Because the legal consequences of drunken driving have become quite severe, it might seem like it’s unnecessary to sue drunken drivers. Suing a drunken driver that causes an injury or death, however, is not done to teach them a lesson. It may have that effect, but that is not the primary reason that people sue drunk drivers.
The Legal System and Justice
If somebody is guilty of drunken driving, the state will determine what type of penalties they will face and how hard their sentence will be. While this may serve people’s notions of justice, it doesn’t do anything for the victims of drunk drivers and it doesn’t help those victims to pay for any of the costs that drunken driving oftentimes results in for victims. This is where lawsuits come in. Lawsuits are designed to help the victims of a crime. The state will worry about justice and fining or jailing people who are guilty of a crime. The state will not generally help anybody deal with the actual consequences of being a victim.
Suing the Driver
If somebody is intoxicated and they cause you property damage, injury or kill somebody you love, suing them for damages is one of the options you have to help you recover. If you are injured, it’s likely that you’re going to be laid up for a while and will not be able to work. This, of course, means that you’re going to lose money that you would normally make at work, in addition to the expenses caused by the accident. You may have to replace your vehicle and your insurance may not pay enough for you to do that. Suing the driver and getting financial compensation is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you don’t end up footing the bill for somebody else’s drunken driving escapade.
Talk to a Lawyer
A car accident lawyer in Dallas can help you to understand your options if you have been injured or had your property destroyed by a drunk driver. An accident attorney will understand how you may use a lawsuit as a means to get compensation. They will also be able to tell you if it’s unlikely that you would win your claim. If they believe that you would not win, they will simply turn down your case, in most instances. This is because the attorneys generally only get paid if they manage to win the claim for their client.
