If you are involved in an accident with a drunk driver, compensation could be available from them and their insurer. Furthermore, any bar who contributed to their intoxication could also potentially be held accountable.
Drunk driving accidents can be very complex affairs. At Finz & Finz in New York City, our car accident lawyers are committed to helping the victims receive financial compensation.
Insurance companies will try to blame you for the accident.
It is essential that before speaking with or giving a recorded statement to any insurance adjusters or lawyers. Otherwise, their insurer might avoid paying your claims. Therefore it is essential not to speak directly with insurance adjusters or adjusters until you speak to your lawyer first.
After an accident occurs, it’s essential that medical assistance be sought immediately. Some injuries may not manifest until days or even weeks post-crash; therefore, seeking help early from your physician can help establish a connection between your injuries and the crash itself.
As well as seeking financial compensation to cover costs associated with an accident, victims may also seek pain and suffering compensation to compensate them for physical and emotional suffering as a result of it. Victims in cases involving drunk drivers can seek punitive damages as punishment and to deter future reckless behaviors; experienced attorneys are available to build strong cases to pursue these additional forms of compensation.
You don’t have to be convicted of a DUI to file a civil lawsuit.
Criminal conviction of an impaired driver does not automatically equate to personal injury claims being filed in civil court. While criminal proceedings seek punishment of those at fault, civil claims seek financial compensation for those injured parties who were wronged by negligence – wherein an at-fault party failed to exercise reasonable care when making certain decisions in certain situations; drunk driving can easily constitute such neglectful behaviour which leads to severe car accidents.
Criminal cases require the prosecutor to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt; while civil claims use a lower standard called preponderance of evidence.
Successful civil lawsuits can help you recoup all your losses, such as medical expenses, income lost and pain and suffering. They also serve to punish drunk drivers – making streets safer for everyone involved. Our Long Island DUI lawyers will investigate every detail of your crash to uncover all pertinent facts in support of your claim.
You can receive compensation for pain and suffering.
Pain and suffering damages provide compensation for the physical and emotional harm you experienced as the result of a DUI accident, such as loss of enjoyment of life, physical pain or discomfort and mental anguish.
An experienced attorney can help you quantify subjective harm such as pain and suffering through documented journal entries, pain scales and testimonies from friends or family that describe how your accident has altered daily life.
At the scene of an accident it’s vitally important to gather as much evidence as possible. If it is safe, take pictures and write down details such as make, model and color of the vehicle that hit you as well as license plate and driver’s name where possible – these details will allow your lawyer to more easily assess which policies may be responsible.
You can receive compensation for medical bills.
A lawyer for accidents involving drunk drivers can help negotiate and settle medical bills with insurance providers, while filing civil suits on your behalf for further damages such as lost wages, future medical costs or any other associated expenses.
Documenting healthcare provider expenses is key to supporting your claim, while consulting experts to estimate future treatment costs may also prove helpful. A lawyer may consult them regarding future treatment costs as needed.
Victims of drunk driving accidents frequently experience emotional and mental trauma as well, including anxiety, depression, loss of appetite and other symptoms. Therapy services may help victims to recover from these losses.
Under New York law, victims may recover additional compensation such as punitive damages to punish negligent parties for their behavior. An experienced NYC lawyer might argue that drunk driving actions were particularly offensive, justifying such punitive damages.