When someone chooses to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are willingly endangering themselves and everyone around them. When someone’s decision to drive under the influence causes you to suffer serious injuries, they should be responsible for paying the costs of their actions. When liable parties try to avoid this responsibility, you need someone to help hold them accountable. Not only can the driver be responsible, but Oklahoma’s “Social Host Law” asserts that a person who supplied the alcohol can also be held liable.
At Warhawk Legal, our skilled Oklahoma City accident attorneys know how to help you seek justice after your drunk driving accident. We can guide you through the challenges of a personal injury claim.
Why You Need An Oklahoma City Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Fair compensation does not come to them automatically despite how much accident victims need. Sometimes, it may be necessary to fight to secure a settlement figure that accurately reflects all the consequences of the DUI accident. We take the time to sit with our clients to identify the total cost of their accident, including expenses and consequences like:
- Current and future surgical costs
- Physical and emotional therapy
- Lost income
- Property damage
- Permanent scarring or burns
The consequences of an accident can last a lifetime, which is why we believe your compensation for your accident injuries should not only cover the first few months of expenses. We put our experience to work to help you protect your best interests without having to do the heavy work of pursuing your compensation.
Resources On This Page
- Compensation Available in a Drunk Driving Accident Case
- Who Can Be Held Liable After a Drunk Driving Accident?
- Is There a Deadline for Filing a Drunk Driving Claim?
- How Much is an OKC Drunk Driving Case Worth?
- How Often Do Drunk Driving Accidents Occur in Oklahoma City
- Contact Us Today
Compensation Available in a Drunk Driving Accident Case
The amount and type of compensation available in an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident case depends on numerous factors and is unique to each case. However, you may be able to recover economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Economic damages are easier to value and include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Current and future lost wages
- Property damages for your vehicle
- Expenses for necessary modifications to your home or vehicle because of your injuries
- Other out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of the accident
Non-economic damages are harder to quantify but are often even more devastating than economic damages. They include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish or emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disabilities
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Punitive damages are not awarded in most personal injury cases. They are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future rather than to compensate the victim. Therefore, they are reserved for extreme negligence, recklessness, or malicious behavior.
Additionally, this type of damages can only be awarded by a jury. So, if your case is settled without going to trial, punitive damages will not be included.
However, if the drunk driver had a significantly high blood alcohol concentration (BAC), a jury may be more likely to award punitive damages.
Our Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys know how to investigate an accident and discover the evidence necessary to obtain the maximum possible compensation for our clients.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Drunk Driving Accident?
Every drunk driving accident case is unique, and who can be held liable depends on the circumstances of each case. Our Oklahoma City drunk driving accident lawyers may sometimes pursue multiple parties to recover damages.
Potentially liable parties in a drunk driving accident may include:
- The drunk driver may be held responsible if they caused the accident.
- The party that served the alcohol to the drunk driver may be liable in some cases. Oklahoma Dram Shop laws make it illegal to sell, deliver, or provide alcohol to anyone who is noticeably drunk. Those parties may be held liable when the Dram Shop laws are violated.
- Under Oklahoma’s Social Host law, if a person allows a minor to drink alcohol on their property, they may be liable for damages caused by the minor’s drunk driving accident.
- The drunk driver’s employer may be liable if the driver was on the clock during the crash.
- The owner of the vehicle the drunk driver was operating could be liable.
The drunk driving accident lawyers at Warhawk Legal will leave no stone unturned when investigating your case. We will ensure all potentially liable parties are held responsible for your damages to get you the full compensation you deserve.
Is There a Deadline for Filing a Drunk Driving Accident Claim?
The statute of limitations for bringing an Oklahoma drunk driving accident claim is generally two years. However, there are some exceptions to the two-year deadline, so you must seek the advice of an experienced Oklahoma City drunk driving accident attorney to be sure of your personal injury claim deadline.
You cannot seek compensation for your damages if you miss your deadline.
Another important reason to consult an attorney right away is to protect the evidence. Vital evidence can be lost, destroyed, or diminished over time. Our drunk driving accident lawyers immediately seek, collect, and preserve the best evidence to support your case. The sooner you contact us, the better we can protect your rights.
How Much is an OKC Drunk Driving Accident Claim Worth?
Determining the value of an accident case can be complex. What an OKC drunk driving accident is worth depends on the specifics of each case.
However, some of the factors used to value a drunk driving accident claim include:
- The type and severity of the victim’s injuries
- The length of the victim’s recovery
- Does the victim have any fault in the accident
- The insurance policy coverage limits
- The victim’s total financial losses
- Whether the victim sustained permanent damages
- The impact on the victim’s quality of life
The Warhawk Legal drunk driving accident lawyers work hard to ensure that all of our clients’ damages are included and properly valued. We often consult with expert witnesses such as medical professionals and economists to help us recover the maximum compensation for our clients.
If you are found to be partially at fault in the accident that caused your injuries, you may still be able to seek recovery.
Under Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence statute, if a drunk driving accident victim is 49 percent or less liable for the crash, they can still recover for their damages. If they are 50 percent or more at fault, they will be barred from seeking compensation.
However, if a victim is assigned any fault, their compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them.
For example, if you were assigned 25% falt for the accident, and your damages award was $100,000, you could only recover $75,000. This is because your award was reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
The Warhawk Legal personal injury lawyers work hard to minimize any fault assigned to our clients and to maximize their recovery.
How Often Do Oklahoma Drunk Driving Accidents Occur?
Drunk driving is a significant problem in Oklahoma City and throughout the nation. Approximately 220 Oklahomans are killed, and 2,500 state residents are seriously injured each year in drunk driving collisions.
When not fatal, drunk driving accidents can result in life-altering injuries. Many victims need long-term medical care and may be unable to support themselves or their families.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident, you need the help of an experienced drunk driving accident attorney with a proven track record of recovering maximum compensation for their clients. You need Warhawk Legal.
Our attorneys have protected Oklahoma injury victims’ rights for over twenty years. We fight relentlessly to get our clients every dollar they deserve, and we want to do the same for you.Call us at (405) 397-1717 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We will listen to you, answer your questions, explain your options, and help you get the justice you deserve.
Contact An Oklahoma City Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today
The settlement you get for your injury defines how well you can cover the costs of your injury. Do not make the mistake of accepting the first offer that comes your way and assuming that is the best you can get. Let our Oklahoma City car wreck attorneys help you maximize your compensation, and call our Oklahoma City office today. Call 405-397-1717 or email us to schedule your initial consultation today.