Drunk Driving Accidents

Being injured in a car accident is already a traumatizing event. Whether your injuries are minor or serious, your life is often turned upside down. Even worse, if you lost a loved one to a fatal car accident your life will never be the same. It’s salt on the wound to know that the accident happened because of a drunk driver. Whether it’s a taxi, uber, or designated driver, there’s no reason for anyone who has been drinking to get behind the wheel. This is salt on the wound to the innocent victims of these events.

If you or a family member have been hurt by a drunk driver, you may have to face the practical reality that the driver’s lack of good judgment may not be limited to his or her decision to operate a car. Often a drunken driver who injures you will have little insurance and few other assets. You need a knowledgeable and experienced attorney to explore all other possibilities for recovery. This includes not only an Underinsured Motorist claim, but also claims against other people who may have been involved.

The at-fault driver may not be the only actor who contributed to the hardship now inflicted upon you. So, an investigating attorney has to get all the facts and ask all the important questions:

• Where was the alcohol ingested?
• Was there a private party that may give rise to “social host” liability?
• Was the driver at a bar or other liquor dispensing venue that may implicate a “dramshop” action?

These are circumstances calling for prompt examination to try to preserve evidence, and to secure claims to assets that may be used to satisfy a judgment. The driver under the influence of alcohol is a weapon on the roadway. But that weapon did not always s get there on his or her own. There are other actors who benefited from the sale of the alcohol, and in the proper situations, a good attorney can hold them responsible.

The quicker a lawyer can start an investigation, the better. It is vital to establish the driver’s condition at various times when he or she was drinking. The memories of cohorts may be short lived, and video evidence may be transitory as well.

Someone whose intoxication has caused injury cannot get relief from a bankruptcy court. The attorneys at Marcotte Law Firm know when and where to exert pressure needed to maximize your recovery. That may include attaching the at-fault driver’s assets. It may also invlude something as counter-intuitive as convincing the drunk driver and his/her insurance company to cooperate with us. That way, we may find other sources with which to compensate the injured victim.

At Marcotte Law Firm, we are known for thinking out of the box, and for approaching every case with an eye toward all routes of recovery for our clients. We have dealt with dramshop cases, social host liability cases, and other avenues to hold accountable the obvious and less obvious players who brought about an innocent person’s severe injuries.

If you have been injured by a drunk driver, call the experienced Car Accident Attorneys at Marcotte Law Firm for a free consultation.