Need an Atlanta DUI Accident Victim Lawyer?
In addition to collecting for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, Georgia law has a special category of damages called punitive damages. Punitive damages require that a drunk driver pay extra – more than they typically owe – to deter that person from ever driving drunk again. This means that drunk driving accident victims can receive more compensation after an accident if they have the right DUI accident lawyer who understands punitive damage cases and knows how to ask for them. When you hire the Coker Accident Lawyers, you are hiring attorneys who have handled hundreds of punitive damages cases and know how to maximize your recovery.
Understanding Georgia Laws Protecting Drunk Driving Victims
Georgia places drunk driving victims in a special position. Knowing that the criminal process does not always deter a driver from driving drunk again in the future, Georgia gives victims the opportunity to help punish and deter the driver from engaging in reckless behavior in the future. Georgia law arms victims with additional laws which cause financial pain to the defendant. This means that the DUI driver often has to pay more in the form of a judgment or settlement. If the DUI driver has insurance, their insurance will have to pay more – causing the driver’s rates to increase. This increase hopefully will make the driver think twice about driving drunk again in the future.
How to Know if You Were Hit by a Drunk Driver
If you suspect that the other driver is under the influence, always call the police. Here are a few common ways to tell if the driver that hit you after an accident was intoxicated:
- The driver has bloodshot eyes or is slurring his or her speech.
- The other driver seems “out of it.”
- You see open alcohol or pain pill bottles in the vehicle.
- You smell marijuana coming from the vehicle.
- The driver steps out of the vehicle but has trouble standing.
- Police arrive and perform field sobriety tests on the other driver.
If you notice any of these signs of an impaired driver, you need to call the police and then call a DUI accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Why Hire the Coker Accident Lawyers as Your DUI Victim Lawyer?
When you hire our law firm, you get our combined decades of experience representing DUI victims after an accident. We take a percentage of the settlement with the insurance company, so our representation of you costs you nothing out of pocket. We only get paid if you get paid. Further, our level of investigation surpasses our competition. Once you hire our DUI accident lawyers, we immediately dive into your case to preserve all evidence. Reports, blood tests, body cam footage, and vehicle photos are all critical evidence in proving the other driver’s impairment to the insurance company. Do not trust your DUI victims’ case to an inexperienced lawyer, as the results could be devastating and leave you with less than the full compensation you deserve under Georgia law.
Can I sue the Person or Business that Overserved the DUI Driver after an Accident?
Yes. Georgia has what are known as dram shop laws. Dram shop laws allow an injured victim of DUI accidents to sue the bar or restaurant that overserved the drunk driver. The law requires that the injured person show that the establishment overserved the driver and that the establishment knew that the individual was planning on driving a vehicle. Although these cases are difficult to win, an experienced DUI accident lawyer who handles these types of cases can be successful in obtaining a recovery, especially when the drunk driver has little or no insurance available for the injured person.
What to Do at the Accident Scene if You are a DUI Accident Victim:
- Call the police. This might seem obvious, but calling the police is critical to ensure that the drunk driver does not leave the scene or worse, try to drive home.
- Take Photographs. Taking photographs of the vehicle, their location, and the damage can be critical in determining what happened in the collision.
- Get Medical Attention. If you are injured, seek medical attention right away. Insurance companies are notorious for saying accident victims waited too long to go to the doctor, so schedule your appointment immediately to get checked out.
- Call an Experienced DUI Accident Victims’ Lawyer. An experienced DUI accident lawyer can advise you on your specific case, your chance of recovery, and the amount that you are entitled to receive. You need to trust that your lawyer has the experience to correctly advise you on an appropriate settlement number.
DUI Accident Victim Case Results
- $100,000.00 DUI Victim Settlement
- $50,0000.00 DUI Victim Settlement
- $50,000.00 DUI Victim Settlement
- $250,000.00 DUI Victim Settlement
