Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
After a crash caused by an impaired driver, you may be dealing with pain, missed work, and growing stress about what comes next. At Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, we help injured people and grieving families pursue claims after drunk driving collisions.
A drunk driving crash can leave you with medical bills, vehicle damage, and questions about insurance, liability, and your legal options. Our drunk driver lawyer in Hempstead handles injury cases involving serious car accidents, pedestrian impacts, passenger injuries, and wrongful death.
With over $1 billion recovered for our clients, our car accident lawyers in Hempstead are ready to help you. Call us for a free consultation.
What Makes Drunk Driving Injury Cases Different
A crash involving an impaired driver is not the same as an ordinary traffic collision. Alcohol or drug impairment can affect reaction time, judgment, speed control, and lane discipline, which often leads to violent impacts and severe injuries.
These cases may also involve criminal charges against the at-fault driver, but a criminal case is separate from your civil injury claim. Even if the driver is arrested or convicted, you still need to prove your losses and pursue payment through insurance or a lawsuit.
You may also face disputes about fault, preexisting injuries, or the value of your claim. Our personal injury lawyers in Hempstead can gather evidence early and build a record that supports your side of the case.
How a Drunk Driver Attorney in Hempstead Can Help
We investigate the collision, identify available insurance coverage, and deal with the insurance companies for you. That lets you focus more of your time on treatment and recovery.
We work to collect the facts that matter in a drunk driving case, including police reports, witness statements, crash scene evidence, medical records, and proof of lost income. If needed, we may also review surveillance footage, vehicle data, and toxicology-related evidence tied to the crash.
Our drunk driver attorneys in Hempstead can also protect you from quick settlement offers that may not reflect the full cost of your injuries. Once you accept a settlement, you usually give up the right to ask for more money later.
Evidence That Can Strengthen Your Claim
Strong evidence can make a real difference in an injury case. The more clearly you can show how the crash happened and how it affected your life, the better positioned you are during settlement talks or in court.
Useful evidence often includes photos, video, witness information, emergency room records, follow-up treatment notes, and proof of missed time from work. In a drunk driving case, police observations, field sobriety testing, chemical test results, and arrest records may also help support liability.
Why Timing Matters
Evidence can disappear quickly after a crash. Surveillance footage may be erased, witnesses may become harder to reach, and damaged vehicles may be repaired or discarded.
Starting your case sooner gives our Hempstead drunk driver lawyers more time to preserve records and document the full extent of your injuries. It also helps avoid mistakes when dealing with insurers in the early days after the collision.
Compensation Our Hempstead Drunk Driver Accident Lawyers Can Pursue
If a drunk driver injured you, you may be able to seek payment for both economic and non-economic losses. The value of a case depends on the facts, the severity of your injuries, and how those injuries affect your daily life.
Your claim may include damages for:
- Emergency and ongoing medical care
- Lost wages and reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Property damage and related losses
In some cases, long-term care needs or permanent disability can greatly increase the value of a claim. Our drunk driver accident lawyers in Hempstead can review how your injuries may affect your future, not just your current bills.
Steps to Take After a Drunk Driver Crash
The actions you take after a collision can affect both your health and your legal claim. Even if you are shaken up, try to protect yourself and document what you can.
Seek medical care as soon as possible and follow the treatment plan you are given. If you can, take photos of the vehicles, your injuries, the roadway, and any visible signs of impairment, such as open containers or erratic behavior.
You should also avoid discussing fault in detail with the other driver or giving a recorded statement to an insurance company before getting legal advice. Our Hempstead car accident attorney can help you avoid statements that may be used against you later.
Who May Be Liable for Your Losses
In many cases, the impaired driver is the main responsible party. Still, there may be other sources of compensation depending on how the crash happened and what insurance coverage is available.
For example, liability questions may involve the owner of the vehicle, an employer if the driver was working, or your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. New York insurance rules can affect how and when different claims are made.
Our Hempstead drunk driver lawyers review every possible path to compensation so you are not limited to only one source of recovery. That broader review can matter when injuries are severe, and policy limits are low.
Speak With Shulman & Hill About Your Case
A drunk driving crash can affect your health, finances, and daily routine for a long time. You do not have to sort through the legal process alone while also trying to recover.
Shulman & Hill can pursue claims against drunk drivers and the insurers involved. If you were hurt or lost a loved one in a crash, contact us to discuss your options and take the next step.