Drunk driving crashes produce worse injuries than ordinary accidents, higher speeds, no braking, no evasive action, because an impaired driver often never sees you at all. The injuries below are the ones we see most in Alabama drunk driving cases, and each carries a legal dimension victims should understand: in a drunk driving case, the same injury is worth more.
Drunk Driving Injuries: At a Glance
- Why they’re worse: impaired drivers rarely brake, so impacts arrive at full speed
- Why they’re worth more: the driver’s wantonness opens punitive damages on top of compensation
- Get checked same-day: brain and internal injuries hide behind adrenaline
- Deadline: 2 years to file, and the evidence disappears much faster
Alcohol impairs your judgment and slows down your reaction time. The decision to get behind the wheel can have disastrous results and cause drunk driving injuries to everyone involved.
If you were injured by a drunk driver, you might have the right to pursue a claim for damages.
Speak with an experienced Alabama car accident lawyer at Fob James Law Firm.
While victims can suffer any number of injuries, some are more common than others. Here is a look at some of the most common drunk driving injuries.
Spinal Injuries
Our spines are fragile, and any accident can put the spine at risk. Minor accidents can cause painful disc herniations and bulges, while serious drunk driving wrecks can result in catastrophic spinal cord damage.
When the spinal cord is damaged, you could be paralyzed. The level of spinal injury determines whether you are a paraplegic or quadriplegic.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Brain injuries are also common injuries from drunk driving. Your head may strike something in the vehicle, or the force of the collision can cause the brain to hit against the skull.
Even seemingly minor brain injuries such as concussions can have serious consequences. The more serious the brain injury is, the more devastating changes you will see in the victim.
For example, a traumatic brain injury can cause emotional, cognitive, and hearing losses that result in the victim’s inability to perform necessary life tasks or resume working.
Internal Damage
Some of the most common injuries from an accident aren’t visible because they are internal.
Without prompt medical care, these injuries can prove fatal. Many internal injuries can be life-threatening, such as organ damage and internal bleeding.
Soft Tissues
Soft tissue injuries can result from even minor drunk driving wrecks.
For example, a rear-end collision can create a jolt, causing your neck to quickly move back and forth. That sudden extended motion can result in whiplash.
Not all soft tissue injuries are immediately noticeable either. You may leave the accident scene and not feel any pain right away. However, it is common to notice neck and back pain later or when you wake up the next day.
Don’t assume soft tissue injuries won’t require a visit to the doctor. Some soft tissue injuries can linger for months or become worse over time.
It’s essential to treat any inflammation right away and get on a physical therapy regimen to regain your strength and muscle tone.
Also, the drunk driver’s insurance company can use a delay in treatment to their advantage. If you wait weeks or a month to seek medical treatment, the adjuster will claim another event led to your injuries.
Limb Injuries
Depending on the collision’s severity, you could sustain a broken limb or have one crushed in the vehicle. Limb injuries are often severe and require immediate medical attention.
Some bone fractures may result in chronic pain, especially if you delay treatment. A crushed limb could have catastrophic consequences, leading to amputation.
Lacerations, Contusions, and Road Rash
Many things can cause lacerations to vehicle occupants, including broken glass and flying objects. Bruises or contusions occur when your body strikes against something in the vehicle or vice versa.
Road rash is less common in vehicle collisions. However, it can happen when someone is ejected from the car or the vehicle rolls, and your body makes contact with the concrete or pavement.
Road rash is widespread in drunk driving wrecks involving motorcycles and bicycles.
Our Birmingham drunk driving accident lawyers pursue the driver, the bar that served them under Alabama’s Dram Shop Act, and your own UM/UIM coverage when their insurance falls short, with a free consultation: (205) 407-6009.
Why the Same Injury Is Worth More in a Drunk Driving Case
Two crashes, two identical spinal injuries, and the drunk driving case settles higher, because the driver’s choice to drink and drive is wantonness under Alabama law, exposing them to punitive damages that a merely careless driver never faces. Add a potential claim against the bar that served them under Alabama’s Dram Shop Act and your own UM/UIM coverage when their policy falls short, and the recovery picture changes entirely. Our guides to what to do after being hit by a drunk driver and what these cases are worth walk through it.
Contact an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer
If you were injured by a drunk driver, let the skilled legal team at Fob James Law Firm help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
We have over 40 years of experience handling drunk driving injuries. Unlike many other personal injury law firms, we take fewer cases to provide you with the care and attention that your case deserves.
With Fob James Law Firm, you get the resources of a large firm and the compassion and attention of a boutique law office. Contact us today to learn how we can help.
Fob James, IV
Fob James obtained a B.S., in software engineering from Auburn University and then continued his education by getting his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law. After working for a large national firm for several years, Fob found that his passion was fighting for individuals who have been seriously injured or wronged by others. Fob believes that the jury is the great equalizer to the power and influence that large corporations have in society. Many of Fob’s cases are high profile and have been featured in, among others: Bloomberg News, PlanAdvisor, AL.com, PlanSponsor, InsuranceJournal, and BusinessInsider. For his work in obtaining numerous multi-million dollar outcomes for his clients, Fob has been recognized by: National Trial Lawyers Top 100, SuperLawyers Rising Star (2020-2025), Birmingham Business Journal Who’s Who in Law (2023-2025), and TrustAnalytica – Top Personal Injury Lawyers in Alabama.