Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Serving Biloxi & the Gulf Coast of Mississippi
Almost one-third of traffic accidents in the U.S. are caused by drivers who are over the legal limit and approximately the same figures apply in Mississippi.
For the victims of these accidents, the consequences can be life-changing or even fatal. Over 150 Mississippians die every year from drunk driving accidents and more than 35 die every day across the country. Many families are left devastated by the after-effects of drunk-driving injuries.
If you or a loved one have been impacted by an accident with a drunk driver in the Biloxi and the surrounding Gulf Coast of Mississippi, and you are not sure where to turn, the drunk-driving accident injury lawyers at Rushing & Guice, PLLC will protect your rights and seek the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Mississippi DUI laws and drunk-driving injury compensation
In Mississippi, alcohol-impaired drivers face serious criminal charges as a deterrent to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This can result in penalties including fines, license suspension, and even jail time.
Yet this still does not prevent serious drunk-driving incidents and injuries from occurring.
If a person is injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, the consequences become harsher for the driver but civil liability for the reckless or negligent behavior is a matter for the victims or their families to follow up.
Most claims are handled by the insurance company of the at-fault party but a lawsuit may be necessary to secure the maximum possible compensation for the losses.
How can a personal injury attorney help after your accident?
Most insurance companies don’t simply pay full and fair compensation without attempting strategies to minimize their losses. They are run as businesses, and the best interests of accident victims are in direct conflict with the best interests of the business.
Even if liability for the accident seems obvious, countless obstacles are often put in the way by experienced and aggressive loss adjusters.
Seeking help from an experienced drunk driving injury lawyer evens up the “contest” between the insurance company and the victim.
Often, the insurance company approaches victims for a quick out-of-court settlement. Accepting this can be a mistake, as you will waive your right to file a lawsuit in Mississippi. An experienced drunk driving injury lawyer will not accept anything less than the maximum compensation available and will be prepared to go to court to defend your rights.
Your main concern after an accident injury should be to recuperate, not to deal with the stress of communicating with insurance companies. Your lawyer will gather evidence to prove liability for the accident while handling the necessary paperwork, communication, and legal processes so that you can focus on recovery.
What compensation can we recover after a DUI accident in Biloxi?
Each case is investigated thoroughly before filing a lawsuit, but your drunk driving injury lawyer should be able to provide a rough estimate of how much compensation you can expect to receive, based on previous cases.
Generally, for serious injuries related to drink-driving accidents in the Biloxi area of Mississippi, we can claim the following types of compensation for victims:
- Current and future medical expenses, including long-term hospitalization and ongoing treatment costs
- Lost wages or earnings
- Diminished earning capacity from a catastrophic injury
- Vehicle and property damage
- Costs of necessary modifications to the home, car, or workplace for disabled victims
- Pain and suffering
In some cases, we can also seek punitive damages for particularly egregious behavior by a driver. These awards are sometimes called “exemplary” damages as they are intended to discourage such behavior in wider society.
If a loved one loses his/her life in a drunk driving accident in Biloxi, we can pursue a wrongful death claim on behalf of your family—to claim for losses of future income, funeral expenses, etc.
Who is liable after a drunk driving accident in Mississippi?
In most drunk-driving cases in Mississippi, the intoxicated party is guilty of a DUI crime and also liable for the accident injuries of any victims.
Even if no criminal charge, prosecution, or conviction is possible, a civil lawsuit can still be filed against the alleged at-fault party or parties. Evidence such as police reports, video footage, accident scene photos, medical records, and witness statements can be used by an experienced personal injury lawyer to prove liability.
Sometimes, more than one party can be held liable for an accident. For instance, if the victim is injured in an accident with a truck, the driver, employer or even the vehicle manufacturer may be held liable.
There is another law in Mississippi that can even lead to liability for the establishment that sold alcohol to a driver who is subsequently involved in a DUI accident that caused injuries.
Under Mississippi’s “dram shop” laws, individuals who are injured by a drunk driver could pursue a claim against an establishment that served alcohol to the driver before the accident.
However, these are challenging claims to pursue because they require proof that the establishment knowingly served alcohol to a “visibly intoxicated” person, or someone aged under 21.
A host of a party who serves alcohol to a minor under the age of 21—who later causes a drunk driving accident—may also be held liable.
What should you do after a drunk driving accident?
If you or a loved one is injured in a drunk driving accident, take the following actions to protect your legal rights:
- Seek medical attention ASAP: for serious injuries, this will be out of your hands, but even if your injuries seem relatively minor, get medical help immediately so that there is a record of your medical condition.
- Call the police: a police report on the accident will be vital evidence for your claim against a driver who is intoxicated.
- Collect evidence at the accident scene if possible: photos, video, witness details, and so on may be key to your compensation claim.
- Contact a suitably qualified lawyer: speak with a lawyer who is experienced both in drunk-driving accident injuries and the local Mississippi personal injury laws.
Contact a drunk driving injury lawyer at Rushing & Guice, PLLC for legal advice and assistance if you are in the Biloxi area of Mississippi and you or a loved one has been injured in a DUI accident. Call us at (228) 374-2313 or fill out our online form to arrange for a limited initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you, and look forward to the opportunity to serve as your attorneys.
