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Why do people drink and drive? Everyone knows it’s dangerous, but nobody thinks they will be the ones to cause a crash. Alcohol impairs judgment, and the more you drink, the worse your judgment gets. So, people get behind the wheel when they know they shouldn’t because they think they’ll somehow manage to get home safely. Unfortunately, this is far too often not the case. Hundreds of people die in alcohol-related crashes in Florida every year. Drunk driving is the single greatest killer on Florida roads and accounts for a quarter of all traffic deaths. Except for Miami-Dade, Broward County sees more fatal alcohol crashes than any other county in the state.

Intoxicated drivers are in danger of violating the duty of care they owe to other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians the minute they get behind the wheel. If a drunk driver causes a crash, they are likely liable for the costs of any serious injuries they cause, including the full amount of medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In Broward County, count on the lawyers at The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A., to get results. Our goal is to make you whole as much as possible after a drunk driver harms you and hold that driver accountable for the damages they cause.

What makes drunk drivers so dangerous?

We’ve already mentioned how alcohol impairs judgment. Drunk drivers simply lack the ability to make the right choices on the road, such as using their turn signals, judging the speed of oncoming cars, or realizing when a light will change. Alcohol also dulls reflexes and senses. Because of this, drunk drivers are less likely to see or hear the traffic around them, and they are unable to react in time to changes in traffic patterns, such as a sudden traffic slowdown or another vehicle turning or changing lanes. Sometimes, drunk drivers don’t react at all before a crash, making the collision so much worse by failing to apply the brakes and lessen the speed of impact. When they do react, drunk drivers are prone to overreacting, slamming on the brakes unnecessarily or jerking the wheel violently. Overreacting on the road can be just as dangerous as not reacting at all. Drunk drivers are also at risk of falling asleep at the wheel, which can cause deadly accidents when they drift into an oncoming lane.

How do you hold drunk drivers liable for the damages they cause?

Drunk driving crashes are, unfortunately, often very serious or deadly. For the injury victim, this means they are likely to suffer a “serious injury” that takes them outside of Florida’s no-fault insurance and allows them to sue the negligent driver for the full amount of their damages. Whether or not the driver is arrested for DUI, we’ll be able to prove the driver’s negligence and intoxication through accident investigation and reconstruction, witness testimony, and other means. Our experienced Sunrise car accident lawyers go after the driver’s liability insurance or pursue an uninsured motorist claim if necessary. Some people think insurance companies don’t cover drunk drivers, but this is not the case.

We’ll also pursue punitive damages against a drunk driver when their drinking and driving amounts to intentional or gross misconduct. Punitive damages are harder to prove than other damages in a personal injury claim, but we put in the time and effort and know how to build a strong case for punitive damages in appropriate situations. These damages help punish the drunk driver, deter similar conduct in others, and maximize the compensation available for the injury victims. With punitive damages, we can pursue justice for our clients and help make our Broward County communities safer in the future.

Finally, if it turns out a restaurant or bar served alcohol to a minor or a person they knew to be a habitual alcohol addict, we’ll work to hold that establishment liable as well. Going after all responsible parties helps raise awareness and accountability about the dangers of drunk driving while helping injury victims get the best outcome available after a serious car accident changes their lives.

Get the Help You Need After a Serious Drunk Driving Injury Crash in Sunrise or Broward County

If a drunk driver has injured you in a Broward County car accident, call the Sunrise drunk driving lawyers at The Law Offices of David Benenfeld in Sunrise at 954-677-0155 for a free consultation. We also maintain offices in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and serve clients throughout Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. We can also come to you if you can’t make it out to our offices. Call today and get started receiving appropriate care and compensation for injuries in a crash caused by a drunk or negligent driver.

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