A drunk driving crash is never an accident in the truest sense of the word. When a driver chooses to get behind the wheel after drinking, every person on the road becomes a potential victim of that decision. The injuries that result from these crashes are often severe, including spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries that require extensive surgery and recovery. For victims and their families, the path forward can feel overwhelming.
If you or someone close to you was hurt by a drunk driver in Terre Haute or the surrounding area, Wagner Reese LLP is here to help. Our firm brings more than 150 combined years of legal experience to the cases we handle, and our attorneys have earned Trial Lawyer of the Year honors, Super Lawyers recognition, and a Tier-One Best Law Firm ranking from Best Lawyers in America. We represent victims of serious accidents throughout Indiana and fight for the full compensation they deserve. Learn more about our work across the Terre Haute region on our Terre Haute personal injury lawyer page.
⚠ Time-Sensitive — Indiana Law Limits Your Window to File
Injured in Terre Haute? Indiana’s 2-year statute of limitations begins from the date of your accident. Missing this deadline ends your right to compensation permanently.
28+ years of personal injury experience. 250+ five-star reviews. No fees unless we recover compensation for you.
The Scope of Drunk Driving in Indiana and Across the Country
Drunk driving remains one of the most preventable causes of serious injury and death on American roads. According to the CDC, alcohol-impaired drivers were involved in crashes that killed 13,524 people in 2022, accounting for 32% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States that year. Indiana’s own data reflects this troubling reality: state crash statistics show that nearly 29% of all Indiana traffic fatalities in 2022 involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
Terre Haute sits along Interstate 70, a major corridor with heavy traffic. The combination of highway travel, local roadways, and the presence of bars and entertainment venues throughout Vigo County creates ongoing risk for drunk driving incidents. When a driver with a blood alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit of 0.08% causes a crash, they have committed both a crime and a civil wrong, and victims have the right to pursue compensation for the harm they have suffered.
What You Can Recover After a Drunk Driving Crash
Indiana law allows victims of drunk driving accidents to pursue compensation for the full range of damages they have experienced. This includes medical bills from emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, and ongoing rehabilitation. It also includes lost wages if injuries prevented you from working, future lost earning capacity if your ability to work has been permanently affected, and the physical pain and emotional suffering the crash has caused.
Indiana also permits punitive damages in drunk driving cases. Unlike compensatory damages, which are intended to make a victim whole, punitive damages are designed to punish the at-fault driver for particularly reckless conduct. Courts may award them when the evidence shows the driver acted with conscious disregard for the safety of others, which is often the case when someone drives drunk. Our Terre Haute car accident attorneys are experienced in building the compelling cases needed to pursue maximum recovery for our clients.
How We Build a Drunk Driving Case
A successful drunk driving case requires more than showing the other driver was impaired. Our attorneys gather all available evidence, including police reports and field sobriety test results, blood alcohol records, witness statements, surveillance footage, and any prior history of impaired driving. We work with accident reconstruction professionals when needed and coordinate with medical providers to document the full extent of your injuries.
Indiana’s drunk driving laws are strict, but insurance companies still look for ways to minimize payouts. The at-fault driver’s insurer may dispute the extent of your injuries, argue that you bear some responsibility for the crash, or attempt a quick settlement before you fully understand the long-term consequences of your injuries. Our attorneys know these tactics and know how to counter them. If your injuries resulted in catastrophic harm, our Indiana catastrophic injury attorneys can also evaluate whether additional avenues for recovery are available.
When a Drunk Driving Crash Results in Death
Not every drunk driving crash victim survives. When a family loses someone to a drunk driver, Indiana’s wrongful death statute allows surviving family members to pursue a legal claim for their loss. Recoverable damages in a wrongful death case can include funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support the deceased would have provided, and the loss of companionship and guidance for surviving family members.
Our Terre Haute wrongful death attorneys handle these cases with the care and seriousness they deserve. We understand that no amount of money undoes the loss of someone close, but holding a drunk driver accountable matters, and ensuring your family is financially protected matters too. If the crash also caused a traumatic brain injury, our attorneys can address those damages as part of the same claim.
Contact Wagner Reese LLP for a Drunk Driving Accident Consultation
Wagner Reese LLP has built a reputation across Indiana for fighting hard for accident victims and delivering meaningful results. Our founding partners, Stephen Wagner and Jason Reese, have both received Trial Lawyer of the Year honors, and the majority of our cases come from attorney referrals, reflecting the trust the legal community places in our firm. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
If you were injured by a drunk driver in Terre Haute, do not wait to seek legal help. Indiana’s statute of limitations limits the time you have to file a claim. Contact our team today to schedule your free consultation.
