Issues Related to Accidents Caused By Drunk Drivers in Florida
Accidents caused by drunk drivers (i.e. drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or more under Florida DUI laws) decreased based on the most recent statistics from 2007. However, there were still over 3,000 deaths and many more serious injury accidents caused by drunk drivers in Florida in 2007.
After an accident victim in Jacksonville or other parts of Florida or Georgia contacts us, we always look to determine if there were any aggravating circumstances about the other driver that cause the accident such as drugs or alcohol. In a typical accident, the fault of the other driver and the injuries and damages to our client are primary issues. If the other driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, this raises additional issues. In such a case, it is important to obtain as much documentation as possible about the other driver and his/her impaired condition. This can include various police reports, hospital records and prescription drug records to get a complete picture of how impaired the other driver was at the time of the crash.
When the other driver who crashed into your vehicle and injured you was impaired by alcohol or drugs, this often increases the seriousness and value of your claim for damages. If the other driver was impaired by alcohol or drugs, he/she was acting recklessly, and an additional claim for punitive damages should be made against the other driver. Punitive damages are an added element of damages for an injured party that are designed to punish people who cause injuries by acting recklessly and deter similar conduct in the future. It is well settled that driving a car or truck under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent that the driver is impaired or has a BAC of 0.08 or more is reckless conduct.
If you have been in an accident that involved injuries or have a loved one who died in an accident and there is reason to believe the other driver was drunk or under the influence of drugs, feel free to contact us to discuss the many issues involved in such a case and the various elements of damages to which you may be entitled.
