Lithia Springs
Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Intoxication causes slower brain and visual functioning and impairs coordination and judgment. Drivers who operate motor vehicles while intoxicated are a danger to all other drivers on the road. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a drunk driving accident, seek legal counsel from a drunk driving accident lawyer in Lithia Springs from John Foy & Associates. 

Your fierce legal advocate will fight to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

Georgia Drunk Driving Laws

A person’s BAC level is the weight of the alcohol in a certain amount of the person’s blood. The higher the BAC, the greater the effects of intoxication. In any state, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated. For Georgia drivers, illegal BAC limits are

• .08 or higher for drivers 21 years or older operating non-commercial vehicles
• .04 or higher for drivers of commercial vehicles
• .02 for drivers under 21 years of age.

Drunk drivers generally face criminal charges that can lead to

• Fines
• Installation of ignition-lock devices
• Attendance at alcohol education classes
• Prison time

In addition to these costs, drunk drivers will pay extensive legal fees and potential civil damages brought against them by their victims.

Holding At-Fault Parties Responsible for the Damages You Have Suffered

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 30% of all motor vehicle accident deaths involve drivers with BAC levels of .08 or higher. On average, in each year of the past decade, 10,500 people died in drunk driving accidents. 

While criminal charges serve to punish and rehabilitate convicted drunk drivers and act as a deterrent for all drivers, they do not provide financial compensation to victims for the damages and losses suffered in the accident. Depending on the specifics of your situation, you may choose to bring charges against one or more responsible parties. Your Lithia Springs drunk driving accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates will help you determine who holds culpability.

The Drunk Driver

The most obvious at-fault party is the drunk driver. Filing an injury claim against the driver requires them to pay for the injuries their actions have caused you. 

Statistics collected by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) show criminal charges may not do enough to stop drunk drivers. Approximately 33% of drunk drivers are repeat offenders, and there have been millions of attempts to drive while drunk, as recorded through ignition-lock devices. Requiring offenders to pay significant financial compensation not only helps you recover your losses but may act as an additional deterrent for other drivers.

Alcohol Sellers and Providers

Under Georgia’s Dram Shop and Social Host Laws sellers or providers of alcohol who: 

• “Willfully, knowingly, and unlawfully” serve or sell alcohol to persons under age 12
• Knowingly provide or serve alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person
• Serve or provide alcohol to underage and/or clearly drunk individuals with the awareness that the underage or drunk individual is planning to drive.

If restaurants, bars, liquor stores, or hosts of backyard parties commit any of these acts and the person they serve causes your injuries, you may be able to hold these entities responsible for financial compensation. 

Consequences Faced by Victims of Drunk Driving

MADD cites the NHTSA statistic that every 90 seconds, someone is injured by a drunk driver, or about 926 people daily. The injuries incurred are often serious, as with any car accident, and since drunk drivers often speed or engage in other reckless driving behaviors, the severity of those consequences can be intensified.

Catastrophic injuries such as brain trauma, limb amputations, organ damage, back, spine, neck, or nerve damage have lifelong effects. Even broken bones that can heal cause pain and interrupt your life, causing financial, physical, and emotional damage.

Your Lithia Springs drunk driving accident attorney will review your case comprehensively, calculating your losses and pursuing a settlement to meet your needs and ensure justice is served. 

What You Can Expect from a Lithia Springs Drunk Driving Accident Settlement

The damages you claim and the amount you sue for are affected by the particulars of your situation. Most likely, your settlement will cover 

• Medical costs incurred from the accident and those you will face with continued treatment and care.
• Economic losses experienced from missed work. Your lawyer will pursue lost future income if you cannot return to work.
• Physical, emotional, and psychological suffering caused by the accident. Accidents are traumatic at the moment and long after, especially if the effects of your injuries prevent you from engaging with loved ones, participating in your usual activities, or caring for your own basic needs.
• Wrongful death if your loved one was killed in the accident. Compensation can cover funeral and related medical expenses, recover lost future income, and recognize your emotional and relationship losses.

Victims of drunk drivers often seek to collect punitive damages as well. Unlike most other motor-vehicle accidents in Georgia that come with a $250,000 cap on punitive damages, there is no cap for what you can collect in drunk driving accident cases. 

How to Collect a Settlement

To get the settlement you deserve, it is in your best interest to have a legal representative handle your case. While it may seem obvious to you that the driver is responsible for your injuries, the driver’s insurance company will try to prove otherwise.

It is not enough to prove the driver was drunk. You must prove that the accident and your injuries were caused because the driver drove drunk, not because of poorly lit roads or because you rolled through a stop sign. Your drunk driving accident attorney in Lithia Springs will protect your interests by:

• Collecting solid, thorough evidence to prove the driver’s liability. 
• Preparing and submitting all legal documentation expertly and within Georgia’s statute of limitations.
• Determining the value of your case so you and your loved ones have financial security.
• Refusing to be intimidated or fooled by unethical insurance companies.
• Demanding and negotiating for a fair settlement.
• Providing representation at legal proceedings if you must take your case to trial

Start Working Towards a Settlement Today

Scheduling a consultation with a Lithia Springs drunk driving accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates comes at no cost to you. Visit our contact page to call or leave a message. A compassionate, experienced lawyer will discuss your case and your options with you and will not collect any payment until you have won a settlement.