The collision happened so fast you barely saw it coming. The other driver swerved into your lane without warning, striking your vehicle and leaving you with injuries that keep you from work. Police arrived and found no smell of alcohol, no slurred speech, nothing that suggested impairment. The driver walked away with a citation for improper lane usage while you headed to the emergency room.
Weeks later, toxicology reports reveal prescription opioids and anxiety medication in the driver’s bloodstream. What seemed like a simple traffic accident was actually a drugged driving crash. With the help of a car accident lawyer in Naperville, you can now fight for compensation.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we know how to prove drug impairment when the evidence isn’t obvious at first glance. Choose Charlie when you need a drugged driving accident lawyer in Naperville who builds cases that hold impaired drivers accountable, even when they pass field sobriety tests and fool responding officers.
How We Handle Drugged Driving Cases Differently
Drug impairment cases require an investigation that goes beyond standard accident claims. We immediately request toxicology testing when we suspect drug involvement, even if police didn’t order blood tests at the scene. Working with medical professionals who understand drug effects helps us connect test results to specific driving impairments.
Expert witnesses play crucial roles in proving drugged driving cases. Toxicologists explain how drugs found in the driver’s system would have affected their ability to drive safely. Accident reconstruction specialists show how impairment caused specific driving errors that led to your collision. Medical professionals testify about your injuries and ongoing treatment needs.
Our Naperville personal injury lawyers handle these cases with attention to detail that other firms miss. Contact us for a free consultation about your situation.
Building Your Case When Police Reports Miss Drug Impairment
Standard accident investigations focus on alcohol because officers receive extensive training to spot drunk drivers. It’s also the most common intoxicant in our country. Drug impairment requires different detection methods that many patrol officers lack. Field sobriety tests designed for alcohol intoxication may not catch a drugged driver.
Insurance companies use delayed toxicology results to their advantage. They push for quick settlements before drug test results come back. Once you accept their offer and sign a release, you cannot reopen your claim when blood tests later prove the driver was impaired.
Types of Drugs That Impair Driving Ability
Opioid painkillers slow reaction times and cause drowsiness that makes drivers unable to respond to changing road conditions. Benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety affect judgment and coordination. Even over-the-counter antihistamines can impair driving by causing significant drowsiness.
Marijuana affects depth perception and time judgment differently than alcohol. Drivers under the influence of cannabis misjudge distances and react too slowly to traffic signals or stopped vehicles. These effects persist for hours after use, even when drivers feel completely sober.
Combining multiple substances creates unpredictable impairment. A driver taking prescription pain medication with anxiety drugs might experience compounded effects that neither medication alone would cause.
Medical Evidence That Proves Drug-Related Negligence
The at-fault driver’s medical history can contain crucial evidence for your claim. Prescription records show what medications they were taking and when prescriptions were filled. Warning labels on these medications explicitly prohibit driving, creating clear evidence that the driver knew about the risks.
Doctor’s notes and pharmacy records reveal whether the driver was combining medications that shouldn’t be mixed. If we suspect drugged driving, our drugged driving accident attorneys in Naperville will investigate the driver’s complete history to find evidence showing they knew about their impairment but chose to drive anyway.
What You Can Recover After a Drugged Driving Accident
Illinois law allows injury victims to recover compensation for all losses caused by drugged drivers.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses include emergency room treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing care for long-term injuries. You can also recover costs for prescription medications, medical equipment, and home modifications needed because of your injuries.
Lost Income
Lost income goes beyond just missed paychecks. You may recover compensation for:
- Wages lost while recovering from injuries
- Reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your previous job
- Lost benefits including health insurance and retirement contributions
- Future income losses when permanent disabilities prevent you from working
Property Damage
Vehicle damage compensation covers repair costs or replacement value when your car is totaled. Property damage claims also include personal items destroyed in the collision, such as phones, laptops, or other belongings inside your vehicle.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering damages compensate for physical discomfort, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life. Drugged driving crashes often cause serious injuries that affect victims for months or years. Chronic pain, anxiety about driving, difficulty sleeping, and loss of enjoyment in activities you once loved all factor into pain and suffering calculations.
With over $100 million recovered for injured clients throughout our 20+ years serving Illinois communities, Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. understands how to value cases fairly and fight for full compensation.
Why Charlie Therman for Your Naperville Drugged Driving Case
You need attorneys who respond quickly when you have questions about your case. You’ll work directly with lawyers who understand what you’re going through and prioritize your recovery. We connect injured clients with medical providers who accept liens, removing financial barriers to necessary treatment.
Our firm’s 75 years of combined legal experience means we know which evidence matters most in drugged driving cases. We start building your case immediately, gathering documentation while memories are fresh. This preparation pays off when insurance companies realize we’re ready to take your case to trial if necessary.
Contact a Drugged Driving Accident Attorney in Naperville Today
Drug-impaired drivers cause serious accidents that leave victims dealing with painful injuries and mounting medical bills. You shouldn’t pay the price for someone else’s decision to drive while impaired. The legal team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. knows how to prove drugged driving cases and recover full compensation for your losses.
We offer free consultations to discuss your accident, review available evidence, and explain your legal options. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover money for your injuries. Contact a drugged driving accident lawyer in Naperville who puts your recovery first.
