Drunk Driving Accidents in Durham NC
Have you been injured in a drunk driving accident where another driver was at fault? If so, a drunk driving accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley may be able to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Drunk driving accident cases can be complex and our Durham car accident lawyers have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience.
“They turned a heartbreaking situation completely around.”
In many cases, especially head-on collisions in Durham involving drunk drivers, the consequences of drunk driving accidents can be deadly. Our wrongful death lawyers are ready to help surviving family members fight for justice for their loved ones in these heartbreaking cases.
-Tonya T., Riddle & Brantley client
Drunk Driving in Durham
Drunk driving is a serious problem across North Carolina, and Durham is no exception. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), there were 263 auto accidents involving alcohol in Durham in 2019. Of these, 211 resulted in injury and 7 resulted in death.
Across the entire state, 3,692 traffic accidents due to alcohol resulted in injury in 2019. 206 people lost their lives in North Carolina drunk driving accidents in the same year.
“Can I Sue a Drunk Driver?”
Drunk drivers may face criminal as well as civil claims. If you or a loved one have been injured by a drunk driver, a personal injury lawyer can help you file an injury claim or lawsuit.
In many cases, criminal charges and convictions can help strengthen a separate civil injury claim by proving liability and helping hold the drunk driver accountable.
We will review your case, advise you on your legal options, and if you decide to hire us, we will fight aggressively for your right to maximum compensation under the law.
Proving Fault in Drunk Driving Accidents
Proving fault in a drunk driving accident, like any other accident, involves establishing four important points:
- The defendant had a “duty to care” — an obligation to avoid causing you injury
- The defendant violated this duty
- The violation of this duty caused you injury
- Your injury resulted in measurable damages (e.g. medical expenses, lost wages, loss of potential income, pain and suffering, etc.)
Contributory Negligence
In North Carolina, personal injury claims are subject to the doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that in order to recover compensation for injuries suffered in an accident, the other driver must be 100% at fault. If you are even partially responsible for the accident, you can be barred from recovery.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, including when the defendant exhibited “willful and wanton” gross negligence — and this exception typically applies in cases in which the defendant driver was under the influence of alcohol.
Riddle & Brantley’s Durham drunk driving lawyers have extensive experience defeating the contributory negligence defense, including in DWI cases.
Statute of Limitations for Drunk Driving Accidents
As with any personal injury case in North Carolina, drunk driving accident claims are subject to the statute of limitations, meaning that you only have a certain amount of time to file a claim for your accident.
In North Carolina, in most cases, you have 3 years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim, and 2 years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. There are rare exceptions, and a drunk driving accident lawyer can help make sure you don’t miss any important deadlines.
Durham DWI Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver in Durham, you deserve justice, and may be entitled to significant financial compensation.
The consultation is free, and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive compensation. Our Durham personal injury lawyers have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience and we are ready to help however we can.
We invite you to review our client testimonials and see the Riddle & Brantley difference for yourself.
Free consultations are available in-person at our convenient Durham office by appointment only, or from anywhere by phone, email, text, and video conference. We’ll even come to you directly if it’s more convenient.
Don’t wait — let an experienced drunk driving accident attorney help you today.