Representing Beverly Hills Drunk Driving Accident Victims Since 1993
When a drunk driver causes a collision, the legal path forward isn’t the same as a standard car accident claim. A driver who violated California’s DUI law has already broken a duty owed to every person on the road, which changes how fault is established, what damages are available, and how aggressively an insurer can fight back. Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian has represented drunk driving accident victims and their families in Beverly Hills since 1993, giving us over 30 years of experience navigating exactly these claims.
Attorney Haleh Shekarchian is recognized by defense attorneys, judges, and insurance companies throughout Los Angeles and neighboring counties for her integrity and results. That recognition matters in drunk driving cases, where the other side knows the exposure is serious and can work hard to limit what you recover.
If you or a family member was injured by a drunk driver in Beverly Hills, call us at (855) 785-0297 for a free consultation. We can come to you if you can’t travel.
Attorney Shekarchian is a member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a distinction held by fewer than 1% of attorneys in the United States. Membership requires achieving million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients. Over the firm’s history, we have recovered millions of dollars for personal injury and wrongful death clients throughout Southern California.
We understand that a serious injury may make it impossible to come to us, so we can meet you at your home or hospital by request. Our team serves Beverly Hills and the broader Los Angeles community in English, Spanish, and Farsi, so language isn’t a barrier to getting representation. We also work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Damages Available in a Beverly Hills Drunk Driving Accident Claim
Victims injured by a drunk driver may pursue both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages can include current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
California law also permits punitive damages in drunk driving cases. Courts have recognized that driving under the influence can constitute conscious disregard for the safety of others under California Civil Code Section 3294(a), which may support a punitive award. Unlike compensatory damages, punitive damages are paid directly by the drunk driver and aren’t covered by standard auto insurance policies. When a drunk driver causes a fatality, the victim’s family may also bring a wrongful death claim.
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You won’t owe attorney’s fees unless we recover for you. The sooner we can review what happened, the more time we have to preserve evidence and build your claim. We can meet at our office, your home, or your hospital room.
How Liability Is Established in a Drunk Driving Civil Claim
When a driver violates California’s DUI law and causes injury, that violation can establish a legal doctrine called negligence per se. Under negligence per se, fault may be presumed from the statutory violation itself, without requiring separate proof that the driver failed to act as a reasonable person would. In practical terms, this can simplify the liability analysis compared to a standard negligence claim.
The criminal DUI case and your civil personal injury claim are separate legal proceedings that move forward at the same time. You don’t need to wait for the criminal case to conclude before filing your civil claim. The burden of proof in civil court is a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not, which is a lower standard than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt threshold required in a criminal prosecution. A criminal conviction or guilty plea can serve as powerful supporting evidence in your civil case, but it isn’t required for a successful claim. Evidence commonly used in these cases includes police reports, blood alcohol content test results, field sobriety test records, witness statements, and surveillance footage.
Third-Party Liability in California Drunk Driving Cases
California’s approach to dram shop liability is narrower than many states. Businesses and social hosts that serve alcohol to an adult generally can’t be held civilly liable for injuries the adult later causes. The primary exception applies when alcohol is provided to a person under 21 years old, in which case the party who furnished the alcohol may face civil liability for resulting injuries.
Third-party liability may also arise when the drunk driver was on duty or driving a company vehicle at the time of the accident. Under the principle of respondeat superior, an employer can be held responsible for an employee’s negligent actions carried out within the scope of employment. Identifying every potentially liable party matters because a drunk driver’s own auto insurance policy may be insufficient to cover serious or catastrophic injuries.
Steps to Take After a Drunk Driving Accident in Beverly Hills
What you do in the days following a drunk driving accident can affect the strength of your claim. These steps help protect both your health and your legal rights:
Get medical attention immediately. Some injuries aren’t apparent at the scene. Medical records from the time of the accident document your injuries and connect them to the collision.
Contact law enforcement and request a copy of the police report. The report will typically note whether the at-fault driver was arrested or cited for DUI.
Preserve evidence. Photograph the scene, vehicle damage, and any visible injuries. Collect witness contact information and note the location of any nearby cameras.
Decline a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer. Insurers use recorded statements to limit what they pay. Speak with an attorney before giving one.
Act within the statute of limitations. California gives personal injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a civil claim. Waiting compresses the time available to investigate and build your case.
