Holding Drunk Drivers Accountable: Why Legal Representation Matters

When someone drinks and drives, they don’t necessarily realize they’re putting lives at risk. Many people mistakenly believe they can drive just fine while intoxicated, and others don’t even realize they’re impaired. As a result, nearly 30% of all fatal traffic crashes involve impaired drivers.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving crash, you’re probably dealing with medical bills, emotional stress, and a strong sense of injustice. But you might be torn on whether or not you should pursue a lawsuit. Doing so might seem pointless since it won’t heal an injury. You might be tempted to just take a settlement offer from an insurance company directly. But the financial compensation from a lawsuit can cover far more than just your medical bills and lost income.

Here’s why you need a good lawyer to hold a drunk driver financially responsible for the harm they’ve caused.

Insurance settlements are rarely fair

Even though negligence in a drunk driving accident is easier to prove, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get fair compensation. Insurance companies are still going to work hard to limit your payout to preserve their profits. In fact, insurance companies have entire teams dedicated to minimizing payouts. Without a lawyer, you’ll never get much.

Insurance adjusters love to offer lowball settlements, hoping accident victims will take the first offer they get before realizing the extent of their medical costs. They can also drag out your claim and make you negotiate hard just for a few extra bucks. Worse, insurers often shift blame to the victim and try to reduce compensation through comparative negligence laws, even when it doesn’t apply.

When you pursue compensation through the court system, a personal injury lawyer will know how to analyze breathalyzer reports, police records, toxicology reports, and other evidence to strengthen your case. They’ll look for ways to recover damages that go beyond medical bills, like lost income, pain and suffering, and sometimes even punitive damages. That’s true justice.

Drunk driving cases are different

Unlike fender-benders caused by distracted driving, DUI cases involve a clear violation of the law. That makes them far more complex than other traffic accident cases. A driver who causes injury while under the influence can face criminal charges, and because the situation is more severe, courts often allow punitive damages.

The intricacies of a drunk driving case are exactly why you need a skilled personal injury attorney to fight for you in court. Winning isn’t automatic, even when there’s evidence against the drunk driver. You still need to prove negligence and connect the driver’s intoxication to damages. For example, the police and toxicology reports can strengthen your claim, along with eyewitness and expert testimony. Your case will be stronger when you can get a medical professional to explain the full implications of the accident and the severity of your injuries.

A lawsuit allows you to pursue fair compensation

Drunk driving accidents have far-reaching effects that can extend beyond immediate medical bills. The effects can last years or even decades. The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that the average cost of a disabling injury is $155,000. That includes long-term medical costs. If you don’t get properly compensated, you won’t get to go back and request more money. If you end up with medical bills that exceed your payout, you’ll have to pay out of pocket, skip important treatments, and you might need to file for bankruptcy.

When you file a lawsuit, your lawyer can get you compensation that covers your long-term rehabilitation and ongoing physical therapy, lost wages, lost future wages, and even lost earning capacity. On top of that, non-economic damages like emotional distress and pain and suffering are a possibility when you file a lawsuit.

Punitive damages might be on the table

Although punitive damages are rare in personal injury cases, they’re more likely in drunk driving cases. Punitive damages are awarded to punish reckless drivers and deter others from making the same mistake. They’re awarded when a driver’s behavior is especially reckless and harmful. And when a drunk driver faces the threat of punitive damages, they’re more likely to settle favorably.

Find the right DUI lawyer

The lawyer you choose will impact your case outcome. Look for an attorney with documented success fighting DUI injury cases. Insurance companies will settle more generously when they know your lawyer has experience with DUI cases and a proven track record of wins.

Justice requires a strong lawyer

Drunk drivers shouldn’t escape accountability, and you shouldn’t be left paying for their reckless choices. The right lawyer will fight hard to get you justice and the financial compensation you deserve.