Drunk drivers cause some of the most serious crashes on Florida roads. These accidents often result in severe injuries, expensive medical bills and time away from work. Florida law allows you to seek compensation from the drunk driver who caused your injuries. In some cases, you may also recover damages from the bar or restaurant that served alcohol to the driver before the crash.
Compensation you may recover from a drunk driver
Florida law recognizes several types of damages you can claim if a drunk driver injures you. These include:
- Medical bills: You can seek compensation for emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgery, physical therapy and any doctor visits you need in the future.
- Lost pay: The drunk driver may owe you for work time you missed while in recovery and for income you cannot earn if your injuries stop you from doing your job.
- Pain and suffering: Florida lets you claim damages for physical pain, emotional stress and how the injury changes your daily life.
- Punitive damages: Courts may award extra damages to punish drunk drivers and stop others from driving drunk, which regular car accident cases do not allow.
It’s important to keep in mind that the drunk driver might not be the only person who owes you compensation for your injuries.
When bars and restaurants share liability in Florida
Florida’s dram shop law holds alcohol vendors accountable in some situations when they contribute to drunk driving crashes. Keep these points in mind:
- Bars and restaurants face liability if they serve alcohol to someone under 21 years old
- Establishments can be sued if they knowingly serve alcohol to people with known alcohol addiction
- Florida’s law offers less protection than many other states provide to drunk driving victims
- Businesses often carry larger insurance policies than individual drivers, which may help you recover full compensation
Looking into whether the drunk driver visited a bar or restaurant before the crash might reveal additional sources of compensation for your injuries.
Florida law provides several ways to recover damages after a drunk driver injures you. Investigating both the driver and any establishments that served them alcohol helps ensure you pursue the compensation you need for your medical bills, lost wages and suffering.