If you or a loved one got hurt in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, contact the experienced and compassionate drunk driving accident lawyers in West Palm Beach at Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. today. For individuals under 21, the blood alcohol content cannot exceed .02 percent. For those over 21, blood alcohol content cannot exceed .08 percent. Once a driver goes beyond the legal limit of consumption, critical motor functions become impaired, and the driver is thus unable to operate a vehicle to the best of their abilities. Driving under the influence can be classified as negligent or reckless behavior. If a drunk driver caused a car accident resulting in your injuries, you may qualify for compensation.
Being in a car accident can lead to many short and long-term consequences for victims and their families. Some common injuries victims of car accidents can face include broken bones, severe bruising, fractures, and head, neck, and spine trauma, among others. Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can mean ongoing trips to doctors and specialists, missed time at work, and lost time with friends and family. We do not believe you should go through this trying period alone.
At Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A., our personal injury lawyers in West Palm Beach understand the devastating impact of a car accident caused by an intoxicated driver. The serious injuries associated with drunk driving can burden an individual with an extensive financial burden. Although money can’t reverse your suffering, it can ease burdens and facilitate the healing process you deserve. To learn more about your legal rights and what courses of action you may have against those who hurt you, contact the knowledgeable and caring West Palm Beach drunk driving car accident lawyers at Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. today by calling (561) 689-8180.
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Why Do I Need a Lawyer?
If an intoxicated driver caused your injury by operating their vehicle, you have the right to pursue legal action. You could recover significant compensation, but you may not know how to get it. An experienced drunk driving injury lawyer can vastly improve the outcome of your case. Because an attorney is familiar with the law, they can help by:
- Evaluating the strength of your case
- Gathering relevant evidence to make your case stronger
- Identifying parties potentially liable for your injuries
- Determining what potential legal causes of action you may have against those who harmed you
Furthermore, attorneys can collaborate with experts to assess the necessary compensation for past, present, and future expenses. Further, an attorney can handle negotiations with other attorneys and insurance agents, relieving some stress for the victim and ensuring they don’t settle for less than they deserve.
Why Choose Us?
At Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A., we have been practicing injury law for over 35 years. We firmly believe in holding those who harm others accountable for their actions. Recognizing that a car accident can be a traumatic experience, it may leave individuals unsettled. Our commitment is to treat each client with respect, dignity, and compassion. Over the years, we’ve secured millions of dollars for our clients, and you can trust our unwavering commitment to obtaining the compensation you deserve. We are so confident we can win your case that we do not collect our fees until you receive compensation.
Cases We Handle
At Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A., we focus our practice on personal injury law, including drunk driving car accidents. Drunk driving is a major cause of car accidents and fatalities, raising serious concerns about road safety. In 2016, drunk driving accidents accounted for 28 percent of all traffic fatalities. Every day in the United States, approximately 29 people die in drunk driving accidents. Moreover, a person sustains injuries in a drunk driving accident approximately every two minutes.
In Florida, 8,476 people died in drunk driving car accidents between 2003 and 2012. Further, in 2016 there were 5,223 alcohol-related car accidents. These drunk driving statistics are alarming, especially since drunk driving accidents can have serious repercussions for victims and their families.
If a car accident involving a drunk driver left you injured, Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. can assist you in obtaining compensation for various aspects, including:
- Lost wages
- Medical treatment and bills
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Wrongful death
If your loved one died due to the reckless actions of a drunk driver, Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. can also help you pursue a wrongful death action. This will let you recover money for your loved one’s medical bills up to their death, their final expenses, and the loss of support, both emotional and financial, that you would have had from them in the future.
What kinds of compensation you are entitled to will vary depending on the facts of your case. For insights into potential outcomes of a drunk driving lawsuit, reach out to [firm-name today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drunk Driving
Alcohol used to be sold in small units called drams. Dram shops are establishments that sell alcoholic beverages. Dram shop laws allow victims of drunk driving accidents to hold bars, restaurants, and other establishments that sell alcohol by the drink liable for injuries caused by drunk drivers overserved at those locations.
Florida’s dram shop law says that anyone who sells or furnishes alcohol to a person who is a minor or who “knowingly serves a person habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages” can be liable for damages caused by or resulting from that person’s intoxication.
Unfortunately, Florida’s dram shop law does not contain social host provisions that hold private homeowners liable for overserving intoxicated guests or serving alcohol to minors.
Even if a DUI conviction does not occur, a driver can still face liability charges in a civil suit. Prosecutors must prove a person’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a DUI case because this is a criminal charge. However, you can prove civil cases for damages resulting from intoxication by overwhelming evidence of intoxication and its effects. So, a driver could avoid a DUI conviction because of a technicality related to their arrest, but you could still prove their intoxication to the court in a civil case.
Many drunk driving crashes result in settlements because insurance companies don’t want the civil case tried in court. Yet, if an insurer fails to settle in good faith, pursuing the case in court may become the sole option for obtaining compensatory damages.
A person who proves that their injuries resulted from another driver’s intoxication can recover compensatory damages that are usually some combination of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are the actual costs a victim incurs. These can include medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Noneconomic damages, however, are more subjective and include things like pain and suffering, emotional and mental anguish, and disfigurement.
In drunk driving accidents, courts often award punitive damages, which aim to restore something lost.
Drunk Driving Statistics
More than 13,000 people died in drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That’s about 37 people daily – or one person every 39 minutes. Tragically, these deaths were all preventable. Driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal in every state, but many drivers flout the laws and cause considerable harm to other drivers and road users. About 31 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the U.S. involve drunk drivers (those with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 or higher).
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that there were nearly 5,000 traffic accidents involving a driver or non-motorist who had alcohol in their system in 2019. Of these crashes, 351 were fatal, 262 resulted in incapacitating injuries, and 1,462 led to non-incapacitating injuries. These crashes caused 378 fatalities, 425 incapacitating injuries, and 2,639 non-incapacitating injuries. According to the NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, of 3,427 drivers involved in fatal car accidents statewide in 2019, 22 percent had a BAC higher than .01 but lower than .08 at the time of the crash, while 19 percent had a BAC of .08 or higher, and 13 percent had a BAC of .15 or higher, nearly twice the legal limit.
According to a recent report by Forbes Advisor, approximately one-quarter of all traffic deaths in Florida in 2022 were caused by drunk drivers. Furthermore, about 162 drivers were charged with DUI for every 100,000 licensed drivers in the state that year.
Contact a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Today
Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A.‘s assertive legal team excels in managing car accident cases with intoxicated drivers. We understand that dealing with injuries and property damage caused by drunk drivers can be long and challenging. Victims may need to visit the doctor regularly, and families may need to adjust their schedules to help the victim.
Our skilled attorneys hold drunk drivers accountable for injuries and property damage from their reckless actions. Our compassionate and knowledgeable drunk driving accident lawyers in West Palm Beach are here to help you.
Please call (561) 689-8180 or fill out our online form today if you are a victim of a drunk driver and want to learn more about how our firm can help you find the settlement and peace of mind you need.
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