How A Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Helps Victims (2025)

Consequences of Impaired Driving Crashes

Impaired driving is a crime. Every state has a legal alcohol limit of 0.08%. The only exception is Utah, which has a lower limit of 0.05%. What happens when you get a DUI? Driving with a BAC over the legal limit can result in jail time, fines and a driver’s license suspension.

If the driver causes an accident, many states issue them a harsher criminal punishment. Drivers who injure or kill motorists, pedestrians or cyclists may face charges for vehicular assault or homicide, even for a DUI first offense.

In addition to criminal punishment, a driver also faces civil liability for any injuries and property damage caused by a collision. The liability for traffic accidents is determined using negligence principles.

Negligence is a legal doctrine that allows victims to hold parties responsible for unintentional injuries. Thus, victims do not need to prove the drunk driver intended to harm them. Instead, they only need to show that the driver acted in an objectively careless way.

If a drunk driving accident lawyer successfully proves negligence, the drunk driver is responsible for the victim’s economic and non-economic losses. These include damages for things like medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.

How a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Helps

You probably need resources to help you deal with your injuries after getting hit by a drunk driver. An accident claim can give you that compensation.

Insurers typically do not cover losses from criminal acts by their policyholders. For example, suppose that a driver hits your car while fleeing from the police. Their insurer might deny coverage because auto insurance only covers negligent rather than intentional acts.

However, drunk driving is different. Auto insurance companies will cover liabilities from drunk driving in most states since these crashes do not result from intentional acts. However, insurers do not arrive at this conclusion easily. You might need a lawyer to fight the drunk driver’s insurer for accident compensation.

Since insurers are often liable for losses due to drunk driving crashes, they check driving records before issuing policies. Thus, if the person has a history of drunk driving, they might not have insurance. Insurers also usually decline policies for drivers who have prior DUI convictions.

A lawyer can look for other parties to pursue after an uninsured drunk driver hits you. Dram shop laws broaden who your lawyer can hold responsible for drunk driving. These rules impose legal liability on businesses that serve alcohol to impaired customers.

In other words, a business is supposed to cut off customers when they have become impaired. If it fails to do so, it becomes liable for any intoxicated driving crashes the customer causes.

Although dram shop laws do not necessarily apply to private party hosts, a lawyer might uncover evidence to hold them responsible as well. Negligence means someone failed to exercise reasonable care. A party host who knows their guest is too drunk to drive might have a legal duty to stop serving them, take their keys and call for a ride.

Finding a Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Most personal injury attorneys handle drunk driving accident claims. As a result, searching online for a “drunk driving accident lawyer near me” will probably produce many results. To narrow your choices, consider taking the following steps:

• Ask family members and acquaintances for injury lawyer recommendations.
• Read verified reviews on online legal directories.
• Contact a lawyer referral service like ConsumerShield.

After you identify some possible candidates, schedule initial consultations. Injury lawyers often offer free consultations. Use these meetings to find the best drunk driving accident lawyer for your case.

During your consultation, explain your situation and ask about the lawyer’s experience with drunk driving accidents. Experienced lawyers often have creative solutions for getting full and fair compensation for your injuries.

Contact ConsumerShield For Help After Your Accident

Drunk driving takes a heavy toll on victims. ConsumerShield educates victims and their families about their legal situations. We also help them find legal representation. Contact us for a free case evaluation and a lawyer referral.