Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Practice Areas
Experienced Drunk Driving Accident Law Firm Serving the Entire Florida Panhandle
Driving drunk is against the law, results in thousands of injuries every year, and constitutes grossly negligent behavior. If you’ve been the victim of a DUI-related accident in Florida, you should not have to pay for someone else’s illegal and irresponsible actions. Our drunk driving accident lawyers at Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC work to hold each and every negligent party responsible for the harm they’ve caused, whether that means the intoxicated driver themselves, the vehicle’s owner, a bar or restaurant that failed to take precautions, or a homeowner who failed to supervise a party where alcohol was served to someone who later got behind the wheel.
Our extensive experience allows us to efficiently investigate what contributed to the crash and pursue every available source of compensation on your behalf. As a trusted personal injury law firm in Fort Walton Beach, Wesley, McGrail & Wesley brings more than 55 years of combined legal experience to every case we handle, whether we’re negotiating a fair settlement or arguing your case in court. Most people assume this level of experience is reserved for large firms in bigger cities, but we combine it with the personal attention every one of our injured clients deserves.
We handle all personal injury claim matters on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only collect a fee if we secure a verdict or settlement on your behalf. Contact us online or call (850) 244-0999 for a free initial consultation today.
How a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Crash
If you were hurt because someone else was driving drunk, an experienced drunk driving accident attorney from our firm can help you understand what comes next and how to pursue compensation for everything you’ve lost.
We conduct thorough investigations to build a solid case and help you recover what you deserve. This includes gathering information related to the intoxicated driver’s DUI arrest, reviewing police reports, and, when necessary, working with experts to reconstruct how the accident happened.
We take an educational approach with every client, walking you through the legal process and what to expect, including how Florida’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage can help offset lost income and medical expenses while your drunk driving accident claim moves forward.
Common Injuries Caused by Drunk Driving Accidents
Crashes involving an impaired driver are frequently more severe than other car accidents, in part because intoxicated drivers often fail to brake or react before impact. Drunk driving accident victims commonly suffer broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal injuries, and burns. Many face months of physical therapy and ongoing treatment, and some are left with life-changing catastrophic injuries that permanently affect their ability to work and live independently.
When a Drunk Driver Causes a Fatal Crash
When a drunk driving accident results in the death of a loved one, the loss is made even more painful by the fact that it was entirely preventable. When this happens, family members may be entitled to recover wrongful death damages for funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship, guidance, and care the deceased would have provided.
Our Fort Walton Beach wrongful death attorneys help surviving family members understand their legal options under Florida law and pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the party responsible.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Drunk Driving Accident?
Liability in drunk driving accident cases isn’t always limited to the driver alone. Depending on the circumstances, other parties may share responsibility for making the crash possible, and identifying every liable party can make a meaningful difference in the compensation you’re able to recover.
Liability of the Drunk Driver
The intoxicated person who chose to operate a vehicle while impaired bears primary responsibility for the crash. That decision to get behind the wheel after drinking is what the law treats as negligence, and in many cases, as conduct that goes well beyond ordinary carelessness. Beyond any criminal charges filed by the state, the at-fault driver can also face a separate civil claim seeking compensation for the harm they caused. These two proceedings move on different tracks and serve different purposes, but developments in one can often support the other.
When a Bar or Alcohol Vendor May Share Responsibility
In some situations, an establishment that continued to serve alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron who then caused a crash may share liability for the resulting injuries. Bars, restaurants, and other alcohol vendors have a responsibility to recognize the signs of intoxication and stop serving a patron who has clearly had too much to drink.
How Florida Dram Shop Laws Can Affect an Injury Claim
Florida’s dram shop law generally protects vendors from liability for serving alcohol to an adult patron, but there are important exceptions. A vendor can still be held liable if it knowingly served alcohol to someone who was already habitually addicted to alcohol, or if it served alcohol to a minor who then caused an accident. Because these exceptions are narrow and fact-specific, proving them typically requires digging into the vendor’s records, staff training practices, and any prior incidents involving the same establishment. When one of these exceptions applies, our experienced DUI accident lawyers can help determine whether the vendor should be added as a liable party in your case alongside the driver.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Fort Walton Beach
If you’ve been involved in a crash with a suspected drunk driver, the first and most important thing you should do is to seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor at first (since some injuries don’t show symptoms right away). Next, contact law enforcement so an official report can document the scene, the other driver’s condition, and any signs of impairment.
If possible, take photographs of the vehicles, the accident scene, and any visible injuries, and get contact information from witnesses who saw what happened. It’s also important that you keep records of every related expense, from vehicle repairs to medical bills to time missed from work, and avoid speaking with the other driver’s insurance company before consulting a personal injury attorney, since anything you say can later be used to minimize your claim.
How a Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Investigates a Crash
At Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC, our attorneys move quickly to gather and preserve evidence connected to your case, understanding that some of the most valuable evidence can disappear if it isn’t secured early. This typically includes obtaining the police report and DUI arrest records, requesting the other driver’s criminal case file, gathering witness statements, and pulling any available surveillance or dashcam footage from the scene where the accident happened.
Because a related criminal case often unfolds alongside your civil claim, we also monitor developments in the criminal proceedings that may strengthen your personal injury case, from plea negotiations to trial testimony.
What Evidence Can Prove a Driver Was Impaired?
Several types of evidence can help establish that a driver was impaired at the time of the crash, including:
- The driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as measured by police
- Field sobriety test results
- Officer observations noted in the police report
- Witness accounts of erratic driving
- Open containers found in the vehicle
- Statements the driver made at the scene
- Any resulting criminal charges or criminal liability the driver faces
What Compensation Can a Drunk Driving Injury Lawyer Pursue?
The Fort Walton Beach drunk driving accident lawyers at Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC work to help you recover fair compensation for the full scope of your losses. This includes (but is not limited to) medical bills, both current and anticipated future treatment, lost wages and future income, property damage, vehicle repairs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Our goal in every personal injury lawsuit is to pursue maximum compensation that reflects both what you’ve already been through and the impact the crash will have on your future, including any long-term or permanent effects on your ability to work and enjoy daily life.
Can You Recover Punitive Damages After a Drunk Driving Crash?
Because driving under the influence is considered particularly reckless conduct, Florida law may allow injured parties to seek punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages against the driver responsible for the crash. Punitive damages are intended to punish especially egregious behavior and deter similar conduct in the future, and they can significantly increase the value of a personal injury case involving a drunk driver. Whether punitive damages are available, and how much may be recoverable, often depends on the specific facts of the crash and the driver’s level of intoxication.
What If the Drunk Driver Was Uninsured or Underinsured?
Unfortunately, some negligent drivers who cause drunk driving accidents don’t carry adequate insurance, or any insurance at all. If the responsible party was uninsured or underinsured, your own policy’s uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may be the key to recovering the compensation you need. Reviewing your policy with an attorney can help clarify what options are available and ensure you’re pursuing every avenue of recovery open to you.
How Long Do You Have to File a Drunk Driving Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
Florida law imposes a strict statute of limitations on personal injury claims and wrongful death lawsuit filings, and missing this deadline can permanently bar you from recovering compensation, regardless of how clear the other driver’s fault may be. The deadline is typically set at two years from the date of the accident, though some exceptions apply.
Because evidence tied to a criminal case and a related civil claim can change quickly as the criminal proceedings unfold, it’s important to speak with a drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible after your crash so your rights are protected from the outset.
Why Choose a Fort Walton Beach Drunk Driving Injury Lawyer at Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC?
Our law office has spent years helping drunk driving accident victims throughout the Florida Panhandle pursue justice and hold negligent drivers accountable. We’ve seen firsthand how these cases can turn a single reckless decision into a lifetime of consequences for the people affected, and we bring that understanding to every case we take on.
As experienced Fort Walton Beach car accident lawyers, we understand how to navigate the overlap between a driver’s criminal case and your civil claim, gathering medical records, police reports, and other essential documentation to build the strongest possible foundation for your recovery. We know how to build a compelling case even when insurance companies try to minimize what happened, downplay the severity of your injuries, or shift blame in an effort to reduce what they owe.
Drunk driving cases often involve more than routine property damage or minor injuries. Many victims are left facing life-changing injuries that require ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care, and our firm accounts for that full picture when pursuing compensation on your behalf. We don’t just look at your immediate expenses; we consider how the crash will continue to affect your health, your income, and your quality of life in the months and years ahead.
Every client who walks through our doors receives the same combination of deep legal experience and genuine personal attention. From your first consultation through the resolution of your case, our team stays focused on one goal: helping you hold the drunk driver accountable and securing the compensation you need to move forward.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Fort Walton Beach Drunk Driving Injury Attorney at Our Firm Today
If you or someone you love was hurt by a drunk or impaired driver, you don’t have to face the legal process alone. Contact Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced Fort Walton Beach drunk driving accident lawyers. We are fully prepared to review your drunk driving accident claim, explain your legal options, and fight to help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Call us at (850) 244-0999 or reach out online to get started right away.
Schedule Your Free Case Review Today
At Wesley, McGrail & Wesley PLLC, we provide free initial consultations. That means that you can get legal advice at no cost and with no pressure to proceed. We are Fort Walton Beach personal injury lawyers – speak with one of us today by calling 850-244-0999, or contact us online.