Helping Victims Recover After Drunk Driving Accidents in Idaho
To help with the complex legal issues that surround these types of crashes, victims should contact a Boise drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible.
October 08, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- There is no way to anticipate or prepare for motor vehicle accidents, especially when drunk driving is involved. When Idaho drivers or passengers are injured or killed by drunk drivers, these victims and their families deserve to recover damages -- like medical expenses and lost wages -- to help them heal. Victims may also be able to hold third parties liable for their roles in vicariously contributing to drunk driving accidents.
However, recovering compensation from this type of car crash involves complex legal issues. A drunk driver accident lawyer can help victims ensure that their rights are protected while the victims concentrate on moving forward.
Idaho Drunk Driving Statistics
According to Idaho drunk driving statistics, drunk driving accidents cause an average of 100 fatalities and 200 serious injuries each year. Deaths from drunk driving accidents account for about 35 percent of all Idaho motor vehicle fatalities annually and cost around $330,000 in property and injury damages.
Even for those drivers or passengers who survive a devastating crash caused by drunk drivers, their injuries may be extremely painful, take time and money to heal, or change their lives forever because of paralysis or brain injury.
Right to Recover From a Drunk Driver
In addition to holding drunk drivers criminally liable, victims of drunk driving accidents may recover compensation for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages and vehicle or other property damage. Typically, victims bring personal injury claims against the drunk drivers' automobile insurance companies.
Injured victims who experienced reckless or malicious behavior by drunk drivers may also seek punitive damages. Punitive damages are additional damages that are specifically meant to punish wrongdoing. However, Idaho law limits the amount of punitive damages plaintiffs in personal injury cases can recover to $250,000 or three times the compensatory judgment (also known as "actual damages," compensatory damages are damages awarded for actual injury and loss of income).
Vicarious Liability Issues
In addition to recovering damages from the insurance companies, drunk driving crash victims may also sue third-parties for vicarious, or indirect, liability. Idaho law allows for dram shop liability actions against liquor stores, bars, restaurants or social hosts under certain conditions.
Dram shop liability is present where a liquor establishment or social host knew or should have known that the drunk driver was either under the legal drinking age or was obviously intoxicated and still served that person alcohol.
Healing Process
There are many factors that go into helping victims of drunk driving accidents in Idaho begin the healing process. Besides the medical attention needed to physically heal and the time needed to mentally heal, victims may also need financial assistance with medical bills and lost wages, as well as legal help.
Legal representatives can work directly with automobile insurance companies to protect victims from being taken advantage of by insurers. Perhaps more importantly, they can help hold Idaho drunk drivers responsible and help prevent other drunk driving tragedies from occurring.
If you or your loved one was recently injured or killed in a drunk driving crash, contact a Boise drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible for legal advice about how to proceed with your case.
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