Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Southfield

Why Should I Hire Goodman Acker PC for My Drunk Driving Accident Case?

Suffering an injury at the expense of someone’s reckless and inconsiderate behavior is often a disheartening and overwhelming experience for drunk driving accident survivors and their loved ones. 

Having the help of a compassionate and assertive drunk driving accident lawyer in Southfield will ease the mental stress associated with your case and allow you and your loved ones to focus better on your health and recovery. 

For over 30 years, the experienced attorneys at Goodman Acker PC have helped their local Michigan community recover from countless accidents and injuries. Our team of dedicated lawyers stays diligently focused on maximizing settlements for our clients while protecting their rights throughout their cases. 

With over 150 years of collective legal experience, our firm strives to provide top-tier service to all clients through our wholesome approach of valuing honesty, ethics, and dedicated experience in all interactions. 

We offer all of our clients a complimentary consultation. Our team wants to learn about you, your injuries, and your challenges and help prepare you for the best legal path forward for your case.

You can find our Southfield headquarters on West 10 Mile Road between Lathrup Boulevard and Pierce Street.

Contact us today for your free consultation with a dedicated team member.

Proven Results for Our Clients

Our competent team of attorneys at Goodman Acker PC works unyieldingly to deliver the best results possible for our clients. We utilize our collective skill, experience, and knowledge to protect our clients’ rights and recover maximum compensation for all damages suffered. 

We have successfully recovered the below compensation for our clients:

• $15,300,000 for an automobile accident that resulted in a catastrophic injury
• $3,000,000 for a pedestrian accident
• $2,000,000 for a truck accident
• $1,900,000 for an automobile accident that caused a herniated disc
• $1,000,000 for a bicyclist struck by a box truck

Our attorneys at Goodman Acker know how stressful and exhausting managing an insurance claim can be when you are still in the midst of physically and emotionally recovering from your accident. We make it our mission to do whatever we can to ease your struggles with your claim. 

To show our dedication and compassion for your situation, we offer our legal services on a contingency fee basis. We know most clients are facing mounting piles of medical bills and other expenses from their accidents.

Our team wants to avoid adding to your financial burden. We will not charge any out-of-pocket legal fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your case. 

Past clients of our firm often express gratitude for our caring assistance during their trying times. 

Justine was impressed with how incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated our team was in our interactions. 

Corey appreciated how our firm was always ready to help. Toni was beyond satisfied with our exceptional professionalism throughout her entire claim process. 

If you or your loved one have suffered an injury from a drunk driving accident, call us today and let us help you with your case. 

Compensation for a Drunk Driving Accident

Suffering a drunk driving accident leaves most people and their loved ones struggling with agony, injuries, and increasing financial burdens. 

If you or a loved one were in an accident with a drunk driver, you can recover compensation for all of your damages, including:

• Physical pain
• Mental suffering
• Property damage
• Medical expenses
• Lost wages 
• Punitive damages

Seek the help of a skilled professional drunk driving accident lawyer to help you maximize your opportunities for compensation recovery with your case.

Drunk Driving Laws in Southfield

Local Southfield law enforcement can legally arrest any driver who shows signs of impairment when behind the wheel, regardless of the individual’s bodily alcohol content (BAC) level.

Michigan’s impaired driving law makes it illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a BAC of 0.08 or higher. For those under 21, the legal BAC level is lowered to 0.02. 

The state also has a high-BAC law that enacts higher penalties for individuals caught driving with a BAC of 0.17 or above. 

Michigan law enforcement participates in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the holiday season to reduce drunk driving accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

The campaign promotes a zero-tolerance policy for driving while impaired and encourages citizens to seek safe and smart modes of transportation while celebrating the holidays. 

What Is Drunk Driving?

Drunk driving is the operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. 

Even a tiny amount of alcohol in a person’s system can begin to impact their nervous system and cognitive functioning negatively. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the below BAC levels can have the associated predictable effects on a person’s driving:

• 0.02 – A person will begin to experience a decrease in their visible functions and feel unable to multitask.
• 0.05 – A driver has less coordination and begins to lose the ability to track moving objects.
• 0.08 – An individual cannot concentrate, control speed, and process information presented to them. They begin to suffer from short-term memory loss and impaired perception of reality. 
• 0.10 – At a BAC of 0.10, a driver starts to lose the ability to stay within their lane and adequately apply their brakes. 
• 0.15 – At this BAC level, a person is significantly impaired behind the wheel, lacking an adequate ability to control the vehicle, pay attention to the task of driving, and process visual and auditory information presented to them. 

Common Types of Drunk Driving Injuries

Drunk driving accidents often result in grave long-term impacts on the lives of those involved. While some survivors are fortunate enough to walk away with minor cuts and bruises, others are less fortunate and experience catastrophic accidents that can result in multiple fatalities. 

Common injuries sustained in drunk driving accidents are:

• Scrapes and lacerations – A drunk driving accident can cause a person’s skin to cut or tear, resulting in a range of injuries from minor scrapes and abrasions to more significant lacerations. 
• Bruising – One of the most common injuries from a drunk driving accident is contusions appearing on a person’s body after impact. 
• Whiplash – The unexpected jolt of impact can result in painful neck whiplash when a body is thrown forward and held back firmly by a seatbelt. 
• Burns – Vehicles can catch fire after a collision, potentially leaving a driver or passenger covered in burns. Chemical burns from airbag deployment are another common type of burn suffered in drunk driving accidents. 
• Fractures – The brutal impact of a collision or the resulting compression of car parts onto a person’s body often results in broken or shattered bones. 
• Traumatic brain injuries – The hitting of a person’s head from a drunk driving accident impact can cause cognitive damage, ranging from a mild concussion to a long-term traumatic brain injury. 
• Spinal cord injuries – The spinal cord is at risk of being damaged in devastating drunk driving accidents, often resulting in a form of paralysis or, in some more dire cases, premature death. 
• Internal bleeding – Internal organs and non-visible body parts are also in peril of suffering trauma during a drunk driving accident, which could result in internal bleeding. 
• Fatalities – The worst drunk driving accidents result in the unfortunate deaths of one or more people involved in the crash. 

Contact a trusted drunk driving accident attorney today if you or your loved one has suffered injuries from this type of accident. 

FAQs About Drunk Driving Accidents

What Do I Do After a Drunk Driving Accident?

A drunk driving accident is a traumatic event that often results in distress, immense physical and emotional pain, and uncertainty about the road ahead for you and your loved ones. 

Taking the proper steps after a drunk driving accident will help protect your well-being and legal case. 

Seek Medical Advice

Your health and well-being are of the utmost importance. Most people suffer some form of physical pain and emotional anguish after the trauma of a reckless drunk driving accident. 

Seek the care of a medical professional for all of your pain and suffering immediately after your accident. Some mental and physical effects of an accident can take hours, days, or weeks to manifest. 

Ensure your medical team creates an official record of all your injuries and sufferings during your visits. 

Follow all medical advice and treatment plans that are provided to you by your healthcare professional. 

Do Not Admit Fault or Accept Blame

Insurance companies and third parties may try to get official statements from you after your drunk driving accident. 

Never make any statements or comments that an insurance company could construe as admitting fault for your accident. 

Refrain from making any official or recording statements without first seeking guidance from your legal team. 

Maintain Documentation

Keep a thorough file of documentation associated with your drunk driving accident and injuries, including:

• A journal of what you remember from the accident, as well as any injuries and trauma you experience in the aftermath
• Contact information for all those involved in the accident and for any witnesses at the scene
• Photographs or videos from the scene of the accident, preferably demonstrating the road conditions, injuries, and property damage
• The police report
• Medical records
• Expenses list

Record Your Expenses

Keep documentation of all expenses related to your drunk driving accident, including:

• Vehicle and personal property repair estimates 
• Medical bills
• Cost of assistive devices for injuries
• Proof of lost wages

Hire an Attorney

Elicit the help of a professional drunk driving accident attorney immediately after your accident to protect your rights and ensure you file your case within Michigan’s statute of limitations. 

Having a team of experienced attorneys on your team will ease the inconvenience of filing an insurance claim after your accident, allowing you and your loved ones to better focus on your health and well-being. 

Contact the attentive and caring team at Goodman Acker PC and schedule your complimentary case evaluation.

Please bring to our meeting:

• Your medical treatment plan
• Your documentation list
• A list of all your expenses and cost estimates
• Any other relevant information for your accident

If you cannot obtain all of this information, we can find it for you.

Who Is Liable in a Drunk Driving Accident?

You could hold multiple parties liable for your drunk driving accident in Southfield. 

Michigan has a dram shop law stating that you can hold a bar, restaurant, or other venue liable for serving alcohol to a minor or to a visibly intoxicated patron who then causes an accident. 

If you or a loved one were injured in a drunk driving accident in Michigan, then you can hold the drunk driver and potentially the business or entity that served the driver liable for your accident. 

Work With an Experienced Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Most people dread the thought of having to deal with an insurance company after suffering the trauma of a drunk driving accident. 

Attaining the help of a well-respected and trusted drunk driving attorney will ease the stress you and your loved ones feel while you work through your recovery. 

The associates at Goodman Acker PC take pride in their work and their unyielding ability to provide their clients with the compassionate and reliable service they deserve on their cases. 

Our legal team will:

• Help you gather all the evidence for your case
• Calculate a full assessment of all of your damages
• File your initial claim
• Negotiate your settlement offer
• Prepare your case for trial, if necessary 
• Communicate clearly and provide regular updates throughout your claim process
• Charge no upfront costs for your case

Contact our Southfield personal injury lawyers at Goodman Acker PC today at (248) 831-1507 for your complimentary case evaluation.

Goodman Acker P.C. – Southfield Office Location

17000 W 10 Mile Rd 2nd Floor
Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 831-1507

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]