Cincinnati Drugged Driving Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you sustained an injury in a motorcycle accident because of a driver who was under the influence of drugs, contact Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC immediately. You might be entitled to compensation for your medical care, lost wages, and other expenses.
Drugged driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. Any type of drug, including over-the-counter medications, can impair a person’s driving abilities. Driving under the influence is a serious offense in Ohio and can lead to jail time, fines, and a suspended license.
At Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, we understand the devastation of getting hurt in a motorcycle crash that someone else caused. The negligent driver chose to operate their vehicle with drugs in their system. Even if they took a legal medication, they could be liable for your injury if it affected their normal faculties.
Our Cincinnati motorcycle accident attorneys will provide quality legal representation and services when you hire us. We have fought for our client’s rights since 2005 and will do the same for you. You can count on our legal team to be your advocates during this challenging time in your life. We will aggressively seek the maximum compensation and justice you deserve.
Call Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC for your free consultation at (513) 351-5997 today.
Common Types of Dangerous Drugs
According to Ohio Revised Code § 4511.19, a person operates a vehicle under the influence if they have a concentration of a controlled substance or metabolites of a controlled substance in their whole blood, blood serum or plasma, or urine.
Controlled Substances
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) categorizes controlled substances based on their potential for abuse and psychological or physical dependence. These categories are called schedules and include substances, such as:
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
- Ecstasy
- Valium
- Tylenol with Codeine
- Dilaudid
- Heroin
- Anabolic steroids
- Ambien
- Cocaine
- Xanax
- Methamphetamine
Marijuana
Marijuana is also a controlled substance. Ohio decriminalized marijuana for recreational purposes but still considers it illegal. It is also legal for medical use if the user has a qualifying condition and medical marijuana card. However, it is always unlawful for anyone to operate a motor vehicle with marijuana in their system beyond certain limits.
Marijuana can cause a range of physical and mental issues for a person driving a car. The most common side effects include:
- Reduced decision-making and problem-solving abilities
- Poor coordination
- Slower reaction time
- Drowsiness
- Memory loss
- Blurry vision
- Distorted perception
Over-the-Counter Drugs
Most people don’t realize the dangers of driving with over-the-counter (OTC) medications in their system. Many don’t think twice about taking aspirin or an allergy pill before heading to work or running errands. Unfortunately, some OTC drugs can cause serious side effects.
Common OTC medications that can impair a person’s driving abilities include:
- Sleeping aids
- Pseudoephedrine
- Decongestants
- Pain relievers that contain Codeine
- Allergy medications
Prescription Drugs
A prescription drug is a pharmaceutical medication a doctor prescribes. Patients must take prescriptions according to the instructions on the label.
Even if someone takes these drugs correctly and for the prescribed use, adverse reactions can occur. The side effects of certain prescriptions are similar to the side effects of OTC drugs. The most common include:
- Nausea
- Lack of coordination
- Slowed reaction time
- Difficulty focusing
- Blurred vision
- Reduced motor skills
- Drowsiness
A range of prescription medications includes warning labels informing people not to operate heavy machinery or vehicles. The most common include:
- Benzodiazepines
- Antidepressants
- Opioid pain relievers
- ADHD medication
- Anxiety pills
Compensation Available in a Drugged Driving Accident Case
In Ohio, the driver responsible for causing a crash could be liable for another person’s injuries or death.
Every motorist in the state must have auto insurance with liability coverage to drive any motor vehicle. The law also imposes these minimum required limits for liability insurance:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people
- $25,000 for property damage
When you file a claim with the negligent driver’s liability insurance company, you could recover a settlement that compensates you for losses you incurred because of the accident, such as:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket-expenses
- Mental anguish
- Property damage
You could also recover punitive or exemplary damages in a lawsuit. The two factors below must apply for you to receive this type of compensation:
- The defendant’s actions or omissions demonstrate aggravated or egregious fraud or malice, or the defendant as principal or master knowingly authorized, participated in, or ratified a servant’s or agent’s omissions or actions
- A determination or verdict indicates the total compensation for losses the plaintiff can recover from the defendant
You could receive compensation if your loved one died in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence. However, only the personal representative of your family member’s estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit.
The compensation you recover might include money for these and other losses:
- Loss of inheritance a child or spouse could have received if the deceased were still alive
- Mental anguish
- Loss of services, such as child care and housework, provided by the deceased
- Lost advice, society, care, guidance, counsel, instruction, or companionship
- Loss of support based on the earning capacity of the deceased
Statute of Limitations in a Drugged Driving Case
You can sue the drugged driver for compensation. In Ohio, the statute of limitations allows a two-year period for you to file your lawsuit. That means you must initiate your lawsuit within two years from the date of the motorcycle accident.
The statute of limitations also allows a two-year timeframe for wrongful death cases. That means you have two years from the date of your loved one’s death to file suit.
Contact Us
At Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, each Cincinnati drugged driving accident attorney handles our client’s cases personally. We don’t pass you off to another person when you hire us. You will receive one-on-one attention from the beginning to the end of the legal process.
We know the financial strain many people experience after an injury caused by someone else. We don’t want to burden you with additional expenses. That’s why we take cases on contingency. You don’t have to pay us upfront to represent you. We won’t collect any of our legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.
If you sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident due to a drugged driver’s negligence, call Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC at (513) 351-5997 for your free consultation.
