Drunk Driving Injury
SERVING THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA
Drunk Driving Accidents Attorney
WERE YOU OR A LOVED ONE HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER, OR INJURED AS A PASSENGER IN AN ACCIDENT IN A CAR DRIVEN BY A DRUNK DRIVER?
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver in a car accident, contact the Roeser Law Firm today. An experienced personal injury attorney can review your case and discuss your legal options with you.
Those who were harmed by the drunk driver’s acts also can sue him or her to recover for their losses. These losses can include medical bills, property damage and lost wages, among others. Typically, anyone directly harmed by the driver, such as pedestrians, other motorists and passengers, can bring a civil action. If the accident resulted in a fatality, the family and/or estate of the deceased may bring a wrongful death suit.
Third Parties Subject to Suit In a Drunk Driver Injury Accident
In some cases, the victim of a drunk driving accident or his or her family may name third parties in a lawsuit. These third parties can include the business that sold the alcohol to the driver, such as a bar, tavern or restaurant. Many states have dram shop acts that allow innocent third-parties to sue alcohol vendors who provided alcohol to an intoxicated person who subsequently causes injury in a drunk driving accident. To recover under these laws, the vendor had to knowingly provide the alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person. Visible signs of intoxication can include slurred speech and/or difficulty walking or controlling body movements. In states without Dram Shop Acts, victims may be able to sue third parties under common law negligence principles or Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) statutes.
Other third parties that may be held liable for injuries caused by drunk drivers include:
- Passengers – if the passenger of the drunk driver aided and abetted the driver in becoming intoxicated, he or she may be liable
- Police officers – if the officer had an opportunity to prevent a drunk driver from driving and failed to act, he or she may be liable. This could include a situation where an officer pulled over a drunk driver, but did not arrest the driver, who later injured someone in a drunk driving accident.
- Employers – in some limited situations, an employer may be held liable for the acts of an intoxicated employee. In some cases, employers have been held liable because the court reasoned the employer is in a position to control consumption and distribution of alcohol at work-related events. However, unless a company car was involved or the accident occurred on the employer’s property or in furtherance of the employee’s work duties, many courts have rejected employer liability for injuries caused in an employee’s drunk driving accident.
Drunk driving accidents take a terrible toll on society – from the injuries and deaths of loved ones, to the costs of paying for the accidents. Those who engage in this type of behavior should be held legally responsible for their actions.
The attorneys at the Roeser Law Firm represent people in the Washington, DC area who have been injured by a drunk driver, or whose loved ones were disabled or killed. Trust us to determine if you have a Drunk Driving Injury case.
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