Inland Empire Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Key Takeaways

• Drunk driving remains one of the leading causes of preventable serious and fatal crashes on California roads.
• Alcohol slows reaction time, impairs judgment, and reduces coordination, which raises the risk of severe collisions.
• Evidence such as police reports, chemical test results, and witness statements often plays a central role in proving liability.

Inland Empire drunk driving accident lawyers handle cases tied to one of California’s most persistent traffic safety problems: drunk driving, a leading cause of preventable serious and fatal crashes across the state. California recorded 1,355 deaths in alcohol impaired crashes in 2023, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.

After these collisions, California law allows an injured person to seek compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering through a personal injury claim. At Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel, our legal team members represent people hurt by impaired drivers across the region. We help injured people prepare solid cases for pursuing compensation after crashes caused by an impaired driver.

What Should You Do If You Were Injured by a Drunk Driver in California?

After being injured by a drunk driver in California, seeking immediate medical attention and reporting the crash to law enforcement are key first steps. In the Inland Empire, that means contacting the California Highway Patrol or a local police department in cities like San Bernardino, Riverside, or Ontario. Preserving evidence and avoiding statements about fault to insurance companies before speaking with a lawyer can also protect a claim.

Why Drunk Driving Is So Dangerous

Alcohol slows reaction time, which can delay braking or steering enough to turn an avoidable crash into a serious one. For example, a driver who normally needs about one second to hit the brakes might take much longer after several drinks. Impaired judgment, reduced coordination, and blurred vision add further risk on top of slower reflexes. At highway speeds, such as those on Interstate 10, Interstate 15, Interstate 215, State Route 60, State Route 91, and State Route 210, a slower reaction leaves far less distance to stop before a crash happens.

California DUI Laws and Civil Injury Claims

California defines driving under the influence as operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher, or while impaired by drugs. A criminal DUI charge and a civil injury claim are separate proceedings that use different standards of proof and serve different purposes. A DUI arrest or conviction can support a civil case as evidence, though proving damages still requires separate evidence.

Common Causes of Drunk Driving Accidents

Several factors contribute to drunk driving accidents across the Inland Empire, including:

• Alcohol or drug (including prescription medication) impairment
• Repeat DUI offenders
• Holiday and weekend crashes
• Bar and restaurant overservice, where legally applicable

Types of Drunk Driving Accidents

• Drunk driving crashes take many forms, including:
• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on collisions
• T-bone accidents
• Wrong-way accidents
• Highway crashes
• Pedestrian accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Multi-vehicle collisions

Common Injuries Caused by DUI Crashes

DUI crashes can cause a wide range of drunk driving injuries, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Broken bones
• Internal organ injuries
• Burns
• Crush injuries
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death

How Insurance Companies Handle DUI Accident Claims

Insurance companies typically move quickly after DUI accidents, sometimes offering a fast settlement before the full extent of injuries becomes clear. They may also dispute the severity of injuries, delay their investigation, or raise comparative negligence arguments to shift some blame onto the injured person. Requests for a recorded statement are common too, and anything said in that statement can later be used to question or reduce a claim.

How Is Liability Proven?

Our Inland Empire drunk driving accident lawyers move quickly to gather evidence after a crash, since proof can disappear and memories can fade quickly. In the Inland Empire, these cases often move through San Bernardino County or Riverside County courts, where local rules on evidence and discovery apply. Common sources of proof include:

• police reports
• DUI arrest records
• chemical test results
• field sobriety tests
• witness statements
• surveillance cameras
• dashcam footage
• cell phone videos
• vehicle black box data
• accident reconstruction

Can More Than One Party Be Liable?

More than one party can share liability in a drunk driving crash, including an employer whose employee was driving for work, a commercial vehicle company with an impaired driver, or a vehicle owner who lent a car to someone known to be impaired. Dram shop or social host liability applies narrowly in California, mainly for serving an intoxicated minor, and a manufacturer may be liable for a mechanical failure.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered?

Compensation in a drunk driving injury claim can include medical expenses, future medical treatment, lost wages, and loss of future earnings. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, property damage, permanent disability, and wrongful death damages may also apply, depending on the crash. Punitive damages are sometimes available too, though that depends on the facts and applicable law, such as extreme intoxication or a prior DUI history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Sue a Drunk Driver for My Injuries?

Yes, an injured person can generally pursue a civil claim against a drunk driver separate from any criminal case. A lawsuit can seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Does a DUI Conviction Automatically Mean the Driver Is Liable?

A DUI conviction does not automatically decide liability in a civil case, since criminal and civil cases use different standards of proof. Even with a conviction, a civil case still requires evidence connecting the impaired driving to the specific crash.

What if the Drunk Driver Was Not Convicted of DUI?

A lack of DUI conviction does not prevent a civil injury claim, since a civil case only needs to show it is more likely than not that impairment caused the crash. Evidence such as police observations or chemical test results can still support a claim even without a conviction.

Our Trusted Inland Empire Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers at Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel Hold Impaired Drivers Accountable

If you believe that a DUI driver caused your crash, contact our Inland Empire drunk driving accident lawyers at Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel. Call 909-889-1131 or complete our online form today for a free consultation. We have offices in Ontario and Victorville, California, and we serve clients in the surrounding area.