We Fight for Drunk Driving Victims Across New York City
Drunk driving accidents often cause life-altering injuries or death, leaving victims facing enormous financial, emotional, and physical losses. While it may seem obvious that the drunk driver is responsible for these damages, insurance companies aren’t always willing to admit liability. The insurer may use various tactics to minimize your compensation, including arguing that you’re partially at fault or downplaying the extent of your injuries.
Our drunk driving injury lawyers are here to stand between you and the powerful insurance companies. When you turn to us for help, we’ll calculate the full extent of your damages, gather evidence proving the driver’s negligence, and negotiate for fair compensation on your behalf.
We’ll also be ready to file a lawsuit and represent you at trial if the insurer refuses to settle for what your case is worth. Our attorneys will handle all the paperwork, deadlines, and court procedures, using our relentless NYC grit to fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
Settlement Obtained For Victim of Drunk Driver Hit and Run
$450K
Rear End Accidents
Our client, a 48- year old Spanish-speaking woman, was a passenger in a vehicle that was rear ended by a drunk driver who fled the scene. She suffered injuries to her knee, shoulder, neck, and back and had to undergo multiple surgeries.
Common Types of Drunk Driving Accident Cases We Handle
Drunk driving crashes can take many forms. Our firm represents New Yorkers injured in a wide range of alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents across the five boroughs, including:
- Head-On Collisions: These often happen when an impaired driver drifts across lanes or enters traffic going the wrong direction.
- Rear-End Crashes: A driver under the influence may fail to notice slowing traffic or misjudge distance and collide with the back of another vehicle.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Impaired drivers may overlook crosswalks or traffic signals, colliding directly with people traveling on foot.
- Repeat Offender Cases: When a driver has prior DUI convictions, that history can play an important role in the case.
- Hit and Run Accidents: Some impaired drivers flee the scene to avoid arrest, leaving injured people without help when they need it most.
- Fatal Accidents: Crashes involving drunk drivers may cause a preventable loss of life, potentially giving rise to a wrongful death claim.
How Liability Works in New York Drunk Driving Cases
In most drunk driving cases, the impaired driver is the primary party responsible for the crash. When a driver chooses to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, the victim can hold the driver liable for the harm they caused.
Liability does not always stop with the driver. If the driver was working at the time of the crash, their employer may share responsibility under the legal principle of vicarious liability. Other third parties could also be liable, including another driver who contributed to the crash or a vehicle owner who allowed an obviously impaired person to drive their car.
New York State’s dram shop law also allows claims against bars, restaurants, and other establishments in certain cases. If a business knowingly serves alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated or to a person under 21, and that person later causes a crash, the establishment may be liable.
Penalties for Drunk Driving in New York
New York State typically defines Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) as having a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher. This crime carries a fine of up to $1,000, a maximum jail sentence of one year, and a driver’s license revocation of at least 6 months. These penalties increase with a second or third DWI violation.
Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated is a higher level drunk driving offense that involves a BAC of .18 or higher. Drivers convicted of this offense may face up to $2,500 in fines, 1 year in jail, and driver license revocation for at least 1 year.
Beginning in February 2026, New York also adds 11 points to a driver’s license for any alcohol- or drug-related conviction or incident.
The state handles these penalties, but that process does not focus on your financial recovery. Our drunk driving accident attorneys can handle the civil side of your case and pursue fair compensation for your damages.
Pursuing Compensation After a Drunk Driving Accident
Our team has secured significant verdicts and settlements for victims of drunk driving. In one case, we recovered $450,000 for a 48-year-old woman who suffered injuries throughout her body after being rear-ended by a drunk driver who fled the scene.
While drunk driving is a crime, you can only pursue compensation through a separate civil claim. This type of legal action focuses on the impact the crash had on your life rather than simply punishing the defendant. It allows you to seek compensation for any losses you’ve suffered as a result of the accident, including medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
A civil claim can provide a sense of justice alongside criminal proceedings. However, you may play less of a hands-on role in the criminal process, as the state brings those charges and controls how the case moves forward. When you pursue a personal injury claim, you may be more directly involved in holding the driver accountable for the harm their reckless actions have caused.
Types of Damages Available in Drunk Driving Accident Claims
Your personal injury damages can account for the full impact of the drunk driving accident on your life, both now and in the future.
Economic damages cover the financial impact of your injuries, including medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and long-term care needs. They may also account for the income you lost while recovering and reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work going forward.
Non-economic damages reflect how the accident has affected your quality of life. Common examples include physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of activities you participated in before the crash.
Punitive damages may also be available in rare cases involving extreme recklessness or intentional harm. These damages are meant to punish the driver and discourage similar conduct in the future. New York courts generally require proof of intoxication plus additional wanton or reckless conduct.
We Have Your Back
Founded in 1967, The Sanders Law Firm has grown into a large, thriving organization of attorneys, paralegals, medical consultants, and support staff – all committed to providing the highest level of legal representation to injured New Yorkers.
What To Do After a Drunk Driving Crash in New York
The steps you take after a drunk driving crash can directly affect your physical recovery and your potential legal claim. Here’s how to protect both:
- Call 911. This allows the police to get the impaired person off the road and document the accident. Emergency medical responders can also render immediate aid to anyone who is injured.
- Document the scene. If possible, take photos of the vehicles, property damage, road conditions, and any visible injuries.
- Exchange information. Collect contact and insurance details from the other driver and any additional parties, including witnesses.
- Seek medical attention. See a doctor as soon as possible, even if your injuries appear minor. Prompt treatment allows you to document the link between the accident and your injuries.
- Contact our drunk driving accident attorneys. We can help you secure time-sensitive evidence, protect you from the insurance company’s tactics, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Get Experienced Help From Our Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in New York City
Someone else’s decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated turned your life upside down, and the aftermath can feel deeply unfair. As you focus on healing and rebuilding your life, The Sanders Law Firm is ready to get to work pursuing accountability on your behalf. We handle cases on a contingency fee basis, so it costs nothing out of pocket to hire our firm.
Contact us online or call (833) SANDERS for a free consultation. A trusted member of our team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help you start moving forward.
At The Sanders Law Firm, Success Is a Tradition
Founded in 1967, our firm has flourished into one of New York’s most successful personal injury practices. An accomplished team of attorneys, paralegals, health care consultants, and support staff stands behind each of our clients during some of the most challenging times of their lives. From our office locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island, we’ve helped thousands of injured clients pursue fair compensation—and we’re prepared to help you too.
Since we started representing clients nearly 60 years ago, our firm has recovered billions in compensation for our clients. We attribute much of our success to our vast resources, litigation-forward approach, and refusal to settle for less than our clients are entitled to.