Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Mount Juliet

How punitive damages work against a Mount Juliet drunk driver

For a Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet defendant acted while intoxicated to the point that judgment was substantially impaired. A Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet bar or restaurant can be on the hook

For Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet crash. A seller is liable only when a Mount Juliet 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 led to the injury. We test whether the facts of your Mount Juliet case can meet that steep burden.

The one-year civil deadline as the Mount Juliet criminal case runs

In most cases an injured Mount Juliet resident has one year from the crash date to file a civil suit under T.C.A. Section 28-3-104. A parallel criminal prosecution can lengthen that period, but for a Mount Juliet victim the wisest course is never to wait on how the criminal case ends. We start assembling the civil claim without delay in Mount Juliet. The sooner we start, the more evidence of impairment we can secure near Mount Juliet.

Why a Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet person whole. The Mount Juliet 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 a guilty plea can still bolster proof of liability in the Mount Juliet civil case, and we deploy it wherever it fits.

Comparative fault and the insurer's blame-shifting in Mount Juliet

Courts serving Mount Juliet apply the modified comparative fault rule announced in McIntyre v. Balentine, which denies any Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet victim. We marshal the evidence, the impairment included, to keep the blame on the person who chose to drive drunk through Mount Juliet.

Helping victims of impaired drivers throughout Mount Juliet

We represent people harmed by drunk drivers throughout Wilson, Davidson, Sumner, and Rutherford counties, including Lebanon, Hermitage, Nashville, Gladeville, and Green Hill. Because Mount Juliet has no hospital of its own, the most serious injuries go to Vanderbilt in Nashville, the regional Level I trauma center, while TriStar Summit Medical Center in Hermitage handles the nearest local care, and we stand with clients across the area.

Talk to a Mount Juliet drunk driving accident lawyer

If a drunk driver hurt you or took someone you love in Mount Juliet, call (844) 876-4357 for a free and confidential consultation. No attorney fee is due unless we secure compensation in your Mount Juliet drunk-driving case.

Speak with a Mount Juliet drunk driving accident attorney

A Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet, reach us at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review. We represent Mount Juliet families on a contingency fee, so no charge applies unless we win for you.

Common questions

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

Sometimes, though in Mount Juliet the bar is set high. Tennessee permits a Mount Juliet 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 injury. We examine the facts to see whether that narrow path is open in your case.

The drunk driver was convicted after my Mount Juliet crash. Does a guilty verdict in the criminal case guarantee that I win?

Not on its own, but in Mount Juliet it certainly helps. A conviction or guilty plea can serve as strong evidence of fault in your Mount Juliet civil case, though you must still prove your injuries and losses. Your compensation flows from the Mount Juliet civil claim, which is separate from the criminal prosecution.

Can a Mount Juliet 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 Mount Juliet case can reach past ordinary compensation. We seek those added damages for a Mount Juliet client wherever the facts support them.