Drunk driving is one of the top causes of major collisions in California. Impaired motorists may exceed the speed limit, fail to monitor their surroundings and behave in erratic manners. They can cause crashes that put people in the hospital or lead to someone dying.
Those dealing with the consequences of a drunk driving crash may have tens of thousands of dollars in losses or even more. It is only natural to want compensation for the economic harm caused by an impaired motorist. There are potentially three different sources of compensation available after a drunk driving crash.
Liability insurance coverage
Every driver has to carry insurance coverage to comply with California statutes. The impaired motorist should have both property damage and bodily injury coverage on their policy that can reimburse the people affected by the crash for some of their losses. Unfortunately, some drivers don’t carry insurance the way that they should. Many others carry very low amounts of coverage that technically comply with state law but do not fully cover crash costs.
A lawsuit against the drunk driver
Drunk driving is a negligent behavior. Drivers who get behind the wheel after having too much to drink sacrifice public safety for convenience. Additionally, it is a wrongful act because it clearly violates state traffic statutes. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are possible in cases where plaintiffs can prove negligence or misconduct on the part of a motorist. Drunk drivers open themselves up to liability and may have to compensate the people involved in a crash for any expenses insurance does not cover.
Third-party lawsuits
There are a few different scenarios in which an outside party may have to provide partial compensation for a drunk driving crash. If the impaired motorist was on the clock, their employer may have a degree of liability for the crash. If the drunk driver was a minor, there could be other parties with liability as well. Both social hosts and licensed businesses may have financial liability in scenarios where people serve alcohol to minors who cannot legally drink.
Exploring every option for compensation can be beneficial for those coping with the consequences of a drunk driving car crash. The higher the costs become, the more likely it is that injured people may need to take legal action to recoup their losses.
