Drunk Driving Accidents
Our Freehold Injury Lawyers Serve Clients Throughout New Jersey
At Lomurro Law, drunk driving accidents are among the most infuriating cases we face, because these kinds of accidents are completely avoidable. A DWI does nothing for you directly – you need full compensation for your injuries. Our New Jersey injury lawyers relentlessly pursue claims arising from DWI accidents. In all likelihood, your claim will be settled out of court with an insurance company, although we cannot offer an absolute guarantee of this. If push does come to shove and your claim goes to trial, however, our skilled trial lawyers enjoy one of the most successful records in the state of New Jersey.
How Does A Criminal DWI Charge Affect A Civil Compensation Claim?
A criminal trial and a civil claim are two different procedures, and different sets of laws apply. In a criminal proceeding the standard of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt” to win a conviction, while in a civil proceeding such as a lawsuit, the standard is the much lower “preponderance of evidence” standard, which means something like a 51% likelihood of liability is enough to win a judgement.
Consequently, you can win a personal injury claim based on DWI even if the defendant is acquitted in criminal court. If the defendant is convicted in criminal court, of course that is good news for your claim. Even if you establish DWI, however, you still must prove that the defendant’s intoxication actually caused the accident.
The Value Of Your Claim Could Far Exceed Your Medical Expenses
In addition to medical expenses, you might also be entitled to compensation for:
- Lost earnings while you were off work;
- Child care expenses; and
- Pain and suffering and other psychological distress.
In unusual cases, where the defendants conduct was particularly outrageous (intentionally causing an accident in a fit of road rage, for example), punitive damages might even be possible.
You Can File A Claim Against An Alcohol Vendor Or A Social Host
New Jersey’s dram shop law allows an injured victim to file a claim against a third-party alcohol vendor or social host who served an obviously intoxicated person, or against an alcohol vendor who served an underage person, if that person’s intoxication later caused an auto accident. You might sue not only the driver but also the bar that sold the driver alcohol, for example, especially if the available insurance coverage would otherwise be inadequate to cover your claim.
Our Law Firm Puts More Than 130 Years Of Combined Legal Experience And Knowledge On Your Side
DWI laws are designed to make sure an intoxicated driver pays his debt to society. But that doesn’t take care of his debt to you for all the pain and suffering they caused you. For that, you need the assistance of experienced injury lawyers who know how to press a personal injury claim and obtain favorable results. Our office in Freehold can be reached by calling 732-482-9285 or by filling out our online contact form. We can visit you at your home or in the hospital if your injuries prevent you from visiting us.