Everyone living in or visiting Memphis should be able to enjoy themselves during a night out on Beale Street or other fantastic spots around the city. Still, some drivers choose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, placing themselves and everyone around them at risk of severe injury.
Drunk driving can result in fines and jail time for the driver, but victims can also seek compensation from them through an injury claim or civil lawsuit. If you or your loved ones have been injured in a drunk driving accident, you can work with a drunk driving accident lawyer from Cory Watson Attorneys to hold the responsible parties accountable.
Why Hire a DUI Accident Attorney in Memphis
Our firm’s drunk driving accident lawyers understand the local laws that protect victims’ rights in drunk driving cases. We can help you gather evidence that proves liability, represent your best interests in negotiations, and advise you at every step of the litigation process.
The team at Cory Watson Attorneys has nearly 40 years of experience fighting for victims in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including those related to DUI accidents. In addition, we have successfully recovered $3 billion in damages for clients and will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve.
Since a DUI accident would be considered a personal injury case, you only have one (1) year from the accident to file a lawsuit in Tennessee per TN Code § 28-3-104. That’s why you must act fast. We encourage you to contact us at Cory Watson Attorneys to get help with your Memphis-based drunk driving accident case as soon as possible.
For a free legal consultation with a drunk driving accidents lawyer serving Memphis, call 877-562-0000
Who Is Responsible for My Drunk Driving Accident?
All drivers have a duty of care to all other motorists and pedestrians on the road, which includes driving responsibly and in accordance with all laws. Anyone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is breaking the law and breaching their duty of care. However, other parties could also be held responsible for a drunk driving accident.
Negligent Driving
Drunk driving is a form of negligence on the road, and the first person who will likely be held responsible for your accident is the drunk driver. That’s because driving while intoxicated hinders one’s ability to drive a vehicle safely by impairing their vision and reaction time and promoting recklessness, like speeding.
Even if your vehicle struck theirs, a drunk driver may still have fault in the accident. Their intoxication may have prevented them from avoiding the collision.
When a drunk driving accident attorney from Cory Watson Attorneys helps you with your DUI accident case, we can use evidence collected at the scene and our knowledge of local laws and statutes to protect your rights.
Dram Shop Laws in Memphis, TN
Per Tennessee Code § 57-10-102, also referred to as the dram shop law, persons injured in a DUI accident can recover damages from the establishment, like a bar or club, that sold the drunk driver alcohol if the following statements are true:
- The person served was under the legal drinking age of 21 or was “visibly intoxicated.”
- The injury or death of people involved in the accident was a “direct result of the consumption of the alcoholic beverage or beer” sold to the person.
In order for dram shop law to apply, a jury must find “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the establishment and any of its representatives (bartenders, owners, etc.) sold and served alcohol per the two qualifying statements. For example, a bartender may serve alcohol to someone who is already slurring their speech and/or stumbling around. If that person drives and causes an accident, the injured person can bring a negligence case against the bartender and the establishment where they work.
A drunk driving accident lawyer on our team can help you determine if and how dram shop law applies to your Memphis case.
Memphis Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-562-0000
Recovering Damages After a Drunk Driving Accident
Every vehicle accident case is different, and the same goes for drunk driving accidents. How much you get is determined by a number of factors, including the severity of your injuries and who is liable for the accident.
You and your family may suffer economic damages after a DUI accident, including:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages for recovery and loss of the ability to work/earn an income
- Loss of spousal support (if you lost your loved one in the accident)
You may also experience non-economic damages, such as
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of mobility
- Physical or intellectual disability
- Emotional distress
Your lawyer can use all of these factors and outside resources to calculate your damages and come up with a settlement amount that may make a difference in your life.
Contact our Memphis Car Accident Lawyers today
Common Injuries from Drunk Driving Accidents
A drunk driving accident can injure or kill the drunk driver and any passengers in that vehicle, the driver and/or passengers in other vehicles involved, as well as pedestrians and operators of non-motorized vehicles, like bicycles. What’s more, these accidents can result in both minor and life-threatening or even fatal injuries, including:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputation
- Bruising and lacerations
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage or bleeding
- Paralysis
- Emotional conditions, like PTSD
In the worst cases, these accidents result in death.
Some injuries take time to surface, such as days after an accident. However, even if you feel that you have not been injured or do not feel that your injuries are severe after a drunk driving accident, you should still seek medical treatment immediately to fully assess your condition.
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Choose Cory Watson Attorneys
At Cory Watson Attorneys, we are proud to serve those whose lives have been forever changed by a DUI accident. Our team has extensive knowledge of Tennessee state law as it applies to drunk driving.
Let us represent you in settlement negotiations and in court as necessary so you can focus on being with your family. Contact us for a free, no-obligation case evaluation by calling or filling out the online form.
Call or text 877-562-0000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form