Who Is Liable When a Drunk Driver Hits You in Studio City?

Brian Liu, Esq. — Founding Partner

Local Studio City Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Brian Liu is a founding partner at L&F Brown. He previously lived in Studio City and knows the Ventura Boulevard corridor and surrounding neighborhoods firsthand. He graduated from UCLA Law School and has spent his career representing injured clients across Los Angeles.

Being hit by a drunk driver in Studio City is a violating experience. You were injured by someone who made a deliberate choice to get behind the wheel while impaired. California law recognizes this and makes the recovery path broader than a standard accident case. Multiple parties can bear legal responsibility, and pursuing all of them is essential to maximum compensation.

The Drunk Driver

The drunk driver is the primary defendant. They are liable for your injuries under ordinary negligence law, with the additional fact of intoxication supporting enhanced damages. A DUI arrest and blood alcohol level evidence from the criminal case become powerful tools in your civil claim.

LAPD North Hollywood Division officers who respond to drunk driving crashes on Studio City streets typically conduct sobriety testing and document the driver's condition in their report. The California Highway Patrol handles crashes on the US-101. That arrest report, combined with the field sobriety test results and any breath or blood test data, builds a compelling liability case.

The Bar or Restaurant That Overserved the Driver

California Business and Professions Code section 25602.1 allows injured third parties to sue licensed alcohol vendors who served alcohol to someone who was obviously intoxicated at the time of service, if that person then causes injury. This is known as dram shop liability.

Studio City's Ventura Blvd restaurant and bar corridor is one of the most active dining and nightlife destinations in the San Fernando Valley. If the drunk driver who hit you was overserved at any of these establishments before the crash, a dram shop claim against that business may be viable. These claims access the business's commercial liquor liability insurance, which often carries higher limits than personal auto policies.

Establishing a dram shop claim requires evidence that the driver was visibly intoxicated when served, that the vendor continued serving despite that visible intoxication, and that the subsequent crash was a foreseeable consequence. Surveillance footage, server statements, credit card records showing drink purchases, and the timing of the crash relative to last known service time all contribute to this evidence picture.

The Driver's Employer

If the drunk driver was operating a company vehicle or driving in the course of employment at the time of the crash, their employer may also be vicariously liable. Employer liability in a drunk driving case is less common but worth investigating in every case.

The Drunk Driver's Household

If the drunk driver was using a vehicle owned by another member of their household, the vehicle owner may also face liability under California's negligent entrustment doctrine if they knew or should have known the driver was impaired or habitually impaired.

Punitive Damages Against the Driver

In addition to compensatory damages, California allows punitive damages against drunk drivers who demonstrate conscious disregard for the safety of others. A Studio City drunk driver accident lawyer pursues punitive damages in appropriate cases, which can significantly increase the total recovery.

If your case requires litigation, it is filed at Van Nuys Courthouse West in LA County. Contact L&F Brown's Studio City team for a free consultation to identify every liable party in your drunk driving crash.