The consequences of a drunk driving accident can be devastating for victims and their families. These crashes have the capacity to cause catastrophic injuries, permanent impairments, and thousands of dollars in medical bills. When a drunk driver causes a crash that injures you or your loved ones, you may be eligible for compensation.
A Clearwater drunk driving accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine understands the extent of the damages that this type of accident can inflict on you and your family. We can hold the parties at fault for your accident responsible by pursuing them for the costs of your injuries. We are here to fight for fair compensation.
Putting a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer with Our Firm to Work for You
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we pride ourselves on providing our Clearwater clients with responsive legal care. That is, we take on all aspects of your case while you worry about getting better.
You can rely on your personal injury attorney to:
- Order a copy of the accident and toxicology reports
- Collect evidence (e.g., your and witness testimonies, photos of your injuries, video surveillance footage of the car accident in motion, medical records, and cellphone records)
- Identify the liable party and hold them accountable for your injuries
- Handle phone calls and emails with the other party’s representatives
- Negotiate a settlement with the other party’s insurance provider
- File a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit and represent you in court
In addition to providing these legal services, we will go the extra mile for you, which includes:
- Giving you your lawyer’s phone number
- Assisting you with scheduling your appointments
- Helping you get your car repaired
- Keeping you posted on changes in your case
- Answering your emails and questions in a timely fashion
Your DUI accident lawyer can serve you on a contingency-fee basis, so you are not to pay us any fees starting up, out of pocket, or by the hour. Your attorney will take their payment from your awarded compensation, but if they are unable to obtain any for you, then you are still under no obligation to pay us. As such, this fee arrangement is intended to limit financial strain.
Compensation in Drunk Driving Accidents
Injury victims in drunk driving accidents can seek various damages or forms of compensation for their losses. These damages often include:
- Past and upcoming medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and surgery expenses
- Costs of medical assistive devices, equipment, supplies, and medications
- Lost current and future income
- Scarring, disfigurement, and/or disability
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
Likewise, when a drunk driving crash kills a loved one, the immediate family members of the deceased person may be eligible to collect damages through a wrongful death claim. Potential damages may include past medical expenses for the deceased, funeral and burial expenses, loss of companionship and support, and more.
Specific family members can seek some forms of compensation based on their relationship to the deceased under Florida Statutes § 768.21.
Time Limits on Drunk Driving Accident Lawsuits
Injury victims and the surviving family members have limited time frames in which to file their lawsuits. For example, Florida Statutes § 95.11 requires that a wrongful death lawsuit be filed within two years of the decedent’s death.
Injury victims in non-fatal drunk driving accidents, however, generally have four years from the dates of their accidents to file their personal injury lawsuits. If victims or their surviving family members fail to file their lawsuits against all potentially liable parties within these time constraints, they risk being unable to pursue claims for compensation altogether.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can give you details on the specific deadlines in your case during your free initial consultation.
Negligence and Drunk Driving Accidents
All drivers owe a duty of care to others on the roadways to operate their vehicles safely and follow traffic laws for the benefit of others. When the conduct of drivers falls below this duty of care, they can be liable for the resulting injuries when they cause an accident.
Drivers who violate traffic regulations or criminal laws, such as engaging in drunk driving, likely are negligent if their actions lead to an accident that injures someone. Simply put, driving while drunk does not rise to the level of care that a reasonable and safe driver would exercise under the circumstances.
Liability in a drunk driving case is not limited to just the driver. As such, if a restaurant kept selling drinks to the driver when they were clearly intoxicated or a parent supplied alcohol to an underage driver, you might be able to hold them accountable for your damages. Similar to proving the drunk driver’s negligence, you need to prove these parties:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Neglected that duty
- Contributed to the DUI accident
- Caused your damages
A Criminal Conviction Doesn’t Guarantee Damages
Furthermore, a drunk driving conviction is not necessary to hold a driver liable for negligence in a drunk driving accident. Even if the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of the driver is not above the legal limit or other factors preclude a conviction, you still may be able to hold the driver liable in a civil injury claim.
Florida Drunk Driving Statistics
Drunk driving accidents are wholly preventable, which can create a frustrating and overwhelming situation for those who suffer injuries in this type of accident. Despite the harsh criminal penalties and financial liability that drunk drivers may face, too many people still choose to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after drinking.
Statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) show that in 2019, just under 5,000 traffic accidents in the state of Florida were alcohol confirmed. FLHSMV defines alcohol confirmed as “a crash involving a Driver and/or Non-Motorist who had a Blood Alcohol Content greater than 0.00.”
A Clearwater personal injury lawyer with our firm can advocate for your interests and take all steps necessary to make these individuals take responsibility for their poor choices and harmful actions.
Let Us Fight for Compensation on Your Behalf
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine by dialing 1-800-747-3733 for a free case review. In this consultation, you can learn more about the legal services that we can offer you in the aftermath of a drunk driving accident.
Remember that we work on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay no up-front costs for our representation. You only pay us if we win a settlement or court-awarded offer on your behalf.
We Can Help.
