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In California, driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or any other drug that impairs your road awareness or judgment is illegal. This applies even if the drug is legal (i.e., marijuana) or prescribed by a medical professional.
DUIs can have serious consequences. They can lead to death, serious physical injuries, psychological trauma, and catastrophic property damage. The California DUI accident lawyers at the May Firm understand the severity of this issue. To that end, we’ve presented critical information about DUI crashes below, including factors that affect your legal options if you’ve survived a drunk driving accident that was not your fault.
Drugs and alcohol impair your ability to drive safely. Specifically, they cause:
In the most severe cases, drunk drivers may fall asleep at the wheel, which makes it highly likely that they’ll cause an accident for themselves or others.
Drunk driving can cause significant personal injuries, including:
Most of the injuries and ailments described above can be fatal if victims don’t quickly receive medical attention.
DUI cases fall into two categories: civil and criminal.
Keep in mind: Criminal charges don’t affect your right to file a civil claim. Even if the defendant is convicted of a criminal offense, they could still be liable to you for civil damages.
Cases that involve an overlap between civil and criminal law can become very confusing for those who aren’t legal professionals. You’ll want advice from an experienced drunk driving injury lawyer in such situations.
In California, the statute of limitations provides injured individuals with just two years from the date of a DUI accident to file a claim for losses in a civil court. Missing this deadline generally causes accident victims to lose the right to pursue compensation. Because two years isn’t a lot of time in the grand scheme of things, it’s best if you seek help from expert California drunk driving accident lawyers sooner rather than later.
“If I ever need a lawyer again, I’m calling the May Firm. I was rear ended and had a ton of bills. They told me what my rights were and that they would take care of me. All I had to do was get to physical therapy. They did everything, and I ended up with a very nice settlement and a new car. Thank you! You exceeded my expectations!”
“A friendly and professional firm. Always answered questions quickly. Highly recommended to anyone who needs a personal injury lawyer. Extremely satisfied with the outcome.”
linda hughes
Car Accident
Natalie Garcia
Bicycle Accident
Drunk or drug-affected drivers pose a threat to public safety no matter where they travel. However, certain California roadways are especially dangerous. Traffic congestion, winding paths through mountainous terrain, poor visibility, and the sheer size of certain interstates all pose risksthat require the focus and alertness of a competent driver to help prevent an accident.
Drivers under the influence often struggle to see clearly, make safe decisions, and react appropriately to perilous situations. Their impaired senses and compromised mental state make them a major risk to public safety along California’s most dangerous roadways.
Particularly hazardous California roadways include the following:
California’s population continues to grow exponentially, with a current population of over 39 million. As the most populated state in the country, it naturally has some of the worst traffic in the US. Heavy congestion (symbolized by the infamous Los Angeles freeway system, but also present in many other areas of the state) means that motor vehicle collisions of wildly varying severity occur every day throughout California.
Everything we just described makes for a dangerous driving situation all on its own. Unfortunately, with the state’s massive (still growing) population and an increasingly mobile society, it’s almost inevitable that there’s a higher incidence of drunk drivers on the road.
Based on the most recent California Highway Patrol data (from 2020), nearly 100,000 drivers in California faced arrests for DUI . Also, drivers under the influence caused over 2,000 fatalities and more than 23,000 injuries.
In the vast majority of cases, the responsibility for a DUI car accident lies squarely on the impaired driver.
However, certain circumstances may implicate another individual or organization. Also,some accidents involve multiple at-fault parties, which severelycomplicates an already complex civil claims process.
Examples of such situations include cases that involve an employee being alcohol- or drug-impaired on the job, as well as situations where a drunk driver causes an accident while driving another person’s vehicle.
Keep in mind that the preferred method to seek compensation as an accident victim will often be through a settlement with the drunk driver’s insurance company. (A drunk driver’s lawyer will push hard for this outcome.) If the driver and/or car owner has insurance coverage at the time of the accident, the policy will likely cover your losses.
However, things are much less straightforward in cases where a driver does not have adequate (or any) insurance, or those involving disputes about liability and/or the extent of damages that have occurred. Injured individuals facing circumstances like these may need to file a lawsuit in court and pursue litigation. Seasoned California drunk driving accident lawyers can advise you about who to sue for a crash with the highest likelihood of success.
“Rob May and his team achieved over and above what I ever anticipated. I am thankful I found them, and I hold them in the highest esteem. Should you ever need a conscientious and diligent personal injury lawyer, I strongly recommend Robert May. He’s awesome. Thanks, guys, for your patience and professionalism. You rock!”
If you’re hurt by someone else’s negligence, you can sue them for the injuries you’ve sustained. Damages in a DUI accident can include economic and non-economic losses.
Specific examples of DUI-related damages you can pursue in California civil court include:
We know the impact a DUI accident can have on your life and future. It will likely lead to unexpected expenses that create financial stress for you and your family. At the May Firm, our auto accident attorneys always work to recover maximum compensation for our clients.
Some successful case results for our past clients include:
The May Firm’s California drunk driving accident lawyers pride themselves on their ability to adeptly defend victims and their rights while providing compassion during a difficult time. Nobody outworks the May Firm when it comes to helping clients and their families seek justice.
We provide our services free of upfront costs because we know that we have what it takes to win our clients’ personal injury cases.
No matter where you call home in California, the May Firm is here to help. We have offices in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, San Diego, Bakersfield, and Fresno. Please call (844) MAY-FIRM to schedule an appointment so we can talk about the specifics of drunk driving accident and determine your best course of action for pursuing any compensation you deserve.
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