Skip to content
Drunk Driving Car Accident Attorney
San Bernardino and Riverside County DUI Accident Attorneys
When you have been injured or lost a loved one in a vehicle accident, life changes forever. Discovering that alcohol or drugs were a contributing factor to the accident makes the experience even more difficult to process.
Victims of DUI accidents can seek compensation for the damages and losses they have suffered. Amicus Legal Group is committed to helping anyone hurt by a drunk driver get the justice they deserve. A skilled and understanding DUI accident attorney can help you and your family get through this very stressful and emotional time.
Drunk Driving Accidents in California
California has the most licensed drivers of any state in the country. As such, there are a high number of DUI-related arrests and accidents there annually. From 2009 to 2018, 9,288 people were killed in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver in California.
Impaired Driving Changes Lives
Driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is dangerous, irresponsible and illegal. Even so, one person dies in a drunk driving accident every 50 minutes in the United States.
Nationally, drunk and drugged driving causes more than 10,000 fatalities annually, injures roughly 800 people daily, and causes 290,000 injuries annually.
One-third of all vehicle accidents involve alcohol or drug impairment. Passengers of the impaired driver are killed in 13 percent of DUI accidents, while nonoccupants of the vehicle operated by the impaired driver (other drivers, passengers, cyclists, pedestrians, etc.) are killed in 26 percent of accidents.
Every year in the U.S., impaired driving causes:
Driving under the influence is against the law. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle."
The maximum blood alcohol concentration allowable by law for the operator of a vehicle is 0.08 percent.
For commercial truck and vehicle drivers, it is 0.04 percent. There is no measurable blood alcohol concentration permitted for anyone under the legal drinking age of 21.
Maximum allowable BAC levels vary from state to state but none are higher than 0.08 percent.
The California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs reports that the risk of getting into an accident rises significantly with a BAC of just 0.05%. At 0.08% the risk increase is even more dramatic.Â
Anyone convicted of drunk driving in California are subject to serious criminal consequences.
They may spend time in county jail or state prison or face hefty fines, license suspension or revocation, probation and the requirement to drive with an ignition interlock device in the future. This is necessary to prevent future DUI accidents and potentially help individuals with substance abuse issues.
Such punishments, however, do little for the people who were seriously harmed by the driver’s irresponsible actions. Criminal penalties are not the only consequences available. DUI victims and their families have the right to seek monetary compensation from the at-fault driver for the losses and damages incurred in the accident.
Compensation for accident victims
The economic impact of a drunk driving accident cannot be understated. The estimated annual cost of alcohol-related crashes in the U.S is over $45 billion. For accident victims and their families, the potential financial losses incurred after a life-changing injury are vast.
Compensation for accident victims
The economic impact of a drunk driving accident cannot be understated. The estimated annual cost of alcohol-related crashes in the U.S is over $45 billion. For accident victims and their families, the potential financial losses incurred after a life-changing injury are vast.
You may be compensated for damages related to
Lost income
Lost benefits
Lost earning potential
Medical costs
Future care costs
Property damage
Permanent disability
Wrongful death benefits
Pain and suffering
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium
Punitive damages
Who can be held responsible?
The amount of money that can be recovered from a drunk driver varies and is influenced by things like their insurance coverage. In some cases, though, there might be other parties who share liability in the accident and can also be held responsible financially. A DUI accident attorney can help you determine who might also be responsible for the accident.
Who can be held responsible?
The amount of money that can be recovered from a drunk driver varies and is influenced by things like their insurance coverage. In some cases, though, there might be other parties who share liability in the accident and can also be held responsible financially. A DUI accident attorney can help you determine who might also be responsible for the accident.
Building a Case
Be as observant as possible at the scene of an accident. What you observe may help prove your case.
Observe the other driver
When possible, take note of the other driver’s behavior after the accident and before the police arrive. Do they attempt to dump or hide alcohol containers? Do they use eye drops? Do they claim that a passenger was driving when this was not the case? Any of these observations could be enough to warrant a blood test.
Get medical attention
Even when your injuries seem minor initially, the true extent of the physical damage can be obscured by adrenaline or get worse with time. The soft tissue damage commonly sustained in car accidents can be mistaken for slight soreness but be made much worse by a delay in care. This will create an official record of the extent of your injuries.
Speak with an attorney
Speak with an attorney who is familiar with the intricacies of California DUI laws and civil drunk driving accident cases. An attorney will fully investigate the accident to determine liability and fight for your best interests with insurance companies and the courts.
When alcohol or drug intoxication has been established as a contributing cause of the accident that injured you or your loved one, you will be in a strong position to make your claim.
A blood test or substance-related citation or arrest against the at-fault driver after the accident would easily substantiate your case. There are still steps you should take to protect your rights and build your case.
Observe the other driver
When possible, take note of the other driver’s behavior after the accident and before the police arrive. Do they attempt to dump or hide alcohol containers? Do they use eye drops? Do they claim that a passenger was driving when this was not the case? Any of these observations could be enough to warrant a blood test.
Get medical attention
Even when your injuries seem minor initially, the true extent of the physical damage can be obscured by adrenaline or get worse with time. The soft tissue damage commonly sustained in car accidents can be mistaken for slight soreness but be made much worse by a delay in care. This will create an official record of the extent of your injuries.
Speak with an attorney
Speak with an attorney who is familiar with the intricacies of California DUI laws and civil drunk driving accident cases. An attorney will fully investigate the accident to determine liability and fight for your best interests with insurance companies and the courts.
When alcohol or drug intoxication has been established as a contributing cause of the accident that injured you or your loved one, you will be in a strong position to make your claim.
A blood test or substance-related citation or arrest against the at-fault driver after the accident would easily substantiate your case. There are still steps you should take to protect your rights and build your case.
How Amicus Legal Group can help you
The experienced accident attorneys of Amicus Legal Group take protecting the rights of accident victims seriously. We are committed to holding intoxicated drivers responsible for their actions and recovering fair compensation for those hurt by their actions.
If you are ready to speak with a California DUI accident lawyer about your accident, contact us for a free consultation. There are no fees until you win your case. Schedule an appointment by calling (909) 906-9040 today.
Client Testimonials
Stephen Rinka
Attorney John Paul-Serrao helped us to win our case against the insurance company after we were involved in a traffic accident where our car was rear ended, we tried to handle it ourselves with the insurance company and they did not want to cooperate with us, so we hired Mr. Serrao and he was able to get us a settlement above with the insurance company was willing to pay. I would highly recommend him.
Lupe G.
Occasionally you meet another attorney who is so impressive both personally and professionally that you want to be affiliated with them in any way you can both personally and professionally. That is how I feel about John-Paul. I not only consider him one of the finest attorneys I know, but I now proudly call him my friend. He is among the very best.
David Booth
John-Paul is a superb attorney. He was my mentor when I was in law school, and now as an attorney I still go to him for advice on complex cases. When my brother required representation I referred him to John-Paul. That is how highly I think of JP as an attorney. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs representation.
Kit Westbrook
Mr. Serrao worked on my DUI charge earlier this year and all I can say is WOW! Not only did he keep me updated with the case but his knowledge of the process helped calm my nerves, which was very important to me. He showed care for me as a client and I can’t thank him enough. I would recommend him to anyone in need of a quality criminal defense attorney.
Derrick J.
John-Paul took my civil case when no one else would because other lawyers didn’t have confidence in my daughter who has special needs to testify, if needed. John-Paul won her case against the school district without a jury because he cared about my child, believed she was honest and deserved justice. He still doesn’t mind taking my calls whenever I have a question regarding her case.
Dionne L.
John-Paul is well known in our community as a smart and effective criminal defense lawyer who is sensitive to his clients’ situations and responsive to their needs. I refer my clients to him with confidence when they need help with the criminal justice system.
Lawrence Brock
I had the pleasure of working a very large scale drug case with Mr. Serrao, representing co-defendants. Mr. Serrao was a pleasure to work with. Highly skilled and very aggressive in his advocacy on his client’s behalf. I highly recommend Mr. Serrao for anyone looking for a criminal defense attorney.
Babak Farahan
