Statesboro Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Statesboro Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Drunk driving accidents are some of the most avoidable accidents on the road. The costs involved, including medical bills, damage to a vehicle, or psychological costs, are issues that you have a right to seek compensation for from the driver who caused the accident or their insurance company.

However, getting that restitution can be challenging, which is why it’s imperative that you have an experienced Statesboro drunk driver accident lawyer on your side.

For an Immediate Consultation call us at 912-764-3434

The team at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has been serving car accident victims for nearly five decades. Our clients benefit from our extensive experience and superior customer service. We are dedicated to getting restitution for our clients, whether that means finding an agreeable negotiated settlement or taking their claim through litigation. We deeply believe in the importance of restorative justice for our clients.

Who Could Be Liable for a Drunk Driving Accident?

Generally, many people might assume that the drunk driver is always liable in the case of a drunk driving accident. This is generally true; however, there could be others who are liable and may also bear some responsibility to pay restitution.

What is important to prove is that these parties failed to meet the responsibility that they had in the circumstances surrounding the accident and that the failure led directly to the accident. Parties that could be liable include:

• The Drunk Driver: In most situations, the drunk driver is going to bear at least some level of fault for the accident, but it must be shown that the intoxication led directly to the accident and injuries. There may be some instances where a driver could be intoxicated but not at fault for the accident. For instance, if a drunk driver is stopped at a red light and is rear-ended, then it could be difficult to argue that their intoxication was the cause of the accident.
• A Bar or Other Establishment: There are some situations where a bar, restaurant, or somewhere else that serves alcohol could be held liable under Georgia’s dram shop laws. However, for them to be liable, it must be shown that the patron was visibly intoxicated, but the establishment continued to serve them. They also have other duties to take reasonable measures to try and prevent drunk driving, including offering intoxicated patrons alternative transportation options.
• Social Hosts: If a social host continues to provide alcohol to someone who is intoxicated, it could result in their being liable for any injuries that were caused by the driver. This is particularly true if the host was likely to be aware of the fact that the individual would be driving.
• Another Party: Although rare, there are times when other parties could be held liable. For instance, if the driver was involved with work-related activities or was driving a company vehicle at the time of the accident, then the employer could be found liable for the situation. A vehicle owner could also be liable if they knowingly lent their vehicle to someone who was intoxicated at the time they lent in.

Statute of Limitations on Filing a Drunk Driving Accident Claim

A drunk driving claim is typically filed under a personal injury claim. In most situations, these claims have a statute of limitations of two years. This means that if you wait until after two years from the time of the accident, you may lose the opportunity to collect restitution.

There may be some variations in the deadline depending on the specifics of your accident, such as if you discovered injuries later or if it involved any minors.

Settling a Claim vs Going Through With the Court Process

The majority of personal injury claims, including many drunk driver accident claims, are settled out of court rather than going through litigation. The reason for this is that there are often some significant advantages to settling a claim.

In particular, it can tend to be a quicker process than if the claim goes to court. Some settlements can be worked out within a matter of a few months or even weeks, whereas a trial could take several months or years to resolve.

Another potential negative to taking a claim to court is the inherent risk that’s involved any time you leave it up to the court to make a decision. There’s the possibility that they will see things differently than you were hoping and make a ruling that’s not in your favor. With a settlement, you have the advantage of being certain that you will receive whatever amount that was agreed upon, typically within 30 days.

Of course, for a settlement to make sense, it needs to be an offer that is fair and sufficient. This is why it is critical that you have a lawyer who understands negotiating deals and is also prepared to take the claim to court if that is what is necessary to get you fair restitution.

We Can Help You Seek to Get Your Drunk Driving Accident Costs Compensated

When you are in an accident with a drunk driver, there is a good chance that the driver will face criminal charges, but that doesn’t necessarily provide a solution for the costs that you have incurred.

Your injuries likely created medical bills, and your vehicle probably needs repairs. There may be pain and suffering or other psychological impacts, or you may have lost out on wages if your injuries were serious enough for you to miss a significant portion of work. The costs are the responsibility of the drunk driver who caused the accident.

Often, seeking compensation for a drunk driving accident means dealing with the driver’s insurance provider, and getting proper restitution from them may prove to be a challenge. A Statesboro drunk driver accident lawyer at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm can often be a critical part of ensuring that you are able to get the compensation that you are seeking.

We help our clients fight for the restitution that they are owed, whether through finding a negotiated settlement that works for both sides or by taking the claim to court if needed. Contact us today for help with your drunk driving accident claim.