Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Amherst, NY
Cellino Law is proud to serve Amherst and surrounding New York communities with experienced, compassionate personal injury representation. Being struck by a drunk driver is a traumatic and preventable experience. The injuries sustained in DWI accidents are often severe because impaired drivers frequently fail to brake or take any evasive action before impact. When an intoxicated driver’s recklessness injures you or kills a loved one in Amherst, Cellino Law is prepared to pursue maximum compensation through every available legal avenue.
Drunk driving accident cases differ from ordinary negligence claims in important ways. The at-fault driver’s intoxication constitutes reckless conduct, which can support a claim for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. Cellino Law will build a comprehensive case that accounts for every dimension of your losses.
Call Cellino Law in Amherst today to schedule your free consultation. There are no fees unless we win.
Drunk Driving Accident Risks in the Amherst Area
Amherst is home to a wide range of restaurants and bars along Sheridan Drive, Main Street in Williamsville, and the Transit Road corridor, and late-night drunk driving incidents increase significantly on weekends and around major events. The proximity of the University at Buffalo North Campus also contributes to late-night impaired driving incidents in the surrounding neighborhoods. Erie County consistently sees DWI arrests in the Amherst area, and those collisions often result in serious injuries to innocent drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
New York Dram Shop Liability
In addition to pursuing a claim against the drunk driver directly, New York’s Dram Shop Act allows injury victims to hold bars, restaurants, and other licensed alcohol vendors liable when they serve alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then causes an accident. If the driver who hit you was overserved at an Amherst-area establishment before the crash, Cellino Law will investigate that avenue of liability and pursue it alongside the claim against the driver.
Dram Shop claims provide access to a separate pool of insurance coverage and can significantly increase the total compensation available in your case. Cellino Law will obtain alcohol purchase records, witness statements from bar staff and patrons, and any available surveillance footage to establish that the establishment bears responsibility for what happened.
Injured by a drunk driver in Amherst? Get trusted legal help from Cellino Law now.
What Compensation Is Available in Drunk Driving Accident Cases?
Victims of drunk driving accidents in New York may pursue:
- All medical expenses from emergency care through long-term rehabilitation
- Future medical costs for ongoing or permanent injuries
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and post-traumatic stress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages where the driver’s conduct was particularly reckless
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a DWI conviction help my civil case?
Yes. A criminal conviction for DWI is powerful evidence in a civil personal injury case. Even if the criminal case is still pending, Cellino Law will use the arrest, field sobriety test results, blood alcohol records, and police report as evidence of negligence and recklessness in your civil claim.
What if the drunk driver had no insurance?
New York requires all drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage, which can provide compensation when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. Additionally, if a bar or restaurant bears Dram Shop liability, their commercial liability insurance may provide an additional source of recovery. Cellino Law will identify every available source of compensation.
Can I recover punitive damages from a drunk driver?
In cases where the driver’s conduct was especially reckless, such as driving with a very high blood alcohol level or having prior DWI convictions, punitive damages may be available. These damages go beyond compensating your losses and are intended to punish particularly egregious conduct. Cellino Law will evaluate whether punitive damages are appropriate in your case.
Serving Amherst and All of Erie County
Cellino Law represents drunk driving accident victims throughout Amherst, Williamsville, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, and all of Erie County. Call today for a free consultation.
Call Cellino Law in Amherst today to schedule your free consultation. Trust. Experience. Results.
