Drunk Driving Accidents

If you or someone you know has been involved in a drunk driving accident in Connecticut in which a person was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), we can assist with your claim. Put our decades of legal experience to work for you. We will advance all fees and expenses for your case including hiring experts to strengthen your case. Once the case is concluded, we will be reimbursed for costs out of the recovery. If no recovery is reached, you do not owe anything for the costs and expenses, which will be absorbed by us. All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay us until we recover money for you.

1. How Common Are Drunk Driving Accidents?

In 2009, there were 11, 769 people killed due to drunk driving accidents in the United States. Surprisingly 3 out of 10 people will have an accident involving a drunk driver at least once in their lives. A drunk driving accident occurs in the US every 45 minutes.

2. If I Have A Drunk Driving Case, What Should I Do?

It is extremely important that you contact us as soon as possible. It is critical not to do anything that might have a negative affect upon your case. We might advise you not to give any statements or sign any authorizations, so it is important to speak with us before you do something that could have a negative impact on your case. There are also potential notice requirements that, if missed, could result in the dismissal of your case.

3. What Damages Might I Be Able to Receive?

You are entitled to receive compensation for your injuries or damages. The compensation could include past and future medical expenses, past and future loss of income, pain and suffering, and in certain instances a claim for loss of consortium. There are many ways to find liability against not only the driver of the vehicle but against others, which could include but not be limited to:

Connecticut Dram Shop Liability- Connecticut General Statutes Section 30-102- The Dram Shop Act "authorizes a cause of action against anybody who sells alcoholic liquor to an intoxicated person who in turn causes injury to another person or property, due to their intoxication." The law also states that the maximum you can get for compensation is $250,000 per injured person or $250,000 aggregate per incident. It also states that if the intoxicated person is already 21 years of age and injures someone or damages their property the injured party cannot sue the seller for negligence only for claims under the Dram Shop Act (If the person who is sold alcohol is a minor and injures someone or their property the injured person can sue the seller for both negligence and under the Dram Shop Act).

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage- Many drivers in the US are uninsured or underinsured, so what are you to do if a drunk driver who is uninsured or underinsured hits you? Because of situations like that Connecticut requires insured drivers to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in which your insurer will compensate you when the insured driver cannot. Your insurance will cover you under Sec. 38a-334-6(a) which states: The insurer shall undertake to pay on behalf of the insured all sums, which the insured shall be legally entitled to recover as damages from the owner or operator of an uninsured OR underinsured motor vehicle because of bodily injury sustained by the insured caused by an accident involving the uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle. This coverage shall insure the occupants of every motor vehicle to which the bodily injury liability coverage applies.

There are additional potential claims if a drunk driver injures a person. If the owner of the car negligently entrusted the vehicle to the drunk driver, the owner of the car could be sued for negligent entrustment. To claim damages against someone under a theory of negligent entrustment, it must be proven that (1) the owner entrusted their automobile to someone who was knowingly incompetent and (2) that the vehicle was the proximate cause of the injury. Therefore, if the owner of car loans their vehicle to someone they know is too drunk to drive, a claim may be filed against them.

4. How is Liability Determined?

The critical issue in many personal injury cases is just how a "reasonable person" would be expected to act in the situation that caused the injury. A person is negligent when he or she fails to act like a "reasonable person". Whether a given person has met the "reasonable person standard" is often a matter that is decided by a jury after the presentation of evidence and argument trial. This is one of the many reasons why you should contact us as soon as possible so we can start to investigate and develop your case.

5. What Compensation Might I Receive If My Case is Successful?

Usually, a person who is liable for an injury--which generally means his or her liability insurance company--must pay an injured person for:

6. How Do I Go About Getting Experts To Help Me With My Drunk Driving Case?

We will be able to hire a team of experts that can assist in the development of your case, which, depending on your case can range from a private investigator, to doctors, to economists.

7. Who Will Pay The Expenses of Hiring All Of These Experts?

Our firm will advance all costs and expenses of your case as they are incurred. Once the case is concluded, we would be reimbursed for our costs out of the recovery. If there is no recovery, you will owe nothing for the costs and expenses, which will be absorbed by us. Additionally, you only pay us once you receive a settlement or award.

8. Do Any of Your Attorneys Have Any Specialized Training or Awards?

One of our attorneys has received Advanced Negotiation Training at the Harvard Law School and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum which is one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the U.S. For additional information please see our attorney biographies.

9. Why Should I Hire Hastings, Cohan and Walsh, LLP to Represent Me?

Because we are passionate about what we do and have decades of experience in representing accident victims. Before you hire a lawyer, speak to an insurance adjuster, or sign any paperwork, order a copy of our free book "The Crash Course on Personal Injury Claims in Connecticut."

If you or someone you know has been injured due to a drunk driving, you should contact us as soon as possible. Don't delay in consulting us so we can get to work for you right away.

Please call us at 1-888-842-8466 or complete our online form on the right hand side of this web page and tell us about your case.