Have You Been Hit by an Uninsured Drunk Driver?
Drunk drivers cause millions of dollars in property damage and personal injury damages each year in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,497 lives were lost during 2016 because of drunk driving accidents, which was a slight increase from the previous year. This means that someone lost their lives in an alcohol-impaired driving accident every 50 minutes during 2016. California had the second highest number of DUI accident fatalities in 2016 with 1,059 deaths.
Who is Responsible for Damages Incurred Because of a Drunk Driving Accident?
DUI accidents are handled like other traffic accidents under California’s personal injury laws. The driver who caused the collision is responsible for paying the damages incurred by accident victims. If more than one party shares the fault for a crash, a victim’s compensation can be reduced by the percentage of fault for the accident under California’s comparative fault law.
Filing an injury claim against a drunk driver may seem complex; however, our Stockton DUI accident attorneys can help you with your claim. If you can prove that the drunk driver was responsible for causing the crash, you can recover compensation from the driver’s insurance company. Our lawyers have experience handling DUI accident cases, including investigating accident scenes, interviewing witnesses, utilizing experts, and locating evidence to prove the drunk driver was at fault.
If you are involved in an alcohol-impaired traffic accident, call 911 immediately. Stay at the accident scene until help arrives. If you do not go to the emergency room from the accident scene, seek medical attention as soon as possible to protect your health and your injury claim.
What If the Drunk Driver is Uninsured?
You might still recover compensation for your injuries, even though a drunk driver is uninsured. If you believe a driver is drunk, tell the police as soon as they arrive at the accident scene. If possible, take notes and make photographs of the accident scene, but do not place yourself or others in danger to do so. Collect as much information as possible from witnesses, including the witnesses’ names and contact information.
Contact our office for a free consultation as soon as you are able to do so. Our office will verify insurance information for the other driver. If insurance does not exist, we can investigate to determine if the driver has sufficient assets to pay an injury claim. We will also verify your automobile insurance coverage to determine if your uninsured insurance coverage will apply in this situation.
Do not assume you cannot recover compensation for a DUI accident claim simply because the other driver was uninsured. However, it is crucial you seek experienced legal counsel as soon as possible.
Torem & Associates are Experienced Stockton DUI Accident Attorneys
If a drunk driver has injured you or your family, we can help. You deserve to be compensated for your damages and losses when a drunk driver negligently chooses to drive and causes a collision.
Contact our office by calling (559) 500-5000 or (888) 500-5000 or by using the contact form on our website to schedule a free consultation with a Stockton drunk driving accident attorney. You can also visit our new office location at 4557 Quail Lakes Drive, Stockton, CA 95207.
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