Drunk driving is a reckless decision that can change lives. If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury because of an intoxicated driver, the Sacramento car accident lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers are here to help you protect your legal rights and recover fair financial compensation for your losses.
We will guide you through your drunk driving accident claim and get you the justice you deserve so that you can return to the life you love. Contact us today to begin with a cost-free case consultation with a local attorney.
Why Choose Jacoby & Meyers?
- We’ve collected more than $2 billion in settlements for our clients, including $19 million for a rideshare accident case and $17.5 million for a truck accident case.
- Our Sacramento drunk driving accident lawyers have years of experience in the field – allowing us to generate bigger, better and more immediate results for our drunk driving accident clients.
- We are passionate about delivering justice to victims of drunk driving. Our team has earned the trust of tens of thousands of clients through an exceptional level of care and service.
- Our drunk driving accident attorneys in Sacramento County work on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t be charged anything for our services unless we win.
How Can a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Sacramento Help?
If you get hurt because of a drunk driver in Sacramento, the driver’s car insurance company will try to diminish its liability as much as possible to protect its own profits. An experienced personal injury lawyer in Sacramento can help you maximize your financial compensation in the face of aggressive tactics used to underpay you.
Your attorney can gather key evidence to support your claim against a drunk driver, such as blood alcohol test results and proof of intoxication. Then, your lawyer can take over settlement negotiations with an insurance claims adjuster for you to optimize your payout. If necessary, your lawyer can take your claim to trial in Sacramento County to seek justice and fair results.
How Prevalent Is Drunk Driving in Sacramento?
In 2023 (the most recent year data is available), Sacramento County reported 1,325 victims injured and killed due to alcohol involvement. The majority of these car accidents (659) were caused by intoxicated drivers between the ages of 21 and 34, while 111 were caused by underage drivers (under 21).
The City of Sacramento had 454 drunk driving accident victims seriously injured or killed in 2023. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a significant problem on California roads. Overall, California has seen a 55 percent increase in the number of drunk driving deaths since 2014.
What Are the Dangers of Driving While Intoxicated?
Alcohol affects a driver in numerous ways that interfere with the ability to safely and correctly control a motor vehicle. Drug or alcohol impairment can alter a driver’s senses and capabilities, such as:
- Reduced reaction times
- Slowed reflexes
- Poor decision-making and judgment
- Cognitive deficits
- Loss of focus or attention
- Blurred vision
- Muscle weakness
- Compromised coordination
- Drowsiness
Intoxication increases the odds of reckless driving behaviors, such as excessive speeding, racing, tailgating, running red lights, weaving in and out of multiple lanes, and driving the wrong way.
Hit by a Drunk Driver?
Our Sacramento Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Are Here To Help
California’s Drunk Driving Laws
Driving under the influence is a crime as well as a civil tort (wrongdoing) in California. According to California Vehicle Code §23152, “It is unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage to drive a vehicle.”Under the influence means having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or more or being impaired to the slightest degree.
If a driver is convicted of DUI, he or she could face driver’s license suspension or revocation, probation, hefty fines, and jail time. The penalties are enhanced from a misdemeanor to a felony if the drunk driver causes a car accident with bodily injuries or death.
Common Types of Drunk Driving Accidents and Injuries
Drunk driving accidents in Sacramento are often catastrophic, meaning they cause serious and life-changing injuries to those involved. These accidents may take the form of T-bone accidents, head-on collisions, rollovers, pileups, bicycle or pedestrian accidents, and other serious types of crashes.
Common injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Severe cuts and lacerations
- Burn injuries
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Soft-tissue damage
- Road rash
- Facial injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Amputation injuries
- Wrongful death
The injuries suffered in a DUI accident can affect a victim for several months, years or a lifetime. Some dramatically impact a person’s independence, daily life and quality of living. Necessary medical expenses, lost wages and disability accommodations can be astronomical for the victim and their family.
In some cases, drunk driving accidents can cause fatal injuries. Our Sacramento wrongful death attorneys can guide you through the process of filing a wrongful death claim.
Your Rights After Getting Hit By a Drunk Driver in Sacramento
If you get hit by an intoxicated driver in Sacramento, you may be eligible for financial compensation from that driver’s automobile insurance provider. All drivers in California are required to carry minimum amounts of liability insurance to pay for others’ bodily injuries and property damage. You could potentially recover compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
To access another driver’s insurance, you must prove fault. Proving fault after a drunk driving crash often requires evidence of intoxication, such as a police report, BAC test results, witness statements, field sobriety test results, police bodycam footage and a DUI conviction in the criminal courts. Jacoby & Meyers can help you prove fault during your drunk driving accident claim.
You may also have the right to hold a third party accountable for your DUI crash in Sacramento. For example, California has a dram shop law that allows alcohol vendors and social hosts to be held liable for drunk driving, in certain circumstances. Other possibilities include employers, companies and government agencies.
Contact Our Sacramento Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys Today
If another driver chose to break the law and drive while drunk in Sacramento, Jacoby & Meyers believes that you shouldn’t have to bear the consequences. You’ve already suffered painful and potentially life-altering injuries due to the intoxicated driver. You should not also have to pay the price financially.
At Jacoby & Meyers, we believe everyone deserves justice. Our Sacramento drunk driving accident attorneys will help you explore your legal options after a DUI accident so that you can move forward with greater confidence and peace of mind during this difficult time.
We offer free initial case evaluations over the phone, via email or in person at our local law office at 1215 K St., 17th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. Call (916) 269-8918 today.