Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Greenwich
Whether you are going out with friends, celebrating a birthday at a private residence, or doing anything else that involves the consumption of alcohol, it is your responsibility under Connecticut Law to stay sober if you intend to drive home or take another form of transportation. Anyone who chooses to drive drunk may face harsh penalties in criminal court, and if they cause an accident while impaired, they can also be held liable for damages in civil court.
Unfortunately, litigating drunk driving car accident cases in Greenwich is never as simple and clear-cut for an injured person seeking compensation for crash-related losses. To get the best outcome, you may need support from an experienced car accident attorney who has successfully handled similar claims involving drunk drivers.
Holding a Drunk Driver Liable for All Crash-Related Losses
In many cases, meeting the burden in civil court that someone involved in a Greenwich traffic crash was driving under the influence (“DUI”) can be deceptively complex. It is possible to hold someone civilly liable for a wreck, even if they were not arrested or convicted of DUI or when there is no police record. It is your burden to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the other person’s negligence and oftentimes recklessness caused your injuries. Evidence comes in many forms, typically through witness testimony, video recordings, crash scene photos, and records of alcohol purchases made by the defendant before the wreck.
If you can show that a drunk driver was primarily at fault for causing your accident and subsequent injuries, you could hold them, or their car insurance company, financially accountable for your damages and injuries. Those damages include:
- Medical bills;
- Car repair/replacement costs and personal property damage expenses;
- Lost work wages and/or working ability;
- Physical pain and suffering;
- Emotional anguish and distress; and/or
- Lost enjoyment of life.
Depending on the circumstances, it may also be possible to hold bars and restaurants liable for negligently and recklessly over-serving drunk drivers.
Taking Action Within Filing Time Limits
If you suffered permanent and debilitating injuries from a car accident in Greenwich caused by a drunk driver, you need to start the process of filing suit as soon as possible. Not only because your ability to pursue a claim against the defendant is subject to Connecticut’s Statute of Limitations, but also because it is essential that you immediately start securing whatever vital evidence that may still be available.
According to Connecticut General Statutes § 52-584, anyone pursuing a personal injury case involving negligence has a maximum of two years to file suit from the date of accident—or in non-motor-vehicle accident cases, when first discovering they have sustained the injuries in question. Support from skilled legal counsel could be essential to constructing the strongest possible claim within this strictly enforced time limit.
Call a Greenwich Attorney Today for Help After a Drunk Driving Car Accident
Suffering from severe injuries following a traffic collision that was someone else’s fault because they were driving under the influence is traumatizing and infuriating. Staying calm and proactively pursuing civil compensation is essential, especially because Connecticut’s civil court system may refuse to let you seek compensation if you try to do it after the Statute of Limitations.
Our knowledgeable auto accident lawyers can help you understand the legal options available to you after a drunk driving car accident in Greenwich. Call Mark Sherman Law today for more information, or check out our Avvo profile with over 300 verified reviews.