Does criminal DUI have any bearing on increased jury awards in San Diego?

California – November 10, 2022

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) one person dies every 45 minutes in drunk driving crashes.  A California dui accident lawyer will use evidence gathered by scene reconstruction professionals, police reports, medical reports and property valuations to build a case for damage awards, especially when criminal charges support fault identifying a reckless act by a driver and their responsibility toward the accident victims.

Car Insurance and liability.

Car insurance is a requirement for California drivers and provides a means to cover costs related to harmful losses resulting from a car accident.  California law recognizes responsibility for any part of negligent acts that lead to injury of another person, and insurance compensation is adjusted in accordance with the percentage of fault assigned to each driver.  A San Diego injury lawyer can assist victims with the valuation of damages after an accident that will usually include economic and non-economic damages.  An accident attorney can explain the possibility of punitive damages for individual cases when DUI is involved reflecting a higher total monetary award amount.

Damage awards and criminal charges.

Penalties for impaired driving can include driver’s license revocation, vehicle interlock devices, fines, and jail time, while criminal charges may range from misdemeanors to felony offenses. Insurance companies will impose some responsibility onto the driver after an arrest for a DUI offense that results in a car accident.  Claim payments may not cover the costs if the driver is held responsible for compensation to address all harms that they have caused to other roadway drivers. Consultation with experienced car accident attorneys is a prudent option to make certain that all avenues of fiscal recovery are addressed.

Police reports and medical screening.

Police reports are valuable documents to support accident claims when criminal charges are imposed for drunk driving.  Accident victims should undertake medical screening regardless of obvious personal injury as diagnostic testing may reveal internal and invisible injuries. Medical personnel must run diagnostic testing to determine if the accident victim has been cleared of these injuries.  Traumatic brain injury, concussions, or other brain conditions should be ruled out after a car accident to prevent further harmful losses to the victim.  A personal injury lawyer will use these reports to build a case for damage award amounts.

Hire an attorney.

Seek counsel at Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates where an experience dui accident lawyer can win a personal injury lawsuit against a drunk driver after proving they were liable for injuries based on their negligent action of driving while intoxicated.  Negligence per se can be established when a lawyer proves that the driver violated the law and the violation led to the accident that caused harmful losses.  Accident attorneys will assist with the completion of insurance and legal documents toward the recovery of damages.

Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates, a Professional Law Corporation
501 West Broadway, Suite 1650
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-233-8021
Fax: 619-233-3730

Sources.

1. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving
2. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/
3. Law section (ca.gov)
4. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program – California DMV