What are my rights as the victim of a Georgia DUI accident?
Generally speaking, DUI victims are entitled to pursue a personal injury action (or claim) against the person or parties responsible for the accident that caused their injuries. This can include not only the driver, but also the business or event host that supplied alcohol to the driver, provided that the business employee who completed the transaction (or the event host) was reasonably aware that person might be driving soon, was already inebriated, and/or was underage.
This is called “dram shop liability,” and these laws are intended to deter businesses from profiting off of sales that might result in DUI accidents or deaths.
While no attorney can guarantee you a specific car accident lawsuit settlement amount, DUI victims are often in a different position than standard personal injury or car accident claimants in the sense that demonstrating fault is a less challenging hurdle for them and a Atlanta car accident attorney to overcome.
In most cases, once a settlement or judgment is reached, the injured victim is entitled to economic damages that include medical expenses incurred by the accident, lost wages from time taken off from work, loss of future earning income and other quantifiable damages.
In most cases, noneconomic damages for pain and suffering and mental anguish will also be awarded. In certain cases, punitive damages – intended to deter future recklessness and punish the responsible driver – will also be awarded.
Contact an Atlanta Car Accident Attorney
After serious car crashes caused by drunk drivers, you and your family may be dealing with the grief of internal bleeding or other serious injury, loss of a loved one, and financial burdens. During this difficult time it’s easy to get frustrated with your situation – you didn’t deserve to suffer due to the negligence of another!
The personal injury lawyers at Shane Smith Law are lawyers that get it; we know the frustration our clients are experiencing when dealing with insurance companies.
Many of our clients don’t know how to hire a lawyer, so we offer 2 FREE guides, I Was Hit By a Drunk Driver: What Do I Do Next? and 10 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Georgia Wreck Case. Our guides contain valuable information pertaining to different types of lawsuits, how to judge a car accident lawsuit settlement amount, and how an attorney can benefit your claim. When you’re ready to get started on your claim, contact us to set up a FREE consultation – (980) 246-2656
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