Tennessee drunk driving accidents carry a lot of emotional damages for the injured party. It is hard for people to handle any accident, especially knowing the safety risks the negligent party took knowingly when getting behind the wheel. Speaking to a distinguished car accident lawyer can help give you and your family peace of mind regarding your recovery. If you or a family member has been injured in a DUI collision, contact a Tennessee drunk driver accident lawyer as soon as possible.
The injury case and the DUI case get handled separately. Tennessee drunk driver accident lawyers would not be handling the criminal case. The district attorney of Nashville or Murfreesboro or whatever city the person is in will be prosecuting the criminal case. Despite having separate trials, the individual will be involved in both cases.
Common Fact Patterns for Drunk Driving
Accidents caused by drunk driving can happen anytime, anywhere whether in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, or wherever. Tennessee drunk driver accident lawyers have seen more people drinking and driving out on the road on weekends and holidays. Nashville has a lot of the popular tourist areas, whether that be downtown in Broadway or near the colleges. Over by Vanderbilt, there are a lot of places people go out so they tend to happen in those types of locations. But other than that, it can be anywhere, anybody, anytime.
What happens if the Injured Person was also the Drunk Driver?
Despite being a comparative fault state, the government is still going to look at the actions of all parties. If one party was drunk or speeding through a red light, partial responsibility is considered until fault can be established. If the injured person was drunk, that person will normally be left without anything, especially if being under the influence caused or contributed to the accident. If that is the case, they are not going to be able to collect any insurance. They will hopefully have some coverage for their medical bills on their own health insurance but their problem with it is some jail time.
Damages Sought in Drunk Driving Accidents
Seeking damages for Tennessee drunk driving accidents is the same as any car or automobile accident. The person is going to look for his or her medical bills, lost wages, future medical bills, pain and suffering, and all of the damages that a person is allowed to get under the Tennessee laws.
The one additional damage that a person will get in these cases will be punitive or exemplary damages because the law allows an individual to get extra money out of that person to deter this behavior, to punish them for what they have done.
Role of the Injured Party
The injured party does not have to press charges against the drunk driver. However, a Tennessee drunk driver accident lawyer will usually advise them to do so. If they do not, the State of Tennessee will likely do it themselves. Attorneys try to make all potential clients involved as much as they can be. They will always have information that a lawyer does not have. Attorneys always need help from potential clients as to who would be a good witness about the damages and the suffering that they have had, who was with them, and photographs they took at the scene of the accident. If the case proceeds to trial, the injured party may testify or listen to the defendant testify.
The insurance company has a legal team. You should too.
