| First, let us acquaint ourselves with some | | | | having at least five drinks at a time. Binge |
| alarming statistics: 250,000 people have died | | | | drinkers were 13 times more likely to report |
| in alcohol-related accidents in the past 10 | | | | driving while they were alcohol-impaired, and |
| years; 25,000 people die each year in alcohol | | | | most of them admitted they often had far more |
| related accidents; 500 people are killed | | | | than five drinks per binge.If you receive |
| weekly and 71 people daily in alcohol-related | | | | injuries in a drunk-driving accident, you may |
| accidents; one American life is lost every 20 | | | | be entitled to compensation from the drunk |
| minutes in an alcohol-related car crash; and | | | | driver or his insurer. Under certain |
| one out of every two Americans is likely to | | | | circumstances, even injured pedestrians and |
| be involved in an alcohol-related accident in | | | | their close family members are entitled to |
| his lifetime. Every year, 708,000 persons are | | | | receive compensation. Such compensation |
| injured, 74,000 of them seriously, in | | | | usually includes payment for medical |
| alcohol-related crashes. About 2,000 people | | | | treatment, past and future lost income, and |
| receive injuries each day in alcohol-related | | | | emotional distress damages.In some limited |
| accidents.A recent study reveals that | | | | instances, the injured person is entitled to |
| alcohol-impaired drivers cost American | | | | get recovery from the provider of alcohol to |
| taxpayers $21 - $24 billion dollars per year. | | | | the driver, usually a bar or restaurant. Such |
| According to a recent National Geographic | | | | cases against third parties are, however, |
| report, alcohol abuse costs American society | | | | more complicated and difficult to prove. |
| $136 billion and 65,000 lives annually.The | | | | Punitive damages are meant to punish |
| rise in the number of accidents often goes | | | | malicious or reckless drivers, and to deter |
| hand-in-hand with binge drinking, meaning | | | | such conduct in the future. |