What to do after a drunk driving crashes injury
- Get emergency medical care.
- Make sure police investigate intoxication and document the arrest.
- Preserve any video — dashcam, bystander, business cameras.
- Don't accept early offers — punitive exposure usually pushes settlement higher later.
Why hire a lawyer for a drunk driving crashes case?
Drunk-driving claims combine insurance coverage, possible dram shop claims against bars and restaurants, and potential punitive damages. A lawyer maps out every layer of recovery.
Common injuries we see
- Catastrophic head and brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Multiple fractures
- Wrongful death
What you can recover
Medical bills, future care, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, and punitive damages where the conduct supports them.
State law that affects your case
Both Florida, Georgia and New York have dram shop laws allowing claims against alcohol providers who served a visibly intoxicated patron (or, in some cases, a minor) when that service caused the harm. Punitive damages are also available against drunk drivers in clear cases under each state's punitive damages framework. Georgia has dram shop liability under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-40, allowing claims against alcohol providers who knowingly served a noticeably intoxicated person. Punitive damages are available against drunk drivers under Georgia law as well.
Insurance company tactics to watch for
- Quick 'policy limits' tenders that try to close the file before dram shop or other defendants are identified.
- Pressuring victims with stories about how 'the criminal case will take care of it' — it won't.
How our process works
- Free consultation.
- Investigation of bars/restaurants and any other contributors.
- Medical and economic documentation.
- Demand, negotiation, and litigation including punitive claims when supported.
