Securing Compensation After a DUI-Related Accident in Washington: A Victim’s Guide

The Tragic Consequences of DUI Accidents on Victims

No one starts their day expecting to experience a serious injury. Unfortunately, millions of people suffer such unexpected injuries in car accidents every year. These situations become particularly disheartening when a collision is linked to impaired driving. And as a victim, securing compensation after a DUI-related accident in Washington can be a complex task.

Fortunately, innocent victims do have several options available to them. The most common options for securing financial recovery are aimed at holding the responsible party liable.

However, it’s also possible to receive compensation even if the at-fault party flees and is unidentified. By understanding your options, getting on the road to recovery is a simpler process.

What to Do After the Accident

Securing compensation for a Washington DUI accident can be a long process, but the effort starts immediately at the scene of the collision. What you do at the accident scene can have a direct effect on your ability to secure financial recovery going forward. First and foremost, move yourself to safety and contact emergency services.

Police should come out regardless of whether injuries occur. It’s at this point that you’ll want to file a police report. If you’re able, you can also start collecting evidence while waiting for officers to arrive. Evidence can include photographs of the scene, property damage, and visible injuries. You should also get the other driver’s information and contact info from witnesses.

This evidence will establish the basis for securing compensation for your DUI accident injuries.

Potential Insurance Settlement

In the majority of personal injury cases – including those involving DUI car accidents – the victim is compensated with an insurance settlement. This allows insurance companies to avoid high damages that are often granted during litigation, but it also lets the injured victim secure compensation in a more timely manner without the headaches of court.

Of course, accepting an insurance settlement is only appropriate when the insurer is acting in good faith. In many instances, adjusters will try to low-ball injury victims and mislead them about what they’re truly entitled to. What may seem like a fair settlement offer at first might not cover future medical costs, lost wages, or any non-economic losses at all.

That’s why it’s typically advisable to allow an attorney to handle settlement negotiations on your behalf.

Crime Victim Compensation Program

When people discuss securing compensation for DUI accident injuries in Washington, the conversation typically centers on personal injury law. The reason behind this is that most online resources that focus on this issue are provided by attorneys. However, the reality is that not everyone will be able to secure personal injury compensation.

In these instances, Washington’s Crime Victim Compensation Program may offer financial support. The simple fact is that a lack of evidence, failing to file within the statute of limitations, uninsured motorists, and various other issues can make the recovery of personal injury damages difficult or even impossible.

Compensation for crime victims will likely not be as high as what’s available under personal injury law. Therefore, DUI accident victims in Washington should always opt to seek damages when the situation warrants such an approach – rather than file for victim compensation that may not cover all their losses.

Filing a Lawsuit Against the Driver

If you find yourself in a situation where the liable party is known and has appropriate insurance coverage, you typically won’t have to worry about seeking funds from state programs. However, just because the responsible party and their insurer could fairly compensate you after a DUI accident in Washington – it doesn’t mean that they will choose to do so.

If insurers or responsible parties refuse to offer the financial recovery you deserve, filing a lawsuit may be necessary. However, this could be a trying battle. After all, the insurer’s refusal to offer a fair settlement proves they don’t want to pay what you deserve. Therefore, you can expect them to fight to avoid paying damages in court.

An experienced attorney can help ensure they don’t get away with this.

Third-Party Liability

Securing compensation after a DUI-related accident in Washington typically involves going after the impaired driver. However, it’s important to understand that other parties may also be liable for your injuries. For instance, Washington has dram shop laws on the books. This means that an alcohol-serving establishment could face liability if they serve a clearly intoxicated person.

If that person gets behind the wheel and injures someone due to their negligence, the establishment that served them could be equally liable. It’s also possible that a vehicle’s owner could face legal responsibility if they loan their car to someone who is obviously intoxicated. These are complex issues to consider, so it might be best to speak with a legal professional.

Do You Need an Attorney?

After someone is injured in an impaired driving accident, they’ll often question whether they need an attorney. They might believe that the other driver’s liability is clear, and because of this, there should be no difficulty securing compensation. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Even claims that seem straightforward can become complicated when insurers get involved.

Additionally, there may be other liable parties that are not immediately obvious. In addition to navigating the difficult legal issues inherent to impaired driving injuries, a personal injury attorney can also help identify these other parties. And since most personal injury law firms don’t charge a fee unless they recover damages, there’s no risk in reaching out.

At South Sound Law Group, we know securing compensation after a DUI accident in Washington can be difficult — but we’re here to help. Contact us at 253-465-2722 to schedule your free consultation today.