Boulder Drunk Driver Accident Lawyers

Trusted Boulder Drunk Driver Accident Attorneys Ready To Assist You

If you were hit by a drunk driver in Colorado and suffered injuries, you deserve fair compensation. You and your family should not have to suffer for an accident that was not your fault and out of your control. Contact our Boulder DUI accident lawyers today for a free consultation to find out how we can help.

Injury or death caused by a drunk driver is perhaps the most anger-provoking of all kinds of personal injury cases. The thought of an innocent victim suffering a serious or fatal injury at the hands of an irresponsible individual can evoke outrage among members of the community.

In addition to seeking compensation from the drunk driver, many states allow victims to pursue recovery against the person or business that provided the alcoholic beverage to the drunk driver.

At Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C., our Boulder drunk driving accident attorneys aggressively pursue claims against irresponsible drinkers and the bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that improperly serve them. Although the law can never replace a loved one, it does provide means of recovery for victims.

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1 Trusted Boulder Drunk Driver Accident Attorneys Ready To Assist You

2 Colorado Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

3 Damages in Drunk Driving Accidents

3.1 Economic Damages

3.2 Noneconomic Damages

3.3 Punitive Damages

4 Hit By a Drunk Driver in Colorado? Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Boulder DUI Accident Lawyers

Colorado Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

No matter the circumstances, car accidents are traumatic. Whether you get into an accident as a driver or passenger, a pedestrian, or even a cyclist, a car accident can have severe consequences.

But drunk driving accidents are among the most upsetting because they should never happen in the first place. Even worse, drunk driving accidents are more likely to result in serious injury or death than other types of car accidents.

According to Forbes, between 2010 and 2019, US roads averaged 28 fatalities per day in accidents involving alcohol impairment. Additionally, nationwide, drunk driving deaths represent more than 25% of all traffic fatalities in a given year.

However, in Colorado, the situation is even more serious. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, alcohol-impaired drivers caused 30% of all fatal traffic accidents in 2019.

Regardless of whether you were on your bike or in your car, if a drunk driver hits you, you have the right to seek compensation. If you suffered injuries in a drunk driving crash, it is important you contact a drunk driver accident lawyer as soon as possible.

The DUI accident lawyers at Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C. are here to help. If you have questions, our experienced team of Boulder drunk driver accident lawyers can help you find answers. We offer free consultations to all accident victims, so there is no risk in contacting us.

    
 
 
       Nikki Nicholaou was incredibly helpful and responsive. I felt very comfortable with my case in her hands, which was a great decision because she won me a settlement before we had to go to court
  
 
    
   Veronica Blake 
 2023-04-13
 
 
 
      Highly recommended.
  
 
    
   Andy B 
 2022-11-21
 
 
 
      One day in June, 2019, our world was turned upside down.  My husband was nearly killed by a motorist while riding his bicycle.  He was lucky to come away from the accident with “only” a neck broken in 5 places, facing surgery and a long two-year recovery period.
His extreme pain, our anger, and the total shock of the event overwhelmed us.  We decided to focus all our energy on his healing.  Dealing with the insurance company was more than we could handle.
So, a little investigation brought us to Sloat & Nicholson.  During the first phone conversation, Randy Nicholson explained that we could not only file a claim against the driver’s insurance, but also against our Underinsured Motorist insurance.  Randy also explained that it was likely that he would have to fight Mike’s health insurance which would certainly ask to be totally reimbursed for their expenses.
We’d learned that it was a bigger issue than we’d expected, but we knew we had found someone who could help us, and that has a great relief.
After that first call, and in the subsequent months of meeting with Randy and his team, we knew we’d made the best possible decision.
Randy got the full claim against the driver’s insurance.  He convinced our health insurance that they had no standing in filing a claim against us.  We didn’t have to pay them anything.  And he negotiated with our Underinsured Motorist insurance and got the full claim against them as well.
It was not easy, and Randy worked hard.  He completely relieved us of a ton of stress. He kept us informed each step of the way.  Every time we worked with him and his team, we became more and more convinced that we’d made the right decision.  We were so glad we found Sloat and Nicholson.
After the accident, we felt like the world was against us.  The court system totally dropped the ball, and we constantly had to fight back our anger at the driver and the judge.
But we had Randy Nicholson and his team on our side, and we are forever grateful to all of them.
  
 
    
   midge castillo 
 2021-06-13
 
 
 
      I was in a car accident and needed legal advice. Robert Hoover was both professional and informative! He was so helpful, and I would recommend him to anyone. I also appreciated his Christian perspective!
  
 
    
   colleen G. 
 2021-03-29
 
 
 
      I was a case form many years ago Gerald handled everything completely professionally there is not one thing I would do differently
My case was complicated but the end result was  everything that I was entitled to! If your case is in his practice area I highly recommend a phone call consultation or visit to his office. You won't be disappointed his years of experience knowledge and fair treatment of his clients would not be more apparent!
  
 
    
   Adam Townson 
 2021-01-27
 
 
 
      Jerry Sloat and his staff treated our family with great respect and helped us to receive compensation for the injuries, pain and suffering we incurred during a car accident. We owe him so much and are truly grateful that we stopped trying to deal with the insurance company and allowed Jerry and his wonderful team of professional to take care of everything for us.
  
 
    
   Leonard Romano 
 2019-05-23
 
 
 
      Gerry Sloat was amazing, after my car wreck I was at a loss on what was going on. I didn't know the process or what to even expect. I turned to him because he was the only one willing to take the time and speak with me to answer all my questions. My insurance company wouldn't even call me back to answer my question of what was happening. Gerry took quite a bit of time explaining the different aspects of the insurance and the other driver and the county issues that I didn't even know where separate, he really set my mind at ease with my mind running with all of the "what ifs" I now know where I stand and what to expect going further and can now make informed decisions on what I need to be prepared for what lies ahead! Thank you again Mr Sloat!
  
 
    
   landa raddon 
 2016-12-03
 
 
 
      Gerry Sloat was a very skilled and helpful attorney when I needed one to negotiate a settlement for many, many medical bills resulting from a head on collision. What impressed me most was his fair handedness in dealing with us, but also with dealing with the other parties involved. Further, since the accident a half dozen years ago, he has been more than helpful in answering questions about all matters of the law, and seems to genuinely enjoy hearing from me when I call. A stellar human and an outstandingly thorough attorney.
  
 
    
   Bonnie Carol 
 2016-12-02
 
 
 
      Ever since I started working with with Robert Hoover it's been more like working with family he's taking the time to get to know me and my family on a personal level the office staff know by name and they are the best
  
 
    
   Jason Swartz 
 2016-04-21

Damages in Drunk Driving Accidents

One of the common questions accident victims ask DUI accident attorneys is, How much is my drunk driving case worth? While every case is different, there are three main types of damages available through a drunk driving crash lawsuit: economic, noneconomic, and punitive.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are those damages you suffer that are both tangible and have an identifiable dollar value. Lost wages, medical bills, and rehabilitation costs are all examples of economic damage.

Economic damages are objective because the court can easily determine their dollar value. For example, to determine the appropriate amount of damages for your medical expenses, your Boulder drunk driver accident lawyer will gather all your medical bills and add them up.

Noneconomic Damages

Noneconomic damages are just as important as economic damages, but they are less tangible. There is no objective, identifiable dollar value.

For example, the law allows you to seek compensation for things like emotional pain, physical pain, and the loss of the use of a bodily function. You can also seek recovery for loss of enjoyment of life, which is how your injuries have limited your ability to participate in social and recreational activities. All these are real, identifiable life impacts, but without an easily identifiable dollar value, they are more subjective.

Most of the time, lawyers and juries calculate noneconomic damages as a function of total economic damages. If noneconomic damages are significant compared to economic damages, a jury might award a large multiple of the economic damages for noneconomic damages. If the jury finds noneconomic damages to be relatively insignificant compared to economic damages, the jury’s award would likely be smaller.

There is no hard and fast rule for calculating non-economic damages. As always, it all depends on the specific facts and circumstances of your case. The more compelling a story an attorney can tell about an accident’s impact on your life, the greater your non-economic damages award will likely be.

Punitive Damages

While economic and non-economic damages are both forms of compensatory damages, punitive damages are different. Punitive damages, sometimes referred to as “exemplary damages,” are a form of non-compensatory damages.

Instead of focusing on compensating an accident victim, punitive damages focus on punishing the at-fault party. In other words, the function of punitive damages is to make an example of the at-fault party and dissuade others from acting badly in the future.

In drunk driving car accident claims, punitive damages apply only in specific circumstances. You and your Boulder drunk driver accident attorney have to demonstrate that the offending party acted with:

Fraud,
Malice, or
Willful and wanton conduct.

If the defendant is facing a criminal DUI charge, proving willful and wanton conduct is easier. The statute states specifically that willful and wanton conduct is conduct that is purposefully committed with the knowledge that doing so is dangerous and reckless and without regard to the rights of others. Essentially, in the eyes of the law, if someone drives while they are intoxicated, they are acting with willful and wanton conduct. Punitive damages must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Importantly, state law places a cap on the amount of non-economic damages and punitive damages you can claim. However, the rules surrounding these damage caps contain several exceptions. Furthermore, the caps are subject to change every two years. For this reason, it is essential you work with a DUI accident attorney who diligently reviews your case to identify all of your potential damages.

Hit By a Drunk Driver in Colorado? Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Boulder DUI Accident Lawyers

If you’ve suffered an injury caused by a drunk driver, the Boulder DUI accident attorneys at Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C. are here to help. We know how difficult it is to recover from a serious accident because we’ve helped countless clients who found themselves in a similar situation. Many people find the psychological trauma of a DUI accident alone debilitating. Add to that the myriad other possible damages, and an already difficult situation becomes even worse.

We have the experience and knowledge necessary to help you move forward with your life. We can help you identify the full extent of your damages, connect you with the appropriate medical professionals, and negotiate aggressively to get you the compensation you deserve.

And because our team of seasoned litigators is equally comfortable in the courtroom, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial if the other side isn’t willing to offer a fair settlement.

Contact us today to learn more and to schedule a free consultation with one of the Boulder drunk driver accident attorneys at Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C. You can also reach us through our online contact form.

Our experienced lawyers also handle clients with other types of cases, including: