Drunk driving is a serious public health hazard, and drivers are responsible for thousands of injuries in Florida every year. If you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, the injuries may have left you in financial and emotional distress. The team at Blakeley Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can be your legal representative to claim compensation for your injuries.
Our drunk driving accident lawyers in Jupiter have secured over $275 million for deserving clients and have over 40 years of combined legal experience. We can manage the entire process of filing an insurance claim on your behalf so that you can focus on healing.
Call our offices today to speak to one of our knowledgeable car accident lawyers in Jupiter. Consultations are free, so don’t wait to reach out.
How Drunk Driving Accidents Are Different From Typical Car Accidents
One of the main differences between a typical car accident case and a drunk driving accident case is the types of evidence available. Drunk driving crashes usually involve police reports, sobriety test results, and body camera footage.
Eyewitness testimony from bar patrons and store customers may also be relevant. Our personal injury lawyers in Jupiter are highly experienced in investigating these types of cases. We can gather evidence to build a timeline of the driver’s behavior to prove they were driving under the influence.
While criminal charges of a DUI can be a useful piece of evidence, they are not necessary to build a civil case to claim restitution for injuries you’ve suffered.
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Drunk Driving Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
Drunk drivers rarely just break one law and are often guilty of reckless or grossly negligent driving, like speeding or ignoring traffic signals. As such, drunk driving accidents are very likely to cause serious injuries, such as:
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Bruising, scrapes, and abrasions
- Cuts and lacerations
- Joint sprains and muscle strains
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Arm, wrist, and hand injuries
- Broken ribs and chest injuries
- Eye, mouth, and dental injuries
- Hip and leg injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Thermal and chemical burns
- Amputations and crushing injuries
No-Fault Insurance Coverage and Drunk Driving Accidents
Usually in Florida, when you get into an accident, you must first file a claim through your own auto policy’s no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. However, there is a specific exception for victims of drunk driving accidents.
If you were injured by a drunk driver, you can immediately step outside the no-fault system and file a traditional at-fault claim against the driver’s liability insurance. PIP insurance is still available in these cases, but you don’t need to exhaust PIP coverage first before suing the at-fault driver.
One major benefit of at-fault claims is that they may give you a chance to recover a greater range of financial compensation, including damages for non-economic losses, like pain and suffering.
Compensation You May Be Able to Recover
The point of filing a personal injury lawsuit is to recover money for your injury-related losses. Depending on the circumstances, a drunk driving accident lawyer in Jupiter can pursue damages for:
- Emergency medical bills and future necessary medical expenses
- Lost work income and loss of future employment opportunities
- Differences in your pre- and post-injury lifetime expected earnings
- Cost of replacement household services and in-home nursing care
- Miscellaneous injury-related expenses
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress
- Mental anguish from scarring and disfigurement
Punitive Damages and Drunk Driving Accident Cases in Florida
Drunk driving is a serious violation, so there may be the opportunity to pursue additional punitive damages against the perpetrator.
Allowed under Florida Statutes § 768.72, punitive damages are meant to punish the offender and can be authorized in cases involving intentional and grossly negligent conduct.
Drunk driving meets the threshold for gross negligence, and so can justify the award of punitive damages. Our lawyer can assess your case and file motions to show your legal basis for additional damages.
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Time Limit for Filing a Lawsuit
Florida’s personal injury statute of limitations, Florida Statutes § 95.11, typically gives you no more than two years to file a lawsuit for injuries from a drunk driving accident. Once the two-year timer passes, you will lose your legal ability to recover compensation through legal means.
Two years sounds like a long time, but it can pass quickly when building a case. Starting early makes it substantially easier to gather evidence and prove the scope and extent of your injuries. A lawyer can initiate the claims process quickly to reduce the time spent waiting for your payments.
Contact a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Jupiter
A single drunk driver can throw your life into chaos with their irresponsible behavior. Blakeley Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can be your legal advocate and fight for justice on your behalf. We can use our resources and knowledge to hold drunk drivers accountable and promote your interests.
Contact our offices online or call us today to discuss your case with a Jupiter drunk driving accident attorney.
