Unique Aspects of Intoxicated Driver Accidents
There are many aspects of a drunk driver collision that are different than the standard motor vehicle accident in the area. To begin, if a person is intoxicated while driving and causes a wreck that harms another person, that is a criminal offense. That means, the intoxicated driver will likely face two different cases at the same time: one on the criminal law and one in civil law. In some cases, a guilty verdict or plea in a criminal case can be used as evidence in the separate civil case. Another thing that makes these accidents different from other wrecks is the prospect of getting punitive or exemplary damages. Very often, when a defendant violates the law, such as by driving while intoxicated, a Denton attorney could make an argument for the gross negligence standard. These damages go above the compensatory losses the claimant suffered in the wreck and aim to punish the defendant driver.
