DUI Fatalities
An estimated 10,839 people will die in drunk-driving crashes across the country in the coming year, or one person every 50 minutes, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Based on recent statistics, at least 180 people will die this year in the state of Washington alone in a crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver.
At Brett Murphy – Washington’s Injury Lawyers, we recognize that each of these numbers represents a loved one – a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife or child. We know that every Washington drunk-driving death is a tragedy that leaves a family facing emotional sadness as well as fear and confusion about their financial future.
We’re here to help.
For more than 39 years, our Seattle DUI fatality attorneys, led by partners Dean Brett and John Murphy, have held drunk drivers accountable for their reckless conduct and secured substantial verdicts and settlements for the families of DUI accident victims throughout Seattle and the state of Washington, including record-setting wrongful death lawsuit awards.
To learn more about how Brett Murphy can help you, call our Seattle personal injury lawyers today at 888-870-8654 or use our online form. Brett Murphy provides free consultations and flexible fee arrangements.
Liability For Washington DUI Accident Deaths
Under Washington law, a driver is guilty of driving under the influence if they have consumed enough of a substance – alcohol or drugs to be either appreciably impaired or to have a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or above. Drunk driving usually involves car drivers, but it can also implicate drivers of trucks, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, airplanes, trains or boats.
When a vehicle driver is found guilty of a DUI, it can establish their negligence automatically. This means they can held accountable for causing the death of another motorist, motorcyclist, bicyclist, pedestrian or, in some cases, the passenger in their vehicle.
Under Washington’s state dram shop laws, the party who served an intoxicated driver can also be held liable by the family whose loved one was killed by the driver. These laws apply to restaurants, bars, pubs, taverns, liquor stores and even party hosts.
At Brett Murphy, our Seattle wrongful death attorneys thoroughly investigate every case in order to determine who caused a drunk-driving tragedy to occur, and we make sure to hold them – and their insurance companies – responsible for the harm they have caused.
Compensation For Families of DUI Accident Victims
When a family member is killed by a drunk driver, the family may bring a wrongful death lawsuit to secure funds that will help them to move on with their lives. The damages available in a DUI fatality claim include:
- Medical costs
- Funeral expenses
- Lost future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of care, companionship and services.
Brett Murphy – Washington’s Injury Lawyers has a record of securing significant awards for those who have lost a loved one to a drunk driver, including a recent $1 million settlement for the wrongful death of a teenage pedestrian in an accident involving a drug addict who had been hired by a towing company.
Contact Our Seattle DUI Fatality Attorneys Today
You can trust the Seattle DUI fatality lawyers of the personal injury law firm of Brett Murphy with making sure that justice is sought in your wrongful death case in a timely and diligent manner. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation by calling us at 888-870-8654 or using our online form.
