Drunk Driving Claim

Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 50 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion nationwide. DUI stats tell a grim story that we’ve all heard before: Drunk drivers are much more likely to cause car accidents, highway injuries, pedestrian accidents, and vehicular deaths than non-impaired drivers. It’s important to know your rights and seek representation with the aid of an experienced drunk driving lawyer.

Contact leading Oregon drunk driving lawyer today for a free consultation at 503-726-5960.

drunk driving lawyer

Drunk Driving: Sobering Realities

Despite the sobering headlines and untold heartache, people still get behind the wheel of their vehicles after drinking too much. This is startling, not only because of the avalanche of evidence that is at this point commonplace but also because preventing these tragedies is as simple as raising awareness of the dangers of alcohol as it can cause loss of control and detrimental risky behavior.

According to the organization Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, or simply MADD, about a quarter of car crashes with teens involve an underage drinking driver. Ninety-five percent of the 14 million people who are alcohol dependent began drinking before the legal age of 21. In 2017, 10,874 people died in drunk driving crashes – one every 48 minutes – and more than 300,000 were injured in drunk driving crashes. In addition, 50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license.

Oregon DUI Law & Tips

The legal alcohol limit in Oregon is 0.08 BAC (Blood Alcohol Content).  However, contrary to public perception, a driver can still be charged with a DUII (Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicants) with a BAC below this limit, if the driver fails tests and/or shows signs of being “under the influence of alcohol”.

Tips from a Drunk Driving Lawyer

When a driver causes a car accident that injures or kills another person, the victim (or victim’s family, in the case of wrongful death), can file a civil claim against the drunk driver.  Simultaneously, the drunk driver will also be involved with a criminal case through the District Attorney’s (DA) office. The process of filing a claim against a drunk driver is much the same as filing a claim against any negligent driver who causes injury to another person.  If the drunk driver has auto insurance then the claim is against the at-fault insurance company. If that insurance policy does not provide adequate coverage, a claim can also be filed with the victim’s own auto insurance through the Underinsured Motorist (UIM) portion their coverage.  If the drunk driver is driving while uninsured, then the victim’s own auto insurance will provide coverage through an Uninsured Motorist (UM) claim.

drunk driving lawyer

Like with any other car accident claim, the victim’s own auto insurance (PIP) will pay for the medical bills up to $15,000 or for up to two years, whichever comes first.  At the resolution of the case, PIP will be reimbursed from the at-fault insurance. They will typically handle their reimbursement through inter-company arbitration, however, in some instances they will request that the plaintiff recover their subrogation amount as part of any potential settlement.

Tips from a drunk driving lawyer in Oregon emphasize the importance of gather information that can easily explain the events of a drunk driving accident where you may have been involved. For this reason, it is essential to obtain a copy of the police report which will outline the DUII charges and the BAC of the drunk driver.  This will typically come from the DA’s office when they are able to release documents from the criminal portion of the case.

Common Injuries Caused by Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United State. Despite this well-known fact, there are countless lives taken each and every year due to the negligence of drunk driving. More community group and non-profit organizations seek to raise awareness of the realities of drunk driving. It can cause catastrophic injury and even death. Here are various accidents that are often caused by drunk driving:

  • Head-on collisions
  • Read-end collisions
  • Pedestrian
  • Wrong-way wrecks

Injuries sustained during motor vehicle accidents can range from minor sprains to drastic brain injury. The list may also include:

  • Spinal cord
  • Legs and Knee injuries
  • Neck
  • Chest
  • Brain

If a drunk or drugged driver injured you in Oregon, contact the Law Offices of Ryan Hilts. Our experienced injury attorney in Oregon can assess your case and help you fight for the highest possible settlement. Our firm has been representing the injured for decades.

drunk driving claim oregon

Oregon DUI Lawyer

As with other personal injury claims, drunk driving claims encompass both economic and non-economic damages.  Economic damages cover all of the medical bills, lost wages, and other pecuniary losses (basically anything that can be proven financially).  Non-economic losses encompass all of the intangible losses, commonly referred to as “pain and suffering”. If a lawsuit is filed on a drunk driving claim, “punitive damages” can also be included as part of the “prayer” amount.  This amount is to punish the drunk driver and deter the drunk driver from making the same negligent and unlawful act again.

During the investigation and discovery process, it is important to determine where the drunk driver consumed alcohol.  If it can be proven that the drunk driver was served alcohol while “visibly intoxicated”, then a Dram Shop claim can be filed against the establishment that served the alcohol.  This provides another layer of insurance coverage for the drunk driving claim. Contact us for more information on our services as Oregon drunk driving lawyer.

Oregon Attorney Ryan Hilts

Ryan is a member of the Oregon State Bar, the Washington State Bar, and the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association.

Ryan was named a “Rising Star” e for six years in a row, and recently a "Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyers Magazine. In his early years as attorney, he was also listed as one of Oregon's Outstanding Young Lawyers by Portland Monthly Magazine and the American Registry.


Learn More About Ryan

Featured Services

Personal Injury
We take the stress out of personal injury cases so you can focus on getting better. Call today for a free consultation.

Car Accidents
We specialize in auto accident cases. We are skilled at negotiating with insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve.

Pedestrian Accidents
If you were injured as a result of a careless driver while you were a pedestrian, you may have a claim against the driver. Read more about our practice areas.
My name is Linda and my son in law recommended Ryan Hilts. I did not think I needed a lawyer. My son in law said "If you don't win you don't pay". That made a lot of sense to me. After calling Ryan I realized how comforting it is to have a lawyer. I was in a car accident. The driver was drunk and hit me and took off. A hit and run accident. Ryan told me by Oregon Law I was able to go to the doctors. I was able to get the much needed help. My Chiropractor was amazing. It took time to heal. Ryan was always available and always called me back, when I had any questions. He is a wonderful family man. A man of integrity. He also sent emails and texts to wish our family well on all the Holidays. He went above and beyond what was expected. My case was won without a doubt. I would definitely go back to Ryan for any lawyer needs. He is a good man and you can trust him. Thank you Ryan for everything, words are not enough to express all you did for us.

G. & L. S.

I was recommended to Mr. Hilts by a friend when I had my car accident. I was very impressed with his knowledge and the way he guided me through the process. I appreciated that he always returned my calls and kept me informed about the progress of my case.

K.J.

I could never say enough good things about Ryan. He was always there to take my calls and answer all of my questions. I really felt like he was working for me; like I was his top priority.

J.H.

Ryan is a terrific lawyer and a better person. He went above and beyond to reach a settlement in my case and believed in it when no one else did. He’s very intelligent and caring and is always putting the best interests of his clients before his own. Ryan knew more about my case than I even did. He is truly dedicated to his clients, and I can not explain how much I honestly appreciated that. I recommend that you give him a shot if you need to hire an attorney. He won’t let you down.

S.S.

It was our good fortune to have Ryan Hilts as our attorney. Ryan helped our children avoid a lawsuit and get a successful settlement. He taught us so much. He represented our family with integrity.

B.D.

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