Lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident?
Losing a loved one is difficult to go through. When a life is taken in a drunk driving accident, wrapping your head around the loss can be particularly challenging. These accidents are highly preventable, yet they happen in Illinois all the time. It is okay to be angry about your loss, and it is okay to want to hold the responsible individual accountable.
If your loved one died because someone else decided to drive while intoxicated, you may be entitled to seek relief for your losses through legal means. To do this, you would need to file a wrongful death claim, along with any other applicable claims, in an Illinois civil court. This does not mean you’ll be battling things out in a courtroom. It is just how you get the process of seeking compensation started.
After you file your claim, with the assistance of legal counsel, you will have every opportunity to settle with the responsible party’s insurance provider — or estate if that individual failed to survive the incident as well — through out-of-court negotiations. In some cases, claims may be filed with your loved one’s insurance provider. If settlement talks are going nowhere, then litigation may be the only way to resolve your case.
The losses tied to a drunk driving accident are often significant. They are not anything you should have to shoulder alone. While a monetary settlement cannot replace the life lost, it can help you with any resulting financial difficulties, allowing you to grieve your loss rather than stress about money. To learn more about this topic, please take a moment and visit our firm’s website.