What Are Your Rights After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver?

In 2015 alone, more than one million drivers were arrested for driving drunk. The same year, over 10,000 people lost their lives in a drunk driving accident.

If you were hit and injured by a drunk driver, even if the individual involved in the accident was held accountable, had their license removed, and faced time in jail, you still may want justice for yourself.

After all, you may be losing out on work to visit the doctor for your injuries, your medical bills may be piling up, and you have yet to feel confident driving behind the wheel again, fearful of another terrible accident. What about your rights? What should you do after being hit by a drunk driver?

Know that there is a difference between a criminal and a civil case when it comes to a drunk driving lawsuit. In a criminal case, the drunk driver is held accountable by the court for the laws broken. You have little to nothing to do with the drunk driver's restitution to the law system.

To fight for your own rights and to regain what you have lost due to the drunk driving accident, you need to file a civil claim. You will need to sue the drunk driver for pain and suffering, medical costs, medication, loss of work, and other financial damages.

In fact, you should hire a lawyer to seek justice against the drunk driver who struck you. Your lawyer will work hard for you to help you win your case. Your lawyer will also work hard to get you the settlement you deserve by suing the individual themselves along with the auto insurance company they use (if applicable).

Your settlement will help cover the costs of your accident and the pain and ongoing therapy needed afterward. Your lawyer will also help you with the things listed below.

Your lawyer knows the paperwork to file, the facts to report, and who to interview to help strengthen your case and move the settlement forward against the drunk driver who affected your life. You want to move on with your life as quickly as possible, and your lawyer wants to close your case positively for you.

Your lawyer will speak to the auto insurance company of the drunk driver on your behalf to reach a positive settlement or will act swiftly and aggressively to prevent the drunk driver (and their lawyer) from postponing your fight for justice.

Using their experience in working with drunk driving victims, your lawyer will seek a settlement that will allow you to feel financially confident for years to come following your drunk driving accident.

Your lawyer will prove your need for ongoing physical or emotional therapy as a result of the accident caused by the other party, will notate the amount of work you have lost, and will prove the medical and car expenses you or your insurance company has had to pay to recoup the fairest settlement possible.

Keep in mind the drunk driver or their insurance company involved in your case will counteroffer: your lawyer will negotiate the highest settlement for your needs so you come out with the justice you deserve.

Just because the inebriated driver has been held accountable by the law doesn't mean you cannot seek your own justice for yourself. If you've been in an accident that was caused by a drunk driver, then don't wait to get the justice you deserve. Seek out the assistance of our legal professionals at the Law Offices of Robert Dodson, P.A. We will fight for your rights today.