Drunk Driving
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Auto Accidents Attorneys Are Experts In Handling Drunk Driver Injury Claims

When you’ve been injured by a drunk driver, you need an experienced personal injury attorney on your side. A Drunk Driver Accident Attorney helps victims that have been injured or killed by drunk drivers. We pledge to pursue the personal injury claim to the fullest extent of the law.

While it is an individual’s choice whether or not to have a drink, our law firm strongly believes that it is never acceptable to drive a vehicle while impaired with alcohol and/or any sort of drug. Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents cause serious injuries and deaths – averaging untold injuries and one death every 50 minutes, every day.

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Have You Been Injured By a Drunk Driver?

Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys has been very successful at aggressively pursuing auto accident claims against drunk drivers. With the help of an experienced DUI Accident Attorney, you can expect to be compensated for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and your current and expected future medical bills. 

Additionally, you should be compensated for all financial losses you experienced from the drunk driving accident. Ritchie Reiersen Law has offices with local personal injury lawyers in Portland, Yakima, Kennewick, Tacoma, and Auburn for your convenience. Call our personal injury firm at (888) 884-7337 for a free consultation with an experienced DUI car accident attorney.

Insurance Claims Against DUI Drivers

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a drunk/intoxicated driver, you need an experienced attorney to help you with your insurance claim. DUI injury claims tend to be complicated.

An experienced auto accident attorney will not only work hard to protect your rights, but they will fight for the compensation you deserve. An attorney will also pursue legal action against the DUI driver when necessary.

Insurance Company

Compensation After a DUI Injury Accident

  • Medical Bills
  • Pain and Suffering
  • Lost Wages
  • Disability
  • Rehabilitation
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Trauma
  • Long and Short-Term Disability
  • Nerve Damage
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Call Ritchie Reiersen Law today at: Our personal injury attorneys have successful experience handling claims against drunk drivers. At Ritchie Reiersen Law, we understand how traumatic an auto accident can be. You don’t have to take on the stress alone – we will be by your side, helping you receive the consideration and compensation you deserve.

Drunk Driving FAQs

Cooperate fully with the police. Try to get the other driver’s name, insurance company, and address. Seek out a medical consultation to document injuries. Report the accident to your insurance company. Request a copy of the police accident report, and contact a personal injury attorney. You can request criminal restitution for certain damages through the prosecutor’s office. Additionally, be prepared to be contacted by the prosecutor’s office as a witness to the incident. With the help of a personal injury attorney, you can be assured that your rights will be protected and you can receive the compensation you deserve for the damages you sustained.

A driver may be charged with a DUI if a breath or blood test shows that the amount of alcohol in their body is:

  • .08 or higher for adults (21 and over).
  • .04 or higher for commercial vehicle drivers.
  • .02 or higher for minors (under 21).
    OR

He or she is found to be driving a vehicle under the influence or affected by alcohol, any drug, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, regardless of the concentration of alcohol in their breath or blood.

Not necessarily. In order to presume negligence, you must prove that their physical and/or mental abilities were so impaired at the time of the accident that they were unable to drive with the caution or abilities one would normally have.

Yes. An attorney has the knowledge of the laws as well as the tools to help prove impairment and possible negligence on the part of the other driver. Not only will the case be smoother with the help of a personal injury attorney, but it is likely that your settlement offer will be significantly larger with an attorney by your side.

Washington state allows a vendor that serves alcohol to be held liable if they serve alcohol to a person who is “obviously intoxicated” or “apparently under the influence” – this is referred to as dram shop liability. For example, if Sally is slurring her speech and stumbles when she walks, but the bartender continues to serve her alcohol, the vendor (bar, restaurant, tavern, etc.) could also be held liable for the accident that Sally caused by driving drunk. The dram shop liability law applies to both minors under the age of 21 as well as adults.

Along the same vein, when minors under the age of 21 cause a collision by driving under the influence, their victim can file a claim against the host of the social event where they were served alcohol. Social host liability is only relevant in cases where the driver is a minor under the age of 21 and they were served alcohol at a private social event. If an adult is served too much alcohol at a private social event and later causes a collision due to being intoxicated, the law does not allow a social host to share in the liability.

No. The law does not differentiate between individuals who drive under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, or street drugs. This is why the term “Driving Under the Influence” (DUI) is used, rather than “drunk driving.” However, the relationship between blood alcohol levels and driver impairment is well-known – thus making driving under the influence of alcohol cases easier to prove than other DUI cases.

No. We strongly discourage any statements to or written communication with the other person’s insurance company until after you have discussed the incident with a qualified auto accident attorney. Most importantly, never sign any papers without consulting with an attorney first. We offer a free consultation for this reason – give us a chance to help you understand what your options are before you sign anything.

While it is not uncommon for an insurance company to reach out to the injured party to get a recorded statement, we recommend you consult with a personal injury attorney before engaging with the insurance company. They are often interested in offering an early settlement amount – which tends to be significantly less than the amount you will really need to cover your damages. Especially in the case of being injured by a drunk driver, never accept payment or sign anything from the insurance company without first consulting with a car accident attorney. Make sure your rights are being protected!

Most personal injury attorneys work on what is called a contingency fee. Basically, this means that the fees you owe will be contingent upon you winning your case. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. There is no upfront cost, and there will be no hidden fees. When we win your case for you we will receive a portion of the settlement amount as payment for our services – a percentage that we discuss and agree upon prior to signing a contract for services. The initial consultation is free and carries no obligation on your part.

 

You would be eligible to recover the standard compensation for damages covering lost wages, medical care, property damage, pain and suffering, and disability. There is also a possibility to request punitive damages against a driver who was found to be operating a vehicle while under the influence. Additionally, in the case of a wrongful death, the next of kin may recover damages for loss of means of support, loss of companionship, etc. Each case and experience will be different – if you have been involved in an accident with a driver who was driving under the influence, your best option is to call a personal injury attorney right away. With a free consultation, you will be able to ask your questions, explain your situation, and receive honest feedback on your case.

No. Laws have recently changed that prohibit a person from filing Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in order to avoid paying criminal restitution or personal injury judgments for drunk driving claims. Even if a judgment is awarded against a drunk driving offender and that person subsequently files for bankruptcy, they will still be responsible to pay the damages – those will not be discharged through the bankruptcy action.

What a Local Personal Injury Attorney Can Do For You

Drunk driving accidents accounted for nearly 30 percent of traffic fatalities in 2018. In the United States alone, almost 30 people are killed a day from drunk drivers – that’s one person killed every 50 minutes, equating to over 10,000 deaths a year.  If drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher were kept off the roads, it is estimated that 7,144 deaths could have been prevented in 2018.  Given the seriousness of drunk driving accidents, you need an experienced car accident attorney with knowledge of drunk driver car accident cases to help with your claim. Ritchie Reiersen Law has offices in Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco), Yakima, Tacoma, Auburn, and Portland. Call today for your free consultation at:

You have questions. We have answers.

Figuring out the best course of action after a car accident can be intimidating. Without taking the correct steps to protect your rights, you could miss out on a significant sum of money. Our attorneys will go the extra mile to secure the maximum compensation you deserve. Get our free e-book on car accidents.  You’ll learn everything you need to know about choosing the right auto injury attorney, dealing with insurance issues, getting medical coverage and more. To discuss the specifics of your case during a free consultation, get in touch with our office.

Download Our Car Accident Crash Book Free

Get help after an accident from accident injury lawyers. This book is full of easy to understand action steps so you can protect yourself or your family.

I wish I would have had this book when I was hit 10 years ago. I made so many mistakes and ended up paying for it with long term injuries that weren’t covered, and the regret of looking back at the compensation I should have received for my car, my pain and my time.”

Jordan from Yakima
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Car Accident Question Videos

Question 2:

How to open a claim?

Question 3:

What If I am Injured in Car Accident? 

Question 4:

How Will I Pay For My Medical Bills?

Question 5:

What Happens If I Miss Work?