How Drunk Driving Victims Can Take Action To Help Themselves and Prevent Tragic Injuries and Accidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drunk driving deaths accounted for one third of all traffic accident deaths in the U.S. Every year, countless lives are changed forever by drunk driving injuries. Families, victims, and loved ones may experience immense grief, pain and suffering, find themselves shouldering high medical or rehabilitation bills, and victims may even have to stop working due to their injuries. The toll that this can take on victims and families is immense.
Fortunately, there are many organizations and individuals in Mississippi who are available to help families and victims through the recovery process. There are also a range of organizations that promote drunk driving awareness and activism that families can join to prevent these tragedies from recurring in the future. One of the main concerns following a drunk driving injury is ensuring that the victim receives proper medical care and that this care is properly paid for.
Victims and their families have a range of options. For instance, victims can apply to the Mississippi Crime Victims Compensation Fund. The fund is designed to help victims pay for medical expenses, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and lost wages. Victims of DUI accidents are eligible to receive compensation from this fund. While the fund is a useful resource for victims and their families, the fund has limits. For instance, the fund only covers $15,000 in eligible medical expenses, and up to $20,000 in lost wages. For victims suffering from serious personal injuries or those who are facing long-term work loss due to a drunk driver’s actions, these amounts may only be a small percentage of actual medical expenses and lost wages. For this reason, many victims also speak to skilled drunk driving accident personal injury law firm such as Stevens & Ward in order to seek compensation from the drunk driver responsible for their injuries and lost wages.
Personal injury lawsuits can also punish DUI offenders for their crimes by increasing the amounts of money that these individuals have to pay. Mississippi law allows the state to pursue drunk drivers for criminal penalties, while the law affords victims and their families to pursue drunk drivers for civil penalties. While the state handles criminal convictions, families are required to file civil lawsuits. In order to ensure that drunk drivers receive the fullest penalties allowable under the law, families need to act quickly to initiate a lawsuit. In Mississippi, drunk driving victims are also allowed to seek punitive damages. Compensatory damages pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, while punitive damages are designed to punish offenders for their actions.
Victims, families, and their advocates also have a range of other ways that they can take action to prevent drunk driving in communities in Mississippi. For instance, victims, families, and interested individuals can write letters to representatives and government officials urging them to support stronger legislation. Mothers Against Drunk Driving lists several laws that could be improved to better protect victims of drunk driving and to prevent drunk drivers from hitting the road. For instance, MADD supports stronger child endangerment laws, stronger laws punishing repeat offenders, and supports appropriating more money for victims of crime.
MADD also offers a range of resources to help victims of drunk driving and their families through the healing process. For instance, MADD provides emotional help and other support to victims and families whose lives have been affected by drunk drivers.
Drunk driving is an inexcusable crime. The decision to drink and drive endangers Mississippi’s roadways and leads to daily tragedies as a result. Victims have a range of resources available to them. MADD and a compassionate personal injury law firm like www.stevensandward.com can help lend these families voices within the legal system and within their communities. Families have a great deal of resources available to them to help them recover and heal.
