Impaired Driver Accident Westlake Village

Being involved in a drunk driving accident is devastating, the most devastating part of it is knowing your accident was caused by the negligence of another person. Often times in drunk driving accidents, it is the victims that suffer severe injuries, and not the impaired driver.

Impaired driver accidents often lead to catastrophic or fatal injuries, and the loss of a family member or even a loved one. It can be difficult to piece your life back together after the accident, but we can help set you on the path to recovery.

DUI is a criminal offense in Westlake Village, if you have been involved in an accident with a driver you suspect is impaired, you have the right to seek compensation for damages and with the help of our seasoned personal injury lawyer, you would obtain maximum compensation.

What Is Impaired Driving in Westlake Village?

Impaired driving is operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol. In California, it is illegal to drive while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both. The legal BAC limit for drivers above the age of 21 is 0.08. DUI law offenders face severe punishments that can range from loss of driver’s license to criminal charges and potential jail time. Under California vehicle laws, it is illegal for a person to drive with a BAC of 0.08 and above. The laws in California do not prevent all drivers who have consumed alcohol from driving, some conduct can be seen as a violation of California DUI laws.

Here are the types of conduct considered a violation of California’s DUI laws.

1. Driving under the influence in violation of California vehicle code section 23152(a) VC.
2. Driving with a BAC of 0.08 or more in violation of California vehicle code section 23152(b) VC.
3. Driving with a BAC of 0.01 or more for drivers under the age of 21.

Why Drunk Drivers Are Likely To Cause Accidents

Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol decreases a driver’s ability to maintain control of their motor vehicle, and it affects the driver’s judgments and ability to react on time. This makes them more likely to engage in careless driving behaviors such as speeding, wrong-way driving, and others.

More than half of the accidents in California are caused by impaired drivers.

Common Injuries Associated With Impaired Driver Accidents

The injuries suffered from an impaired driver accident can often be severe. The impacts of such accidents are amplified due to the negligence of the impaired driver. Some common injuries suffered by victims of impaired driver accidents in Westlake village include;

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Scarring and severe burns
• Severe cuts and lacerations.
• Fractures and broken bones
• Loss of limbs

Punishments for DUI in Westlake Village

The punishments for first-time DUI offenders in Westlake village are very harsh, and even more severe for repeat offenders. Fines could be potentially up to thousands of dollars. The sentence for a first-time offense includes; jail time, probation, loss of license, and DUI school.

For repeat offenders, DUI punishments in Westlake Village include; jail time up to a year, felony status, fines, and fees that run into tens of thousands of dollars, DUI school for up to 30 months, and loss of license for two to three years.

The possibility of a criminal charge and an arrest for the party at fault does not stop you from seeking compensation.

Damage Claims in an Impaired Driver Accident

If you’ve been involved in an accident with an impaired driver, you may be entitled to compensation for damages. The extent of the damages claimed is dependent on the severity of injuries suffered. Here are the compensations our experienced personal injury attorney can help you obtain.

Loss of earning capacity – if the injuries you suffered are permanent, and would stop you from working, you are entitled to compensation for the income expected to earn throughout your life.

Loss of wages– you are entitled to compensation for the wages lost while you were recovering.

Compensation for pain and suffering – as a victim of an impaired driver accident in Westlake Village, you are entitled to compensation for the pain and suffering endured as a result of the accident.

Scarring and disfigurement (where applicable)- if the accident caused you scarring or disfigurement, then you are entitled to compensation for it.

Compensation for medical expenses – all medical expenses, both present and in the future, you are fully entitled to coverage.

Emotional distress – you are entitled to any emotional distress including depression, anxiety, and others caused as a result of the accident.

Disability (where applicable) – if you were disabled as a result of an impaired driver accident in Westlake Village, you are entitled to compensation for your disability.

You would only get the full value of your damages when you employ an experienced personal injury attorney to litigate on your behalf.

Victim’s Restitution

This is another way for victims to get compensated. The victims of an impaired driver accident can seek compensation through the victim restitution. If the impaired driver is criminally prosecuted the court may order the impaired driver to pay restitution to the victim as a part of their criminal sentence. However, the victim’s restitution is more limited than claims in a civil personal injury lawsuit because the impaired driver may only be ordered to pay for economic damages. It doesn’t include compensation for non-economic damages.

At Bojat Law Group, our experienced personal injury attorney will use all the methods available to help the victims get as much money as possible from the impaired driver responsible for their injuries and set them the path to full recovery.