One of the most dangerous types of car accidents is a drunk driving accident. Not only are they one of the most egregious, but also some of the most horrendous types of accidents. Permanent injuries and death are common in drunk driving cases due to the intoxication of the drunk driver.
If you are involved in a drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to the below-listed damages:
Medical bills can be daunting after an auto accident. You may have your medical bills reimbursed after being involved in a drunk driving accident. An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to send you to doctors and physicians who can take care of you after an auto accident. Generally, when your attorney sends you to a doctor, your medical bills will be treated on a lien basis. This means that you will not have to use your insurance or pay out of pocket for treatment. Instead, once a settlement is obtained, your medical bills will be paid back out of the settlement.
An experienced personal injury attorney will also be able to negotiate your medical bills with your providers to put more money in your pocket after the accident.
If you have been involved in a drunk driving personal injury accident, an experienced personal injury attorney will be able to get your lost wages reimbursed. In order to establish your lost wages, your attorney will ask for several different items. Generally, you will need to provide employment records such as W2s or letters from an employer establishing your absence from work. The insurance company may also seek letters from your doctor writing you out of work. If you are self-employed, you should be able to provide tax returns from previous years to establish your income.
One type of damage you are entitled to after an auto accident is pain and suffering. Pain and suffering compensation is not a computable number. Rather, pain and suffering is exactly what it sounds like. You are being paid for the pain you have suffered. Pain and suffering can include things such as emotional distress, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of companionship, and many others that can be proven. Given that pain and suffering is complex to calculate, an experienced personal injury attorney is able to ensure that you are fairly compensated for your pain and suffering.
Punitive damages are huge when it comes to being a victim of a drunk driving accident. Punitive damages are damages that are paid to the victim as punishment to the negligent party. The purpose of punitive damages is to deter the egregious conduct of the at-fault party from committing the same negligent act again. Depending on the state you reside in, punitive damages may be capped or unlimited. For example, in certain states, punitive damages are not capped for drunk driving accidents. That means that a jury could award an infinite dollar figure to a victim who was injured by a drunk driver. In order to receive punitive damages, it is imperative that an experienced attorney is involved in the case. Trying to recover punitive damages requires detailed documentation of the at-fault party’s criminal case.
Contact an attorney, like an experienced personal injury attorney today if you or a loved one have been involved in a drunk driving accident.
