Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Boca Raton, FL

Driving under the influence is a serious offense in Florida because it puts not only the impaired motorist at risk but also everyone in the near vicinity. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means it ultimately decreases brain activity.

With decreased brain activity comes an increased risk of motor-vehicle collisions. Because of alcohol’s effects on the body, drivers who are impaired have significantly slower reaction times, which can prevent them from responding to potential hazards that arise.

If you were hurt in a crash with an impaired motorist, the drunk driving accident attorneys at Donaldson & Weston will help you overcome the legal hurdles you will encounter on the path to fair compensation. We have assisted hundreds of clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Call 561-299-3999 to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate Boca Raton injury lawyers.

Proving liability in drunk driving accident cases is often easier than building claims against drowsy or distracted motorists because there are tangible ways to test for alcohol impairment; however, you cannot rely on the responding officers to build the claim for you. In addition to their official police report and the results of any chemical tests, your case may call for:

• Photographs of the scene;


• Surveillance footage from nearby businesses;


• Dash cam recordings;


• Eyewitness testimony;


• Receipts from nearby establishments like bars or liquor stores detailing the impaired motorist’s recent transactions;


• Social media posts regarding the drunk driver’s activities prior to the collision; and


• Statements from accident reconstruction experts.

damages might include:

• Receipts for vehicle repairs;


• Hospital bills;


• Pharmacy documentation;


• Medical records;


• Journal entries;


• Documentation of lost income;


• Photographs of any visible wounds; and


• Testimony from expert witnesses, such as medical specialists.

When awarding damages for personal injury claims, Florida courts use a pure comparative fault system. That means accident victims may recover compensation even if they were partially liable for the incident; however, the total amount that they can recover will be reduced by their own percentage of fault.

It is not uncommon for multiple parties to be liable for a single motor-vehicle collision, including ones that involve drunk drivers. For example, if you were speeding just before an impaired motorist struck you, a jury might find you 15 percent responsible for the incident. In such a scenario, you would be able to recover compensation for 85 percent of the damages you incurred.

If you were hurt in a collision with an impaired motorist, calling a lawyer may not be the first thought that comes to mind. Although your health should be your top priority, it’s wise to seek legal counsel as soon as your condition has stabilized—before you’ve spoken to the insurance company.

Here are just a few reasons to consult an attorney right away:

• Evidence May Be Time-Sensitive: Depending on the circumstances, critical evidence of liability may not be available indefinitely. If surveillance cameras captured the drunk driver stumbling to his or her car prior to the accident, for example, the owner of that footage might delete it within a matter of days.


• Filing Deadlines Are Strict: In the state of Florida, car accident victims typically have four years from the date on which they were hurt to file a lawsuit. That means if you are unable to reach a fair settlement with the opposing party, you most likely have four years from the date of the accident to file suit. This may seem like a considerable amount of time, but preparing for settlement negotiations can take several months. There are also complications that can arise during the proceedings, such as the insurance company denying coverage to the impaired motorist. For these and other reasons, many attorneys won’t even accept cases if the injured party waits too long to initiate the proceedings.


• Mistakes Are Likely: You could end up making a critical error early in the proceedings that hurts your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve. As soon as you hire an attorney, you won’t have to worry about navigating the claims process alone. The legal team at Donaldson & Weston can handle the logistics of your case including all correspondence with the opposing party so you can focus on your health.

Your case might seem fairly straightforward if the at-fault driver was arrested at the scene, but there are all sorts of complications that might delay the proceedings or reduce the value of your claim. At Donaldson & Weston, we have extensive experience holding impaired motorists accountable for the accidents they cause. We also have the resources to conduct thorough investigations, as well as a network of well-credentialed experts who can provide testimony if necessary.

We have used our proven settlement negotiation and litigation strategies to help thousands of accident victims pursue the compensation they needed to move on with life. Our attorneys have recovered several multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts.

When hiring a personal injury lawyer, one of the primary factors to consider is the results that attorney has achieved for past clients. At Donaldson & Weston, our track record of success both in and out of court speaks for itself. We limit our scope of practice to personal injury law, which allows our attorneys to keep up with the relevant statutes and case law and to continuously refine their legal strategies.