Drunk Driving? Serious Injuries & Fatal Accidents Are Common
Did you know, that the NIAAA (U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) reports that drunk drivers play a role in a full 40 percent of every traffic death over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season?
While the holiday season sees an uptick in impaired driving, impaired drivers put lives at risk every day. Impaired drivers operate their vehicles erratically and have slow reaction times that often leads to catastrophic results.
In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states approximately 30% of all fatal auto accidents involve a drunk driver.
In 2017 there were over 11,000 drunk driving accidents just here in North Carolina alone. This means, if you or a loved one were the victim of a drunken driving accident, you might be entitled to compensation. And the legal team here at Fisher Stark can help you bring that drunk driver to justice.
So if you live in the Asheville area or any of the surrounding counties in Western North Carolina, we invite you to call the car accident lawyers of Fisher Stark at 828-505-4300 for a free consultation.
Drunk Driving Accident Liability
Depending on the circumstances, there are times when not just the drunk driver themselves may be held civilly responsible for a crash.
For example, if a bar or restaurant continues to serve someone who is impaired, the establishment may have liability if the person leaves and causes an accident. This is also true if someone sells alcohol to an underage consumer who is then involved in an accident.
These types of cases are often referred to as “dram shop cases”. A “dram shop” simply means any restaurant, bar or similar commercial establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold. Dram shop laws can also apply to some social hosts like homeowners and employers as well.
This is important because if the drunk driver’s insurance cannot cover a victim’s damages for harms like pain and suffering, permanent injury, medical bills or lost wages, the victim may be able to seek compensation from other negligent parties.
Businesses and homeowners have a responsibility to refuse to provide alcohol if a person is visibly intoxicated and they know they are going to drive. If these parties are found liable, they can also be responsible for the damages caused by the drunk driver.
“What Damages Can I Collect From A Drunk Driver Who Injures Me?”
In drunk driving cases you can collect damages as you would in a normal personal injury case. However, you may also be entitled to collect punitive damages. Generally, there is a limit of punitive damages of $250,000 or 3 times the compensatory damages.
However, in North Carolina there is no cap or maximum limit on punitive damages if the defendant was driving under the influence. This means that a jury can award any amount of punitive damages it determines is appropriate to deter drunk driving.
Asheville Car Accident Lawyers
As experienced personal injury lawyers, Fisher Stark, P.A. understands how to develop your case and take it to trial. We are also trained and experienced in dealing with insurance adjusters.
And, because the insurance adjusters are trained and experienced in methods to resolve cases for as little as possible, it’s important to have someone in your corner who can stand up for you.
Our professional expertise covers reviewing medical records, understanding your injuries, and looking at your future to see what impact the accident may have on the rest of your life.
Ultimately, while it is a jury who will determine what is fair and reasonable compensation, with over 200 jury trials under our belt, we stand ready and willing to fight for you and your loved ones, if the insurance companies refuse to do what’s right.
So if you live in the Asheville area or any of the surrounding counties in Western North Carolina, we invite you to call the car accident lawyers of Fisher Stark at 828-505-4300 for a free consultation.
We will work hard to get you the justice & fair compensation you deserve. Fisher Stark, P.A. is a highly respected personal injury law firm in Asheville, NC. We provide experienced legal help for clients in Asheville, NC, and all the communities in Western North Carolina. Collectively, our legal team – Perry Fisher and Brad Stark – have more than 50 years of trial practice and have participated in more than 1,000+ injury cases. Call 828-505-4300 for a free consultation.