Oxnard Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Legal Support When It Matters the Most
Being hit by a drunk driver is a harrowing event that happens to hundreds of Americans each day. When dealing with the aftermath of the crash, it is easy to get lost in the details and feel a bit hopeless that you cannot recover the damages you deserve. At The Schurmer Firm in Oxnard, we want to make sure you do not feel that way for long by applying our professional legal services and representation to your drunk driving accident claim.
Our law firm has been a trusted choice in our communities for more than 45 years. In that time, we have secured millions of dollars in recoveries for our clients, both through settlements and jury verdicts. Whatever we have to do to elevate your claim in pursuit of the maximized amount of compensation is exactly what we want to do.
To get started with a winning team on your Oxnard drunk driving accident claim, call (805) 470-1628 or contact us online.
Criminal Evidence in Drunk Driving Claims
When someone causes a crash while intoxicated, they have technically committed a criminal act. The police should always be called to the scene of a drunk driving accident, even if no one was injured. Only the police have the authority to remove that dangerous drunk driver from the road and possibly prevent another crash. With the police so involved in a drunk driving accident, it is only natural that they will become a good source of evidence that you could potentially use in your injury claim later.
Three types of police or criminal evidence to use in your case are:
- Police reports: The police officers who respond to your drunk driving accident should create detailed reports about what they witnessed there. Oftentimes, police reports will even indicate who they think is the liable party for the accident by marking one driver as Party 1. Our Oxnard drunk driving accident attorneys are a familiar face in the community, so we can easily network with local police departments who made reports about your crash, getting copies to use as evidence in your claim.
- BAC tests: Someone who is suspected of driving while intoxicated will usually be required to take a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test shortly after being pulled over or causing a crash. The BAC test can provide a clearer idea of just how impaired they were due to intoxication. The higher the BAC level recorded, the worse the inebriation. We might be able to access the defendant’s BAC test results to further increase their liability for your accident.
- Convictions: Criminal courts are deliberately separate from civil courts, but that does not mean that evidence from one cannot be used in the other. If the driver that hit you is ultimately convicted of drunk driving and other related crimes, then our experienced legal team can try to use that conviction as evidence of intoxication and, therefore, another reason to increase their liability.
Damages in Drunk Driving Claims
A drunk driver can cause extensive damage in the blink of an eye by crashing into another motorist. Due to the erratic behaviors of a drunk driver, other drivers can have an inordinately difficult time predicting the direction and speed of the drunk driver’s vehicle. When something goes wrong, innocent drivers may have little or no time to react, so the likelihood of a drunk driving accident causing catastrophic injuries is high.
With severe injuries come steep damages, such as:
- Medical bills, including emergency care and hospitalization
- Rehabilitative therapy costs after release from the hospital
- Wages lost while forced to take time off work
- Vehicle repair or replacement costs
You can demand all of these mentioned economic damages and more from the drunk driver who hit you. California liability laws also let you pursue noneconomic damages that relate to your pain, suffering, emotional trauma, and hardship endured due to the accident. When working on a drunk driving accident claim, our attorneys are always careful to fully calculate all types of damages, including economic, noneconomic, past, and future damages. It is our goal to secure every last penny of compensation you are owed, which might mean heading to litigation if the responding auto insurance company does not want to offer a fair settlement amount after negotiations.
Call Our Advocates from the Wrongfully Injured
From all of us at The Schurmer Firm, we hope you are doing as well as possible after being in a serious drunk driving accident that was not your fault. We also hope you give us a chance to hear your story to see if our law firm is the right fit for your Oxnard drunk driving accident claim. You can get a free case evaluation to begin and we offer contingency fee agreements to accident clients, meaning you will not owe us any attorney fees unless we end your case with a favorable settlement or verdict.
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Choose the team that really cares about you. Dial (805) 470-1628 or contact us online now.
Decades of Experience
Millions of Dollars Recovered
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$250,000 Medical Malpractice
Settlement for an elderly gentleman who suffered a refracture to his total hip replacement when the hospital staff failed to secure him to the gurney during x-rays.
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$725,000 Flash Fire that Eruption
Settlement against a homeowner and plumbing contractor when a father was killed due to a flash fire that erupted from the defendant’s gas water heater.
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$1 Million Verdict
A man who was killed when struck by a train at an unmarked railroad crossing.
