Bakersfield DUI and Drunk Driving Attorney

DUI and Drunk Driving Attorneys in Bakersfield

If you have been involved in an accident with another driver who was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you have the right to hold them responsible by filing a lawsuit. Give us a call today to discuss how you could get compensation.

According to the Kern County District Attorney, there are around 4,000 DUI arrests made in a single year. There are around 12 DUI arrests made each day. Bakersfield is one of the cities with the highest rates of DUI arrests compared to any other city in the United States. Unfortunately, DUI accidents are very popular in Bakersfield. DUI accidents could lead to severe injuries, especially for other passengers and drivers in the other vehicle.

Why should you hire our Bakersfield DUI lawyers?

• Our top-rated attorneys will help you navigate through the legal process to make sure that we build strong evidence in your favor and hold the drunk driver responsible.
• We will protect your rights when negotiating a settlement amount or in trial.
• Our trial attorneys have extensive experience and a successful track record and trial.
• We only charge our clients and attorneys fees when we recover compensation for our clients.
• We offer complimentary risk-free case evaluations.

What kind of damages can I recover for an accident involving a drunk driver?

Our top-rated attorneys will work tirelessly to make sure that you get compensated for your losses and that all your damages are accounted for prior to negotiating with the other party. 

During the case evaluation, we will review all the different damages and injuries that you have suffered. Sometimes, there are some damages that clients may not even realize. For example, if the injuries result in permanent damage, such as spinal cord injuries, then the accident victim may not be able to return back to work and resume normal life. Some examples of damages could include:

Economic damages: economic damages are those that we can easily calculate, which means that there is an invoice or receipt that we could easily look to to determine the amount of compensation. This could include:

• Property damage: property damage takes into account damage to personal belongings, such as laptops that were in the vehicle, or damage to your vehicle itself. You could recover the replacement cost of the vehicle if the vehicle was completely totaled by the drunk driver, or you could recover the repair cost.
• Medical bills: drunk driving accidents could lead to severe injuries, such as head injuries and back injuries which may require imaging, surgeries, prescription medication, therapy, and future treatment. These types of medical expenses could be recoverable.
• Lost wages and lost earning potential: this type of damage takes into account the wages lost while the injured party had to take time off work for their injuries, along with the future loss of income that the injured party could experience. For example, if the injuries are permanent, the employee may not be able to return back to work at their position prior to the accident.

Non-economic damages: these are damages that are not easily calculated, and instead take a look at the emotional toll that the injuries had.

• Pain and suffering: pain and suffering take into consideration the emotional suffering that the injured victim had to go through. For example, they may not be able to be intimate with their partners or loved ones.

Can I recover punitive damages in a drunk driving accident?

If you are involved in an accident involving a drunk driver, then there is a chance that you may be able to recover punitive damages in some cases. Punitive damages are additional damages awarded by the court that hold the drunk driver responsible. 

Punitive damages are only awarded in cases where the other party’s malicious behavior is evident. For example, the drunk driver knowingly got behind the wheel and drove after drinking and consuming large amounts of alcohol. Usually, punitive damages are awarded in accidents involving drunk drivers, and not awarded in accidents involving negligent parties.

Do I need a Bakersfield drunk driving accident attorney?

After an accident, whether it is a truck accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, or car accident, you will most likely need an attorney to represent you and the damages that you have suffered. When you do not have an attorney representing you, you may have to do all of this on your own. This includes investigating the claim, building your case, filing all the necessary paperwork, and communicating with the other side’s attorneys and insurance adjusters. This could take a heavy toll on an injured victim, especially because the injured victim has their own personal injuries to look after. We recommend that you give our Bakersfield lawyers a call to discuss. 

Can I file a lawsuit against a drunk driver in Bakersfield?

There are two different types of lawsuits or charges that a drunk driver may face. For example, when a police officer arrests a drunk driver, these are criminal charges that the drunk driver will have to face. Criminal charges are between the state and the drunk driver. But, the lawsuit that you file for your injuries is a civil lawsuit. A civil lawsuit is a lawsuit filed in court and requires an attorney representing you. 

How can I prove a drunk driving accident lawsuit?

If a party is suspected of drunk driving after an accident, a Bakersfield police officer will most likely do an alcohol consumption test, whether it is a breathalyzer test or a series of questions to determine if the driver was drunk. If the driver is in fact determined to be drunk, then the police officer may note in their report or may arrest the driver. Besides the drunk state of the driver, there are also a series of other requirements that you must have to show when filing a drunk driving accident lawsuit in Bakersfield. Below are the different elements that you may have to show:

• Duty: you must show that the drunk driver had a duty to drive in a safe manner, which means not being drunk behind the wheel.
• Breach: you must show that the driver breached this duty. This is a fairly easy element to prove in a drunk driving accident, especially because you could show that the driver failed to follow the duty and drove unsafely. 
• Causation: you must show that the drunk driver caused the accident. Because the drunk driver failed to follow the duty of driving safely, an accident with another party resulted.
• Damages: you must show that because of the drunk driver’s accident, the victim has suffered damages, such as injuries or personal property damage. 

Bakersfield Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

Our attorneys at Heidari law represent victims who have been involved in an accident with drunk drivers all throughout Bakersfield. Schedule your free case evaluation today to discuss the drunk driving accident, and how you can recover compensation. 

Our team of Bakersfield accident attorneys is available by phone, email, live chat, or in person in our office. You may be eligible to recover a variety of compensation and damages, this is where we come in. Give us a call today to discuss your specific accident injuries.