A Simple Explanation about Drunk Driving Personal Injury Claims.

http://MattLaw.com - Matt Powell, Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer

Drunk driving personal injury claims require skilled legal representation due to their complex nature. This video will act as a simple explanation on what you need to know about drunk driving personal injury claims.

Insurance companies do everything within their power to hide drunk driving from juries in personal injury cases. Hiring an experienced board certified personal injury trial lawyer is crucial to protecting your families rights if you are involved in a drunk driving personal injury accident.

It's very important to make sure jurors know about the drunk driving personal injury element of your case. In order to do this, you need to hire a board certified civil trial lawyer. You also need to explain to your doctors how the drunk driver has affected your life.

Get involved with MADD and contact Victims' Assistance in your county to fill our a Victim's Impact Statement. To get your drunk driving personal injury case on the right track, make sure you hire an experienced trial lawyer.

Your lawyer should know to get the 911 recording of someone calling the police if it applies, the DUI arrest affidavit from the police, seek any DUI videos of the arrest, the DUI breath or alcohol test results, and file suit quickly if the insurance company delays or denies paying you the drunk driver's insurance policy limits - among many other things.

0:00 Drunk Drivers who injure people
0:09 Why are DUI personal injury cases complex
0:14 You may be entitled to punitive damages
0:24 30% of us will be involved in an alcohol crash during our life
0:45 Why are punitive damages allowed against drunk drivers
0:58 How do insurance companies hide drunk driving
1:20 Punishing drunk drivers
1:35 Making our lives safer by punishing wrongdoers
1:45 Deterrence of bad behavior by making an example and punishing them
2:00 Criminal court does not compensate the victim
2:16 When do you ask for punitive damages
2:28 Your jury decides yes or no about punitive damages
3:08 What is the burden of proof for punitive damages
3:13 What is clear and convincing evidence
3:17 What is the definition of intentional misconduct
3:37 What is gross negligence
3:58 What does a jury use to measure the amount of punitive damages
4:43 What can be done to prevent insurance companies from hiding the drunk driving
4:58 Should I go to the criminal court sentencing
5:10 Are the insurance companies on the hook to pay punitive damages
5:24 Drunk driving should cause the insurance company to offer the full policy limits to avoid punitive damages being paid by their insured
5:38 How they hide drunk driving by admitting fault
6:15 By admitting fault the insurance company tries to say that the jury will be upset by knowing their client was drunk
6:20 The insurance company tries to get the court to limit the trial to causation and damages
6:37 List of excuses to avoid responsibility
7:20 Why an experienced lawyer is important to win a drunk driving injury case
7:43 How do you make sure the judge lets the alcohol into your trial to win the case
7:56 Emotional Damages allow drunk driving to be used as evidence to prove damages caused by the alcohol use
8:13 Mental Anguish damages are the key to getting drunk driving in front of your jury
8:55 How to get your mental anguish explained to your jury
9:15 Telling your doctors about your mental anguish is the key to getting this evidence allowed in your personal injury trial
9:20 When your medical records describe your mental anguish caused by alcohol they are relevant to prove damages
9:26 Before and after witnesses can tell a jury about your mental anguish caused by alcohol
9:36 Mothers Against Drunk Driving membership helps prove your damages caused by alcohol
10:25 What are common experiences victims have from drunk drivers
10:50 Should I see a mental health counselor for my feelings about drunk driving
11:16 What is a motion in limine
11:25 How do I defeat the defenses motions to exclude alcohol from trial
11:50 It is vital to your case to focus upon your mental anguish damages and how you will be able to show them to your jury
12:06 What can you do to prepare your case
12:13 Tell your doctors about how drunk driving is affecting you
12:15 Tell your friends and family
12:20 Discuss your fears that you never had before this drunk driver hurt you and your family
12:26 Stay involved in the criminal case against the drunk driver by going to court and expressing your anger
12:30 Contact Victims Assistance
12:39 Contact MADD
12:46 Get the 911 call to the police
12:52 Get the DUI affidavit from the police
12:56 Get the DUI video
12:59 Get the DUI breath or blood results
13:11 Get a certified copy of the conviction from the clerk of the court
13:17 What can my lawyer do to maximize my claim against a drunk driver
14:20 Who should I call if I am a victim of drunk driving