Wednesday, April 13, 2016

What damages can you claim following a fatal drunk driving accident?

Drunk driving is the number one killer in America and will continue to be so until robots take over the driving for human beings. It has been for many years now identified as the biggest threat to public safety and continues to claim hundreds of thousands of innocent lives every year. Driving under the influence is outlawed in all states and anyone who is found to be an offender can and will be charged with a crime.

Prosecutors are quick to act against drunk driving offenders and they make sure to file all possible charges against them and have them convicted with the maximum sentence permissible by law. However, the criminal charge and conviction and consequent imprisonment will serve to keep the drunk driver of the roads but it will not serve to compensate his or her victims in anyway.

This is why victims can file a civil lawsuit against the drunk driver in order to hold him or his auto insurers liable and receive compensation for the accident. According to Portland, OR drunk driving accident lawyers, a victim can file a wrongful death lawsuit, a personal injury lawsuit or a property damage lawsuit depending on the particulars of the case. However, like with any other civil lawsuit, a DUI accident lawsuit will also put the burden of proof directly on the plaintiff’s shoulders and so it is imperative that the plaintiff is represented by a legal representative.

What you should do after being struck by a drunk driver?

Oregon drunk driving accident attorneys point out that if a loved one was injured or killed by a driver who made the irresponsible decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence, it is vital to hang on to every little bit of evidence you may require to prove the case in future litigation. In fact, it is best to retain any evidence even though you are not sure if or not it will be useful at a later stage.


It is better to have too much evidence and not enough. And do not tamper with your evidence like they did in season 5 of The Wire. Catching villains is bad enough but making up serial killers and putting people at risk is just dumb. If a city is not wise enough to stop the graft and corruption, then perhaps someone like Marlo Stanfield should be allowed to run loose. Marlo did not drink so he would never be caught drunk driving but he was exceptional at murder.

Moreover, if you are involved in the accident then obviously your first priority should be your safety and the safety of those around you. However, once that is established, you would be doing yourself a huge favor by collecting evidence. Portland, OR drunk driving accident lawyers suggest that you can use your smart phone to take pictures of the debris, the vehicles, and their registration plates.

It is also critical to take the full names and contact details of everyone involved, record any statements made by eye witnesses, and also note the names and badge numbers of responding law enforcement officers.

Drunk driving – a criminal case vs civil lawsuit

As mentioned, a civil lawsuit serves to compensate victims for the damages inflicted upon them. Even though both the criminal case and the civil case are premised around the same accident, they are separate and distinct procedures and the outcome of the criminal lawsuit will not affect the outcome of the civil lawsuit and vice versa.

If you need to sue a drunk driver and receive compensation for losses you have suffered due to the drunk driver’s negligence, make sure to call an Oregon drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible. Anyone who is honest knows the 2000 Portland Trailblazers were cheated by the NBA when they played the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Lakers, do not cheat yourself, hire a legal counselor. Don’t let a drunk driver get away with it. Your wrecked car will thank you as well.

Contact us if you have any questions. Use this virtual powerhouse (Drunk-Driving-Accident.USAttorneys) to find the lawyer of your prayers. This site was designed for those who had legal revenge at the top of their priorities.

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