You heard the impact before you felt it. Metal crunching, glass shattering, your body jerking against the seatbelt as the drunk driver’s vehicle plowed into yours. Emergency responders arrived to find the other driver struggling to stand, reeking of alcohol, and unable to answer basic questions.
The police arrested them on the spot for DUI while paramedics loaded you into an ambulance. Now you’re facing medical bills, missing work, and dealing with insurance adjusters who seem more interested in closing your file than compensating your losses. You know the other driver was drunk, and now you need a car accident lawyer in Joliet to help you win.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we understand the frustration drunk driving victims experience when clear fault doesn’t translate to fair compensation. Choose Charlie when you need a drunk driving accident lawyer in Joliet who understands what evidence truly matters and how to turn that evidence into results.
The Real Cost of Drunk Driving Accidents
Emergency room treatment is just the beginning. Your initial medical bills covered immediate injuries—broken bones set, lacerations stitched, and concussions evaluated. The costs you didn’t anticipate come later. Physical therapy sessions stretch for months. Follow-up appointments with specialists become routine. Prescription medications pile up.
Lost income extends beyond missed paychecks. The week you spent recovering meant using all your sick days. Light-duty restrictions reduced your overtime opportunities. Your personal injury lawyer in Joliet needs to account for all these economic losses and more.
The emotional toll affects every aspect of your life. Anxiety makes you avoid certain roads. Sleep problems develop. Depression sets in as chronic pain limits activities you once enjoyed. These psychological impacts deserve compensation just as much as physical injuries.
Types of Compensation in Drunk Driving Claims
Medical expenses include every treatment related to your injuries. Common recoverable medical costs include:
- Emergency room visits and ambulance transport
- Hospital stays and surgical procedures
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation services
- Prescription medications and medical devices
- Future medical care for ongoing conditions
Economic losses go beyond medical bills. Lost wages cover time missed from work during recovery. Reduced earning capacity compensates for permanent limitations that affect your ability to work. Property damage covers vehicle repairs or replacement, rental car expenses, and destroyed personal belongings.
Non-economic damages compensate for losses that don’t come with receipts. Pain and suffering account for the physical discomfort you experience daily. Emotional distress covers anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma from the accident. Loss of enjoyment of life compensates for activities and hobbies you can no longer pursue because of your injuries.
Punitive Damages for Drunk Driving Accidents
Illinois allows punitive damages in drunk driving cases. These damages punish the drunk driver’s reckless decision to drive while intoxicated and discourage others from making the same choice.
While not available in every case, punitive damages significantly increase compensation when the driver’s blood alcohol level was particularly high or when they have prior DUI convictions.
With over $100 million recovered for injured clients, Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. understands how to calculate fair compensation that accounts for both immediate costs and long-term impacts.
How Illinois Drunk Driving Laws Affect Your Claim
Illinois prohibits driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. However, drivers can be convicted of DUI at lower BAC levels if they show signs of impairment. This means even if the drunk driver’s BAC was below the legal limit, you can still pursue compensation if their alcohol consumption impaired their driving ability.
Criminal charges and civil claims are separate proceedings. The drunk driver’s DUI arrest and conviction strengthen your personal injury case in Joliet, but you must still prove they caused your injuries through negligent driving.
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you share any fault for the accident, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies exploit this rule by arguing you contributed to the accident even when the other driver was clearly intoxicated. Our Joliet drunk driving accident lawyers can work to counter these accusations.
Evidence We Will Look For
Police reports document the drunk driver’s arrest, field sobriety test results, and blood alcohol concentration. These reports establish intoxication, but you may need additional evidence showing how the driver’s impairment caused specific errors that led to your collision.
Video evidence captures what witnesses might miss. Traffic cameras, business surveillance systems, and dashboard cameras show the drunk driver’s dangerous maneuvers in the moments before impact. This footage proves their impaired state affected their driving ability in ways that caused the accident.
The drunk driver’s history matters in building your case. Previous DUI convictions demonstrate a pattern of drunk driving. Prior accidents involving alcohol prove they knew the dangers but chose to drink and drive anyway. Bar and restaurant receipts establish where they consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
What Makes Charlie Therman Different
Our firm’s 75 years of combined legal experience means we’ve handled hundreds of drunk driving cases and know which evidence insurance companies respect. We start investigating immediately while details are fresh and witnesses are available.
You’ll work with attorneys who respond quickly and keep you informed about your case’s progress. We’re not a high-volume firm where you become just another case number. We connect injured clients with medical providers who accept liens, removing financial barriers to necessary treatment.
Our track record speaks for itself—over $100 million recovered for injured clients throughout 20+ years serving Illinois communities. This success comes from thorough case preparation, aggressive negotiation, and willingness to take cases to trial when insurers won’t make fair offers.
Contact a Joliet Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today
Drunk drivers cause catastrophic injuries that change victims’ lives permanently. You shouldn’t accept inadequate insurance settlements just because adjusters pressure you to close your claim quickly. The legal team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. knows how to prove drunk driving cases and recover full compensation that accounts for all your losses.
Start your recovery with experienced attorneys who fight for your rights. We offer free consultations to discuss your accident, review the evidence, and explain your legal options. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover money for your injuries. Contact us for dedicated representation from a drunk driving accident lawyer in Joliet who puts your needs first.
