result from negligent actions such as:
- Speeding
- Weaving or swerving out of the lane
- Overreacting or overcorrecting
- Falling asleep at the wheel
- Running red lights and stop signs
Drunk Driving is a Criminal Act with Harsh Penalties under New York Law
Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) are serious crimes in New York, with steep fines and lengthy jail sentences possible, especially for repeat offenders. At the Kohn Law Firm, we will use a driver’s DWI/DWAI conviction as evidence in a civil lawsuit of their responsibility to the injured victim. However, even if the drunk driver is not convicted, or even if the driver is never cited or charged, we may still be able to use evidence of their intoxication against them. The standards for convicting someone in a criminal case are very different from what is required to prove someone liable in a personal injury lawsuit, and police may choose not to pursue criminal charges for any number of reasons. Regardless, choosing to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol is a strong indication of negligence and a breach of the duty to drive with due care for the safety of others on the road.
Choosing to drive drunk may also expose a person to exemplary or punitive damages, which are additional financial penalties imposed on the driver to punish him or her for such unacceptable behavior, and to serve as an example to others. At the Kohn Law Firm, we vigorously pursue punitive damages on behalf of our clients in all applicable cases.
Seek Justice and Compensation from a Dedicated Bronx Attorney after a Car Accident Caused by a Drunk Driver
Whether going after the drunk driver who hit you, or the bar that served an obviously intoxicated person or a minor who caused the wreck, the attorneys at the Kohn Law Firm hold all responsible parties accountable for the harm they have caused by their negligent behavior. Let us help you obtain compensation for the injuries you incurred through no fault of your own. Call 718-409-1200 or contact us online to schedule a free, confidential consultation regarding all your potential claims.
