Individuals who suffer from injuries caused by a drunk driver have a lot of sources to recover compensation for all the damages, lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
The most common source of compensation is the insurance policy of the drunk driver. If the drunk driver has insurance, the victim can file a claim for damages against the insurance company of the driver. Of course, not all drivers carry insurance or sufficient insurance.
Here are some other sources of compensation the victim deserves in drunk driving injury cases:
Dram Shop Liability
Dram shop regulations allow injured individuals to request coverage against a restaurant or bar which overserved the person who caused the accident. Most states require proofs that an establishment negligently over-served a customer. It is only important to prove that the bar or club served the drunk driver, and intoxication partly caused the damages and injuries.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
When the driver who caused the accident does not have enough insurance, the next source of compensation is any underinsured/uninsured driver coverage in the victim’s insurance policy.
Getting compensation from an uninsured driver claim is just the same as filing a case against the other party’s insurance company. In such cases, the insurance company investigates the claim on behalf of the drunk driver.
Negligent Entrustment
There are still some other possible claims if a driver injures an individual. If the vehicle owner carelessly entrusted the car to a drunk driver, the vehicle owner can be prosecuted for negligent entrustment.
Takeaway
If someone is suffering from an injury caused by a reckless drunk driver, there are many prospective sources of compensation for all the damages and injuries. An expert personal injury lawyer can help identify some other options for fair compensation.
