You’re entitled to multiple damages as part of your DUI claim.
These include economic damages, including your past and future medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. For example, suppose a DUI accident causes considerable damage to your car and results in injuries that require surgery and prevent you from working for several months. In that case, you’re entitled to recover the wages you’ve lost during that time, the cost of your surgery and other treatment, and how much it costs to repair your vehicle.
You may also be entitled to additional damages for your pain, suffering, and mental anguish. These are typically calculated by applying a multiplier — a number between one and five — to your total economic damages. The more severe your injuries and their impact on your life, the higher the multiplier and the more compensation you will receive.
Most cases result in a settlement between parties and avoid going to court, but there is a third type of damages you may receive if you go to trial.
Punitive damages are at the discretion of a jury and may be awarded to punish the defendant for their behavior. Because a DUI is a particularly egregious offense and entirely preventable, punitive damages may be awarded to signal that such conduct won’t be tolerated and deter other drivers from getting behind the wheel after a drink.