Despite the efforts of law enforcement to increase awareness and crack down on drunk drivers, thousands of them still head out onto the roads in California, and throughout the rest of the country. Drunk driving causes some of the most serious injuries and is incredibly reckless behavior. Accident victims deserve to recover damages they incur after a crash, such as medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. These lawsuits are not always easy to file, though. A Walnut Creek drunk driving accident lawyer can help if you have been hurt.
Criminal vs. Civil DUI Proceedings in Walnut CreekMost people know that drunk driving comes with serious criminal penalties. A person may face jail time, high fines, and they will also lose their driver’s license for a certain period of time. These penalties are levied after a person has been convicted at a criminal trial. The sentence a person receives is intended to make reparations to the state, and it has nothing to do with the injured party. Through a criminal trial, accident victims cannot claim any damages for their losses.
The only way for accident victims to claim compensation is by filing a civil claim against the liable party. It is important to know that criminal and civil proceedings are completely separate and one does not affect the other. As such, a guilty verdict in a criminal proceeding does not guarantee success with a civil claim. A drunk driving accident lawyer in Walnut Creek can help you prove the driver was negligent, or careless, so you recover the full damages you deserve.
Damages Available After a Drunk Driving AccidentWhen filing a personal injury claim after a drunk driving accident, you can recover any of the losses you sustained as a result of the accident. These losses are known as damages in personal injury claims. Some of the most common types of damages available in your case may include:
Tragically, drunk driving accidents sometimes result in more than just injuries. If you have lost a loved one due to a drunk driver, you can also recover damages such as funeral and burial expenses, loss of consortium, and more through a wrongful death claim with the help of your drunk driving accident attorney in Walnut Creek.
Punitive damages are also often available in drunk driving civil claims. Punitive damages are only awarded when the defendant’s actions are considered extremely reckless, which drunk driving is. While you do receive these types of damages, they are not meant to compensate you for the crash, but rather they are intended to punish the defendant.
Call Our California Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer TodayIf you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident, our Walnut Creek drunk driving accident attorney at Brod Law Firm is here to help. Call us today at (800) 427-7020 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case evaluation.