Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Tacoma

Criminal Defense Knowledge Behind Every Personal Injury Case

When a drunk driver causes a crash, the injuries are often severe, and the legal questions multiply fast. At Hester Law Group, our attorneys bring over 130 years of combined legal experience to these cases across both personal injury and criminal defense. That combination matters: we know firsthand how DUI prosecutions work, how blood alcohol concentration (BAC) evidence is gathered and challenged, and how prosecutors build their cases in Pierce County Superior Court. We apply that knowledge directly to building your civil compensation claim. We represent drunk driving accident victims throughout Tacoma, Federal Way, and Pierce County.

If you’ve been hurt by a drunk driver, call Hester Law Group at (253) 300-3034 for a free consultation. The sooner we review your case, the more evidence we can preserve.

Your Civil Claim Runs Separately from the Criminal Case

A DUI prosecution and a civil injury claim involve the same crash but proceed on entirely separate tracks. The criminal case requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt; your personal injury claim operates under the lower preponderance-of-the-evidence standard. A drunk driver can be acquitted criminally and still be held liable to you in civil court, and you don’t have to wait for a criminal verdict to pursue compensation.

Washington requires drivers to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage. In a serious drunk driving crash, those limits rarely cover the full extent of a victim’s losses. Underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own policy can provide an additional source of recovery when the at-fault driver’s coverage falls short.

Third-Party Liability: Bars, Employers, & Social Hosts

The drunk driver isn’t always the only party that bears responsibility. Washington’s dram shop law, RCW 66.44.200, prohibits selling alcohol to someone who is apparently under the influence and allows an injured victim to hold that vendor civilly liable if the customer later causes a crash. The Washington Supreme Court clarified in Barrett v. Lucky Seven Saloon, Inc. (2004) that the “apparently under the influence” standard governs these cases, not the stricter “obviously intoxicated” standard. Our past results include settlements against bars and taverns that overserved customers who went on to injure others.

Liability can extend further in certain situations:

• Serving minors: RCW 66.44.270 prohibits furnishing alcohol to anyone under 21. A business or social host who serves a minor can be held liable if that minor causes a crash.
• Social hosts and adult guests: Washington doesn’t generally impose liability on social hosts who serve alcohol to adult guests, unlike licensed commercial vendors.
• Employer liability: If the drunk driver was operating a company vehicle or acting within the scope of their employment, the employer may share liability under the respondeat superior doctrine, which holds employers responsible for an employee’s negligent acts on the job.

Negligence Per Se & Comparative Fault in Washington

Washington sets the legal BAC limit at 0.08% for drivers 21 and older. When a driver exceeds that threshold, the statutory violation can support a negligence per se theory: the violation itself helps establish that the driver breached their duty of care. Liability still requires proof that the impairment was a proximate cause of the collision and your injuries. That causal connection is exactly where attorneys who understand both criminal and civil procedure can make a meaningful difference.

Washington follows a pure comparative negligence rule. Even if you were partially at fault, you can still recover damages. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but it isn’t eliminated. We analyze the full circumstances of the crash so your recovery isn’t reduced by facts that don’t fairly belong to you.

What Compensation Can Cover

A drunk driving accident claim can pursue damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, as well as future care costs and loss of earning capacity when injuries are permanent. When a crash is fatal, Washington law allows a wrongful death claim to be brought through the personal representative of the estate on behalf of qualifying family members. Our past results include multimillion-dollar settlements for auto accidents, wrongful death, serious injuries, and underinsured motorist claims.

Why Tacoma Clients Trust Hester Law Group

Our attorneys are Certified Criminal Law Specialists who bring litigation-focused intensity to personal injury cases. We have documented success in state and federal courts across Washington, Oregon, and California, and our team includes attorneys recognized with a 10.0 Superb Avvo Rating and named to Best Lawyers in America. We’ve handled both high-profile and private matters, and we represent clients with discretion and determination.

Steps to Take After a Drunk Driving Crash

What you do in the days after a crash directly affects the strength of your claim. A few steps matter most:

• Seek medical attention immediately, even if injuries seem minor at first.
• Obtain the police report, which may document the DUI stop, field sobriety test results, and BAC evidence that serve as key proof of impairment in your civil case.
• Avoid giving statements to the at-fault driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney.
• Contact us promptly. Washington gives accident victims three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim, but evidence degrades and witnesses’ memories fade well before that deadline arrives.

We guide clients through each step of the claims process to build a strong foundation from the start.

Free Consultation for Drunk Driving Accident Claims in Tacoma

You shouldn’t have to navigate insurance companies, civil liability theories, and a parallel criminal case on your own. Hester Law Group offers free consultations to discuss what happened and what your options are. Call us at (253) 300-3034 to speak with a drunk driving accident attorney in Tacoma today.