Port Salerno Drunk Driving Accident

In the aftermath of a serious car wreck, it’s not easy to remain calm amid the stress, confusion, and depression that tend to accompany these tragic events. Beyond the emotional impact and physical pain, victims might not know how they will stay afloat financially due to the medical bills and loss of income. The Port Salerno drunk driving accident lawyers at Donaldson & Weston can address all of your concerns and help you plot the way forward.

Our personal injury attorneys will gather evidence of liability and damages and aggressively negotiate with the opposing party for a fair settlement. If the insurance adjuster or defendant disputes liability or refuses to offer fair compensation, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial.

Let us help you navigate through the complicated legal proceedings so you can focus on healing and your family’s wellbeing. Call 772-266-5555 to schedule a free case evaluation with a drunk driving accident attorney in Port Salerno.

For most drivers in Florida, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. The BAC limit is only 0.04% for commercial drivers and 0.02% for drivers under the age of 21.

If you are hurt in a drunk driving accident, the liable party will most likely face criminal charges in addition to your civil claim. You do not have to wait for the criminal case to be resolved before filing a personal injury claim, nor will the civil case affect the criminal proceedings. In fact, you should consult a DUI accident lawyer right away so investigations can begin as soon as possible.

Time is always a factor in personal injury cases because evidence can become unavailable, and there are deadlines for filing lawsuits. If this deadline, or the “statute of limitations,” passes, your case will most likely be dismissed.

The Port Salerno accident lawyers at Donaldson & Weston can help you file all the necessary paperwork and meet relevant deadlines. To give your case an edge during settlement negotiations, we will gather all available evidence of liability and damages. Toxicology reports, the accident report, surveillance footage, eyewitness testimony, expert witness testimony, medical records, tax documents, and a variety of other evidence can play a critical role in your case. With many years of combined experience, our lawyers know the types of evidence needed to strengthen your claim.

There are dozens of factors that can affect the financial recovery in a personal injury case. Your Port Salerno drunk driving accident attorney can explain those factors during your initial consultation, but there’s really no way to estimate the potential value of your claim until a thorough investigation has been performed.

Below is a breakdown of the factors that might influence the settlement calculations:

• The Types of Compensatory Damages You’ve Incurred: All drunk driving accident claims involve economic damages including property damage, medical bills, and/or lost income. You may also be entitled to any domestic help, transportation, and other reasonable and necessary expenses related to your accident and injury. If you sustained a permanent injury, pain and suffering damages may also be available. Other potentially recoverable non-economic damages include loss of consortium, emotional distress, and loss of life enjoyment.


• Whether You Were Partially Liable: Pursuant to Florida’s pure comparative negligence law, the financial recovery in a personal injury case is reduced by the claimant’s percentage of fault. That means if your own negligence contributed to the accident or to the severity of your damages, you might not be able to recover compensation for 100 percent of your losses.


• The Severity of Your Injuries: The medical bills associated with a spinal cord injury will almost certainly be more expensive than those associated with a broken arm. The cost of your health care will have a direct impact on the potential value of your claim.


• The Permanence of Your Injuries: In some cases, drunk driving accident victims continue to incur medical bills even after they’ve reached maximum medical improvement. If your injuries are permanent, you may be able to include the cost of future healthcare needs in your claim.


• How Your Income Has Been Affected: Lost income and lost earning capacity often make up a considerable portion of a personal injury settlement. Your Port Salerno drunk driving accident lawyer can use widely accepted formulas to calculate your lost wages and lost earning capacity. If necessary, we can bring in expert witnesses to provide testimony regarding the affect your injury has had on your ability to earn an income.


• The Cost to Repair or Replace Your Property: Your claim can account for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle and any other property damaged in the crash.


• Whether Punitive Damages Are Awarded: Since drunk driving often constitutes gross negligence, punitive damages may be available in these cases. A DUI accident attorney from Donaldson & Weston can help you account for all potentially recoverable damages.

Personal injury claimants should stay off social media while their case is pending. Insurance adjusters might use these sites to collect evidence that can be used to dispute liability or damages. It’s best to disable your accounts until your case has been resolved and to ask friends and family not to discuss your injury, case, or accident online—or to post any photos of you.