Punitive Damages in Auto Accidents: DUI & Reckless Driving

In some circumstances, just compensating the injured client is not enough for us as a society.  Sometimes we as a society say that if someone does something so bad, that they should be punished in a way to deter them from ever doing that again.  These money damages are not to compensate the injured, let’s say in a car accident or product liability case, but rather to stop the defendant from similar conduct in the future.

Since this website is primarily about vehicle and pedestrian injuries, let’s review a situation when you would need your McDonough Personal Injury Lawyer to contemplate punitive damages in your case.

The first situation is a drunk driver or someone with a DUI.  Why?  Think about the above policy reason.  If this man or women, let’s say lives in Stockbridge, often gets in her car and flies around old McDonough drunk.  She rear-ends you.  You hire a Henry County Personal Injury Lawyer, and her insurance company pays  you.  The next day, she gets in her car and does the same thing.  This time she hits someone in Conyers, and she hires a Conyers Personal Injury Lawyer.  Or better yet, the persona lives in McDonough, and she is your neighbor.  She hires a McDonough Lawyer.  The insurance company pays.  And so on…  This is why we have punitive damages.

Other circumstances that might allow punitive damages in Georgia would be a reckless driver or someone eluding the police.  Once again, you see the policy reason.  This type of bad behavior, in this case an automobile accident, must be stopped.  Remember, punitive damages are not to reward the injured person, although they get the money, but to stop or deter the bad actor from continuing the reckless or intentional behavior.  If any of these situations happens to you, contact your Personal Injury Lawyer today.