Car crashes often lead to expensive property damage and medical bills. Drunk drivers can easily cause catastrophic collisions by driving too fast or performing dangerous and possibly illegal maneuvers.
If you get into a crash caused by a drunk driver, you may have tens of thousands of dollars worth of personal losses. Who will reimburse you for the cost you incur?
Insurance companies
Your health insurance may cover some of your treatment costs if you suffer an injury, and your no-fault personal injury protection on your own motor vehicle insurance policy will cover expenses not covered by your health insurance, including lost wages.
Some people assume that the other driver’s policy won’t cover them after a drunk driving crash, but that is not always the case. Only if the policy has a clause specifically forbidding coverage for drunk driving will you be unable to make a claim against their coverage. Otherwise, you can potentially make a claim against their liability coverage.
The civil courts
If insurance won’t pay you enough to cover all of the losses you suffered, then you may need to go to court to ask for compensation. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits often occur after drunk driving crashes, as an impaired driver is a negligent driver. You may be able to claim any losses that exceed what insurance would pay for after your wreck.
If the other driver does not have adequate assets, you may also be able to make a claim against a business that served them alcohol. If the drunk driver was under the age of 21 or if a licensed establishment continue serving them when they were visibly drunk, you may have grounds to seek compensation from the business that over-served or illegally served the driver alcohol.
The costs of a drunk-driving crash can be extensive and could affect your life for years to come. From lasting medical injuries to permanent reductions in earning potential, you have the right to make a claim for all of the provable losses you will suffer. Knowing where you can seek compensation after a New York car crash caused by a drunk driver is often the first step toward asserting your rights.