The last holiday weekend of the summer is here. With it comes all the good things we love about summer. Barbecues, college football and unfortunately, drinking. I thought I would take a minute to help you navigate the tricky waters of a being hit by someone that was DUI.

Let me be clear, this is not for someone who is DUI to find out tricks on how to get off with the least penalty possible. I despise DUI’s and frankly, I have no sympathy if you choose to drive under the influence. This post is designed to give tips to those hurt by DUI’s a little more leverage to get greater compensation.

If you take a DUI case to court, the judge will instruct the jury to award what is called punitive or exemplary damages. This is defined as compensation in excess of actual damages. That means the jury is instructed to penalize the DUI defendant extra just because he was DUI. This is to send a message to the DUI defendant that what he did was more than just an accident, but his actions to drive under the influence are socially wrong.

(more…)