If you enter an auto accident, you may opt into your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage to help cover the immediate expenses you incurred. However, this may not be enough to cover the entire extent of your injuries and other damages. This is what might make you turn to an auto accident claim against the other involved driver, especially if you believe they were purely negligent in driving drunk. Well, for this, please read on to discover how to prove the fault of a drunk driver and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County car accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can guide you throughout your claim proceedings.
How do I prove the fault of a drunk driver in my accident claim?
Establishing fault is especially pivotal for personal injury claims made in Maryland. This is because having a small percentage of blame assigned to you may cause you to miss out on financial compensation completely.
Nonetheless, for your claim, you must prove that the driver was negligent by being under the influence of alcohol; that this negligence had them initiate an auto accident with you; that you incurred injuries from the accident event; and that you are now paying for damages associated with the accident and your injuries.
Well, an undeniable piece of evidence for this may be the results of a blood alcohol content (BAC) level test, conducted by the law enforcement officer you called to the scene. A copy of the officer’s accident report may also reveal their observations of the other driver’s impaired behavior.
What’s more, eyewitness accounts may solidify how the other driver was driving erratically in the moments leading up to your collision. They may even have videos of the other driver’s odd or aggressive conduct in the aftermath of the crash. If not, there may have been surveillance camera footage from the neighboring area, or you may have been equipped with dash cam footage installed in your vehicle.
When will my drunk driving accident claim proceedings take place?
You must understand that driving under the influence (DUI) is considered a criminal offense in Maryland. This is to say that the other driver may have to defend themselves in criminal proceedings before they can attend the civil court proceedings for your personal injury claim. This is regardless of how immediately you might have brought forward your claim.
However, you may be worried that your receiving financial compensation may be delayed because of this. Well, you may rest easier knowing that the criminal court judge may order the other driver to pay you restitution. Essentially, this payment should similarly cover your economic losses caused by their criminal offense. Then, you may recover the rest, including your non-economic damages, in your upcoming civil claim proceedings.
If you need recovery urgently, please do not miss another opportunity to schedule an initial consultation with a competent St. Mary’s County auto accident lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm. Contact our firm today.
