Can You Sue Third Parties Who Contributed To The Drunk Driver Who Hit Me?

It is no surprise that drunk driving is still happening even though the ability to get an Uber, Lyft or taxi is as easy as ever. We all have these little devices with apps in our pockets, yet people still choose to drink and drive. The problem with drunk driving, other than the obvious, is that they almost always put others in more danger than themselves. In an article about first responders, there is information as to why drunk drivers are more likely to survive a crash than someone who is sober. It all has to do with being aware of that the impact is even going to happen.

Let’s say that you are drunk driving down a road and you go to make a left turn making a wider turn than you would normally. The driver who is driving the opposite way of you sees that you are making a fast wide turn and tries to swerve to miss you, but can’t because you are taking up the whole road. The person who is swerving sees all that is about to happen and is helpless to stop it. The drunk driver, on the other hand, is completely unaware. Because the sober driver has already tensed up their body means that they are more likely to feel the impact. The first responders explained that in a car accident there are three points of impact: (1) the car hitting the object; (2) the driver or passenger hitting the interior of the car, and (3) internal organs ramming against the inside of the person. Because sober people have tensed up their body the experience the impacts worse because it “reduces the chance for energy absorption and compounding effects” (“First Responders Tell Us Why”). However, for a drunk person, you are not as tense and therefore their body is taking the “path of least resistance” (“First Responders Tell Us Why”). Staying as relaxed as possible during an impact is good advice for anyone, but that is the reason why drunk drivers are more than likely to survive than sober drivers.

With this in mind, we know that a drunk driver doesn’t get drunk on their own. Usually, there are other contributors to their condition. It is no surprise that most alcohol related accidents occurred on Friday and Saturday nights. This is prime drinking time which means that bars and restaurants are ready to receive that weekend crowd. In Pennsylvania, there are regulations in place to charge these third parties as contributors to the drunkenness of a person. These regulations are called Dram Shop and Liquor Liability. The Dan Doyle Law Group in Philadelphia has dram shop and liquor liability attorneys who help clients receive compensation from the drunk driver as well as third parties who contributed to their condition. If you or a loved one is suffering from an injury or has passed away due to drunk driving reach out to us today. Call 215-987-3730 or click here for a free consultation. We are ready to work for you.