Seattle Marijuana DUI Accident Lawyer
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SEATTLE MARIJUANA DUI ACCIDENT LAWYER
Many different substances can affect an individual’s ability to safely drive a car. Examples include alcohol, prescription sleep aids, and marijuana. If you have been injured in an accident caused by a driver under the influence of any substance, work with the Khan Law Firm to pursue a personal injury claim.
Types of Marijuana DUI Accidents
When an individual is under the influence of marijuana, he or she can experience the following effects that impact his or her ability to safely operate a vehicle:
- Slowed reaction time;
- Anxiety;
- Random thinking;
- A distorted perception of time;
- Dizziness; and
- Forgetfulness
Since recreational marijuana use became legal in Washington, the percentage of traffic fatalities involving marijuana doubled. In 2013, fatalities attributed to drivers who had recently consumed marijuana comprised eight percent of the total traffic fatalities in the state. In 2014, this figure was 17 percent.
There are many ways the effects described above can cause a driver to become a hazard to him- or herself and others on the roadway. A few examples of the types of accidents that drivers under the influence of marijuana can cause include the following:
- Braking too soon when approaching a stop sign or a traffic light, causing his or her vehicle to be rear ended;
- Failing to yield when necessary, putting him- or herself at risk of colliding with another vehicle;
- Failing to give pedestrians the right of way, causing an accident involving the pedestrian;
- Attempting to change lanes at an unsafe time, causing a collision;
- Distracted driving because the driver was smoking at the time of the accident;
- Failing to adjust his or her speed to the current traffic conditions; and
- Failing to perceive a hazard in the roadway, such as a median or a stalled vehicle, in time to appropriately react to it.
OTHER PRACTICE AREAS
CAUSES OF MARIJUANA DUI ACCIDENTS
Because legal marijuana is a fairly new concept in the United States, there are few laws in place designating a safe legal THC limit for drivers. There is also a considerable amount of controversy surrounding the laws that do exist, with some opponents stating that the limit is too low and others stating that marijuana influence cannot be measured like alcohol influence can be measured because of how the drug metabolizes and how it affects individual users.
In Washington, the legal THC limit for drivers is five nanograms per milliliter of THC.
A few examples of accidents involving marijuana include:
- A driver’s inability to maintain his or her lane or a safe following position on the roadway. Marijuana affects an individual’s reaction time and perception of the passage of time, making it very difficult to accurately judge lane shifts, following distance, and speed maintenance;
- Use of marijuana alongside alcohol. In more than half of the Washington fatalities where a driver tested for positive for THC in 2014, the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) also exceeded the legal limit of 0.08 percent;
- Overcompensation. Marijuana use can cause an individual to have feelings of anxiety or even paranoia, causing him or her to overcompensate for perceived driving errors. For example, a driver might become so concerned with staying at the speed limit that he or she does not react in time to a hazard or another vehicle, leading to a collision.
If you have suffered an injury in an accident caused by a driver under the influence of marijuana, our team of Seattle personal injury attorneys at the Khan Law Firm is equipped to pursue your claim to seek the money you deserve.
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When you are suffering from an injury sustained in an accident with a driver who was under the influence of marijuana, your top priority should be your own health and recovery. Our team of experienced marijuana DUI accident lawyers can help you by handling the technical aspects of your case, such as negotiations with doctors and insurance providers and organizing your evidence to build a cohesive account of your case.
As the claimant, it is your job to take the following steps to give your case the best possible chance at resulting in a fair, adequate settlement:
- Seek medical care as soon as possible after your accident. The sooner you receive appropriate medical care, the better your chance of making a full recovery and the stronger your body of evidence to support your claim;
- Gather sufficient evidence, such as photographs and the official police report for your accident, to support your claim; and
- Follow your lawyer’s instruction for interacting with the insurance provider and the court. Your lawyer can guide you through these interactions to help you avoid admitting fault or otherwise invalidating your claim.
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How an Attorney Can Help You Recover Damages
As experienced marijuana DUI accident lawyers, our team at Khan Law Firm can draw upon our understanding of personal injury law to help you with your claim in the following ways:
- Gathering evidence on your behalf, both the evidence you provide and evidence that comes from our own network, such as an accident reconstruction specialist or another type of expert witness;
- Organizing the evidence and using it effectively to communicate your damages;
- Using available evidence to demonstrate the negligent party’s fault;
- Negotiating with the insurance provider to determine a fair settlement amount for your damages; and
- If necessary, pursuing litigation to resolve your case.
Call our firm today to schedule your free initial consultation with our firm. We can answer any questions you have about the personal injury claim process. Do not wait to make the call to set up a consultation to discuss your marijuana DUI accident claim. Talking with us is free, and if you do decide to pursue a personal injury claim, we only get paid if you receive a settlement.