Just as it is everywhere else in the nation, drunk driving is a big problem in Chicago. In many cases, a Chicago car accident attorney will find themselves representing a client who was injured by a drunk driver. In the most unfortunate cases of all, the injury attorney will end up representing the survivors of somebody who died due to the negligence of a drunken driver. If you have been injured by a drunk driver, it's important to understand that you do have a possible recourse of filing a lawsuit.

Criminal Charges Don't Matter

There are cases where somebody who was injured by a drunk driver doesn't bother finding a car accident lawyer in Chicago because they believe that the drunk driver being sent to jail means that they cannot be sued. This is not true. The drunk driver can still be sued, even if they are facing criminal charges. The criminal charges are irrelevant, though they may help in your civil case.

The criminal justice system exists to punish people for breaking the law. The civil courts exist to make sure that people who are injured by drunk drivers – or anyone else who was negligent – have a way to seek compensation so that they don't have to face the financial difficulties brought about by that negligence on their own.

As for figuring out whether or not it's worth it to sue, the only person who can tell you that is a Chicago car accident attorney. There are cases where it may not be worth it to sue the individual who injured you and there are cases where your chances of winning are so slim that the attorney will recommend against it. It's important, however, to make certain that you talk to an attorney about these matters because they're the only ones who can really help you figure out which is the case.

Your Injuries

For most of the people who are impacted by a drunk driver, seeking a car accident lawyer in Chicago is a way to get compensated for the medical and property expenses that the incident incurred. These expenses can be extreme. Everybody understands and, unfortunately, far too many people know how much it costs to go to the emergency room to deal with serious injuries.

Not all injuries are physical. A Chicago car accident lawyer will also take into account the loss of your quality of life, lost wages, lost ability to work, psychological trauma and other factors when they are calculating how much you should seek in compensation. Understanding the actual financial implications of the injuries that you suffered is a huge part of determining whether you need to work with a Chicago car accident attorney to seek compensation in court.