What is the average settlement in a DUI accident claim in Denver?

Denver, CO – Drunk driving accidents have hit a 20-year high in Colorado. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, in 2021, 253 people were killed in DUI accidents across the state. The number of people who lost their lives in a DUI accident represents 36% of all traffic fatalities in Colorado. At the same time, thousands of people were injured, some of them catastrophically, all because some drivers do not understand the dangers of alcohol consumption.

One way of making them understand what they’ve done is to make them pay dearly for their mistakes. If you were injured or lost someone in a DUI accident, you have the right to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. However, you should discuss your options with an experienced Denver DUI accident lawyer first. In some cases, you may have to settle with the drunk driver’s insurance company. If you have sustained serious injuries, you may want to sue the irresponsible driver and seek exemplary damages as well as compensatory damages. Remember that even if the other driver is facing criminal charges, you still have to file a civil case to get the compensation you deserve. 

How is a DUI accident settlement calculated?

If you were injured in an accident, you may wonder how much your claim may be worth. Many people use search engines to find out what is the average settlement for a DUI accident claim. Even if you do find such a figure, it won’t tell you much. Each accident is unique so it’s impossible to say that one victim who suffered several fractures will get the same amount as some guy who broke both legs in a similar crash. Your injuries may be worth less or far more. If you want to know for sure how much money you should be asking for, talk to seasoned Colorado DUI accident lawyers and they’ll do the math for you.

The insurance adjuster or the jury will be looking at four factors to determine the compensation you deserve:

• The severity of your injury (a broken leg is worth far less than a traumatic brain injury requiring surgery and months of physical therapy) 
• The percentage of fault assigned to each driver (Colorado uses a modified comparative negligence rule. If you were also negligent, your damages will be reduced by a percentage corresponding to your share of the blame)
• The losses sustained (your economic and non-economic damages)
• The amount of exemplary damages (if the drunk driver had a high blood alcohol content, the jury may award punitive damages. These are not meant to compensate you, but rather punish the other driver for their gross negligence or egregious behavior)

How much is my claim worth?

Your DUI accident lawyers will help put a figure on the compensatory damages you deserve. Economic damages refer to medical expenses (past and future) and lost wages, including lost future earnings.

If you lost someone in a DUI accident, the economic damages will also include funeral and burial costs.

Calculating the value of your non-economic damages is more difficult as they are meant to compensate victims for their pain and suffering. Your lawyers will take into account the physical pain your injuries caused you, as well as your mental suffering. If you suffer a neck injury and have to wear a collar for a couple of weeks, that may be very annoying and uncomfortable. However, your pain and suffering damages will be far less than those awarded to a victim who has sustained severe spine damage resulting in paralysis. 

This is why some DUI accident claims settle for as little as $5,000, while others reach $2-3 million. 

If you were recently injured or lost someone in a DUI accident, you should contact a knowledgeable lawyer at the Bryan&Terrill law firm to see how you can recover damages.

Contact info:

Bryan & Terrill

333 W. Hampden Ave., #420B

Englewood, CO 80110

(720) 923-2333