Drunk Driving Injury

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the injured, has been fighting for the rights of those injured or killed by drunk drivers in Cape Coral since 1971.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports Florida drunk driving accidents kill 500 motorists a year, making it among the most common contributing causes of fatal traffic collisions. We have seen far too many tragedies caused by this senseless act, and remain dedicated to fighting for the rights of victims in the courtroom, as well as raising awareness of the risks of intoxicated motorists on our roads.

Cape Coral drunk driving injury lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, continue to support sobriety checkpoints and enforcement blitzes conducted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Cape Coral Police Department, as well as the efforts of the national and Southwest Florida chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Still, the state’s Annual Uniform Crime Statistics show 44,000 motorists are cited for drunk driving in Florida each year. Unfortunately, little more than half are ultimately convicted. Lee County drunk driving arrests, including those handled by the Cape Coral Police Department, account for about 2,500 cases a year. The Cape Coral Police Department reports more than 300 DUI arrests each year, or nearly one a day.

Unfortunately, state crime statistics show only about two-thirds of those arrested are convicted, even as habitual offenders continue to cause tragedies on our roads. Many more offenders go undetected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports about 1,400 fatal traffic crashes are caused each year by a driver convicted of at least one DUI or DWI charge.

Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva are top beach draws in the area. Spring training facilities for the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox push traffic figures to the breaking point each spring. Unfortunately, when people go on vacation, they put their guard down and often celebrate by consuming alcohol.

Cape Coral drunk driving injury lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, bring a compassionate and comprehensive approach to representing injury victims and their families using our five decades of experience. Some of our closest client relationships over the years have been wrought by drunk-driving tragedy.

Making good decisions is always vital in the wake of a serious or fatal traffic collision. While many law firms will solicit and represent traffic accident victims, far fewer make personal injury and wrongful death litigation their sole area of focus. Fewer still are family operated firms that focus exclusively on the rights of accident victims right here in Southwest Florida. At Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, we believe anyone dealing with such a tragedy deserves immediate access to experienced legal help. That’s why we offer free and confidential consultations 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Our five decades of work representing injury victims in Southwest Florida will allow us to immediately begin protecting your rights and building a case for damages as we fight to ensure your immediate needs are met and your financial future is secured.

Too often, victims of drunk drivers think proving fault should be a forgone conclusion in such cases, and thus the quality of their legal help is not as vital. Nothing could be further from the truth. At its most basic, a successful outcome in your case requires three primary elements: Proving fault, determining damages, and identifying a means of recovery.

Negligence claims in Florida tort actions are outlined in Florida Statute 768 and require plaintiff to prove a defendant owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and that breach caused compensable injuries (damages).

Damages can include things like lost wages, medical bills, cost of rehabilitation, economic consequences of long-term partial or total disability, and pain and suffering. In some cases, punitive damages, meant to punish a defendant and deter such behavior in the future, may also be awarded. Choosing a car accident law firm in Cape Coral with the knowledge and resources to build a complete claim for damages will have a major impact on your case.

But even successfully proving fault and building a comprehensive demand for damages will be for naught if your Cape Coral car accident lawyer has not identified a means of recovery. Typically, this will begin with an at-fault driver and his or her insurance company. Unfortunately, drunk drivers too often lack insurance or lack enough insurance to cover damages. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute reports Florida leads the nation when it comes to uninsured motorists with more than 1 in 4 drivers on the road without insurance. Florida’s mandatory minimum insurance law requires just $10,000 personal injury protection and $10,000 property damage liability, among the lowest minimums in the nation. Even those who carry bodily injury liability coverage may do so in amounts of just $10,000 per accident/$20,000 per occurrence.

Unfortunately, Florida also has a weak liquor-liability law (known as dram shop laws) codified in F.S. 768.125. While some state laws permit lawsuits against businesses that serve alcohol to intoxicated patrons, Florida law generally limits liability of social hosts, restaurants and other businesses to those who either serve alcohol to an underage consumer, or to someone who is habitually addicted to alcohol.

Another means of recovery is to pursue a vehicle’s owner (if different than the driver), the insurance companies that insures other vehicles in the household or even your own automobile insurance company. Identify other third-parties who may share blame for an incident may also provide another means to recover damages.

If you or someone you care about has been hurt, contact the Cape Coral drunk driving injury lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured. You pay us no fees unless we win.