Some differences between suing drunk drivers and standard accident cases in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City, OK – Many lawyers in Oklahoma and other states focus their injury practices on issues related to motor vehicle accidents. This is because there are large volumes of cars on the roads each day, accidents are fairly common, and people who are injured often cannot pay their expenses without getting help from a lawyer and attempting to receive a settlement for expenses such as healthcare and lost income. Another common problem is drunk driving, and civil cases against intoxicated drunk drivers are also necessary in these situations as well. This is because drunk driving accidents are known to cause fatalities or life changing injuries. 

Attorneys near me can provide help to anyone who has recently been injured by a drunk driver in the state of Oklahoma. 

Accident lawsuits

Oklahoma City accident lawyers routinely deal with civil cases that involve negligent drivers. A civil negligence case argues that the defendant breached their duty of care, which resulted in various kinds of harm to the plaintiff. These negligence cases can be brought in civil courts for many different kinds of personal injuries, but motor vehicle collisions are one of the most common reasons. In most accident cases that do not involve drunk driving, evidence of traffic violations or mistakes such as speeding, distracted driving, going through stop signs, or illegal lane changes tend to be very important. 

Suing drunk drivers

Oklahoma City DUI accident lawyers can also file a civil lawsuit against a drunk driver, regardless of the outcome of any criminal charges against them. As in other accident lawsuits, the main goal is to prove that the driver deviated from the standard of care on the roads, and drunk driving may be one important piece of evidence used to prove these facts. However, it is not always necessary to prove the same elements of the crime of DUI in the civil lawsuit. There is also a higher burden of proof in the criminal case against the drunk driver. 

Compensation in accident lawsuits

Both types of accident lawsuits allow for the same types of compensation through the civil courts. This includes economic damages for specific losses such as hospitalization, other forms of medical treatment, time away from work, as well as paying for the victim’s pain and suffering. As a general rule, these amounts increase if the person was injured more severely or there were fatalities. This means that minor accidents may not be worth pursuing through lawsuits, but it is always best to check with an attorney to see if legal action is necessary. 

Accident lawyers in Oklahoma are available

USAttorneys.com is a website that lists lawyers throughout the country. Anyone who needs to meet with a licensed attorney can choose a practice area and their state to get started.