Victims of drunk driving accidents throughout the state of Michigan have been putting their trust in the well-respected personal injury attorneys of Miller & Tischler, P.C. for over three decades. If you have had the misfortune to suffer a serious injury or the loss of a loved one due to a drunk driving accident, promptly contacting our team is a major step in the right direction.
Once we take your case, our goal is to relieve you of legal and logistical burdens so that you can rest and recover, while we work tirelessly to win you the substantial compensation you deserve. The lawyers at Miller & Tischler have unsurpassed knowledge of personal injury and traffic law. More than that, we have the strategic skills necessary to negotiate forcefully with insurance companies and opposing attorneys. If we don’t get you the full settlement you are entitled to through negotiation, we are fully prepared to take your case to court.
What Miller & Tischler Can Do for You After a Drunk Driving Accident
We have extensive experience both in and out of the courtroom and a track record of winning millions of dollars for our grateful clients. Beyond being aggressive litigators, we are compassionate advocates, determined to protect you by winning you the damages you need to pay your sizable medical bills and compensate you for the misery you are enduring because of someone else’s terrible lack of judgment. At Miller & Tischler, we believe that the party who harmed you must be held accountable.
The Steps We Will Take To Win Your Case
Our personal injury attorneys each have the skill set to protect your rights and win you maximum compensation. Typically, we take the following steps:
- Listen attentively to your story
- Investigate and photograph the accident site
- Examine police reports
- Check sobriety test results and previous offenses of the party who harmed you
- Scrutinize all medical data regarding your injuries
- Interview witnesses
- Consult experts in relevant fields who may potentially testify on your behalf
- Create a viable strategy to use in the courtroom
We are well aware that you are incapacitated and very likely suffering financially, physically, and emotionally. We know that the last thing you need now is to fall into debt. Don’t worry — a majority of cases are handled on a contingency fee basis meaning no attorney fee is charged until we recover a settlement or jury award.
No Matter How Severe Your Injuries, Miller & Tischler Will Be Able To Help
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 29 people die daily in the U.S. as a result of drunk driving accidents. Even if you escaped wrongful death, you may have suffered severe or catastrophic injuries through no fault of your own. Activism of organizations like MADD and SADD, and new legislative and law enforcement actions, have made significant inroads into reducing drunk driving accidents. However, if you are a drunk driving accident victim, the statistics are of little consolation.
Your life may have been altered by one or more of the following injuries:
- Amputation
- Bone fracture
- Injury to vertebrae in your neck or back
- Internal injury/ loss of organ
- Loss of eyesight or hearing
- Neuromuscular damage
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
At Miller & Tischler, we are able to seek reimbursement for your fast accumulating accident-related medical costs. We also have the means to calculate potential future medical expenses.
Damages We Will Fight To Win for You and Your Family
If a drunk driver caused an accident resulting in injuries to you, you may be entitled to compensation for both non-economic damages and excess economic damages. The former are designed to reimburse you for intangible losses (i.e., pain and suffering); the latter are meant to pay for clearly defined accident-related expenses that may exceed what is payable by the responsible no-fault insurer. Our attorneys will fight aggressively to win you what you are entitled to, which may include damages for:
- Permanent scarring or other disfigurement
- Permanent disability or loss of function
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Excess Medical and rehabilitative costs
- Excess Nursing and household care
- Excess work loss
Depending on the particular circumstances, we may also be able to win you exemplary damages. Exemplary damages are additional damages that may be awarded to further compensate you where the drunk driver’s conduct was especially egregious. Specifically, exemplary damages may be awarded where the drunk driver acted willfully or maliciously in causing the accident. Such damages compensate you for things such as humiliation, mental anguish, outrage as a result of such egregious conduct.
Miller & Tischler Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys Are Savvy About Michigan’s No-Fault and Tort Laws
The law is not set in stone. Periodically, laws change to reflect current values and needs of society. In fact, Michigan extensively reformed its no-fault laws in 2019. Therefore, it is crucial that you have well-informed attorneys who keep current concerning our state’s automobile no-fault and tort statutes. Matters like PIP benefits and opt-outs, Bodily Injury Liability Insurance, and Residual Liability Insurance are matters that are of little concern if you are dealing with catastrophic injuries from an accident. Fortunately, you can let our capable personal injury attorneys take over all such matters.
Can I receive damages even if the drunk driver is never convicted of a crime?
Yes. While the drunk driver who caused you injury was likely arrested at the scene, even if he/she is not arrested, or was arrested but not convicted of any charge, we can file a civil lawsuit to recover damages. In a criminal lawsuit, the case has to be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Civil lawsuits have a different burden of proof. In a civil lawsuit, a plaintiff need only prove the case by a “preponderance of evidence.” This is a much lower standard than in a criminal case. Therefore, the odds of recovery in a civil case are good even though the drunk driver was never convicted.
What if I was partially responsible for the accident?
In some accidents, both parties bear partial blame for the collision. It is possible that you were speeding or rolled through a stop sign when the accident occurred. Fortunately, you may still be able to recover damages even though you might have been partially responsible for the accident.
The state of Michigan works under the principle of “comparative fault.” This means that if the court finds that you bear a portion of blame for the crash, it will assign you a percentage of fault and the damages awarded to you will be lessened by that percentage. So, if the damages award is $100,000 but you are found to be 10% at fault, you are only entitled to receive $90,000. If the court determined that you are more than 50% at fault, however, you will not be entitled to collect any damages at all.
Your best chance of receiving maximum damages in Michigan is to have Miller & Tischler fighting for your rights. Our astute drunk driving accident attorneys have been through the process many times before and know precisely which evidence and arguments are likely to be the most persuasive.
Miller & Tischler Will Fight To See That You Receive Justice
If you have been seriously injured by a drunk driver, please contact our office to experience the relief of letting competent professionals take over. We want nothing more than to provide you with the excellent, compassionate legal representation to see you through this overwhelming time and to recover for you the resources you need for a brighter future.