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25+ Years of Experience
99% Win Rate
No Upfront fees

25+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

When you hire us, you're adding unmatched experience to your team, ensuring you get the best possible outcome.

99% WIN RATE

Our firm maintains an impressive 99% win rate, even while accepting difficult cases other law firms have turned away.

NO UPFRONT FEES

We are not afraid of trial, and insurance companies know this. If it’s in your best interest, we are always trial ready.

This was the 1st time I've used Zanes Law. It was a fantastic experience for having to go through a situation most would rather not. The attorney and staff were always available to answer my questions and explained things clearly and were obviously 100% in my corner. My attorney, Jim, was very genuine and made me immediately comfortable when I came in to speak with him about my case. Every case manager I dealt with was patient and helpful. I would definitely return to Zanes should the time ever come again that I need a personal injury firm.

Kelly Kay

Personal Injury

Hello! As client of Zane law I was recently involved in accident last September and my recovery is still healing but Zane law checked on me and made sure everything was going smoothly and made sure I was on the right step every single time. I definitely would used them again ! They have helped my recovery so much and being a mom of 6 it has made my days a little more better/easier! From chiropractor to message therapist and making sure I had that extra help like trauma counseling to get through my days! I thank you so much Rachel and Annabelle!

Monique Cota

car accident

Zanes Law was a terrific legal experience. I first went to a law firm that only wanted me to go to physical therapy and pad the bill, so they could utilize my insurance policy to its capacity. Once I went to Zanes, they were honest, professional and prompt with calls almost once a week. Sometimes I got a call just because we did not have contact for close to two weeks. Some calls were to just ask how I was doing. I also received more money than originally discussed. Great job Zanes Law!!!!! If need be I will use their services again. THANKS

James Doligale

Personal Injury

Zanes Law was a terrific legal experience. I first went to a law firm that only wanted me to go to physical therapy and pad the bill, so they could utilize my insurance policy to its capacity. Once I went to Zanes, they were honest, professional and prompt with calls almost once a week. Sometimes I got a call just because we did not have contact for close to two weeks. Some calls were to just ask how I was doing. I also received more money than originally discussed. Great job Zanes Law!!!!! If need be I will use their services again. THANKS

James Doligale

Personal Injury
Zanes Law Practice Area

$1,320,000

Car Accident

No one ever expects to be involved in a car accident, suffer an injury, or need to begin looking for a Phoenix car accident attorney.

Zanes Law Practice Area

$1,065,000

Wrongful Death

With the help of a Phoenix wrongful death lawyer, you should receive compensation for your losses.

Zanes Law Practice Area

$700,000

Slip and Fall

When you are hurt in an accident, our Phoenix slip and fall lawyers are only a phone call away.

Zanes Law Practice Area

$1,100,000

Motorcycle Accident

Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Phoenix understand how dangerous it can be to ride a bike. So much so that we have created safety articles for years.

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Benefits of Retaining Phoenix Drunk Driving Injury Attorneys at Zanes Law Injury Lawyers

The legal complexities associated with DWI crashes leave many injured claimants struggling to understand their rights. Phoenix DUI accidents often trigger criminal prosecutions, insurance investigations, and personal injury lawsuits, which grieving families and accident victims can’t handle without help. Make no mistake that insurers may intentionally pressure you into dropping your claims or accepting insufficient settlement offers before the shock wears off.

Our dedicated Phoenix drunk driving accident attorneys might handle these claims while you recover, and we don’t get paid unless we recover needed compensation for our wrongfully injured clients. This fee structure—called a contingency fee arrangement—allows families to focus on getting well without worrying about expensive hourly legal fees.

We might even front all necessary litigation costs and expenses. Following DUI accidents, our lawyers frequently help victims navigate the criminal process, demand restitution, and recover quick damages from victim’s compensation funds. Contact the Phoenix drunk driving injury attorneys at Zanes Law Injury Lawyers to schedule your free and confidential case analysis by calling 866-499-8989 or contacting us online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Get Punitive Damages from the Drunk Driver?

Punitive damages are very rare in any type of personal injury case. They are only reserved for some of the worst examples of conduct by a defendant that a jury wants to punish. That said, drunk driving is a bad example of illegal and reckless conduct. We cannot predict with certainty what a jury may do if your case goes to trial, but we can seek punitive damages in your case.

The higher the defendant’s blood alcohol content, the more likely the jury is to want to send a message to the defendant. Note that you will likely not receive punitive damages if you settled your case at the claims stage. Insurance companies do not pay punitive damages as part of a settlement. Punitive damages will greatly increase the amount of your jury award, but it can take time to collect the judgment if you can fully collect at all.

Will an Insurance Company Pay for a Drunk Driving Accident Settlement?

Some people worry that the driver’s insurance company will not pay for a drunk driving accident settlement because it involves intentional criminal behavior on the part of the responsible driver. Thankfully, they do not need to fear.

Even though the driver intentionally did something wrong, a drunk driving accident is still a motor vehicle crash. Thus, an insurance company should cover the losses. If they try to get out of paying your claim, you can file a lawsuit. If for some reason, the driver’s insurance will not pay, you still deserve compensation. Your own auto insurance will need to cover your damages. Either way, you are legally entitled to compensation for a drunk driving accident.

What Happens if the Driver Did Not Stop or Did Not Have Insurance?

You should have underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage as part of your auto insurance. This should give you some amount of payment from your own insurance company, regardless of whether the other driver had insurance. The key is to call the police to the scene of the accident and get a police report. This will document that you were the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

If the other driver was under or uninsured, you will file a claim against your own insurance company. However, be careful about thinking of an insurance company as loyal to you in any way just because you pay premiums. They will still play the same games as any other insurance company. You will still need to negotiate for every penny that you get, and a lawyer who will fight for you is a requirement.

Does the Other Driver’s Conviction Mean that I Automatically Win My Civil Lawsuit?

Not necessarily, but it will be helpful. If the other driver pleads guilty to the crime or receives a conviction from a jury, it is admissible as evidence in your civil case. There is a higher standard of proof in the criminal process than in civil cases, so this will be important evidence in your case. You will still need to go through a separate legal process for a civil case because these are two different parts of the law. Importantly, you can even file a civil lawsuit against the driver if they received an acquittal of drunk driving charges. Again, the burden of proof is different.

In a criminal case, law enforcement will need to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a high standard to meet. In a civil case, your burden of proof is that you must show that the driver was responsible for the crash by a preponderance of the evidence. This translates to the fact that it is more likely than not that your version of events is true, and the driver is legally responsible for your injuries. However, injured victims can use evidence of a criminal conviction to prove negligence.

You will not need to wait for the criminal action to wrap up before you begin the compensation process. However, drunk driving prosecutions generally move quickly, so the criminal process may be over before you wrap up the claims process.

Do the Same Legal Rules Apply if the Driver Was on Drugs?

Drivers are criminally liable when they drive under the influence of any substance. A .08 blood alcohol level is evidence enough where impairment is presumed, and it does not matter whether the driver has been affected by the alcohol or not. However, the driver can still be drunk and responsible for the accident if they had a BAC below that. This is another way of saying that impairment can be a basis of liability, no matter what substance the driver ingested.

Motorists cannot legally take any kind of drug before they get behind the wheel. Even if they took legally prescribed drugs, they can still be responsible for an accident if they were under the influence. The same goes for cannabis products, even if the driver legally took them. If a driver caused an accident when they were under the influence, police can administer a test to figure out whether they had drugs in their system.

What Happens if My Loved One Died Due to a Drunk Driver?

If your family member lost their life in a DUI accident, your family will have the right to file a lawsuit. The cause of action will be a wrongful death case. This is another type of personal injury case that will have different damages than a lawsuit filed by a surviving accident victim. Certain family members will file this type of case according to an order of precedence that Arizona law establishes.

In wrongful death cases, the family will receive compensation for what they lost when their loved one passed away.

Their compensation can include:

  • The wages that their loved one would earn had they lived
  • The family’s grief and trauma at losing their loved one
  • The loss of their loved one’s presence and support
  • The loss of their family member’s love and companionship
  • Loss of consortium for the spouse

In addition, the estate can also bring a survival action. This compensation is for what the deceased person experienced before their death. The payment will be greater if their loved one suffered greatly before their death. It will also include the medical bills for any treatment or surgeries that they received after the accident.

Who Can File a Drunk Driving Lawsuit?

Anyone who suffered injuries due to the drunk driver can file a lawsuit. Most often, the person hurt is another driver. Possible plaintiffs in a drunk driving accident lawsuits can include:

  • Passengers in your car
  • Passengers in the drunk driver’s car (see below)
  • Pedestrians
  • Bicyclists

The drunk driver’s passengers may have a more difficult time filing a lawsuit if there is evidence that they willingly got into a car with a driver that they knew was drunk. If you are an injured passenger, you may hesitate to sue the driver if they are a friend or a family member. However, it will be the insurance company that pays your claim. You will only be giving up money to which you are legally entitled. The driver should understand that they were at fault, especially when they were under the influence at the time of the accident.

How Much Can I Receive in a Drunk Driving Accident Case?

This all depends on your injuries and if you settle your case. Insurance companies should be very careful about trying to nickel and dime you in settlement negotiations. They should know that juries generally treat drunk drivers harshly since they chose to get behind the wheel inebriated. Therefore, you may get a more reasonable settlement offer in this type of case.

The question of damages is very specific to the facts of your case. For example, if you were a healthy 25-year-old before the accident, you may be able to receive a larger check than an older person. This is because you can earn more money throughout your lifetime, and you may also lose more enjoyment of life. In addition, you will have higher future medical bills and pain and suffering damages. It is up to your attorney to present the arguments why you fully deserve the damages that you are claiming.

What Should I Do if the Insurance Company Approaches Me Directly?

Refer them to us, because this could place your claim in danger. Usually, the insurance company will try to trick you into admitting to liability for the accident. The considerations are not the same for a drunk driving accident, where the other driver is clearly at fault. However, admitting to things like speeding or texting at the time of the accident can cut your recovery. This is why you do not want to talk to them about the accident.

In addition, they may try to get you to say something that can undercut your claim for damages. They may try to argue that your injuries are not as serious as you claim, and you, therefore, do not deserve as much money.

If the insurance company tries to call you, remember that you are under no obligation whatsoever to speak with them. If you have an attorney (and you should), simply refer them to your attorney and say no more. When dealing with an insurance company, the less you say, the better off you are.

If I Know that the Other Driver Caused the Crash, Why Do I Need a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer?

Remember that proving liability is only part of what you need to do in a car accident claim. Even after it is apparent that someone else was responsible for the accident, you still must prove your damages and negotiate your claim. In other words, fault is just part of the equation. After that, you will still need to fight for the compensation that you deserve.

Your lawyer will handle the settlement negotiations with the insurance company. This is a task for someone with experience dealing with these companies and knowing how they operate. It requires an experienced professional who knows when the insurance company is trying to underpay your claim. The average person may not know what their claim is worth on their own without the help of an experienced professional.

How Else Can a Lawyer Help Me in My Case?

When you are dealing with intoxication, you need someone who can work with toxicology experts in case forensics are necessary. You may even need your own investigation to establish the extent of your damages. Your attorney can help translate and read the evidence about what substances were in the driver’s blood at the time of the accident and the extent of the intoxication. If your case goes to litigation, your attorney can get more information in discovery, including documentation of the at-fault driver’s motor vehicle records.

I Don’t Have Any Money. How Can I Pay for an Attorney?

At Zanes Law Injury Lawyers, our drunk driving accident attorneys receive payment differently than other lawyers. If you were going through a divorce, you would have to pay a retainer and then pay monthly attorney’s bills for the time that they spent on your case. You would owe the money regardless of the legal result of your case.

When you file a drunk driving accident lawsuit, we will put you under no obligation to pay a retainer or hourly charges. If there was one, many people will hesitate to stand up for their legal rights and seek compensation because of the financial risks. Here, our lawyers only receive payment if your case succeeds. If for some reason, you don’t recover compensation, you will not owe your lawyer money. This way, your lawyer is also investing their time in your case because they also risk not getting compensation.

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