Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Lebanon

How punitive damages work against a Lebanon drunk driver

For a Lebanon drunk-driving case, Tennessee limits punitive damages to the greater of twice the compensatory award or five hundred thousand dollars under T.C.A. Section 29-39-104. That limit falls away, though, when the Lebanon defendant acted while intoxicated to the point that judgment was substantially impaired. A Lebanon drunk-driving crash is the clearest case for lifting that cap, and we pursue the full measure of punitive damages the conduct warrants for our Wilson County clients.

When a Lebanon bar or restaurant can be on the hook

For Lebanon victims, Tennessee draws its dram shop statutes narrowly at T.C.A. Section 57-10-101 and T.C.A. Section 57-10-102. Ordinarily the drinker's own drinking, not the sale, counts as the cause of a Lebanon crash. A seller faces liability only when a Wilson County jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt that it served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person, or to someone it knew was under twenty-one, and that the sale caused the injury. We test whether the facts of your Lebanon case can meet that steep burden.

The one-year civil deadline as the Lebanon criminal case runs

In most cases an injured Lebanon resident has one year from the crash date to sue under T.C.A. Section 28-3-104. A parallel criminal prosecution can lengthen that period, but for a Lebanon victim the wisest course is never to wait on how the criminal case ends. We begin building the civil claim right away in Wilson County. The sooner we start, the more evidence of impairment we can secure near Lebanon.

Why a Lebanon criminal case alone cannot make you whole

A criminal conviction can punish the impaired driver and even order limited restitution, yet it does not make an injured Lebanon person whole. The Lebanon civil claim stands separate, and it is where the losses, the medical bills, the lost wages, and the pain are actually recovered. A conviction or guilty plea can still support proof of liability in the Wilson County civil case, and we put it to use where it applies.

Comparative fault and the insurer's blame-shifting in Lebanon

Wilson County courts apply the modified comparative fault rule announced in McIntyre v. Balentine, which denies any Lebanon recovery to a person half or more at fault and reduces it by a lesser share. Even against an impaired driver, the insurer may try to lay some blame on the Lebanon victim. We use the evidence, the impairment itself included, to keep responsibility on the person who chose to drive drunk through Wilson County.

Serving victims of impaired drivers across Wilson County

We represent people harmed by drunk drivers throughout Wilson, Trousdale, Smith, and Sumner counties, including Mount Juliet, Watertown, Carthage, Gladeville, and Hartsville. The most serious Lebanon injuries go to Vanderbilt in Nashville, the regional Level I trauma center, while University Medical Center in Lebanon handles local care, and we stand with clients across the area.

Talk to a Lebanon drunk driving accident lawyer

If a drunk driver hurt you or took someone you love in Lebanon, call (844) 876-4357 for a free and confidential consultation. No attorney fee is owed unless we recover compensation in your Wilson County drunk-driving case.

Speak with a Lebanon drunk driving accident attorney

A Lebanon drunk-driving crash gives an injured person more than the ordinary claim, since Tennessee allows punitive damages to exceed the usual cap when the driver was impaired. If a drunk driver hurt you or your family around Lebanon, reach us at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review. We represent Wilson County families on a contingency fee, so there is no charge unless we win for you.

Common questions

In Lebanon, can I sue the bar that served the drunk driver?

Sometimes, though in Lebanon the bar is set high. Tennessee permits a Lebanon claim against a seller only where a jury is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it served a visibly intoxicated person or a known minor and that the sale caused the crash. We examine the facts to see whether that narrow path is open in your Lebanon case.

The drunk driver was convicted after my Lebanon crash. Do I automatically win my claim?

Not on its own, but in Lebanon it certainly helps. A conviction or guilty plea can serve as strong evidence of fault in your Lebanon civil case, though you must still prove your injuries and losses. Your compensation actually comes from the Wilson County civil claim, which stands apart from the criminal case.

Can a Lebanon drunk-driving case bring damages beyond the usual?

Often yes. Because driving while intoxicated is exactly the reckless conduct that supports punitive damages, and Tennessee's punitive cap does not apply when the defendant was intoxicated, a Lebanon case can reach past ordinary compensation. We seek those added damages for a Lebanon client wherever the facts support them.