Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Fresno

People should not drive after having too many drinks or using drugs because doing so puts the lives of other drivers at risk. When drunk driving car accidents in Fresno occur, the reckless driver who chose to operate a vehicle while intoxicated should be held responsible.

If you suspect the driver who caused your accident was drunk, you need to be aware of your legal rights. With the help of a seasoned auto collision attorney from Curtis Legal Group, you could seek financial damages in a civil lawsuit.

How Do Civil Suits Work After Drunk Driving Crashes?

Drunk driving is an offense that the state takes very seriously in both criminal and civil courts.

Criminal Court

An alleged drunk driver over the age of 21 could face criminal charges if their blood alcohol level was 0.08 percent or higher. Because of the no-tolerance policy for underage drinking, if the driver was under age 21, they could face criminal charges for having a blood alcohol content as low as 0.01 percent. Depending on the circumstances of the crime and the criminal history of the offender, if convicted, a drunk driver could face jail time, fines, loss of their license, probation, and community service obligations. Additionally, a drunk driving conviction could add points to the driver’s driving record.

Civil Court

While seeing the intoxicated Fresno driver who caused your injuries face criminal penalties can give you a sense of justice, it will not help you pay your medical bills and other expenses relating to the car wreck. Fortunately, you might be able to pursue a claim against the alleged drunk driver for financial damages in civil court. You have the right to pursue a civil suit against a drunk driver even if the state decides not to pursue criminal charges or if a jury finds them to be not guilty.

To succeed in your civil claim, you must prove that it is more likely than not that the intoxicated driver caused the accident that led to your injuries. We could work with the police to obtain the police reports and blood alcohol test results of the driver. If the driver was convicted in criminal court, we could use that conviction as proof of their negligence. However, even without a criminal conviction, our attorneys could help you develop a solid case for liability by locating, gathering, and preserving additional evidence that could help you prove that the driver who struck you was drunk and therefore negligent.

Could You Sue Anyone Else After a Drunk Driving Crash?

In addition to pursuing a civil claim against the alleged intoxicated driver, you might be able to sue their employer if the driver was operating a vehicle as part of their job duties when the crash occurred—for example, if a delivery driver caused your accident. If the wreck was a multi-vehicle collision, you may be able to sue another negligent driver for their part in the accident. If the drunk driver was a minor who was driving their parents’ vehicle, you might be able to hold the parents accountable.

Our skilled attorneys could carefully investigate the circumstances of your Fresno auto wreck to determine if anyone besides the intoxicated driver holds potential legal liability.

Speak With a Fresno Attorney After a Drunk Driving Car Crash

Drunk driving car accidents in Fresno can easily be avoided if people choose not to drive after drinking alcohol. If you believe the driver who caused your accident was under the influence, you have legal rights. Contact the Heavy Hitters™ at Curtis Legal Group and let us help you pursue justice.