In 2017, there were 624 New Jersey car accident fatalities and 125 (20%) of those fatalities involved a driver with blood alcohol content over .08%. Unfortunately, those 125 fatalities are only a fraction of the total number of people who sustained serious injuries in DUI accidents on New Jersey roads that year.
DUI Accident Attorneys know that drunk driving accidents are completely preventable, especially now with multiple sober ride options including the newly popular rideshare companies that operate throughout the state of New Jersey.
Accident after accident, our attorneys have seen the agony and distress that these senseless and reckless accidents cause to innocent DUI accident victims and their families and it is because of this that our attorneys are relentless in their pursuit for justice and compensation for their clients.
DUI accidents are much different than regular Car Accidents and thanks to New Jersey’s dram shop laws, there are often additional parties that plaintiffs may recover from, which is especially helpful when the DUI driver defendant’s insurance policy limits are not enough to cover the plaintiff’s injuries and damages.
Investigation of Accident and Prior Activity
Experienced DUI attorneys know that it is important to investigate not only the facts and details surrounding the accident, but it is also important to find out where the defendant driver was prior to the accident and what he or she was doing.
DUI drivers’ insurance policy limits are often not enough to cover all of the plaintiff’s injuries and damages, especially in cases where the injuries are debilitating or fatal. Fortunately, as mentioned above, New Jersey recognizes that other parties may share in DUI accident liability and depending on the case facts, plaintiffs may be able to recover from negligent alcohol providers as well.
Liability in a DUI Case
In addition to the DUI driver’s liability, New Jersey law provides that alcohol providers including permissive parents, social hosts, and alcohol sellers may also be liable for injuries in a DUI accident. Social hosts and alcohol sellers may be liable for DUI accident injuries when they negligently provided alcohol to the driver who caused the accident.
Negligent conduct may include providing alcohol to an already visibly intoxicated person or providing alcohol to a minor. Parents may be liable for serving alcohol to their minor children who subsequently cause an accident and even if they did not serve their children alcohol, they may be responsible for their children’s actions due to negligent supervision.
Wrongful Death
There may also be recovery options available for family members or the decedent’s estate in the case of a fatal DUI accident. DUI accidents can be complicated, especially when there are multiple potential liable parties.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries or death in a DUI accident, contact a Lawrenceville DUI Accident Attorney at The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. to discuss the facts of your case and extent of injuries sustained. Our attorneys will review your case including the accident report, witness statements, medical records, and will then discuss all potential recovery options for you and your family.