Have you been injured in a drunk driving accident in Tampa? Or, have you lost a loved one as a result of a drunk driver? You deserve to be compensated for your losses.
Our Tampa drunk driving accident lawyers at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you pursue money for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. We’ve already recovered hundreds of millions for accident victims in Tampa Bay. Let us help you seek justice in your case.
Contact our Tampa car accident lawyers to schedule your free consultation, call us today at (813) 222-8656.
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How Our Tampa Car Accident Lawyers Can Help if You’ve Been Injured in a Drunk Driving Accident
Florida is a no-fault state for car insurance and car accidents. In a no-fault state, a car accident victim must first seek compensation by filing a claim with their own insurance. This process might make you feel like you’re letting a drunk driver off the hook for your injuries and damages after a car crash.
However, if your injuries are serious enough, you can file a claim against the drunk driver and their insurer for additional compensation. Still, an insurer will not hand over a check without a fight — even if their insured was driving under the influence of alcohol. You need a Tampa car accident attorney to hold them responsible for every cent you deserve under the law.
Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers has nearly three decades of experience in personal injury law. We’ve helped car accident victims recover millions.
When you hire us, we will:
- Investigate your accident to gather evidence of the driver’s intoxication
- Identify all relevant insurance policies and avenues for compensation
- Calculate your damages, using expert help when necessary
- Handle all communications and negotiations with defense attorneys and insurers
- Take your case to court if the insurers won’t offer a fair settlement.
Don’t wait. Contact our car accident attorneys today to schedule your free consultation. Let’s discuss how to hold a drunk driver responsible for your losses and their misconduct.
How Common Are Drunk Driving Accidents in Tampa?
Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents are somewhat common. Data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles indicates that there were 401,867 auto accidents in Florida in 2019. Alcohol was confirmed to have played a role in 4,984 of those accidents.
Other common car accidents in Tampa include:
However, in Hillsborough County, 481 motor vehicle accidents involved alcohol in 2019. Drunk driving has no place in Tampa Bay. It can cause serious accidents that result in injuries and deaths.
What Makes Drunk Driving Accidents So Dangerous?
Drunk drivers often underestimate how even “minor” levels of intoxication can impair their ability to operate their vehicles safely. A 2014 study revealed that drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 to 0.079 are at least seven times more likely to be killed in auto accidents than drivers with a BAC of 0.00.
Drunk driving is dangerous because alcohol can:
- Slow reaction times
- Impair judgment
- Impair vision
- Reduce focus and concentration
Driving with any alcohol in one’s bloodstream is dangerous. Experts strongly recommend that drivers rely on public transportation or ride-sharing services like Uber if they’ve been drinking alcohol.
Drunk Driving Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries and Significant Damages
Tampa drunk driving accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. Common drunk driving accident injuries include:
- Fractured and/or broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Disfigurement
- Abrasions
- Death
A spinal cord injury can result in lifelong paralysis. A traumatic brain injury can negatively impact a victim’s cognition, memory, mood, and even personality.
These injuries come at a cost for victims — physically and financially. Therefore, victims can recover compensation for their losses from the drunk driver. Injury victims may be entitled to economic damages for their financial losses:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost income
- Property damage
They may also be entitled to non-economic damages for their non-financial losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
Drunk driving accidents may even trigger a rare form of damages known as punitive damages. Punitive damages punish the defendant rather than compensate the victim. Our Tampa personal injury lawyers will factor in all your relevant losses when determining how much compensation to seek. We can also help if you’ve lost a loved one to a fatal crash involving alcohol.
How Do I Prove Liability for a Drunk Driving Accident in Tampa, Florida?
The liable party in a drunk driving accident in Tampa is typically the intoxicated driver who caused the accident. However, there are rare instances when additional parties may also be liable. For example, perhaps a bartender overserved an individual who later caused an accident. The bar may be liable for accidents the driver caused. That said, this is relatively uncommon in Florida.
Therefore, you will typically have to prove the drunk driver was negligent in causing your accident. You will have to show they owed you a duty, breached the duty, and caused your accident and damages. If you can show the driver was intoxicated at the time of the crash, such as by having a BAC of .08% or more, you may be able to establish negligence per se.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Tampa Car Accident Attorneys
You deserve compensation when a drunk driver injured you or a loved one in an accident. Our experienced Tampa drunk driving accident lawyers at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers are prepared to offer the aggressive representation you need. Call us today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
