Every year in the state, there are over 7,000 alcohol-related traffic accidents, according to data from the Virginia Highway Safety Office. These crashes result in more than 4,000 serious injuries and approximately 300 fatalities annually. If you’ve been injured or have lost a close family member in an accident caused by a drunk driver, the experienced attorneys at Hunter Law Firm can help. Our firm provides the knowledgeable legal advocacy needed to pursue compensation for your damages. We represent clients throughout the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, including the Peninsula and the Southside.
In most situations, vehicle operators with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher are considered to be driving while intoxicated. However, stricter rules are in force for younger drivers and commercial vehicle operators. Even if a driver who has had a few drinks is not legally intoxicated, their judgment and response times may be affected. If your accident was caused by a driver who was impaired by alcohol, you have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries through a legal claim. Our experienced attorneys will work to prove that the accident happened because the driver was intoxicated and to hold the at-fault party accountable for their negligence.
Injuries in drunk driving accidents are often catastrophic. Specific types of catastrophic injuries caused by intoxicated motorists include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, burns, loss of limbs and organ failure. These types of injuries can have lifelong physical, emotional and financial consequences for victims. When you have suffered a serious or catastrophic injury in an auto accident caused by someone who was under the influence of alcohol, we’ll seek the full amount of compensation you deserve to help you in your recovery and your life ahead.
Depending on the circumstances, you might be able to recover damages, such as:
You might also be able to get punitive damages. These are damages that are meant to punish drivers for especially willful or wanton behavior, including causing an injury in an accident while driving with a BAC of .15 percent or higher. Our personal injury lawyers will carefully examine the relevant evidence to present a suitable demand to defendants.
When someone dies in a crash caused by a driver who is under the influence of alcohol, family members may be able to get compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. In Virginia, wrongful death lawsuits can be brought by personal representatives of decedents’ estates. Damages that may be claimed include funeral and burial costs, lost wages and benefits, lost inheritance, lost comfort and guidance, punitive damages and other losses. We help surviving family members obtain the compensation they deserve when their loved one has died due to a drunk driver’s negligence.
Since 1986, Hunter Law Firm has fought to win compensation for Virginians injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk and buzzed drivers. To schedule a consultation, call our firm at 757-825-0400 or contact us online. We have offices in Hampton, Newport News, Gloucester and Chesapeake,