Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Germantown

Representation for People Harmed by Drunk Drivers Since 1996

We represent people injured in drunk driving collisions and families pursuing wrongful death claims after fatal crashes. At Snider & Horner, PLLC, we handle car accident cases involving driving under the influence, a common form of driver negligence.

We serve clients in Germantown, across Tennessee, and in Mississippi. We combine the resources needed to develop complicated claims with attentive, small-firm service focused on each client’s circumstances.

Speak with us about a collision involving an intoxicated driver. Call (901) 730-8880 to discuss your legal options.

Evidence from a Germantown Drunk Driving Crash

Evidence of intoxication, fault, and financial loss can come from several sources. Preserving available records and visual evidence helps establish what happened without relying on any single account of the collision.

Important forms of DUI crash evidence can include:

• Police crash reports: These reports document the collision investigation and information gathered at the scene.
• Impairment records: Blood alcohol concentration results and other records connected to driving under the influence can document impairment.
• Witness and video evidence: Witness testimony, dash-camera footage, and other recordings can preserve details about how the crash occurred.
• Photographs: Images of the vehicles, injuries, road conditions, and property damage can document the collision and resulting losses.

The available records depend on the facts of the crash and the investigations that followed. Because video and other materials may not remain available indefinitely, identifying likely sources early can preserve important details.

Tennessee Liability, Compensation & Filing Deadlines

A civil claim can seek compensation from a negligent driver for losses caused by the crash. Tennessee applies modified comparative negligence, which reduces compensation according to an injured person’s share of fault. A person who’s partially at fault may recover damages but can’t recover when found 50% or more at fault.

Economic damages cover measurable losses such as medical expenses and missed work. Non-economic damages address losses without a direct invoice, including pain and suffering and emotional distress. Punitive damages, which punish especially wrongful conduct rather than compensate for a specific loss, may be available in certain circumstances.

Tennessee caps some types of damages in certain situations. The categories and limits that apply depend on the claim, so evaluating a case’s potential value requires reviewing its specific facts.

Tennessee generally allows one year from the accident date to file a personal injury claim. Exceptions may involve minors, legal mental incompetence, or a defendant who’s absent from the state. Civil personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from a Germantown crash are generally filed in the circuit court serving the area.

Criminal DUI Cases & Civil Injury Claims Serve Different Purposes

A criminal driving-under-the-influence case addresses allegations that the driver violated criminal law. A civil injury claim seeks compensation for financial and personal losses resulting from the crash. Because the proceedings involve separate determinations, a criminal charge or case outcome doesn’t automatically resolve civil liability.

Criminal charges against a defendant may affect the time available to bring a Tennessee injury claim under an applicable filing-deadline exception. Whether that exception applies depends on the criminal case and the facts of the civil claim.

Dram Shop Liability Under Tennessee Law

Dram shop liability concerns limited circumstances in which a licensed alcohol seller may be responsible for an intoxicated person’s actions. State law generally treats alcohol consumption, rather than the furnishing of alcohol, as the proximate cause of resulting injuries. Proximate cause is a legal cause sufficiently connected to the harm.

Under Tennessee’s dram shop statute, an injured person may seek damages from an alcohol seller only when strict requirements are met. A 12-person jury must find beyond a reasonable doubt that the alcohol sale was the proximate cause of the injury. The claim also requires proof that the seller served someone the seller knew was under 21 or served a person who was visibly intoxicated.

These requirements don’t make every bar, restaurant, or person who provides alcohol liable for a later collision. Social hosts generally aren’t subject to the liability framework that applies to licensed alcohol vendors.

How We Develop a Drunk Driving Accident Claim

We provide cost-effective representation focused on gathering available evidence, evaluating documented losses, and developing the facts relevant to liability and compensation.

Our case-handling activities include:

• Collecting testimony and recordings: We gather witness testimony and available evidence, including red-light-camera and dash-camera footage.
• Consulting relevant professionals: We consult accident reconstructionists to analyze physical evidence and explain how a collision occurred. We also consult medical professionals when developing claims.
• Evaluating financial losses: We calculate property damage and lost-income costs as part of the claim evaluation.
• Communicating with insurers: We interact with insurance companies on our clients’ behalf throughout the claim.

We assess each claim on its evidence and circumstances rather than assuming that intoxication alone resolves every question about civil liability or compensation.

Get Answers About Your Drunk Driving Accident Claim

We offer free, same-day consultations for drunk driving collision claims. A consultation gives you an opportunity to explain what happened, identify available records, and discuss how Tennessee law may apply to your circumstances.

Call (901) 730-8880 or submit our contact form to speak with our team about a drunk driving accident claim in Germantown.