Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Newton, MA
Drunk drivers put all of us at significant risk of injury or even death. Our firm has long supported the efforts of anti-drunk driving groups that are devoted to reducing drunk driving and increasing penalties for intoxicated drivers.
Tragically, the victims of drunk driving crashes may suffer from a number of catastrophic injuries. These include broken or fractured bones, paralysis, permanent disability, spinal cord injury, severe burns, head and brain injury, and crushed limbs and organs.
If you have been injured by a drunk driver or an impaired driver, you are legally entitled to full financial compensation for all damages sustained as the result of your injuries.
Types of Compensation Available in a Drunk Driving Accident
There are two primary types of compensation available to victims injured in a drunk driving accident. The first is called economic damages and covers the monetary losses associated with your accident. This includes:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical bills, such as rehabilitation costs from your injury
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Property damage, such as the loss of your vehicle
The second type, called non-economic damage, applies to the non-financial losses of your accident. This may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Oftentimes, lawyers use the economic damage amount to calculate non-economic damages. The former is easy to calculate, as it hinges on specific financial losses associated with your case. Generally, lawyers determine a fair non-economic damage amount by multiplying the economic damage amount by a factor between 1.5 and 5, but it depends on the facts and circumstances of each case.
Punitive Damages in Massachusetts Drunk Driving Accidents
A third type of damages may be available to you if there is a death in a drunk driving accident. These damages, called punitive damages, aren’t compensatory like economic and non-economic damages. Instead, the courts award them to punish the drunk driver for their actions to deter them from committing the act again.
Punitive damages aren’t a guarantee in a personal injury case, but since drunk driving cases often involve gross negligence and/or willful, wanton, or reckless acts, the courts may award them in a death case. We will evaluate your case to determine what types of damages may be available to you, your family, or your estate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Against a Drunk Driver?
In Massachusetts, you have three years to file a lawsuit against the drunk driver responsible for your injuries. This timeframe is called the statute of limitations. If you don’t file your claim within this timeframe, you might not be able to pursue compensation from the at-fault party, so it’s important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. It’s important to note that the statute of limitations for these cases can vary from state to state.
How Much is My Personal Injury Lawsuit Worth?
The worth of your personal injury lawsuit varies based on factors specific to your case, including the severity of your injuries and the likelihood of a full recovery. Generally, cases involving more severe injuries with a lesser likelihood of a full recovery are worth more, but the circumstances of the case determine this. Your lawyer will determine a fair and meaningful amount to pursue based on these circumstances.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Drunk Driving Accident?
Although you technically don’t need a lawyer to represent you in a drunk driving accident, it’s a wise idea to employ the expertise of a skilled drunk driving accident lawyer. These lawyers are well-versed in state and federal laws and common defenses that may be used against you. They’re here to protect your best interests and help you fight for fair compensation, so it’s a good idea to employ their expertise if you’ve been injured in a drunk driving accident.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer?
At the Fogelman Law Firm, we know how financially devastating a drunk driving accident can be. In such a tumultuous time, the thought of budgeting for a lawyer can be the last thing on your mind. However, we work on contingency, which means you won’t pay us a fee unless we recover for you.
Replace the bullet list of damages available with this
Settlements & Verdicts
A young professional woman who was struck by a hit-and-run drunk driver after exiting a taxi in Cambridge.
A boating crash in which a man suffered severe pelvic injuries and nearly died.
A 25-year-old female pedestrian who was struck by an automobile that broke her nose and caused a deviated septum.
Criminal and Civil Liability for Drunk Driving
Drunk drivers who cause accidents and injuries are usually prosecuted criminally. In a criminal case, if a person is found guilty of drunk driving (or pleads guilty to drunk driving), such conviction can be used towards proving drunk driving in a civil case for damages.
If the driver has not yet been convicted of drunk driving, then in a civil trial we will want to prove that the driver was drunk. This can be done through obtaining police reports and introducing other evidence, such as Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) test results and testimony from witnesses about a driver’s erratic behavior.
Wrongful Death Caused by Drunk Drivers
Our sincere condolences if you have lost a family member due to drunk driving. We are especially vigorous in drunk driving wrongful death cases, as are prosecutors, who will typically seek the maximum penalties available for drunk drivers (particularly for repeat drunk drivers). We would invite you to see our pages on Wrongful Death to learn more about this area of our practice.
Get Started Now to Obtaining Justice and Compensation
While we can’t undo drunk driving crashes, we can work tenaciously on your behalf to bring a measure of justice and compensation to you and your family.
Find out how we can help and the options available to you. Call us today for a free consultation. As with other injury matters, there is no fee for us to represent you during the duration of your case, and we are only entitled to a fee if we recover for you.
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