A driver who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious danger on the road. They are not only risking their own life but everyone else’s lives too. People who have suffered injuries as a result of a drunk driver deserve to be compensated for the car accident.
A report by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) stated that drunk drivers caused 5,000 car accidents that led to 3,000 injuries and 400 deaths in the year 2019. If you were injured in a St. Petersburg drunk driving accident, then you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience and knowledge in managing cases of drunk driving accidents in St. Petersburg and across the State of Florida. Our law firm specializes in helping clients who have been injured in a variety of car accidents, including reckless driving accidents, hit and run accidents, drunk driving accidents, and much more.
Our team of drunk driving accident lawyers will investigate your case and recover the compensation that you deserve for all of the injuries and damages that you sustained. Call us now to set up a free consultation, and we will answer all of the questions that you have in regard to your St. Petersburg drunk driving accident. The phone lines to our office are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a car accident lawyer will recover the compensation that you deserve following a drunk driving accident in St. Petersburg.
Common Types of Drunk Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg, FL.
A driver who travels while under the influence of alcohol usually lacks awareness, alongside having poor judgment and confusion. The most dangerous part of a drunk driver is that they are unpredictable on the road. Our law firm has discovered the most common types of drunk driving accidents over the years as:
- The rear-end collision– A delayed response towards traffic means that it is difficult for a drunk driver to stop in time.
- The head-on collision – Swerving into the opposite lane is a common move for drunk drivers, and it makes it hard for other road users to avoid a collision.
- The T-bone collision – A drunk driver can crash into the side of another motor vehicle when they fail to stop at a red light or a stop sign.
- The wrong way collision – Turning the wrong way on a one-way street or entering the freeway off-ramp is not uncommon for a drunk driver.
Drunk Driving Accident Injuries in St. Petersburg, FL.
The size of the motor vehicles, the speed of the motor vehicles, whether the people involved were wearing their seatbelts, road and weather conditions can all contribute to the type of injuries sustained in a St. Petersburg drunk driving accident.
Our law firm has worked hard to secure compensation for clients who have suffered injuries such as:
- Whiplash.
- Bone fractures.
- Back injuries.
- Neck injuries.
- Spinal injuries.
- Skull fractures.
- Traumatic brain injuries.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Drunk Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, FL?
It is possible that there might have been other parties that contributed to causing the St. Petersburg drunk driving accident, besides the drunk driver. In this case, the other parties could be held partially liable for the injuries and damages that you sustained in the crash.
The parties include:
- The drunk driver – The driver is obviously the one who chose to get into the motor vehicle after consuming alcohol, and they will bear the main responsibility for the St. Petersburg drunk driving accident. They will be convicted on account of a DUI, and they will have to pay large fines alongside possibly spending some time in jail. In addition, they could also be ordered to compensate you for the injuries and losses that you suffered in the crash.
- The public establishment – In the event that the bar, restaurant, or other public establishment was aware that one of their customers had a drinking problem, but they still carried on serving the customer, then they could be held responsible for your injuries and losses. Florida’s Dram Shop Law (written in Florida Statute 768.125) states that a bar, restaurant, or other public establishment serving alcohol to customers is responsible when they leave the establishment and drive under the influence of alcohol.
- The social hosts – Someone who decides to throw a private party or social gathering and services alcohol to their guests can be held responsible for a guest who leaves the party while under the influence of alcohol and causes an accident.
- The employers – Employers are responsible for their employees during the course of their employment. In the event that an employee consumes alcohol and crashes into a motor vehicle in the middle of working hours means that the employer can be held responsible for compensating you for the injuries and damages.
- Negligent entrustment – If the owner of a motor vehicle lets someone else drive, who they know has been drinking, then they can be held responsible for your injuries and damages.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
Recognizing a Drunk Driver in St. Petersburg, FL.
All people have a responsibility to call the police in the event that they see someone who they think might be under the influence of alcohol or drugs in St. Petersburg. One single phone call might just save someone else’s life. When you are on the road, you should look for the following signs of driving while intoxicated:
- Swerving – It is difficult for drunk drivers to stay in their own lane, and you will usually see them swerving.
- Ignoring traffic laws – It is hard for a drunk driver to see or read traffic signs on the road, or they could ignore the traffic signs completely. The most common types of traffic infractions tend to include speeding, driving the wrong way, failing to signal, running red lights or stop signs, and much more.
- Driving too slowly or too fast – Sometimes, a drunk driver will travel more slowly in an attempt to be more careful, or they will drive faster in order to arrive at their destination more quickly.
- Following too closely – It is not uncommon for a drunk driver to lack depth perception, which means that it is hard for them to judge their closeness to other motor vehicles.
- Wide turns – Most drunk drivers suffer from poor judgment, depth perception, and diminished peripheral vision, which can lead to wide turns or high-speed turns.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Compensation Available for a Drunk Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, FL.
Drunk driving accidents can result in many different types of damages, and you will most likely end up with serious financial burden on your shoulders in the aftermath. It is hard to recover from the pain and suffering caused by a car accident that was not your fault, and we highly recommend that you seek legal counsel from a drunk driving accident lawyer from The Law Place today.
Our law firm will help you to recover compensation for economic and non-economic damages such as:
Economic Damages
- Medical bills – You will need compensation to cover the costs of hospitalization, visits to the doctor, rehabilitation, physical pain, prescription medication, and much more.
- Loss of income – You will need compensation to cover the costs of your lost wages, changes to your usual income, and a reduced future earning capacity since you have been off work.
- Property damage – You will need compensation to cover the costs to repair or replace your motor vehicle along with other forms of property damage.
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and suffering – You deserve compensation for a reduced quality of life, including physical pain, emotional trauma, mental anguish, fear, depression, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
- Wrongful death – You are entitled to compensation for the costs of funeral expenses, medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and more in the aftermath of losing a loved one in a drunk driving accident. Read more about filing a wrongful death claim in Florida Statute 768.21.
Contact The Law Place Today in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you suffered injuries or damages as a result of a drunk driver in St. Petersburg, then you could be entitled to file a personal injury claim. We strongly advise that you speak to a drunk driving accident lawyer who will help you to recover the compensation that you deserve.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience when it comes to helping people who have been injured in drunk driving accidents in St. Petersburg and all over the State of Florida. Our law firm has successfully pursued compensation for hundreds of clients who have suffered at the hand of drunk drivers over the years, and we know that we can help you too.
A drunk driving accident lawyer will investigate your case, collect information, speak to people who witnessed the accident, negotiate with the insurance company, deal with the necessary paperwork and fight for the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve for all of your injuries and other losses. Pick up your phone to speak to a drunk driving accident lawyer now.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a car accident lawyer will recover the compensation that you deserve following a drunk driving accident in St. Petersburg. Phone lines are open 24/7.