DUI Accident Lawyer Arlington, VA 
In Virginia, any victim who is injured in a vehicle accident can pursue damages against the driver who was responsible. It is not uncommon for an at-fault driver and/or their insurance company to try to avoid liability and attempt to shift the blame on the victim for the crash. While this can be an issue in many different scenarios, it is almost impossible when the at-fault driver was drunk. A DUI accident lawyer in Arlington, VA can help you get the financial compensation you deserve for the losses a drunk driver causes you.
Car Accident Lawsuits
When a victim is injured in a car accident, there are a number of different types of damages they can file a claim or lawsuit in order to be compensated for. One category of those damages is economic. Economic damages are those that have an actual dollar value to them. Examples of economic damages include the following:
- Emergency medical care
- Hospitalizations
- Surgeries
- Doctors’ visits
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Medical devices and equipment
- Medication
- Travel expenses to get to medical appointments, such as gas or mileage
- Any home or vehicle modifications that need to be done in order to accommodate any long-term or permanent disabilities
- Loss of income and benefits if the victim is unable to work while they are recovering
- Loss of future income if the victim is unable to go back to their occupation because they are left with permanent damage due to the injuries
An Arlington, VA DUI accident lawyer can also pursue non-economic damages in a car accident claim. Some of the different types of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Loss of life enjoyment
There are some types of accident lawsuits where a victim can also be awarded punitive damages. While economic and non-economic damages are meant to compensate a victim for their losses, punitive damages are meant to “punish” the at-fault party if their behavior or actions were especially egregious and if they acted in a willful and wanton reckless way. Punitive damages are also meant to send a message to “society” that these types of behaviors will not be tolerated by the legal system.
It is not common for victims to receive punitive damages, however, drunk driving accidents are often the exception. This is because the at-fault driver knew or should have known that not only is it dangerous to drink and drive, but it is also against the law. As an Arlington, VA DUI accident lawyer can explain, any punitive damages awarded to the victim in a civil case are different and separate from any criminal liability that the at-fault driver faces in the criminal justice system.
Buzzed Driving
Every year, there are more than 10,000 people killed in drunk driving accidents. In Virginia, just as in every state of the country, a person is considered legally driving under the influence if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher. This BAC level can result in a person being arrested for DUI. If the driver is convicted, they face harsh penalties, including loss of license, hefty fines, mandatory alcohol counseling and/or classes, and possible jail time, depending on their prior drunk-driving history.
Unfortunately, even with these known dangers and consequences, people still continue to drink and then get behind the wheel of their vehicles, putting themselves and everyone they share the road with in danger. Many of these drivers think that if they only had one or two drinks they are still perfectly fine to drive. But a DUI accident lawyer in Arlington, VA knows that there have been multiple studies done that found that even a BAC that is under .08 percent can still affect the driver and increase their risk of being involved in a crash.
Buzzed drivers – those with a BAC of between .01 and .07 percent – still experience a delay in reaction time, effect on coordination, and loss of judgment. While these effects may not be as impactful as a driver with a higher BAC, studies show that a buzzed driver has a more than 45 percent higher risk of crashing than a driver with a .0 percent BAC.
Let Our Firm Help
If you have been injured in a car accident that was alcohol-related, a seasoned Arlington, VA DUI accident lawyer can help you get the financial compensation you are entitled to for your losses. If you have lost a loved one because of a drunk driver, our legal team can help you get the damages your family deserves. While no amount of money will ever make up for the death of your loved one, our firm understands that civil action is sometimes the only avenue that families have to obtain financial justice for the victim’s death.
Call the Law Offices of Ryan Quinn, PLLC today to schedule a free and confidential consolation and find out what legal recourse you have for the losses you have suffered because a driver made the terrible decision to drink and drive.