Jupiter and other popular destinations in Palm Beach County continue to carry a certain level of risk from drunk driving car accidents. Your injuries from a drunk driving car accident in Jupiter could entitle you to compensation for damages through a personal injury lawsuit. Better understand how drunk driving cases work and how the experience and perspective of our attorneys could benefit your case.
Florida Motor Vehicle Code § 316.193 outlines the parameters where a person’s intoxication level becomes criminal. A person is driving under the influence if any of the following are true:
Drunk driving could increase a person’s chances of causing a car accident in Jupiter through errors both big and small. For example, a drunk driver may ignore traffic signs and lights, lose control of their vehicle, fall asleep behind the wheel, or have a severely reduced reaction time to avoid a collision. Drivers who contribute to the cause of a car accident because of their alcohol or drug impairment could be liable for related injuries to others under claims of negligence and gross misconduct.
In limited situations, liability for injury from a drunk driver could extend to the person or business responsible for their intoxication. Florida Statutes § 768.125 generally protects people from liability who sell or provide alcohol to someone of legal drinking age who later causes injury from their intoxication. However, this law does not apply if a person willfully gives alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age or to someone who is habitually addicted to alcohol. When a drunk driver fits these characteristics, the person who gave them alcohol could face liability for injury to others.
The state allows standard recovery of damages from those liable in a drunk driving car crash in Jupiter. This could include compensation for a person’s pain and suffering, their lost wages from being unable to work, and their past and future medical expenses. Additionally, drunk drivers could face claims for punitive damages if their intoxication and subsequent actions rise to the level of gross negligence under Florida Statutes § 768.72(b).
The victim of a drunk driving car accident could have contributory fault for the cause of the accident despite the negligence of the drunk driver. For example, a person could run a stop sign, causing a T-Bone accident with a drunk driver whose intoxication also contributed to the cause. The comparative fault rule applies in these cases and prevents an injured person’s recovery when they are more than 50 percent at fault for the car accident. The help of a lawyer could be beneficial in these complex cases by evaluating the assignment of fault and managing its impact during trial or settlement negotiations.
Drunk driving car accidents can cause serious injury, and your right to compensation deserves efficient, client- and data-driven representation. Our lawyers aim for this standard in our use of technology and information in pursuing available claims and managing your case. We use our experience and data to negotiate potential settlement amounts and inform strategies in your recovery.
Experience the KMW difference after drunk driving car accidents in Jupiter. Contact us to schedule a consultation about your legal options.
