If you were seriously injured in the aftermath of a collision with a DUI driver, then you won’t want to hesitate to claim damages. Although the debilitating injury may have temporarily stopped you from working, the bills, taxes, and other essential expenses you’ll need to get by won’t stop.
Usually, in a case where a negligent driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it’s fairly clear cut that they were totally (or at least mostly) at fault for the crash. That said, don’t assume that you have an entirely easy or open and shut case ahead of you.
Because Florida is a comparative negligence state, the defense lawyer may attempt to whittle down your compensation by arguing in bad faith that you shared more fault for the crash. It’s important to do everything you can to prevent that from happening by understanding DUI crash damages and working with an experienced car accident attorney.
Car Accident Damages In A DUI Case
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your crash, there could be a very wide range of damages that you could sue a negligent DUI driver for. These damages could be economic, non-economic, or punitive, meaning strictly punishment-based damages for reckless conduct.
Across that whole gamut, the types of damages you could claim may include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages (and capacity to earn them)
- Property damage expenses
- Funeral and burial expenses (if lives were lost)
- Loss of consortium
- Physical/emotional pain and suffering
If the DUI driver was in another car, you may want to mutually work with your insurance companies to negotiate a fair settlement for both parties. That said, if you can’t come to a satisfactory agreement, then that’s when you may want to consider taking your case to a court of law with the help of a Boca Raton personal injury attorney.
If you were a passenger in the car of the intoxicated driver who crashed, then your path toward litigation is much more straightforward, as your vehicle (and thus, your car insurance) may have not been involved in the crash. Florida has a fairly long statute of limitations to file personal injury lawsuits (four years), but you shouldn’t hesitate to begin building your case ASAP.
There are many variables to consider when building and strengthening your case, including:
- Identifying and interviewing witnesses
- Identifying and interviewing credible authorities
- Calculating the totality of your damages
When calculating damages, you shouldn’t just consider the expenses you currently have to pay. You may also have to factor in ongoing future expenses, whether that means covering ongoing medical treatments or compensating for the future income that you lost the capacity to earn.
To accurately assess all of these variables, it’s important to work with a trusted, reputable, and focused Boca Raton car accident attorney.
Demand Accountability With the Boca Raton Injury Attorneys at Demand The Limits
The negligent driver that injured you didn’t take any half measures when doing so, so why should you take any half measures when recovering from those injuries? You should reach out to our Boca Raton car accident lawyers at Demand the Limits for help right away.
Never wait to seek justice for the harm you suffered at the hands of a drunk driver. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you demand the compensation you deserve.
