Crashes caused by drunk drivers can inspire devastating consequences. Injured individuals may spend weeks undergoing medical care. They may have to change careers or could become unable to work because of their injuries. In some cases, drunk driving collisions have fatal consequences. Other people pay the price when a driver who has had too much to drink chooses to drive home afterward.
People injured by drunk driving crashes and those who lost a loved one because of a drunk driver have certain rights under the law. They can request compensation for their losses in many cases. What options do people impacted by drunk drivers generally have?
Filing an insurance claim after a DUI accident
The driver who caused the crash should have a liability insurance policy. Their coverage can help pay for medical care and replace lost income. Unfortunately, many drivers do not carry anything beyond the minimum amount of insurance required by law, which may be far too low to cover collision expenses. Sometimes, drivers have no insurance coverage whatsoever. In such cases, litigation may sometimes be necessary to cover the cost of a drunk driving wreck.
Pursuing a lawsuit after a DUI crash
There are two types of lawsuits possible after a drunk driving crash. Injured parties can file personal injury lawsuits, while grieving families may want to pursue wrongful death lawsuits. There may be options other than directly suing the driver who caused the crash. Maybe the drunk driver was on the clock while driving. In that scenario, their employer might have a degree of liability for the crash.
State laws largely limit liability for licensed facilities and social hosts who serve alcohol. However, there are a few exceptions that may make businesses or those who host parties liable. If businesses misrepresent the alcoholic nature of beverages or serve minors who then cause drunk driving crashes, they could be liable under dram shop statutes.
Social host rules largely indemnify those who serve other adults alcohol at a gathering. Still, if there is evidence that a social host provided minors with alcohol, they may then be liable if those underage partygoers leave and cause drunk driving collisions. Lawsuits often lead to more thorough compensation than insurance claims, as they are not subject to policy limits.
Those affected by a drunk driving crash may need assistance while evaluating their options, and that’s okay. Filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can be the best option available to those in need of compensation after a wreck.
