LET OUR DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENT LAWYERS IN RICHMOND VIRGINIA HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD
Contact our firm now online or by phone at (828) 414-8614 to schedule a free case evaluation with our Richmond drunk driving accident attorneys.
One minute you are driving home with your children in the back seat and the next, out of nowhere, a drunk driver runs a red light and slams into your car.
Thankfully, you and your children survived, but it may be a long road to recovery.
Where do you turn for help? What can you do to hold the drunk driver accountable? Who is going to help pay for your family’s medical expenses?
At River Run Law, our personal injury lawyers are here to answer these questions and help you recover compensation for everything your family has been through.
Virginia Drunk Driving Statistics
Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of preventable car accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 people die in drunk driving accidents every day.
Of course, Virginia is not immune from the dangers of drunk driving. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles reports that in 2020, drunk drivers were responsible for 3,986 injuries and 272 deaths.
Can Accident Victims Hold Drunk Drives Financially Responsible?
Under Virginia law, anyone injured in a drunk driving accident can pursue a personal injury case against the impaired driver.
To successfully bring a Richmond drunk driving claim, an accident victim must establish the elements of a personal injury lawsuit:
- The drunk driver owed the accident victim a duty of care,
- The drunk driver violated the duty of care owed to the accident victim,
- The drunk driver’s negligence caused the accident, and
- The accident victim suffered legally recognizable damages.
If an accident victim can prove each of these elements, they may be able to recover financial compensation from the drunk driver.
Damages in a Richmond DUI Accident Lawsuit
If you are successful in bringing a drunk driving accident lawsuit, you can recover compensation for your accident-related expenses.
While every case is different, Virginia law permits accident victims to recover for both their economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages (which add up quickly) include:
- Lost wages,
- Decreased in earning capacity,
- Medical bills,
- Future medical expenses, and
- Property damage.
Non-economic damages (which represent the more intangible losses and are not given to easy calculation) include:
- Physical pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress;
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement;
- Loss of opportunities;
- Loss of familial relationships.
While non-economic damages are harder to wrap your head around because they are subjective in nature, they are essential to a full and fair recovery.
Thus, it is essential for accident victims to work with an attorney who can identify the full extent of their damages to ensure they are fairly compensated.
In addition to the damages listed above, in some cases, a victim can claim punitive damages in drunk driving accident cases.
These are damages designed to punish the conduct of the driver and are awarded on top of the damages listed above.
In drunk driving cases, punitive damages can be awarded by law depending on the circumstances of the accident.
Because of the complexity involved, it’s important to involve a qualified Richmond drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Contact a Drunk Driver Accident Lawyer for Immediate Assistance
If you or a loved one recently suffered serious injuries in a DUI accident, there is no need to type “drunk driving accident lawyer Richmond, VA” into your search engine.
Instead, reach out directly to the experienced injury lawyers at River Run Law.
At our Richmond DUI accident law firm, we proudly represent accident victims and their families, helping connect them with the compensation they need and deserve.
To learn more about River Run Law, and to schedule a free case evaluation, give us a call at (828) 414-8614 today.
You can also connect with us through our online contact form.
Where You Can Find Our Richmond Office