Share Your Story
Click here to share your story about drunk driving.
On July 17th, 2003 at 1 a.m. while working a vehicle accident, I was struck by a drunk driver. I lost everything I had. My wife left, as 1 year of watching me have seizures and not get better was too much for her. More
Drunk Driving News
Drunk Driving Fatalities Drop to Lowest Rate since 1950
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that U.S. fatalities due to drunk driving fell to a record low number in 2009, declining by 7.4% from 2008, with a 19% decrease since 2000. This represents the lowest number since 1950. More
Drug and Alcohol Courts: An Effective Alternative to Jail
Drug courts were developed in the 1980's in an effort to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and to reduce the criminal activity that typically accompanies these behaviors. More
Hold Drunk Drivers Responsible
DUI VIDEO
Hi!
My name is Dean Brett.
I sue drunk drivers.
Normally, I'm a pretty nice guy --
But I have no patience for drunk drivers.
Drunk drivers destroy families.
They kill fathers.
And mothers.
And children.
They maim and destroy lives --
carelessly and needlessly.
If you are watching this video,
you probably understand how I feel about drunk drivers and why I'm dedicated to decreasing the number of drunk drivers by making them pay for the damages they cause.
Drunk drivers are irresponsible -- that's why they drink and drive -- they also tend to have no insurance.
No money and no assets
to help pay for the medical bills and shattered lives they cause.
Collecting damages from a drunk driver is a challenge. Fortunately, I like a challenge. I sue drunk drivers and those who enable them. In the State of Washington where I primarily practice, if the victim is fault free, someone who negligently enables a drunk driver can also be held responsible for all the damages they cause.
Let me give you a couple of examples: a tavern is responsible if they fail to take adequate precautions to prevent service of alcohol to a minor or if they continue to serve alcohol to a patron who is apparently intoxicated.
The Washington State Supreme Court recently upheld a $14 million dollar award to a family slammed into by a drunk driver against the drinking establishment which had let their bartender keep serving alcohol to her apparently intoxicated boyfriend. The best way to stop taverns from enabling drunk driving is by making them pay for the damages drunk drivers cost.
It's not just about taverns, many drunk drivers are multiple offenders on probation or parole. We recently won a multi-million dollar verdict against a county probation department that failed to enforce a court order requiring a probationer to only drive a vehicle with an alcohol interlock device. The best way to encourage parole officers and probation departments to enforce the terms of the sentences drunk drivers receive is to make them pay for the damages drunk drivers cause.
That goes for law enforcement too. We recently won a $5.5 million dollar verdict against a police officer who arrested a drunk driver, then instead of holding her until she sobered up or impounded her car, he drove her home, gave her back her keys, and told her not to drive again until she sobered up. Nine minutes later she called a taxi, got back into her car, crossed the center line, and slammed head-on into our client.
We sue drunk drivers and those who enable them to drive drunk. If you or someone you love is a victim of a drunk driver, give us a call. We will provide a free evaluation of your situation and let you know what you can do to make the drunk driver and those who enable them pay for the damages they caused.
