Drunk Driving Auto Accident Attorneys in Tallahassee, FL Offering Skilled Legal Support in Leon County, Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Gadsden County, and Throughout Florida
When a motorist makes the choice to get behind the wheel impaired by alcohol, they aren’t the only ones who suffer the consequences. As the victim of a drunk driving accident, you’re grappling with complex physical injuries and limitations, financial hardships, and the frustrating reality that this whole ordeal was avoidable. The Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. have dedicated their careers to holding negligent motorists accountable for the harm they cause.
Minimizing the impact of this accident on your life requires every dollar of compensation available to you. We’ll explore all options for recovering compensation to help make you financially whole, starting with a free consultation and case review. Contact us today for dedicated legal assistance.
Common Injuries From Drunk Driving Accidents
We know what you’re going through: serious, painful injuries that keep you out of work, limit your mobility, and leave you worried about the future. The road to recovery is often long and difficult, and the medical expenses of getting the treatment you need are piling up.
Our drunk driving auto accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, fight for victims who have suffered all types of serious injuries, such as:
- Concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and other types of head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries that can lead to partial or complete paralysis
- Amputations, including the severing of body parts in the crash as well as damage to a limb that necessitates surgical amputation
- Internal damage, including internal bleeding and injuries to internal organs like the lungs, kidneys, heart, and spleen
- Broken bones, including fractures of the arms, legs, ribs, and sternum
- Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries which, despite not affecting the bones, can result in significant and potentially long-term damage to the nerves, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and spinal discs
Drunk driving collisions often result in severe injuries to the unsuspecting victims unfortunate enough to be sharing the road with the impaired motorist. One reason these injuries are so often serious is the drunk driver’s failure to make effective efforts to avoid the crash.
An alert driver who makes a mistake behind the wheel will often try to correct it by braking, adapting their steering, or making other adjustments to their course. These efforts don’t always manage to avoid a collision but may at least lessen the force of impact and the severity of the injuries that result. However, a driver who is severely impaired by alcohol may be unable to even recognize the danger of an impending crash, much less take effective steps to change course.
Drunk Driving Accident Injury Claims in Tallahassee, FL
Driving while impaired by alcohol is a dangerous yet prevalent practice in Florida. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported 5,071 crashes involving drivers impaired by alcohol in 2023. These wrecks resulted in 325 fatalities and 3,034 injuries. As a victim harmed by the careless behavior of a drunk driver, you unfortunately have plenty of company.
Our Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers are committed to advocating for the rights of injured victims and fighting to secure them financial compensation.
Legal Rights to Compensation in Florida Drunk Driving Accident Claims
Under Florida state law, people injured by another party’s negligence have the legal right to pursue financial compensation to make them whole, but there are certain conditions that affect this right.
Seeking Compensation Under Florida’s No-Fault Insurance System
The state’s no-fault law means that those injured in car accidents generally turn to their personal injury protection (PIP) coverage through their own auto insurance policy to cover their medical bills. This coverage generally pays 80% of the injured policyholder’s necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000.
This $10,000 of coverage may not be anywhere near enough when your injuries are severe. In the case of serious or permanent injuries, the victim of a drunk driving accident may have grounds to sue the impaired driver and recover compensation through that motorist’s auto insurance policy.
Opportunities and Obstacles Under FL Dram Shop Law
In certain instances, it may be possible to hold other parties accountable for drunk driving accidents, as well. Many states, including Florida, have established dram shop laws under which it’s possible in certain circumstances for a person or establishment that sells or otherwise furnishes alcohol to face liability for the harm the impaired driver caused by driving while drunk.
However, seeking compensation through a bar or other establishment that over-served a drunk driver is more difficult in Florida than in many other states. Per state law (Section 768.125 of Florida Statutes), a person or establishment may only be held liable for the damage caused by someone to whom they furnished alcohol if the driver was under the legal drinking age or known to be “habitually addicted” to alcohol. To seek dram shop compensation, you need the guidance of experienced drunk driving auto accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL.
Proving Negligence
To hold any party accountable for your drunk driving accident injuries, you need to present the facts that establish their negligence and how it caused your damages. Generally, driving under the influence of alcohol is known to be a dangerous activity. By presenting evidence of the drunk driver’s impairment, you can establish negligent conduct that goes against the duty of care motorists owe to others on the roadway.
How Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. Can Help Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents
Proving another party’s negligence requires considerable knowledge of the legal system. You should always undertake the claims process with Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers like Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. on your side.
Providing Comprehensive Legal Representation for the Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk drivers can wreak havoc on the roadways, causing injuries to so many other parties, including:
- Their own passengers
- Occupants of other vehicles (drivers and passengers)
- Truck drivers
- Motorcycle riders
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
In rare cases, a drunk driver may even leave the road completely and strike a building, injuring its occupants.
Our attorneys handle a full range of personal injury claims, so whatever the circumstances of your crash with a drunk driver, we can help.
Overcoming Challenges in Drunk Driving Accident Injury Cases
Given the known risks and illegality of drunk driving, you might expect it to be easy for injured victims to receive the compensation they deserve. However, drunk driving accident victims still have to undertake a formal claims process and present evidence of negligence and documentation of their damages to convince an insurance company to pay their claim.
Insurers are generally reluctant to pay claims. They sometimes engage in practices that further victimize the injured by delaying the claim or offering less compensation than they deserve. In some instances, insurance companies may attempt to deny the injured victim’s claim altogether.
Our Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers are prepared to stand up to insurance companies and the tactics they use. We can help you overcome obstacles such as:
- Claim denials in which the insurer argues the impaired driving constitutes an intentional act and thus is not covered under the policy
- Efforts to reduce your payout by unfairly placing blame for the accident partially on you
- Arguments against dram shop liability on behalf of bars and other establishments that served impaired drivers
- Disputes over the severity of your injuries or the necessity of your medical care
You shouldn’t have to go through this stressful ordeal alone or face the difficulties of coming up with solutions to common claims problems without professional legal help. The team of Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. is here to confront all obstacles that complicate the claims process.
Why Choose Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A.?
For strong representation and committed advocacy in a case against an impaired driver, you need legal counsel with experience handling drunk driving and personal injury law. Find out why Florida injury victims consider Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. authorities in securing drunk driving accident compensation.
Dedication to Getting Results for Drunk Driving Accident Victims
With so much depending on the outcome of your claim, you need your case in the hands of an attorney who cares as much about getting results as you do. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. approaches every case from the perspective that there’s too much at stake not to give your case our all. We fight tirelessly to ensure the victims of drunk driving accidents receive the compensation they need to offset financial hardships, afford medical care, and find a path forward.
Decades of Legal Practice
Successfully securing full compensation for drunk driving accident claims in Florida requires plenty of experience. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. has served clients for upwards of 35 years, handling more than 10,000 cases. Our team of Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers have more than 100 years of combined experience to guide you through all obstacles and inspire effective legal strategies.
Skilled Legal Assistance at No Upfront Cost
You’ve been through enough unfairness at the hands of a dangerously impaired driver. The last thing you need is an additional financial burden. To ensure you can afford the qualified representation you need no matter what, Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. offer complimentary consultations and contingency fee legal services. That means you can retain our drunk driving auto accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, without paying any upfront fees. Under a contingency fee arrangement, you only pay a portion of the compensation we succeed in getting for you, so there’s no risk of moving forward with a claim.
Contact the Tallahassee Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. Today for a Free Consultation
The sooner you bring on our Tallahassee drunk driving accident lawyers, the more we can do to build your claim for success and take away some of the stress this crash has caused you. Let us handle your legal matter and the interactions with the insurance company while you focus on your recovery.
For help from experienced drunk driving auto accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, contact Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney, P.A. online or call us today.
