Pittsburgh Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

Suffering From Injuries Due to a Pittsburgh Drunk Driving Accident?

Victims of drunk driving accidents often suffer serious injuries and even death. These accidents shatter lives, leaving families struggling to put the pieces back together.
If you or someone you love was injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, our Pittsburgh, PA drunk driving crash attorneys at Chaffin Luhana can help. Our car accident lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA understand that drivers who get behind the wheel when they’re drunk can face criminal penalties and civil court lawsuits. We will help investigate the accident thoroughly with the goal of helping you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that in 2012, “more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes—one every 51 minutes.” The administration confirmed in November 2013 that deaths in crashes involving drunk drivers increased by 4.6 percent from 2011 to 2012, with most drivers in these crashes having a blood alcohol limit nearly twice as high as the legal limit.

Drunk Drivers Face Two Types of Penalties

Multi-Million Dollar Advocates ForumA drunk driver may face two types of penalties:

  1. Criminal penalties: A drunk driver may face criminal prosecution for his or her actions. Consequences may include a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) conviction, hefty fines, and even jail time.
  2. Civil liability: Separate from any criminal charges, a civil suit can be filed by any victims of the drunk driver’s actions. If the plaintiff can prove negligence, the driver is responsible for damages.

A drunk driving accident lawsuit is often the only way victims can recover the sometimes astronomical costs of medical treatment, long-term therapy, damaged property, lost wages, and other economic losses.

Who’s Liable in a Drunk Driving Accident Lawsuit?

Though it seems obvious that the drunk driver would be liable for damages in a drunk driving accident, there are other possibilities, as well.

  • Drunk driver: If the police confirm that the driver was, indeed, drunk at the time of the accident, the court will automatically find the driver negligent.
  • Location where the liquor was purchased: In some states, the location where the driver purchased the drinks that resulted in his or her drunkenness may be held liable for serving too much alcohol to that person.
  • Host of the party: If the drunk driver was under the age of 21, and got drunk at a party where there was an adult serving alcohol, that adult may be held liable for damages. If a restaurant or other business served alcohol to a minor, they may also be liable for any injuries the driver caused.
  • Company of employment: If the driver was working for a company at the time of the accident, that company may be held liable for damages. This is especially true if the owner knew the employee had a history of drunk driving, or if the owner was aware that the employee was under the influence.

There may be other parties that contributed to the accident, as well, such as a construction company, if the road was made difficult to navigate because of construction, or other parties. The Pittsburgh drunk driving accident attorneys at Chaffin Luhana investigate every possibility.

Injuries that May Result from a Drunk Driving Accident

Injuries from a drunk driving accident can be catastrophic. In these cases, plaintiffs may sue for punitive damages to penalize the driver and other potentially liable parties. Such damages are usually above and beyond those meant to cover the costs of medical treatment and other economic losses.

Victims in a drunk driving accident can face the following types of injuries:

These types of injuries can result in not only extended medical treatment, but ongoing disability that lasts the rest of the victims’ lives.
You don’t have to recover on your own. Contact the Pittsburgh car accident lawyers at Chaffin Luhana for a free consultation. Our team of attorneys are equipped with the experience, skills and the resources to handle your case. To find out how we can help you, contact us today.

DUI Injury Accident Law Firm in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Chaffin & Luhana LLP
615 Iron City Dr,
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
Phone:(412)-345-8144