Not all car accidents are created equally and that is true for DUI accidents in Georgia. DUI accidents are often significant, can cause extensive injuries or even death, because even a little bit of alcohol significantly impairs people’s ability to drive safely and react. DUI drivers are reckless, speed, fail to maintain their own lanes and cause head-on collisions, t-bone collisions, high-speed collisions, and other horrible crashes. Some DUI drivers are even known to flee the scene and “hit & run” in order to avoid being arrested.
In fact, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) notes that, in 2022, there were 2,337 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a BAC of .01 to .07 g/dL. Even, worse, according to the NHSA, every day, approximately 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 39 minutes. In 2022, 13,524 people died in preventable alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths.
DUI defendants are normally arrested and prosecuted for driving under the influence via the criminal legal system, but where the DUI driver also causes an accident, then the injured victim may pursue a civil claim for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain & suffering.
Just like any other personal injury case, a drunk driving accident case requires that the claimant or plaintiff prove duty, breach/liability, causation, and damages. An experienced personal injury attorney will conduct a thorough investigation and gather evidence as early as possible in order to preserve and strengthen your case.
Proving liability or negligence in DUI cases normally starts with the police report or incident report. The reporting police officer usually issues a citation to the drunk driver and arrests that person. The report is a good place to start to learn the story of how the wreck happened and figure out who was at fault.
As a claimant, your responsibility is to ensure that you obtain the medical treatment ordered by your doctors. While catastrophic injuries, such as broken bones or amputations are obvious from the beginning, some victims of car crashes do not know the extent of their injuries until they have undergone medical treatment for extended periods of time with no improvement.
It is important to monitor these types of injuries and to obtain the medical treatment necessary not only in order to heal, but, in the context of personal injury cases, to support claims. The medical treatment process organically develops what is typically referred to as “damages” in a personal injury case, which includes medical expenses and pain & suffering.
An additional component of a DUI case is referred to as “punitive damages.” With the consequences of DUI driving being so devastating, it is no surprise that Georgia law allows a claimant to seek up to $250,000.00 in punitive damages against a drunk driver. The idea behind punitive damages is to punish and deter such unsafe behavior that endanger our community of drivers on the road.
The attorneys at the Davis Injury Firm have experience handling DUI accident cases, seeking punitive damages, and have proven results. Our goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for your case, whether through negotiation or litigation or trial.
At Davis Injury Firm, we pride ourselves on creative lawyering, clear communication with our clients, and a specially curated legal strategy based on your individual case. To make sure that you are satisfied and that we achieve results based on your needs,
What sets us apart from some law firms:
If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver in Georgia, don’t wait to seek legal help. Contact Davis Injury Firm today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced team. We will review your case, explain your rights and options, guide you through the process, and help you take the next steps toward securing the compensation you deserve.
Call us at 404-593-2620 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation with one of our Atlanta personal injury attorneys.