Do I Need a Lawyer If a Drunk Driver Hit Me in Agoura Hills?

Curt Brown, Esq. — Founding Partner

Local Agoura Hills Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Curt Brown is a founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up in Thousand Oaks, just east of Agoura Hills along the 101, attended Thousand Oaks High School, graduated from UCLA Law School, and has spent his career representing injured residents throughout the Conejo Valley.

Being hit by a drunk driver in Agoura Hills is one of the most infuriating and traumatic experiences possible. The crash was entirely preventable, and the driver made a reckless choice that put you and everyone else on the road in danger. If a drunk or impaired driver injured you in Agoura Hills, you not only need a lawyer, but you may have a significantly stronger case than in a standard car accident.

Why Drunk Driver Cases Are Different

In standard car accident cases, you recover compensation based on the negligence of the other driver. In drunk driver cases, California law allows additional recovery. Courts can award punitive damages when a defendant acted with conscious disregard for the safety of others. Driving while intoxicated meets this standard. Punitive damages are meant to punish the drunk driver and deter similar conduct, and they can substantially increase the total amount you recover beyond your actual economic and non-economic losses.

Criminal and Civil Cases Run Parallel

If the drunk driver was arrested after the crash in Agoura Hills, both a criminal DUI case and your civil personal injury case may proceed simultaneously. The criminal case is handled by the prosecutor and is independent of your civil claim. However, a DUI conviction or guilty plea can be powerful evidence in your civil case, essentially establishing the driver's negligence.

The CHP handles DUI arrests and crash investigations on US-101. The LASD Lost Hills Station handles surface road incidents in Agoura Hills, including Kanan Road, Agoura Road, and other local streets. Both agencies conduct thorough DUI investigations that produce valuable evidence for your civil claim, including field sobriety test results, breathalyzer or blood alcohol content readings, and arrest reports.

What Compensation Is Available

In a drunk driver case in Agoura Hills, you may recover:

• Medical expenses, including emergency care at Los Robles Regional Medical Center (215 W Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks) and all future treatment costs
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Pain and suffering and emotional distress
• Property damage
• Punitive damages if the evidence supports them

Dram Shop Liability

In some drunk driver cases, additional recovery may be available against a bar or restaurant that overserved the drunk driver before the crash. California's Dram Shop Act allows limited claims against commercial establishments that served alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person who then caused injury. If the drunk driver was at a bar or restaurant on the Agoura Road corridor or another Agoura Hills venue before the crash, this is worth investigating.

Get an Experienced Attorney

A drunk driver accident lawyer in Agoura Hills will coordinate with law enforcement, gather the criminal case evidence for use in your civil claim, pursue all liable parties including potential dram shop defendants, and fight for maximum compensation including punitive damages. Cases are handled in LA County through the Chatsworth Courthouse.

Visit our Agoura Hills personal injury page to contact L&F Brown for a free consultation after a drunk driver crash.