Injured by Drunk Driver in Tampa

DUI Accident Attorneys

Drunk drivers and people driving under the influence of drugs put the lives of other motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians in danger. Driving while impaired can be considered a felony if it results in an accident where people get injured or lose their lives. Courts can punish negligent drivers by sentencing them to jail or prison time, or may revoke the driver’s license and issue fines. However, these punishments alone cannot assuage their victims’ pain, injury or death. This is why victims or their relatives usually seek some kind of compensation to help with the various expenses related to the accident.

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Drunk Driving Facts

tampa drunk driving accident lawyerAny driver with an alcohol concentration or BAC of 0.08% or higher is considered alcohol impaired in Florida. Law enforcement frequently conducts random sobriety checkpoints to identify such drivers and arrest them. For people driving commercial vehicles, a BAC of 0.04% is enough for them to get arrested. In a majority of drunk driving accidents, it is usually the intoxicated driver that is considered responsible for all injuries or damages resulting from the accident.

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In Florida third parties such as restaurants, clubs, liquor stores and party hosts are protected by the Dram Shop Law in DUI cases.  These third parties cannot be sued for giving a drunk driver liquor if the driver is 21 years old and over, and the third party is not aware of the driver’s history of alcohol abuse.

Frequency Of Drunk Driving Accidents

There were more than 5,125 alcohol-involved crashes in Florida according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Annual Report for 2017. There were more than 350 fatalities out of those accidents, and people in the 25-29 age group were the largest number of fatalities.  In fact, the report indicates that drunk driving is the top cause of fatal traffic accidents in Florida at 26%. However, drunk driving is not just a problem in Florida but also a major issue in the rest of the country.

Compensation For Accident Victims

An experienced car accident attorney can help you file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court so that you can get compensation after an accident caused by an impaired driver.  You may get compensation for the following:

  • Property damage
  • Medical bills
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of wages

If your family member lost their life in a car accident caused by a drunk Driver, you may get compensation for wrongful death.

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Tampa DUI Accident Lawyers

Your lawyer will help gather all important evidence such as police reports, photos of the incident, medical records, and more to help build a solid case for you.  With this evidence, your attorney may be able to prove that the other driver (drunk driver) was at fault for the accident. Proving that the driver was drunk can be challenging if the driver refused a breathalyzer test at the scene of the crash.  In such a case, witnesses, the driver’s history of alcohol abuse and other factors can be used by your lawyer to prove that that driver was at fault.

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