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Driving in the Seminole area is sometimes dangerous, especially when there are intoxicated drivers on the roads. Busy arteries like Seminole Boulevard and Park Boulevard see a great deal of traffic every day, and accidents can happen unexpectedly. If you or a family member was hurt in a crash caused by a drunk driver, it’s crucial to consult a Seminole drunk driving accident lawyer at your first opportunity to discuss your legal options.
Ronald Bone, P.A. has been representing injured clients in Seminole and surrounding areas of Pinellas County for more than 30 years and has secured many substantial verdicts and settlements in challenging cases. Many Florida attorneys refer their toughest injury claims to Ronald because of his extensive trial record. You can trust Ronald Bone, P.A. to help you pursue accountability and compensation for the damages you suffered in a drunk driving accident.
Alcohol consumption has various effects that diminish a driver’s ability to control their vehicle. Impaired judgment, slowed reaction time, and diminished inhibitions greatly increase the risk of the drunk driver harming themselves and others. If you are hurt in an accident, the responding police officers may quickly discover that the at-fault driver was intoxicated, and that driver is likely to be arrested or taken for medical treatment before arrest if they were also injured.
Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs is illegal in Florida, and while the police may arrest a drunk driver who has caused an accident, the criminal case against them does not seek compensation for victims, only to punish the defendant for breaking the law. You need to hire a drunk driving accident lawyer you can trust to pursue compensation for your damages.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recorded 324 vehicle crashes involving alcohol in Pinellas County in 2025, which resulted in 165 injuries and seven deaths. The penalties for DUI vary based on several factors, such as whether the drunk driver caused an accident, whether they caused serious bodily harm or death, and whether they have a record of prior DUI convictions.
The state will handle prosecuting the drunk driver who caused your accident for breaking the law, but you will need an attorney’s help to actually recover your losses. Florida is one of the few states that follow a no-fault car accident rule, meaning all drivers are expected to have their own no-fault insurance policies that they will use to recover their losses after accidents, regardless of fault.
This may seem restrictive, but your Seminole drunk driving accident attorney can guide you through the claim-filing process and help you secure a fair insurance claim settlement. They can also resolve any issues you encounter with the insurance companies after your accident. Every no-fault policy in Florida must include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage.
After a drunk driving accident, you would file a claim against your own policy’s PIP coverage to claim compensation for your medical bills and lost income, and then you would file a claim against the at-fault driver’s PDL coverage to seek compensation for your vehicle repair costs.
It is important to remember that insurance companies try to settle claims for as little as possible, so it’s vital to have an attorney on your side who can verify that you are treated fairly. You should consult a Seminole drunk driving accident attorney before discussing your case with any insurance company representative, even your own.
It may seem unfair to have to use your own insurance to pay for your damages after a drunk driver injured you. However, Florida law does allow you to file a personal injury claim against the drunk driver if you suffered a “serious injury.” This can include any permanently disabling and/or permanently disfiguring injury, or any injury resulting in the loss of a bodily function. Your attorney can determine whether you meet these criteria.
When you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury from a drunk driving accident, you may qualify to claim substantial compensation from the drunk driver:
When a defendant in Florida has caused a serious personal injury by breaking the law, they may also be required to pay punitive damages. This could significantly increase your total recovery, and your Seminole drunk driving accident lawyer can explain how this could affect your case. Additionally, the severity of your injuries can drastically increase the severity of the penalties the defendant is likely to face in the state’s criminal case against them.
Ultimately, the aftermath of a drunk driving accident can be traumatic and uncertain. You need legal representation you can trust to help you claim as much compensation as possible through your no-fault auto insurance policy, your claim against the at-fault driver’s PDL, and to pursue a personal injury case if you are eligible to do so. You have a short time to build your case, so reach out to Ronald Bone, P.A. as soon as possible to get the answers you need.
In Florida, the penalties for drunk driving can include driver’s license suspension or revocation, fines starting at $500, and incarceration. DUI can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony based on whether it is a first offense and whether the defendant caused any serious harm while driving under the influence. If the driver caused a DUI accident resulting in injuries, felony prosecution is more likely.
The value of a DUI accident case in Seminole largely depends on the severity of your injuries, whether you have grounds to file a personal injury case against the drunk driver, and whether that drunk driver has the assets necessary to fully repay the damages they caused. Your attorney can help you determine whether you have grounds to sue the drunk driver and assess whether it would be worth doing so.
When a drunk driving accident is fatal, the at-fault drunk driver will likely face a felony DUI charge with some of the harshest possible penalties, and they can also face civil liability for wrongful death. If you lost a family member in a fatal drunk driving accident, it is crucial to speak with an experienced Seminole drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible who can explain all of your legal options in response to this tragic situation.
The time required to resolve a drunk driving accident case in Seminole depends on several factors. If you can recover your losses through auto insurance, this may only take a few weeks with an attorney’s help. If you have grounds to file a personal injury case, this may take longer, but a skilled attorney may be able to settle the case efficiently if you start building it as soon as possible. Your attorney can estimate your case’s most likely timeline.
You should hire a drunk driving accident lawyer in Seminole to have a better chance of securing appropriate compensation for your losses. You may face multiple insurance claims and have grounds to file a personal injury claim, and experienced local legal counsel will be a tremendous asset for all stages of your legal proceedings.
Ronald Bone, P.A. can provide compassionate and results-driven legal counsel when you need it most after a drunk driving accident. You’re likely to worry about how you can recover your losses, especially if you have suffered catastrophic injuries, and Ronald Bone, P.A. has proven experience helping clients recover from the most damaging accidents. Contact us today to schedule your consultation with a Seminole drunk driving accident lawyer.
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