Drunk driving accidents hit differently. There is the physical pain, the stress of the crash itself, and then the anger that comes with knowing it may have been completely preventable.
In St. Petersburg, we see the risks everywhere. Busy weekend traffic downtown. Beach traffic heading over the bridges. Late-night drivers leaving restaurants, bars, and local events. Most people are simply trying to get home safely. When someone chooses to drive impaired, that choice can change another person’s life in seconds.
If you were injured in a drunk driving accident, here are a few things to know before you start dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, and the legal process.
A DUI Case and an Injury Claim Are Not the Same Thing
After a drunk driving crash, the impaired driver may face criminal charges. In Florida, DUI crashes involving personal injury can carry serious penalties, and crashes involving serious bodily injury or death can result in felony charges.
But the criminal case is not designed to pay your medical bills, replace your lost income, or compensate you for what the crash has done to your daily life.
That is where a civil injury claim comes in.
A civil claim focuses on the harm done to you. That may include emergency treatment, follow-up care, therapy, lost wages, pain, emotional distress, and the long-term impact of the crash.
Do Not Assume the Insurance Company Will “Do the Right Thing”
This is where people get burned.
You may think, “The other driver was drunk, so this should be simple.”
It should be. But simple is not how insurance companies make money.
Even when alcohol is involved, the insurance company may still look for ways to reduce the value of your claim. They may question the severity of your injuries, argue that some of your treatment was unnecessary, or try to suggest that your pain came from something else.
Florida also uses comparative fault rules, which means fault can affect how damages are awarded. Under Florida law, in most negligence cases, a person found more than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover damages.
In plain English: even when the other driver was impaired, details still matter. The crash report, witness statements, medical records, photos, video, timing, and treatment history can all become important.
Get Medical Care and Keep Going If You Need It
Some injuries show up immediately. Others creep in after the adrenaline wears off.
Neck pain. Back pain. Headaches. Shoulder pain. Numbness. Anxiety behind the wheel. Sleep issues. These are not things to brush off because you “feel lucky it wasn’t worse.”
After a crash, getting checked out protects your health. It also creates a record of what happened and when your symptoms began. That can matter later if the insurance company tries to downplay your injuries.
Preserve Whatever Evidence You Can
If you are able, save anything connected to the crash.
That may include:
- Photos of the vehicles, road, intersection, traffic lights, skid marks, and visible injuries.
- The police report number.
- Names and contact information for witnesses.
- Medical discharge papers.
- Insurance letters.
- Screenshots, videos, rideshare receipts, or anything showing where you were before and after the crash.
You do not need to become an investigator. But you do need to avoid letting useful information disappear.
Be Careful What You Say to Insurance Adjusters
Insurance adjusters may sound friendly. Some are. That does not mean they are on your side.
Their job is to protect the insurance company’s money. Your words can be used to minimize your claim, especially if you say things like “I’m okay,” “I’m just sore,” or “I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”
You are allowed to be polite without giving a recorded statement or guessing about your injuries before you know the full picture.
Local Roads, Local Risks, Local Help
A drunk driving crash in St. Petersburg is not just a legal issue. It disrupts real life.
It can affect how you work, how you care for your family, how you sleep, how you drive, and how safe you feel doing normal things. Whether the crash happened in downtown St. Pete, across the bridge in Tampa, on any one of our busy highways, near our beautiful beaches, or on the way home from a local event, the aftermath can feel overwhelming fast.
The most important thing is not to handle it casually just because the other driver’s DUI seems obvious. What seems obvious at the scene does not always translate into a straightforward insurance claim. And waiting too long can make the process harder than it needs to be.
If you were hurt in a drunk driving accident in St. Petersburg, Marsalisi Law can help you understand what comes next, what to watch for, and how to protect your claim before the insurance company begins evaluating the facts and your injuries.
