Summerlin Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Even if the district attorney brings a criminal case against the drunk driver, it’s still a good idea to meet with a drunk driving accident attorney. There are a few key differences between criminal cases and private cases that can impact your rights and ultimately the recovery that you receive in each type of proceeding.

In criminal court, the proceeding is about the public interest and not about compensation for the victim. In a criminal case, the victim can receive only a limited amount of damages. You’re typically limited to claiming only your out-of-pocket losses like medical expenses and property damages. By contrast, the damages in a civil case are expansive. In a civil case, you can claim compensation for a range of economic and non-economic damages.

Bringing a civil case doesn’t depend on the outcome of a criminal case. You can bring a civil case even if the state declines to press criminal charges. You can also bring a civil case if the state fails to win a criminal case. The burden of proof is lower in a civil case than it is in a criminal case. A lower burden of proof means that it’s easier for you to win your case. Your attorney can help you bring a civil claim that includes all of the types of damages that you may deserve.

If you’re the victim of a drunk driving accident in Summerlin, there are many types of damages available to you. No two cases are alike, so it’s important to evaluate each kind of loss to see if it applies in your case. Some of the damages that you can claim after a drunk driving accident include:

• Emergency room services
• Ambulance care and care at the scene of the crash
• Outpatient follow-up care
• Diagnostic tests like blood tests and x-rays
• Surgeries
• Mobility aids like crutches and walkers
• Lost pay from an inability to work
• Lost earning capacity from long-term career interruptions
• Replacement help around the home for you and your family
• Mental anguish and emotional suffering
• Physical suffering
• Property damages
• Wrongful death

You begin a claim for recovery by filing a summons and complaint in the appropriate court. When you work with us, we draft and file the legal documents on your behalf. Your first documents identify the parties involved, state how the other party caused your damages, and list the damages that you deserve because of the accident. You serve a copy of the paperwork on all of the other parties involved.

Once you file your complaint for recovery, the other side has a chance to respond to the allegations. Then, you can conduct what’s called discovery. Discovery is a formal court process that allows you to build your claim. When you work with our team of lawyers, we create a strategy to build the evidence in your case.

We might work with an accident reconstruction expert to connect the dots between the drunk driving accident and your injuries. We might work with medical experts to adequately identify and explain the extent of your medical injuries. Occupational therapists can explain how the accident has impacted your physical abilities and your career options. Appraisers can help value property damages. In addition to our network of experts, our team of legal professionals has experience placing a value on the emotional suffering and physical anguish that results from any drunk driving accident.

We can also demand evidence from the other side to build your case. We can request records of drug and alcohol tests. We can demand that the other side sits for a formal deposition and answers questions under oath about the crash. Our team has experience approaching witnesses even if they may be nervous to speak about what they witnessed. At each stage in the case, we put our expertise to work for you.

Most drunk driving cases don’t go to trial. If the evidence of the other side’s drunk driving is clear, you can demonstrate to the other side that you have a strong case and ask for an agreement. In many cases, we’re able to reach a result outside of court that our clients agree amounts to fair compensation for their losses.

We can help you value your claim and negotiate a resolution. Whether the other side offers you a fair settlement or it’s best to ask a jury to decide your case, we can guide you so that you can make the right decisions for you.