The Drunk Driver’s Criminal Case Won’t Pay Your Medical Bills. Your Civil Case Will. And We’ll Add Punitive Damages.
The criminal justice system punishes the driver. It doesn’t compensate you. A civil personal injury claim does — and in Georgia, drunk driving opens the door to punitive damages that multiply your recovery.
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The Problem
The driver made a choice. You’re paying for it.
External Problem
You or a loved one was hit by a drunk driver in Atlanta or Georgia. The injuries are often catastrophic — high-speed impacts, head-on collisions, wrong-way crashes. Mounting medical bills. The criminal case might mean jail time — but it won’t pay a single one of your bills.
Internal Problem
You’re angry. You’re in pain. You’re watching a criminal case proceed that feels slow and disconnected from your needs. Nobody in the DA’s office is asking about your medical bills or lost wages. The system is focused on punishing the driver — while you’re left to fend for yourself.
Philosophical Problem
Drunk driving isn’t an accident — it’s a choice. When someone makes that choice and injures an innocent person, they should face every consequence: criminal prosecution AND full civil liability, including punitive damages.
The Villain
A system that punishes the driver but forgets the victim.
The DA prosecutes on behalf of the state, not you. Restitution orders are minimal and rarely enforced.
Even when the driver was drunk, their insurer still tries to minimize your payout.
The bar or restaurant that served the visibly intoxicated driver may also be liable — but few victims know this.
Meet Your Guide
Gunn Law Group — we channel your anger into accountability.
Empathy
We understand the unique rage and helplessness of being victimized by a drunk driver. It wasn’t a momentary lapse — it was a conscious decision to put your life at risk. We channel that anger into a civil case that holds everyone accountable.
Authority
Experience with DUI-related personal injury and wrongful death claims in Georgia.
We pursue every source of recovery — driver’s insurance, UM/UIM, and dram shop liability.
Georgia allows punitive damages in drunk driving cases — we demand them in every qualifying case.
We coordinate with the criminal case to use the conviction as evidence in your civil claim.
The Plan
Three steps from the crash to maximum compensation.
Step 01
Call 888-BIG-GUNN. We assess your civil claim independently of the criminal case — your right to compensation doesn’t depend on the DA’s timeline.
Step 02
Police report, BAC results, toxicology, the driver’s criminal history — and crucially, where they were drinking. A bar that served them while visibly intoxicated may be liable under Georgia’s dram shop law.
Georgia DUI Accident Law
The statutes that multiply your recovery.
Drunk driving cases are strong candidates for punitive damages. Georgia’s $250,000 cap may not apply when the defendant was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Georgia allows liability against bars and restaurants that serve a noticeably intoxicated person knowing they will soon be driving — adding another defendant and another insurance policy.
A DUI or vehicular homicide conviction can be used as evidence in your civil case. The civil burden of proof (preponderance) is lower than the criminal burden (beyond a reasonable doubt).
Failure Stakes
What happens if you wait.
Georgia’s 2-year personal injury statute of limitations applies — the criminal case doesn’t protect your civil deadline.
Dram shop claims require fast investigation — bar surveillance footage is overwritten within days.
Punitive damages are only available if properly pleaded and proven.
Without a civil attorney, the criminal system will not pursue your compensation.
Success Vision
What we fight for.
Full compensation for catastrophic injuries — medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation.
Punitive damages that send a message: drunk driving has consequences beyond a night in jail.
The bar that over-served the driver held accountable.
Your recovery isn’t dependent on the criminal case timeline.
Financial security for your family regardless of the driver’s ability to pay.
A drunk driver chose to drive. You’re paying the price. Let’s change that math.
Call 888-BIG-GUNN. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
FAQ
Georgia DUI Accident Questions
Yes. The criminal case punishes the driver; it does not pay your medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering. A separate civil claim is the only way to recover compensation for your injuries.
Punitive damages punish especially egregious conduct beyond ordinary negligence. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1, drunk driving typically qualifies — and Georgia’s standard $250,000 cap may not apply when the defendant was under the influence.
Possibly. Georgia’s dram shop law (O.C.G.A. § 51-1-40) allows liability against an establishment that served a visibly intoxicated person knowing they would soon drive. Fast investigation matters because surveillance video is overwritten quickly.
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may be the primary source of recovery. We also pursue dram shop defendants and any other applicable policy.
No. Civil and criminal cases run on separate tracks, and Georgia’s 2-year statute of limitations doesn’t pause for the criminal case. Waiting can lose evidence — and potentially your claim.
A DUI conviction can be powerful evidence of negligence. Because the civil standard of proof is lower than the criminal standard, the conviction often makes liability easier to establish in your case.
