DUI Accident Lawyer.
Georgia Drunk Driving Accident Attorney.
Every day, Georgia families suffer the devastating consequences of drunk driving accidents, with fatalities becoming more common every year. One moment you’re driving home, to work, or to a gathering of friends and family. Next, your life is permanently altered by a driver who chose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
If you’ve been injured, then the physical toll is just the beginning. Many drunk driving accident victims face deep emotional scars, overwhelming medical bills, and the inability to work or enjoy life as they once did. In the most tragic cases, many families are left grieving the wrongful death of a loved one.
At Valentine Injury Law, we’re here to help you hold drunk drivers accountable. Our team represents DUI accident victims across Athens, Watkinsville, Oconee County, Clarke County, and all of the State of Georgia. We fight to secure the full financial compensation you deserve!
Types of DUI Accidents We Handle.
No two DUI accidents are the same, but all of them share a common thread involving both negligence and other aggravating circumstances. Alcohol and drug impairment reduce a driver’s ability to make sound decisions, react quickly, and follow the rules of the road.
Valentine Injury Law handles a wide range of drunk driving accident cases, including:
Head-On Collisions
Head-on crashes are among the most severe types of DUI accidents, often occurring when an intoxicated driver veers across the center line. Victims typically suffer life-altering injuries like spinal damage, compound fractures, and traumatic brain injuries.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Drunk drivers often fail to notice people walking or biking along Georgia’s roadways. Whether the collision occurs in a crosswalk, neighborhood, or sidewalk, these crashes are frequently fatal or result in critical injuries due to the lack of protection for the victim.
Multi-Vehicle Pileups
High-speed DUI crashes at intersections or on highways often involve multiple vehicles. These cases require extensive investigation to determine liability, assess injuries from secondary collisions, and identify all potential insurance policies.
Hit-and-Run DUI Accidents
Some impaired drivers panic and flee the scene, compounding the victim’s pain and complicating the investigation. Valentine Injury Law uses every available tool at our disposal. From surveillance footage and witness statements, to law enforcement reports and forensic evidence, we’ll find these drivers and hold them accountable.
Single-Vehicle DUI Crashes (Passenger Victims)
If you were the passenger in a vehicle driven by someone under the influence, you still have legal rights. Our firm represents passengers injured by drunk drivers, even when the intoxicated driver was someone you knew.
Commercial Vehicle DUI Crashes
When a commercial driver operates an 18-wheeler or delivery truck while under the influence, the results are often catastrophic. In such cases, we investigate whether the employer may also be held responsible for negligent hiring, training, or supervision practices. We can seek damages not only against the driver but also against the business they were working for.
Compensation for Your DUI Accident Claim.
The road to a full recovery can be long, but that doesn’t mean it should be full of debt and distress.
Valentine Injury Law works hard to recover the full scope of damages our clients may be owed. We focus on the present and future impact of your injuries so that you’re not left shouldering the long-term costs of your accident alone.
Generally, there are two types of damages you can claim under Georgia law: special (economic) and general (non-economic). However, a third type of damages may also be available if the third party engaged in actions that showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or an entire want of care that would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to the consequences to others: punitive damages.
Special damages
Special (economic) damages cover the tangible financial losses you may experience, such as:
- Hospital stays, emergency room bills, surgeries, and follow-up care.
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation services.
- Prescription medications and assistive devices.
- Lost income from missed work.
- Costs for vehicle repairs or replacement.
- Out-of-pocket transportation expenses.
In other words, special damages include the expenses you may incur due to your accident and injury.
General damages
Valentine Injury Law also fights for compensation for the intangible effects of your accident. These may actually cause you the greatest suffering, especially in the long term.
- Chronic pain and physical discomfort.
- Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and emotional distress.
- Loss of ability to engage in hobbies, relationships, and daily life.
- Scarring or permanent disfigurement.
- Future diminished earning capacity.
- Loss of intimacy or companionship in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
General (non-economic) damages deal with how the accident has made you feel and how you experience life after the fact. These can be just as important, if not more important, than economic damages in a drunk driving accident case.
Punitive damages
Making the reckless decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs could make the driver liable for punitive damages, in addition to economic and non-economic damages. These punitive damages serve to punish the offender and deter him or her from future aggravating behavior.
At Valentine Injury Law, we pursue punitive damages in every qualifying case to deliver accountability and financial compensation for the losses endured due to such reckless behavior. We are experts at proving and recovering punitive damages, and we’ve recovered millions in punitive damages on both property damage and bodily injury claims.
What to Do Immediately After a DUI Accident in Georgia?
Taking the right steps after a DUI crash can protect your health and significantly strengthen your legal claim.
It’s important that you take the following measures as soon as possible after your DUI crash:
Call 911 immediately
Report the accident and make sure to mention if you suspect the other driver is impaired. Police will come ready and able to give a field sobriety test if they’re aware of the situation and have probable cause to arrest the at-fault driver.
Request medical attention
It’s important to get looked over by a medical professional, such as an EMTs or an emergency room physician. You could have internal injuries or injuries that result in delayed symptoms.
Document everything
If possible, take photos and videos of vehicle damage, road conditions, license plates, skid marks, any visible alcohol containers, evidence of drug usage, or other evidence of unusual or aggravating behavior. The more evidence gathered early on, the better.
Seek legal counsel
Immediately contact a qualified drunk driving lawyer. Valentine Injury Law can begin preserving evidence, advising you on next steps, and communicating with insurers and police from day one.
What Does a DUI Accident Lawyer Do for You?
Navigating the aftermath of a DUI crash on your own can be overwhelming. Insurance adjusters will likely try to minimize or delay your claim. Additionally, the legal process is often fraught with traps and pitfalls that can catch an inexperienced person off guard.
A skilled DUI accident lawyer can act as a guide through those turbulent times. Valentine Injury Law can help you with:
Case investigation
We’ll gather DUI-related evidence, interview witnesses, and secure toxicology reports, surveillance footage, and police findings, to build a strong liability and punitive damages case. This is crucial for maximizing your settlement.
Medical documentation
We collaborate with your doctors to document your injuries, develop a personalized treatment plan, and assess your future care needs. All of this must be well catalogued to ensure any damages are fully representative of the total settlement value of your case.
Liability expansion
If a bar, restaurant, or event overserved the intoxicated driver, then there is the potential to explore dram shop claims to increase potential compensation sources.
Negotiation with insurance companies
We handle all communications with insurers and strive to secure a settlement that fully reflects your losses. You won’t be pressured into accepting less than you deserve, and attorney Brad Valentine will give you honest guidance as to whether to settle or file a lawsuit.
Trial representation
If settlement talks stall, then we are ready and able to take your case to court. Our firm has a reputation for aggressive, client-focused litigation that gets top-notch results.
Your most important job after a DUI accident is recovering from your injuries. Leave the rest up to us!
Contact Our Athens & Oconee County DUI Accident Lawyer Today!
Someone else’s reckless decision to drink and drive shouldn’t define your life. At Valentine Injury Law, we understand the devastating impact of a DUI accident. We also know how to help you get through it.
Protecting the rights of injured Georgians and pursuing the justice they’re owed is our primary responsibility and focus. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a drunk driving accident, then don’t wait. Evidence doesn’t last long. The sooner we begin, the stronger your case will be.
Call Valentine Injury Law today at (706) 425-4444 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation with award-winning attorney Brad Valentine.
We serve Athens, Watkinsville, Oconee County, Clarke County, and all clients across Northeast Georgia with compassion and experience, pursuing the maximum possible damages in every case.
Our Practice Areas.
At Valentine Injury Law, we help clients across a variety of personal injury cases. Explore our full list of practice areas below
Tractor trailer collisions
Tractor-trailer accidents can come with complex liability issues. We navigate the nuances for you.
Motorcycle accidents
No matter the vehicle involved, we’ll get what you deserve.
Rideshare collisions
Uber and Lyft accidents are becoming more common. We know how to pursue compensation and put money back in your pocket.
Hit-and-run collisions
We don’t let hit-and-run drivers get away with fleeing the scene and their responsibility.
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
Hire an expert who knows how to navigate these special laws. We’ve won significant recoveries for injured pedestrians and cyclists.
Commercial vehicle collisions
You shouldn’t have to pay for harm that wasn’t your fault. We hold negligent companies responsible.
Other Areas of Expertise
Discover How We Can Help
We’re ready to fight for you.
If you’ve been injured, then you’re not alone. Contact us for a free case evaluation. You only pay if we secure a settlement for you.
