Despite the dangers associated with drunk driving, thousands of motorists still make the decision to get behind the wheels while intoxicated. If you or someone you love is hurt in a DUI-related accident, you should consider pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.
While there is no clear-cut settlement method for DUI accidents, there are a variety of damages you can seek financial restitution for after the accident. To help you litigate your case, you need to start off by understanding how Mississippi negligence laws work.
Understanding Mississippi negligence laws
Your personal injury lawsuit will be subject to Mississippi’s pure comparative negligence laws. This means that you can claim compensation even if you were partially or mostly responsible for the wreck. Your compensation would merely be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you.
Here are some types of damages you can pursue in a drunk driving accident:
Medical costs
Emergency room and hospital visits can cost a lot of money, especially if you sustained serious injuries like brain and spine injuries or broken bones that require long-term care for complete recovery.
Even with your health and car insurance policies, the cost of treating such injuries can be extremely high. Through a personal injury lawsuit, the negligent party can be compelled to take care of your medical expenses.
Property repair or replacement
Fixing a car after an accident can cost a fortune. If your car was damaged during the accident, you can pursue the liable driver for applicable repairs and replacements.
Loss of income
If you took time off work to recover from your injuries, you may sue the defendant for the amount you would have earned if you were at work.
Non-economic damages
Besides the direct damages associated with the accident, you can also pursue the drunk driver for non-economic damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of companionship and loss of enjoyment of life.
A car accident can leave you with life-altering injuries. Find out how you can safeguard your rights and interests while pursuing compensation following a drunk driving accident.