Recently, in our Gainesville and Dawsonville offices, we at Coleman, Chambers and Rogers, LLP have had an increase in personal injury cases involving intoxicated drivers (boats and cars). Insurance companies realize that they (being the carrier for a drunk driver) face substantial claims for punitive damages in addition to medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other claims, in Georgia, the tort reform legislation of 2005 limited punitive damages to $250,000. However, if drugs and/or alcohol are shown to be a cause of one’s auto accident, an insurance adjustor knows their companies could be subject to much greater risks (payout to injured parties). The risk of punitive damages awards have resulted in most cases being resolved without complex litigation, sometimes just weeks after treatment is completed. As for the current regulation of Driving Under the Influence (DUI), in Georgia it is illegal to operate an automobile with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration/Content) of .08 or higher. Unfortunately many people do not follow this important law. Motor vehicle wrecks are the leading cause of death in the United States among people under the age of 24. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; of those deaths, more than 40% are alcohol-related. Alcohol-related accidents are so common that one out of three people will be involved in a traffic collision blamed on alcohol at some point in their lives.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2011, 9,878 people died in drunk driving crashes – one every 53 minutes. Alcohol related automobile accidents are more likely to result in serious injury and cause death than accidents caused by sober drivers. At Coleman, Chambers and Rogers, LLP, we accept all types of personal injury cases. If your personal injury was caused in an automobile accident where the at-fault driver was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, we can help you to receive the money you and your family deserve.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an automobile accident involving an intoxicated driver, you are at liberty to both a criminal and civil suit against the at fault party. The lawyers at Coleman, Chambers and Rogers, LLP take each case personally and can assure you will be satisfied with our services. We have two (2) offices in Northeast Georgia, Gainesville, GA and Dawsonville, GA. If you need any help regarding your accident with a drunk driver, contact us today for your free consultation at (800) 400-GA-LAW or visit us online at www.Accidentswrecklives.com.