Florida Lawyer Blog

Drunk driving cases are on the rise. To stop this nuisance, the state of Florida has adopted stringent drunk driving laws. As per these directives, an individual charged with driving under the influence of alcohol faces severe penalties. These aggravate if others face injury because of him/her. However, this is part of the domain of criminal law.

If the drunk driver causes damage to life and property while operating the vehicle, a separate civil lawsuit comes up. As a victim, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the individual. This is necessary if you wish to claim compensation for the damages caused by his/her thoughtless actions.

When an individual gets his/her driving privileges, there comes with it a duty to care. He/she requires understanding that there are certain responsibilities as a driver. Drinking and driving is a gross negligence of this duty. Consult with a capable injury lawyer to understand the intricacies of the law applicable on your case.

The victim’s compensation includes economic damages like medical costs, lost wages, pays and benefits, property damages, and so on. Non-economic damages like pain and suffering, alterations in lifestyle, mental trauma, and such others are also within the scope of the claim.

In certain cases, Florida dram shop law gives the victim the right to pursue the restaurant/bar/shop that provided the driver with the alcohol for compensation. Your Florida personal injury lawyer is the best guide to help you ascertain the entity responsible and sue accordingly.

A competent personal injury lawyer can get witnesses to testify regarding the accident and accumulate expert opinions about the amount of compensation. There are no limits to the amount of compensation for the injury. However, the amount of compensation decreases if the victim was partially responsible for the accident as well, as per the ‘comparative negligence’ rule applicable in Florida.