805-962-1930 Drunk Driving Accidents Lawyers in Santa Barbara
If you’ve been in a drunk driving accident and suffered damages, it is your legal right to receive compensation from the at-fault driver. It is every driver’s duty to be sober while driving to prevent dangerous traffic accidents from occurring. When a driver fails to remain sober and operates a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level over 0.08%, they are breaking the law. Not only can they be criminally charged and undergo several forms of punishment for this negligent behavior, but their insurer must also provide a settlement for the damages they caused. Your lawyer can help you obtain a settlement using the evidence from your drunk driving accident. You can ask the professional car accident attorneys at Maho | Prentice, LLP how they can help you in your drunk driving accident case. Here are the ways Maho | Prentice attorneys can prove the other driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Driving History
Your drunk driving accident attorney can get the driving records of the other driver to find out how they behaved in the past. If the other party has a record of frequently getting into accidents, causing traffic infractions, and other DUI incidents, this can be used to strengthen your case.
Police Report
The police report can hold many key details that reveal what happened during the drunk driving accident. You may have missed the fact that the other driver was drunk, which can be used as evidence. If the police officer notices this, they’ll attempt to get the driver to take a breathalyzer or chemical test. They may have noticed that the driver was slurring, had bloodshot eyes, was unsteady on their feet, smelled of alcohol, or noticed other behavior which may have implied that they were inebriated.
Chemical Test
If the driver was drunk and underwent a lab test, then your attorney can obtain this report from the facility that performed the test. They can use this information to prove what the driver had in their system to show that they were under the influence of alcohol during the accident.
Eye Witness Testimonies
If there were any eyewitnesses, they could be helpful because they can testify in your favor. They may have noticed that the other driver was behaving in a way that suggested they were intoxicated. Your attorney can obtain testimonies from witnesses and use them as evidence.
Calculate Damages
Your damages are important and are used by your attorney as crucial evidence to support your claim for compensation. Lawyers can accurately calculate how much you suffered in damages and use it to negotiate a fair settlement.
What Kind Of Damages Can I Claim In A Drunk Driving Accident?
Attorneys help calculate damages after they investigate your damages. This can include the following:
Medical Bills
After a drunk driving accident, you can experience injuries that require intensive medical care. Over time, these healthcare costs add up and can make your life incredibly difficult. Your medical expenses can be estimated, including any future treatments.
Non-Economic Damages
While your wounds are healing, you may be struggling with feelings like depression, grief, shame, misery, anxiety, and more. These feelings can make life stressful and prevent you from enjoying your favorite activities. It can be a struggle to enjoy life when you are dealing with pain and suffering. Your attorney works alongside an insurance adjuster to calculate the value of your non-economic damages.
Lost Wages
Your settlement compensation should include lost income. Drunk driving accident attorneys will calculate your current and future lost wages and include it in your compensation. If your insurance company didn’t fully cover your property damage, your lawyer include this amount. In wrongful death cases, surviving family members can include funeral and burial expenses, loss of consortium, and other damages.
Why Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys Are Important
While you recover from your injuries, let your attorney perform most of the legal legwork to help you get the compensation you deserve. All of the lost income, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and property damage wasn’t your fault. The other driver is responsible for compensating you after you experience severe injuries due to their negligence. Leave it to your DUI attorney to make sure that justice is served by negotiating on your behalf. Your attorney works on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t have to pay any upfront costs until you are paid your settlement. To get the maximum amount of compensation for all of the damages you experienced, it’s best to speak to a drunk driving accident lawyer. They can represent your case professionally and negotiate a fair settlement. Contact Maho | Prentice, LLP today for a free consultation.