If a drunk driver hit you or a family member, they deserve to be held accountable for their wrongdoing. A Port St. Lucie drunk driving accident lawyer can fight for you.
You’ve been in a preventable, possibly life-changing crash. During this difficult time, you should only have to worry about your recovery or aiding an injured loved one. We can take care of your claim, collecting evidence, calculating your damages, and more.
You shouldn’t have to pay for your treatment and other damages when someone else is responsible. Our team is committed to obtaining the settlement, court award, or jury verdict you are entitled to. We offer free consultations and operate on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay us unless we win, and our fees come from your winnings. Learn about the next steps to take after a drunk driving accident today.
Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Policy May not Cover All Your Damages
If a drunk driver caused your Port St. Lucie car accident and you suffered injuries, you may qualify to recover compensation beyond your PIP policy. The state’s no-fault auto insurance laws require you to suffer severe, permanent injuries or meet another exception before you can hold the at-fault driver liable.
The drunk driving accident lawyers from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you determine if you qualify to file a liability insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. We will review your case and explain your options for compensation.
Damages Available After a Port St. Lucie Drunk Driving Accident
If you suffered severe injuries or the driver received a drunk driving conviction, you may be able to recover a wide range of damages based on the facts of your case. These damages may include:
Economic Damages: Losses with Financial Values
If you qualify to file a liability claim, you may be able to collect compensation to cover almost any accident- or injury-related loss or expense you suffered. Most commonly, this may include:
- Medical bills
- Ongoing care costs
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Repair or replacement of your vehicle
- Costs related to replacing or repairing other personal property
- Related out-of-pocket costs
Non-Economic Damages: Losses That Relate to Your Overall Well-Being
In addition to economic damages that make up for your expenses and financial losses, you may be able to collect non-economic damages as well. These are harder to assign a dollar amount to, but there are a few different methods lawyers use to evaluate them. The most common non-economic damage is pain and suffering.
You may also qualify for other emotional damages as well, such as mental anguish. Additional non-economic damages include disfigurement, disability, paralysis, and trauma.
Proving Negligence in a Port St. Lucie Drunk Driving Accident
To hold the drunk driver liable for your injuries, a Port St. Lucie personal injury lawyer can show how they acted negligently. It is essential to thoroughly investigate the case and work to understand what caused your accident.
You should also keep your eye on the drunk driver’s criminal case. Even if you did not suffer serious injuries, we might be able to hold them liable if the criminal courts convict them of a drunk driving offense. We can also use the evidence presented in their criminal case to bolster our claim for compensation.
In order to successfully prove the drunk driver’s liability we must demonstrate the four tenets of negligence:
- The drunk driver owed you a duty of care to drive safely.
- The drunk driver breached their duty of care by driving intoxicated.
- The drunk driver caused your injuries through their breach of duty.
- You endured damages, such as medical bills and pain and suffering, due to your injuries.
Recovering Compensation in a Florida Drunk Driving Accident Case
As soon as possible after accepting your case, we will launch a full investigation into your accident. Our legal team can build a strong case to support our fight for compensation. Some tasks our investigator is responsible for include:
- Identifying, collecting, and analyzing any available evidence
- Reviewing witness statements and conducting further interviews
- Enlisting the help of experts to understand your accident and injuries
- Working with accident reconstruction specialists
- Reviewing files from the driver’s criminal case
- Collecting documentation of your full range of losses
Once we complete our investigation, we can use the case we built to support the fight for compensation on your behalf. We can also handle the claims process for you, including:
- Estimating a fair settlement value for your case
- Sending a demand letter that outlines your case and damages
- Negotiating a fair settlement with the insurance company, when possible
We can often reach a fair settlement agreement with the insurance company during settlement negotiations. If they deny our claim or refuse to pay out a fair settlement, we can file a personal injury lawsuit against the drunk driver who caused your accident. Litigating your case may give us the chance to recover a financial award when we can’t through an insurance claim.
Statute of Limitations on Drunk Driving Lawsuits in Florida
Florida has a statute of limitations that expires four years after the date of a personal injury accident. So, you generally have four years to file a lawsuit against the drunk driver who caused your car accident and injuries, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). If you do not act by this deadline, the court will likely not allow you to take legal action.
It is crucial to act as soon as possible after your accident to protect all available evidence and start working on building a case. Also, being able to file a lawsuit if the insurance company refuses a fair settlement provides leverage during the negotiation process.
Connect with a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Serving St. Lucie County
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we offer free case reviews. We may be able to help you hold the drunk driver responsible and fight for the compensation you need to pay your bills and cover your losses.
Call us today at 1-800-747-3733 for your complimentary consultation with a team member.
We Can Help.
