Legal Injury GuideCar Accident Injuries Caused by Drunk Drivers: Full Legal Guide
Drunk driving accident injuries can lead to punitive damages and maximum compensation. Learn your legal rights and how to pursue a DUI car accident injury claim.
## Legal Rights When a Drunk Driver Injures You
Being injured by a drunk driver is not just a car accident — it is a crime. Victims of DUI accidents hold exceptionally strong legal positions because drunk driving represents clear, undeniable negligence. Courts and juries have little sympathy for drunk drivers, and the combination of criminal prosecution and civil lawsuit often results in some of the largest personal injury awards in traffic accident law.
Drunk driving accident injury claims are among the most likely to result in punitive damages, which can multiply the total award 2x to 5x above compensatory damages.
Building Your Drunk Driver Injury Claim
Evidence available in DUI accident cases is often more comprehensive than in ordinary car accidents:
- Police DUI investigation report and BAC test results
- Criminal charges and court records against the driver
- Toxicology reports from the accident scene
- Witness statements about driver behavior
- Bar or restaurant records if the driver was served (dram shop liability)
Dram Shop Liability: Holding Bars and Restaurants Accountable
In many states, the establishment that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated driver can also be held liable for your injuries under dram shop laws. This can open an additional source of compensation and a potentially deeper pocket than the at-fault driver's individual policy.
An attorney handling car accident injuries from drunk drivers will pursue every available avenue of recovery — driver liability, dram shop claims, underinsured motorist coverage, and punitive damages — to ensure you receive complete justice for what was a preventable, criminal act.
For informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney.