Augusta DUI Accident Lawyer

Did a drunk driver recently hit you in Augusta, Georgia? You may be entitled to a substantial monetary award for your medical expenses, loss of income, and pain and suffering. Contact Hawk Law Group for help. Our experienced Augusta DUI accident lawyers can help you maximize your financial recovery.

For years, Hawk Law Group has been a dedicated ally to injury victims and their families in Augusta, GA. Our nationally-acclaimed attorneys put 71+ years of experience behind every case we handle. We help our clients win and win big, with tens of millions in successful settlements and verdicts.

Now that you’ve been injured in a car accident with a drunk driver, we can help you fight for the money you deserve, too. Call our law office in Augusta at (706) 722-3500 to arrange a time for a free case evaluation to learn more.

How Our Augusta Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Crash With a Drunk Driver

How Our Augusta Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Crash With a Drunk Driver

When your car accident involves a drunk driver, things can get complicated. Many times, the impaired driver is arrested and charged with a crime. That can help your case for damages and increase the time it takes to get the money you deserve.

At the same time, you need the opportunity to focus on getting better and healing from your car accident injuries.

Hawk Law Group can help. Our Augusta car accident lawyers understand how important it is for you to win your personal injury case. We have over 70 years of combined experience going up against tough adversaries and winning top results for our clients. 

Let us fight to get the best possible outcome in your drunk driving case, too. 

While you concentrate your energy on your physical and mental health, our lawyers will:

  • Coordinate with local, state, and federal investigators about the details of your DUI accident
  • Conduct an independent investigation into the wreck
  • Gather evidence to prove that your injuries were, in fact, caused by the drunk driving crash
  • Identify who, other than the impaired motorist, may be liable for your injuries
  • Consult with leading specialists and experts as we build and value your claim for damages
  • Navigate any curveballs that might arise because of the defendant’s criminal drunk driving case 
  • Negotiate with insurance companies and liable third parties
  • Litigate your case at trial if you aren’t offered a fair settlement deal

Our Georgia law office works on a contingency fee basis, so there’s no upfront cost. We only get paid if we win your drunk driving car accident case. Call us to learn more. Your first consultation is absolutely free.

How Common Are Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Georgia?

Too common. Compared to other states, drunk driving accidents – especially fatal ones – frequently happen in Georgia. According to the CDC, at least 3,241 people were killed in fatal drunk driving car accidents in the Peach State between 2009 and 2018. 

In 2019, the last year in which data was available, there were at least 5,620 people arrested for driving drunk in Georgia. That year, drunk driving accidents caused at least 353 deaths, which accounted for 23.7 percent of all car accident fatalities.

Here’s the takeaway: nearly one person is killed in a DUI car accident in Georgia every day. Dozens more suffer injuries and are forced to live with the consequences.

If you’ve been hit by a drunk or drugged driver in Augusta or elsewhere in Georgia, you deserve to be compensated accordingly.

What Compensation Is Available to Victims of Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Augusta?

If a drunk driver strikes you, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit for damages. Damages fall into one of two categories: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages offset the financial costs of your DUI accident. Non-economic damages make up for the pain and suffering you experienced because you were in the wreck.

Our DUI accident attorneys in Augusta will aggressively pursue all compensation available to you, which can include money for:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Disability
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Disfigurement
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Chronic pain
  • Nursing care
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Embarrassment

If an accident results in death, surviving family members may also be entitled to compensation in a wrongful death action.

Drunk driving car accident cases are one of the few in which punitive damages may also be available. Under Georgia state law, punitive damages can be awarded when a defendant “showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or that entire want of care which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences.”

Many times, juries find that getting behind the wheel while impaired shows a disregard for the safety of others that rises to this level. This is particularly true when a drunk driver has a history of DUIs or has a blood alcohol concentration way above the legal limit of .08 percent.

What Is Drunk Driving?

In Georgia, drunk driving refers to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol “to the extent that it is less safe for the person to drive.”

This means a driver doesn’t necessarily have to have a BAC above the legal limit to break the law. If the amount of drugs or alcohol they consume makes it less safe for them to drive, it’s a crime. 

When a person consumes alcohol, many things can happen when they’re operating a motor vehicle:

  • It becomes more difficult to react to changes in traffic conditions due to slower reflexes
  • Vision can blur and become impaired, making it difficult for a driver to see the road
  • Motorists become less alert and lose coordination 
  • Driers become fatigued and are more likely to get distracted or fall asleep behind the wheel

Driving under the influence makes it less safe for a person to operate a car. All of these things can increase the risk of an auto accident. If you’re hurt in a wreck with a driver who’s had a drink or two (or more), speak with an experienced car accident attorney in Augusta, GA immediately.

What Happens to My Personal Injury If the Drunk Driver Is Also Charged With a Crime?

Criminal DUI cases and civil drunk driving personal injury cases can co-exist. Under the law, they’re separate, and the outcome of one won’t have a direct impact on the other.

However, that doesn’t mean a criminal DUI charge can’t influence or affect your personal injury lawsuit.

If the defendant is convicted, that can be a great benefit to your related lawsuit for damages. You can point to that as evidence that the driver was negligent per se and, in turn, responsible for the injuries the crash caused.

Even if they’re not convicted, evidence that’s gathered during the criminal process can support and strengthen your claim for damages. Remember, the burden of proof in criminal cases is much higher than in civil cases. You just have to prove that your argument is more likely true than not. 

Keep in mind that the state of Georgia can pause your personal injury case while the related criminal matter unfolds. This allows the defendant to focus solely on their criminal DUI charge. Once the case is resolved, your personal injury case can resume. 

Who Other Than the Drunk Driver Can Be Liable For My Car Accident Injuries?

Georgia states that anyone who contributes to a drunk driving accident – directly or indirectly – can be accountable for damages.

Apart from the impaired driver, this might include:

  • Other motorists on the road
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicyclists
  • Property owners
  • Manufacturers of defective or dangerous vehicles or faulty equipment
  • Government agencies
  • Employers of drunk drivers (if they were on the clock at the time of the crash)
  • Bars or restaurants for overserving (under Georgia’s dram shop liability law)

Rest assured that Hawk Law Group will seek compensation from anyone who put you in harm’s way. We’ll fight at-fault parties and their insurance companies aggressively to get you every cent you deserve.

Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With an Auto Accident Lawyer in Augusta, GA

Have you been in a motor vehicle accident with a drunk or impaired driver in Augusta, Georgia? Whether you’ve sustained a traumatic brain injury, severe burns, or other catastrophic injuries, you could be entitled to significant compensation. The Augusta DUI accident lawyers at Hawk Law Group are ready to put 71+ years of experience to work to get the results you deserve.

Contact our law office serving Augusta, Georgia, and surrounding areas to learn more. We offer a free consultation, so reach out to our compassionate team to get started today.

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