Drunk Driving Accidents in Georgia
When you drive every day, you want to feel safe and secure knowing that other drivers utilize as much care and attention as you do. Unfortunately, drunk drivers continue to plague Georgia roads, creating unsafe conditions for everyone involved.
If you or someone you love is a victim of a drinking and driving accident, you should contact a College Park drunk driving accident lawyer to help you seek the compensation you need to recover your losses.
At The Foster Firm, we focus our legal practice on helping car accident victims recover, so we have ample knowledge of drinking and driving legalities. We want to protect drunk driving accident victims’ rights by using our legal experience and personalized approach strategies.
Our team at The Foster Firm represents car accident victims around Metro and South Atlanta, with offices in College Park and Douglasville, Georgia. Call us today for a free consultation at 404-559-8325.
Drunk Driving Laws in Georgia
Alcohol consumption creates a slower reaction time, making it inherently dangerous for anyone operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. Drunk drivers risk their own lives and place everyone else on the road at risk.
Georgia’s drunk driving laws state the following:
- Drivers must not operate any vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Drivers’ blood alcohol levels cannot go over 0.08% when controlling a vehicle.
- Commercial drivers’ blood alcohol levels must stay beneath 0.04%.
- Underage drivers must never have a blood alcohol level over 0.02%.
When caught drunk driving, drivers may face fines, arrests, license points, license suspensions, and criminal charges, depending on the number of offenses, severity, and types of damages. Collisions that cause property damage, injuries, or deaths constitute more severe penalties.
Holding a Drunk Driver Liable
Drinking and driving accidents often lead to criminal offenses against the liable party, though the victim may also create civil charges. Criminal charges may prevent the responsible party from creating more accidents, but they will not provide you with any compensation. As the victim, you must take action yourself if you wish to seek financial payouts.
At The Foster Firm, we will walk you through the process of filing a lawsuit, creating a personal injury case, or anything else that we recommend for your particular situation.
Keep in mind that Georgia’s statute of limitations requires that you file any claims within two years of the accident. If the liable party must await criminal hearings, you can wait until after the court resolves these matters (up to a maximum of six years) before the two-year clock starts.
Types of Damages You May Recover
You may be able to seek compensation for a drinking and driving accident to recover the following damages:
- Property damage
- All medical bills
- Permanent disfigurements and disabilities
- Loss of income or household services
- Emotional suffering
You may also pursue punitive damages to penalize the driver for acting excessively reckless so that they do not repeat their actions.
How Our Team at The Foster Firm Will Fight for You
Our Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyer team at The Foster Firm team will go through the following steps to fight for your rights:
- Determine liability and examine any prior convictions
- Collect evidence supporting your case
- Gather paperwork surrounding your financial losses
- Help you manage insurance claims
- Fight for your compensation in court
Our firm works with these types of cases all of the time, so we know exactly how to handle each situation. We will personalize an action plan based on your exact scenario and ensure that we do everything we can within the boundaries of the law to fight for your case.
Call Our Experienced College Park Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Today
After a car accident, you should immediately call 911, file a police report, and seek medical attention for any injuries. Once you’re home safe, the next step is to call our Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyer to begin discussing your options.
At The Foster Firm, we want to help you recover from your accident by seeking the compensation you need to cover your damages. You shouldn’t have to suffer from someone else’s illegal behaviors.
If you have an accident in or around Atlanta, contact us to speak with an experienced and compassionate attorney in Douglasville or College Park, GA. Call us at 404-559-8325 for a free consultation!