What Compensation Can I Collect in a DUI Accident Case?

Drunk driving is a much bigger problem in Buffalo than many residents realize. Recent reports reveal that the City of Good Neighbors has one of the highest DUI accident rates in New York.
Were you involved in a bad car crash with a drunk driver in Buffalo? Consider calling a personal injury lawyer to help you file a DUI accident case.
You might be eligible to collect compensation from the driver who assumed drunk driving liability in your accident. You may use it to cover economic damages, such as medical expenses, as well as non-economic damages, like pain and suffering.
Your case could be worth anywhere from a few thousand to well over a million dollars. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding your DUI crash.
Learn about the factors that will impact how much compensation you collect in a DUI accident case below.
The Severity of Your Injuries
Did you walk away from a DUI accident with relatively minor bumps and bruises — or did you sustain a serious traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury in the crash? The value of your DUI accident case will change based on the severity of your injuries.
The more serious your injuries were, the greater your chances of earning a large settlement or judgment in your case.
The Long-Term Impact of Your Accident
Will your DUI accident make it impossible for you to work for the foreseeable future? You might be able to collect more compensation than you would in a case involving injuries that don’t keep you out of work for long.
In a DUI accident case like this, lost wages compensation will often come into play. You may ask the defendant in your case to account for the money you’ll lose by not being able to continue working in your chosen profession.
The Negligence of the Responsible Driver
In Buffalo and many other parts of New York and the rest of the country, a driver is charged with DUI if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08% or higher. If the driver in your DUI accident case had a BAC of around 0.08%, it might suggest they didn’t show any gross negligence on their part during your crash.
If, however, the driver in your case had a BAC that was three times the legal limit, this might be a different story. You may maintain the right to sue this driver for punitive damages, arguing that their exceptionally high BAC demonstrated gross negligence.
You might also take this approach if the driver has a record of past DUI convictions. Punitive damages will increase the compensation you collect while serving as an additional form of punishment for someone arrested for DUI.
The DUI Lawyer You Hire
The lawyer you hire to provide legal representation during your DUI accident case may affect the compensation you collect. The better they are at earning clients insurance settlements and judgments, the better your odds of walking away with more money than you may have anticipated.
Choose the right accident lawyer to work on your case from the start. It could greatly impact the compensation you receive at the conclusion of your case.
Contact Us To Handle Your DUI Accident Case
Being involved in a DUI accident is typically a traumatic experience. It might even change the way you live your life forever.
Filing a DUI accident case through a DUI attorney from Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall, LLC, can put you in a position to collect the compensation you need to recover from a car crash. Call us at 716-848-8000 or fill out this form to schedule a consultation.