law

Legal Protections Following an Accident Caused by Drunk Driving

A car accident caused by drunk driving can have life-altering consequences. Unluckily, the innocent driver is frequently the one who suffers the most damage in these incidents. You should know your legal options for seeking justice and financial recompense if you’ve been hurt in an accident caused by a drunk driver, on top of dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial costs of such a horrific occurrence.

Discuss your situation with Connecticut car accident lawyer.

The Potential Impact of Drunk Driving Penalties on Your Legal Matter

It is a criminal offence to drive under the influence and cause an accident; anyone convicted of this crime may be subject to penalties and jail time. In addition, the court may order restitution, which consists of reparations in the form of money or services. Assuming the drunk driver has the financial means to compensate the victim, restitution payments rarely cover all of the victim’s expenses and losses.

Proving intoxication by alcohol can help your case.

Proving alcohol intoxication in court is difficult because of the legal weight of the presence or absence of drunkenness. Standardized blood and breath tests are used to determine alcoholic blood and breath concentrations. A blood sample is drawn from the patient and processed in a lab to provide diagnostic information. The time required to run a blood test in a laboratory means that, while they are generally reliable, they cannot be performed immediately. For their part, breath tests utilise a measuring instrument called a breathalyser to determine the driver’s impairment instantly. It is generally agreed that breathalysers are not as reliable as blood alcohol tests.

Potential Compensation

The effects of driving under the influence can change people’s lives forever. Compensation from the drunk driver is possible, depending on the specifics of your case. Economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages, are possible after an accident, as are non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and diminished quality of life, and punitive damages, or monetary fines meant to penalise the alleged perpetrator. You may be entitled to long-term care costs compensation if your disability is permanent. Civil claims against a drunk driver may be covered by insurance, and other possibly liable individuals may be legally compelled to repay your financial damages, unlike restitution payments in the criminal environment.