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Our goal is to make sure you get the justice you deserve and are fully compensated for your harms and losses
Drowsy Driving Accidents
Rightful Legal is here to help you if you have been injured in an accident caused by a drowsy driver or someone who falls asleep at the wheel in Bristol County, Boston, Plymouth County, Norfolk County, or anywhere in Massachusetts. It is difficult to assess exactly how many drowsy driving accidents there are in Massachusetts, and experts agree that the impact of drowsy driving is largely underestimated. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is difficult to accurately determine the number of drowsy driving accidents because estimates rely on police and hospitals to report that a driver was drowsy when they caused a crash, which may be difficult to detect in many cases. Like driving while drunk, driving while fatigued can seriously impair a person’s ability to drive safely. Anyone can drive drowsy, but some risk factors for drowsy driving include shift work, sleep apnea, truck driving, and certain medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that many medications that people consider safe, such as those used for allergies, can cause drowsiness that makes driving dangerous. Drowsy drivers can fall asleep behind the wheel and fail to brake or use any safety precautions, causing devastating injuries to others on the road.
Massachusetts Car Crash Lawyer Tracy Paulsen is here to help you if a drowsy driver caused an accident that injured you or a loved one. She and the personal injury lawyers at Rightful Legal want to advocate for you, using skills and experience gained from over 15 years of fighting for hundreds of clients across Massachusetts. If you have been hurt as a driver or a passenger in an automobile accident caused by a ltired driver, Attorney Paulsen and Rightful Legal will Fight for Your Rights in obtaining the maximum possible compensation for your injuries. Rightful Legal devotes individualized attention to each client’s case, as well as a passion for justice for every injured person represented by the firm.
It is critical for you to understand your legal rights and next steps if you have been injured in a car accident involving a drowsy or fatigued driver. Rightful Legal can help you understand your options and take the steps necessary to protect your compensation and recovery.
Injured in a Car Accident by a Drowsy Driver?
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What Kind of Injuries Do Drowsy Driving Accidents Cause?
Drowsy driving accidents, often characterized by lack of braking, delayed reaction times, or loss of control of a vehicle, can cause a variety of injuries including:
- Whiplash
- Spine injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Fractured bones
- Organ damage and other internal injuries
- Burns
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Psychological trauma
- Lacerations and bruises
- Wrongful death
Injuries from a drowsy driving car crash can take over your entire life, making you unable to work, care for your loved ones, or even enjoy normal activities.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Drowsy Driving Car Accident Injury Claim?
Unlike huge, impersonal personal injury firms, the close-knit team at Rightful Legal offers every client personalized attention in evaluating their unique personal injury case. This customized attention is key in allowing you to understand and evaluate the full extent of the losses you have suffered in the drowsy driving collision that injured you or your loved one. Without legal guidance from an experienced Massachusetts personal injury lawyer, your claim can be seriously undervalued. Attorney Paulsen and her team can assist you in pursuing the most compensation possible by calculating both your “hard” financial losses (e.g. lost income, medical costs) and your more complex “soft” losses (e.g. loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering). Every loss is important to you, and every loss is important to Rightful Legal in evaluating your unique case.
Your recovery depends on the specific details of the drowsy driving car crash that injured you, as well as other factors unique to your case, such as how seriously you were injured, how the fatigued driving accident has affected you, how old you are, how much money you earn, and what your health and earning power were before the accident and will be after the accident. You may be able to recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical costs
- Past and future lost wages from missed work
- Emotional trauma
- Reduced earning power
- Physical pain
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Cognitive disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life and/or intimate relationships
- Wrongful death
Rightful Legal can discuss the factors affecting the value of your drowsy driving case with you at a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Why is Drowsy Driving Dangerous?
Like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving while drowsy impairs a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Studies have shown that drowsy driving affects a driver’s heart rate, reaction time to light, systolic blood pressure, and reaction time to sound. Fatigued or drowsy driving makes a driver dangerous because it can cause:
- Delayed reaction times
- Impaired judgment
- Reduced attention span
- Decreased focus
- Confusion and disorientation
- Repeatedly dozing off for a few seconds at a time
- Lane drifting
- Running off the road
- Falling asleep at the wheel
Driving drowsy is a choice, and a dangerous one. If you have been injured by a drowsy driver, Tracy Paulsen and her team want to help you obtain justice for the harm they carelessly inflicted on you.
Hurt in a Car Crash by a Driver Who Falls Asleep Behind the Wheel?
Contact Attorney Paulsen NOW for a Free Consultation on Your Case
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How Can Drowsy Driving Be Prevented?
Driving while fatigued is dangerous and can be deadly. Every driver has the responsibility to only drive when they are physically able to do so safely. Below are tips to prevent driving at dangerous levels of fatigue.
- Get Enough Sleep
- The main way to prevent driving drowsy is to prevent becoming too tired in the first place. This starts with getting adequate sleep on a regular basis.
- Adults 19-64 typically need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
- Teens, who are at particular risk for drowsy driving, need 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
- In addition to regularly getting enough sleep, take special care to get enough sleep the night before a long drive, such as a road trip.
- Avoid Any Amount of Alcohol Before Driving
- Even a small amount of alcohol can compound sleepiness and make you more drowsy behind the wheel.
- You do not have to be legally impaired for alcohol to impact your driving ability.
- Be Aware of Medication Side Effects
- Check the labels of all medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, for side effects that can affect your ability to drive.
- Side effects that can impair driving include sleepiness/drowsiness, blurred vision, lack of coordination, fainting, nausea, and inability to focus.
- Common medications that can cause drowsiness include antihistamines, muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioids.
- Products containing cannabis or cannabinoids can cause sedation and drowsiness, even when used medically.
- If you must use a medication that causes drowsiness, you should use public transportation like the MBTA, call a cab, book a rideshare, or ask someone to give you a ride.
- Use Caution During Peak Sleepiness Hours
- Drowsy driving accidents are especially common between midnight and 6 a.m., and in the late afternoon. Scientists believe this is due to people’s natural sleep rhythms causing the most fatigue during these periods.
- Avoid driving during these periods when you can.
- If you cannot avoid driving during peak sleepiness hours, pay particular attention to signs of drowsiness.
- Stop driving if you find yourself drifting lanes, hitting rumble strips, or nodding off.
- Do Not Use Caffeine as a Substitute for Rest
- Caffeine may make you feel more alert, but the effects do not last for very long, and caffeine does not completely prevent you from dozing off.
- If you are too tired to drive, the best solution is to get rest before you continue driving.
Why Pick Rightful Legal to Represent You in Your Drowsy Driver Car Accident Case?
If a drowsy driver caused a collision that injured you, you may be able to take legal action to recover compensation for the harm they caused you. A wrongful death claim may be an option for those who have lost a loved one in a drowsy driving crash.
There is limited time to make a claim for personal injuries from a car accident in Massachusetts. There is a three-year deadline to bring any personal injury claim, including those for injuries from drowsy driving accidents. This time limit starts to run out on the day you discover or should discover your injuries, typically the same day of your accident. You must act swiftly to ensure that you do not lose your only chance to be compensated for your injuries. Once time runs out, you are legally prevented from bringing a lawsuit to recover damages from your accident.
Attorney Paulsen and her team understand how devastating it is for our clients to be injured in a car crash, especially one caused by a careless drowsy driver. The passionate personal injury attorneys of Rightful Legal are ready to fight for justice on your behalf and help you navigate this painful time.
Rightful Legal will work tirelessly to find the truth about your drowsy driving accident, collect compelling evidence, and pursue as much compensation as possible for your lost wages, accident-related medical costs, and other relevant damages. We have assisted numerous clients from Bristol County, Boston, and the surrounding cities and towns in personal injury cases involving motor vehicle collisions with drowsy drivers. We understand the complex system for Massachusetts motor vehicle accident claims and have experience in telling our clients’ stories so that insurance adjusters and other decision-makers can fully compensate them for their losses.
You will not pay Rightful Legal unless we win your case for you. Contact our team today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We know information about your accident is sensitive, and we will keep it completely confidential. We want to hear your story and explain your options as you strive to move forward after your drowsy driving crash.
Text or Call Rightful Legal Now at 617-821-5856. You can also contact our dedicated Massachusetts Drowsy Driver Accident Victim Lawyers Online Now.
