Drunk Driving Car Accident Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Drunk Driving Car Accident Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale, commonly referred to as the “Venice of America,” is a popular destination for tourists and spring breakers. Unfortunately, nights out on the town result in a high number of drunk drivers on the roadways, with DUIs in Broward County reaching over 3,000 violations in 2017 alone.

Fortunately, you are entitled to seek compensation for all of the injuries and losses you incur from an accident caused by a drunk driver. Accident laws are complex, though, and you need the representation of an experienced drunk driving car accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In such cases, our expert legal counsel will help you prove that the other road user was driving under the influence and that you were a direct victim of his or her recklessness.

Fort Lauderdale Driving Under the Influence Laws

Broward County has similar drunk-driving laws as all other parts of Florida. It is illegal for anyone operating a car to have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) equal to or above 0.08%. With the right legal representation, even a driver with less than 0.08% BAC concentration can be made to face the consequences of drunk driving should his or her alcohol consumption prove to be high enough to have impaired their driving.

Fort Lauderdale has a zero tolerance policy for people under 21 years of age drinking and driving. A BAC level as little as 0.02% is prohibited at this age. This infraction automatically results in license suspension for a minimum of six months.

The first step in gathering evidence after a drunk driving accident is contacting a legal expert and the Fort Lauderdale police. Every driver in Fort Lauderdale is expected to abide by Florida’s “implied consent” laws. This means that a motorist should give consent to field sobriety and blood alcohol tests during traffic stops. Failure of a driver to take such tests can lead to him or her being held liable in case of a drunk driving accident. In fact, the prosecution can use this as evidence to prove that the motorist knew he or she would fail the test.

When the police suspect that the at-fault driver is drunk, they will conduct a field sobriety test. Police dashboard cameras record tests as potential alcohol consumption evidence. The police can then conduct chemical tests or a breathalyzer test after some time from the crash to record a more precise BAC level.

Determining Liability in a Drunk Driving Accident

In drunk driving accident cases, our legal team will help you gather evidence from:

  1. Blood Alcohol Content test results of the at-fault driver.
  2. Field sobriety test video footage.
  3. Eyewitness testimonies.
  4. An official police report on the crash.

On top of helping you get the right compensation for property damages, wrongful death of your loved one, or the injuries you sustained in a DUI accident, Florida law allows you to file for punitive damages against an at-fault driver. Punitive damages are awarded when there is convincing evidence that the motorist was personally guilty for gross negligence or misconduct. In gross negligence cases, our DUI lawyers will be tasked with proving that the driver’s conduct was reckless or that he or she exhibited a conscious disregard for the life, safety, and rights of other road users. For intentional misconduct, our lawyers will help you prove that:

  • The at-fault driver knew that his or her conduct was wrongful and had a high probability of causing injury or property damage
  • The drunk driver intentionally exhibited dangerous conduct despite knowing its potential consequences
  • DUI damages or injuries resulted from the driver’s conduct

Motorists convicted with drunk driving in Fort Lauderdale can face civil and criminal charges. A criminal charge may result in a 6 months imprisonment, license revocation, community service hours, 12 hours in DUI School, and fines of up to $500.

File Your DUI Claim Today

As a victim of the intoxicated driving of a negligent third-party, you may have grounds to file a claim against the intoxicated driver as well as a third party. A third-party in this regard could be the person responsible for selling alcohol to the driver or even a social host responsible for giving the driver alcohol.

Our attorneys will not relent until they get you full compensation for:

  • Medical bills resulting from DUI injuries
  • Lost income and ability to earn
  • Loss of consortium
  • Deprived enjoyment of life
  • Emotional trauma
  • Funeral costs

Our drunk driving car accident legal team will achieve this by skillfully negotiating with the responsible insurance companies. If the insurance company is unwilling to pay fair compensation, we will not hesitate to file a legal suit for you. Call us on 305-928-2909, or click here to tell us about the nature of your DUI accident. We will get you started with a free consultation to discuss your legal options and take the case from there.