When DUI victims do not survive a crash caused by an intoxicated or impaired driver, their families can be left trying to pull together the pieces of their lives in the aftermath of such a tragedy. Family members are left wondering why their innocent loved one was taken away from them in such a devastating manner, as well as then having to face legal proceedings and typically court dates whilst trying to grieve.
Our experienced wrongful death attorneys have a wealth of experience supporting families through the hardest times in their lives whilst representing them at court to the best of our legal knowledge. In our article, we’ll discuss just how the legal system supports DUI victims who suffer severe injuries as well as wrongful death after a DUI.
How the legal system handles injuries for DUI victims
In another article, we discussed other ways the law looks to protect victims of a DUI by enforcing the dram shop law, but what happens when the result is severe or life-changing injury as a direct result of a DUI. If you or a loved one have been left with life-changing injuries, your case will carefully consider every aspect of your life that has been directly impacted including the ability to work and any ongoing medical bills for the rest of your life. Sadly, brain and spinal injuries are some of the more common injuries sustained by DUI accidents, meaning they will have a longer-term healing period- if there is a chance for a full recovery.
All kinds of ongoing health complications and issues that are brought on directly as a result of your accident will be carefully considered and will attribute to the overall penalty decisions judges will make.
Wrongful death after a DUI accident
An even more tragic stat is the number of wrongful deaths caused by people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in 2019 alone, with 460 deaths directly relating to DUI crashes. Wrongful death cases are much more uncommon but when they happen, leave a huge lasting impact on family members and other loved ones who are involved. If a driver is found guilty of causing wrongful death by driving under the influence, they’ll face up to 16.5 years in prison, depending on the severity of manslaughter or accidental death the judge decides is most appropriate.
When dealing with a wrongful death after a DUI, it’s not just your tragic loss of a loved one but the financial complications and legal proceedings that come alongside a wrongful death case. It’s vital you and your family receive the right support when it comes to filing a case. Our dedicated team of wrongful death lawyers will lead you every step of the way through your individual case, making sure your settlement truly reflects the pain and suffering you’ve endured.
If you need advice about anything involving a possible wrongful death case or want to chat with our team today, call us (480) 634-7480 today and find out just how we could help your case.
