San Francisco Auto Accident Lawyers/Attorneys

When someone is injured or worse in a San Francisco car accident and files a California personal injury lawsuit as a result, the decision regarding whether or not to award the injured person damages as compensation for his or her losses will center on the standard of negligence.

However, there are certain acts that basically equate to negligence immediately, and one such act is drinking and then driving.  If you or someone you love has been harmed by a drunk driver, you need to seek the help of San Francisco DUI accident lawyers as soon as possible.  Below is a brief overview of this troubling issue.

California DUI Accident Fatality Statistics

The number of fatalities attributed to drunk driving in California is troubling.  Overall, approximately 3,000 people are killed in California car accidents every year.  In addition, of those 3,000 fatalities, almost one-third, or approximately 950 deaths, are the result of California car accidents where alcohol or some other intoxicant was listed as a factor.

Criminal and Civil Liability

One of the unfortunate myths that exists with regards to liability for causing a San Francisco DUI accident is that if the driver who was at fault is arrested, charged and ultimately prosecuted and convicted of a crime because of that crash, such a step will prevent an injured person or the family of someone who was killed from filing a California personal injury lawsuit.  Simply put, this is not accurate.

Those who have been harmed as a result of drunk driving can and do file lawsuits in response to these incidents and seek damages to compensate them for their losses.  In fact, if there has been a conviction in criminal court that relates to the incident in question, such a result could be powerful evidence that strengthens the case of the plaintiff in civil court.  In addition, those who have been harmed do not need to wait for any prosecution that begins to reach its conclusion before filing a claim.

The Standard for Civil Liability for San Francisco DUI Accidents

Generally, when someone is injured in a San Francisco car accident, that injured person needs to show that the defendant acted in a way that did not match the standard of conduct of a reasonable person.  However, rather than attempting to prove the specifics of the accident in question, if the plaintiff can prove that the defendant was intoxicated when the accident occurred, that alone would constitute negligent behavior on the part of the defendant, and liability would likely attach as a result.

How San Francisco DUI Accident Lawyers Can Help

The bottom line in these unfortunate situations is that people who have been harmed by a drunk driver need to take action to protect their legal rights.  This should be done with the help of experienced San Francisco DUI accident lawyers who have been holding those responsible for this conduct accountable for many years.  Contact the Scarlett Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.