California DWI/DUI Accident Lawyers

Drunk (or drugged) driving, also known as “Driving while intoxicated” or “Driving under the influence” is a serious problem with serious consequences. At Demas & Rosenthal, we have substantial experience as California DUI lawyers, and we can help you get the compensation you deserve for injuries resulting from an accident that involved alcohol or drug use.

In California, as in all states, drivers are considered intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. Penalties for a driver convicted of DUI can include jail time, mandatory education, license suspension, vehicle confiscation, or ignition interlock installation. Of course, if a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and causes injury or death as part of the accident, the penalties are naturally much more severe; a driver may be charged with manslaughter, for instance.

If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident that involved a drunk driver, it's imperative that you get experienced legal help as soon as you can. At Demas & Rosenthal, we understand that you're already going through a great deal of trauma as a result of your accident; it is our job to mitigate the additional stress on you as much as we can. We'll examine your medical records and police reports from the accident to determine how best to proceed. There's no substitute for experienced California DUI accident lawyers who can conduct a thorough review of your case. Beyond simply proving that the driver's intoxication caused the accident, there's also the question of what kind of compensation must be awarded. Our experience with these types of cases allows us to ascertain what kinds of damages you may be eligible for, besides medical claims arising from injury.

Even if the case seems clear-cut, don't speak with the other driver's insurance company. A likely attempt at defense by a drunk driver might include alleging that you were in fact the driver at fault, despite the other driver's intoxicated state. Sometimes comments you make to an insurance company can be twisted to make it seem like you were at fault. Other defenses a drunk driver's attorney might use can include calling to question whether or not the driver was actually under the influence; some types of intoxication tests are less reliable than others. Even if the accident clearly seems to be the drunk driver's fault in its entirety, it is still in your interests to get legal help; after all, the other driver is sure to have aggressive legal defense. Their lawyers may be conducting witness interviews, accident reconstructions, evaluating weaknesses in chemical evidence, and more; you should have the same aggressive instincts fighting on your side.

Even if you are offered what seems like a good settlement by the other driver's insurance, run it by an experienced DUI accident attorney to be sure. At Demas & Rosenthal, we have decades of collective experience dealing with insurance companies in all types of situations, and we have a good sense of what you can expect from a DUI accident injury settlement. Call today for a free evaluation of your case.