Rapid City Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys
Maximizing Your Compensation is Our Goal
According to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), there were 7,877 total crashes involving alcohol in South Dakota in 2021 alone, resulting in nearly 1,800 injuries and 51 fatalities.
There is no sense in letting a drunk driver off easy after they crash into you and cause you to suffer severe injuries. If you don’t file a claim against them, then they might not learn from their terrible mistake. By suing them for your damages, you can help ensure your financial future is stable while also help reduce the chances that they will hurt someone else in a future drunk driving accident.
When you need to seek justice and you can’t take any chances with an incomplete or unconvincing injury claim, come to Beardsley, Jensen & Lee in Rapid City. We are the legal team that people throughout South Dakota trust for complicated cases with make-or-break outcomes. We know that you need full compensation following your accident that was caused by a drunk driver. It is our top intent to fight for you until every last penny is secured in your name.
Call (605) 777-7466 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Proving the Other Driver was Intoxicated
The liability for your accident can be stacked on the other driver if they were intoxicated because there is no such thing as safe drunk driving. However, proving that they were drunk at the time of the collision can be tricky if you don’t know where to look for evidence. Thankfully, if you hire our drunk driving accident lawyers, then you won’t need to stress it. We already know a variety of useful evidence types, where to get them, and how to use them to your case’s advantage.
Evidence that we can use while building your case includes:
- Police reports: If the police intervened at the scene of your accident, then the reports that the responding officers created could be as good as gold for your case. Insurance companies, courts, and juries all give heavy weight to an officer’s words. If they say that the other driver was drunk and hit you, then they will likely believe them.
- Eyewitness testimony: Other drivers might have seen what happened more clearly from their outside angle. Let us know if anyone stopped to help you after the crash and if they gave you their contact information to use for testimonies later.
- BAC results: A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test can be administered when a driver is suspected of driving under the influence. Any result of 0.08 or greater is considered legally intoxicated. However, a driver can have a BAC level under 0.08 and still be too drunk to drive safely.
- Convictions: If a criminal court is convinced that the driver was drunk enough to warrant a DUI conviction, then it makes sense to argue that the driver owes you money for what they did. A conviction is not guaranteed in a DUI criminal case, of course, but this doesn’t necessarily hurt your case. Even if the drunk driver escaped conviction through a plea deal, for example, we could still find ways to use criminal evidence in your civil claim.
The Lifelong Impact of Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving accidents can have a lasting impact on victims and their families. In addition to physical injuries, victims may suffer from emotional trauma, financial burdens, and a decreased quality of life. Our Rapid City drunk driving accident attorneys understand the long-term consequences of these accidents and are dedicated to seeking justice for our clients.
Some of the lifelong impacts of drunk driving accidents include:
- Chronic pain and disability
- Loss of income and earning potential
- Emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder
- Long-term medical expenses and rehabilitation costs
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If you or a loved one has been affected by a drunk driving accident, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible. Our experienced attorneys can help you navigate the legal process and fight for the compensation you deserve.
How Much Money Does the Drunk Driver Owe You?
Your drunk driving accident claim has a value or worth, which will be equal to all of the damages you have incurred and will likely incur due to the drunk driver’s actions. Our attorneys know where to look for various damages, including those you might not have realized yourself. We also know how to uncover additional insurance policies that we might be able to file against. If there is a risk that a single insurance policy held by the drunk driver could cap before you get all of your compensation, then another insurance policy can be used to pay what remains, up to its own cap.
Damages that you can claim in your drunk driving accident case might include:
- Medical treatments and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and reduced income capacity
- Hardships caused by a permanent disability
- Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma
All damages should take into account past and future costs and experiences. In doing so, the worth of your drunk driving accident claim could be much more than you realize at first.
We are Ready to Work on Your Case – Call Now
Beardsley, Jensen & Lee and our Rapid City drunk driving accident attorneys are known for fighting for our clients, no matter how tough things get. We will never give up on you or your case if there is a chance that it can succeed. See what we mean for yourself by speaking to a member of our law firm during a FREE case evaluation. Schedule yours today – you have nothing to lose but a bit of your time!
