Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Woodland Hills, CA

Guiding Victims of Drunk Driving Crashes Toward Fair Compensation

Drunk driving accidents have devastating consequences for other drivers and their passengers, many of whom suffer serious injuries or death due to the drunk driver’s negligence. If your life was changed due to a drunk driving accident, you should talk to a Los Angeles drunk driving accident lawyer about your legal rights as a victim.

Depending on the details of your drunk driving crash, you may be able to bring a wrongful death or personal injury claim against the drunk driver and any other parties responsible for the DUI accident. Contact V&A Law Firm to schedule a free consultation with caring drunk driving accident attorneys in Woodland Hills, CA.

What Parties May Be Held Responsible for DUI Accidents?

Most DUI accident cases put the blame on the drunk driver, as they decided to drive after consuming enough alcohol for their blood alcohol concentration to be over the legal limit according to California DUI laws. So, your personal injury case will likely name the drunk driver as the liable party, which means their insurance company will be expected to pay your claim.

However, with some drunk driving accident cases, there may be more than one liable party. This is most common when the drunk driver is under age 21, as the business that supplied the at-fault driver with alcohol could be partly to blame for the drunk driving accident.

For example, if an underage person drinks at a restaurant, bar, or other business that sells alcohol and causes a car accident after leaving, the business could be blamed. This is because dram shop laws state that if a business knowingly provides a minor with alcohol, they could be held responsible for any ensuing injuries.

Similarly, a social host can be held liable for the damage caused by an intoxicated driver if they knew the driver was underage and provided them with alcohol. So, if an adult lets a minor drink at their home, and that minor causes a drunk driving accident, the accident victims can include the social host in their civil case. Your Los Angeles drunk driving accident lawyer will advise you on who the at-fault parties are after examining the details of the DUI accident.

What Damages Can You Expect as a Drunk Driving Accident Victim?

The damages you can seek after a drunk driving accident will depend on how the DUI crash affected your life. After all, a civil drunk driving case is meant to get victims of drunk driving accidents the compensation they need to pay for any bills resulting from their car accident. Your California drunk driving accident lawyer will tell you which economic, non-economic, and punitive damages you can request in your DUI accident case.

If you suffered catastrophic injuries, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will file a claim against the liable parties. The compensation from your personal injury lawsuit should be enough to pay for your medical bills, including future medical expenses like surgery and physical therapy. It should also pay for repairs to your motor vehicle after a DUI accident. If the car accident damaged your car beyond repair, your settlement should be enough to replace it so you have transportation around Los Angeles. Additionally, your legal team can request damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

If a loved one passed away due to a Los Angeles drunk driving accident, you can seek compensation through a wrongful death claim. Your California DUI accident lawyers will fight for you to get a fair settlement that includes money for funeral expenses, medical expenses, loss of income, loss of consortium, and other damages.

Some personal injury cases seek punitive damages for drunk driving accident victims. Your Los Angeles legal team will let you know if your civil case will pursue punitive damages and other types of compensation. Call us to start your California drunk driving claim.

How Will Criminal Charges Against the Driver Affect Your Civil Claim ?

It’s important to know that even though intoxicated driving is a serious crime, DUI accident victims don’t have to deal with the criminal court system in Los Angeles to seek compensation. Only drunk drivers do, as they must prepare for a criminal trial to fight their drunk driving charge.

By contrast, personal injury cases go through the civil court system, so victims of drunk driving accidents can steer clear of the criminal justice system when pursuing damages. In fact, the criminal DUI case against the drunk driver is not typically tied to a civil claim against them.

So, even if the drunk driver who caused your DUI accident successfully fights their criminal charges, they could be liable for your compensation if your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can prove that their intoxicated driving caused severe injuries to you. Call us to discuss your options with compassionate accident attorneys in the Los Angeles area.

How Will Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Woodland Hills, CA Assist with Your Case?

The legal team at V&A Law Firm understands how much devastation a drunk driver can cause through the negligent act of driving while impaired. That’s why we’re devoted to getting injured victims the maximum compensation for wrongful death and personal injury cases. We want our clients to have the money they need to heal from the consequences of drunk driving accidents, so you can trust us to pursue the insurance company of the impaired driver liable for your crash.

When you meet with us to initiate your claim against the at-fault driver, we will let you know how much compensation to expect from their insurance company and whether we recommend seeking punitive damages in your case. Call us at 818-369-3270 to discuss your options today.