When You've Been Hit by a DUI Driver
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 5,125 alcohol-related car accidents in Florida in 2018. If you become involved in one of those statistics—if you have been hit by a driver who was “driving under the influence” (DUI)—what should you do? To start, remember the “Three Gets”:
- Get Medical Treatment
- Get a Lawyer
- Get Receipts
Get Medical Treatment
If you have a medical crisis related to the accident, you should get care immediately, but even if you have no apparent injuries, still get yourself checked out. Some internal injuries may take a while to reveal themselves, and you might wave off an EMT at the scene of the accident only to find yourself in need of emergency care a few hours later. Also, the pain of other injuries may come hours or even days after the shock of the accident has worn off.
Get a Lawyer
Once you've taken care of your immediate medical needs, the next thing on your to-do list should be getting a lawyer—ideally, a personal injury lawyer specializing in car accident victim representation. Florida car accident litigation can be complex, and you need an advocate working for you as soon as possible. Your phone will soon start ringing with insurance companies' proposed settlements, and you want to have a lawyer before you agree to anything.
Get Receipts
Keep copies of every bill, notice, or receipt related to your accident. And we mean everything. Keep the receipt for the rental car you needed to get, along with the receipts for any items you had to replace because they were damaged in the accident. The coffee you bought at the hospital cafeteria and so on. You may be entitled to compensatory damages—money to reimburse you for all of your accident-related expenses. It's much easier to prove how much you are entitled to if you've got the receipts. (And these receipts have another hidden benefit: They can even help you remember what you did and where you went in the chaotic days after a serious accident.)
Of course, the Three Gets are just the start, so get a South Florida personal injury lawyer to help walk through you what more you can do following your DUI-involved accident.
At Bottari & Doyle, P.A., we know the facts and the law. We also know what you're going through. The pain, the confusion. The anger. We understand all of it. And, with office locations throughout South Florida, we are here to help. Call us today for a free consultation at 561-588-2781, or email us through our website.
