The driver who hit you seemed fine at first, passed all the roadside tests, and walked away with a clean record. Two days later, you still can’t turn your neck without pain. Blood test results tell a different story about what was really in that driver’s system.
Drug-impaired driving in Illinois causes serious collisions every day, and proving these cases requires more than just pointing at an accident scene. At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., our Joliet car accident lawyers understand how to build strong cases when drugs are involved.
Choose Charlie when you need a drugged driving accident lawyer in Joliet who knows how to gather the evidence these cases demand.
Why Choose Charlie Therman for Your Drugged Driving Case
Drug-impaired driving cases require detailed investigation and aggressive advocacy. Our personal injury lawyers in Joliet can connect you with medical providers who accept liens so you can get treatment while you wait for us to fight your case.
Our firm has recovered over $100 million for injured clients over 20+ years of serving Illinois communities. When a drugged driver injures you, you need advocates who won’t back down until you receive full compensation. You need a Joliet drugged driving accident lawyer to defend your rights.
Evidence That Proves Drug Impairment After a Crash
Police reports sometimes miss drug impairment because officers focus on alcohol-related indicators. Drugged drivers pass field sobriety tests and appear normal at the scene. Building your case requires gathering evidence that standard roadside evaluations overlook.
Critical evidence in drugged driving cases includes:
- Toxicology reports showing prescription medications, illegal drugs, or over-the-counter substances in the driver’s bloodstream
- Medical records revealing prescriptions that carry warnings against operating vehicles
- Witness statements describing erratic behavior before the collision
- Video footage from businesses or traffic cameras showing dangerous driving patterns
We interview every potential witness to build a complete timeline proving the driver was impaired when they hit you.
How Drug-Impaired Driving Differs From Drunk Driving Cases
Illinois law prohibits driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs, but proving drug impairment can be hard. Police officers receive extensive training to detect alcohol intoxication, but may lack experience in recognizing other drugs. A driver who appears normal to patrol officers might actually be significantly impaired by medications or illegal substances.
Blood tests for drugs take longer to process than alcohol breathalyzer results. By the time toxicology reports come back from the lab, the accident scene is cleared, witnesses have dispersed, and insurance companies have already started their investigations.
Insurance Company Tactics in Drugged Driving Cases
Insurance adjusters immediately focus on minimizing the role drugs played in causing your accident. They emphasize that the driver had a prescription and was using medication legally. They point out that no criminal charges were filed for drug-impaired driving.
Common insurance company arguments include:
- The driver had a valid prescription and was taking medication as directed
- Drug levels in blood tests were below illegal thresholds
- Other factors, like weather or road conditions, caused the collision
- Drugs found in the system don’t prove impairment at the time of the crash
Companies delay settlements while waiting for toxicology results, knowing many accident victims need money quickly. By the time blood test results confirm drug impairment, they’ve already convinced some injured people to settle for far less than their claims were worth.
Some insurers try to shift blame to your actions or suggest you could have avoided the collision. With over $100 million recovered for injured clients, our drugged driving accident attorneys in Joliet know how to counter these tactics and protect your right to full compensation.
Legal Process After a Drug-Impaired Driving Accident
Filing your claim starts the clock on insurance investigations and legal deadlines. Illinois gives injury victims two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. Your lawyer for drugged driving car accidents in Joliet begins building your case immediately, while details are fresh and documentation is accessible.
Strong evidence of drug impairment leads to better settlement offers. Most cases settle before trial, but we go to bat for our clients, whether that means pushing for a fair settlement or taking your case in front of a jury. With 75 years of combined legal experience, our team understands when to negotiate and when to prepare for trial.
Get Help With Your Joliet Drugged Driving Accident Claim
Drug-impaired drivers cause devastating injuries that change lives in an instant. You shouldn’t have to pay the price for someone else’s decision to drive while impaired by medications or illegal drugs. The legal team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. knows how to build strong drugged driving accident cases that hold negligent drivers accountable.
Your recovery starts with one call to an attorney who understands these cases inside and out. We offer free consultations to discuss what happened, explain your legal options, and outline the steps we’ll take to pursue compensation on your behalf. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover money for your injuries.
Contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. today for dedicated representation from a drugged driving accident lawyer in Joliet who puts your needs first.
