Murrieta Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
A Murrieta Drunk Driving Accident Attorney on Why Your Case Doesn’t Wait for the DA
A drunk driver hitting a car leaves behind medical bills, missed paychecks, and a recovery nobody planned for. Meanwhile, the driver’s criminal case can drag on for months before anyone knows how it will end.
A Murrieta drunk driving accident lawyer at Duque & Price files a separate civil claim that does not wait on the district attorney’s timeline or outcome. The standard of proof is lower and the goal is different: compensation, not conviction.
Tell us where things stand with the criminal case, if you know, and where things stand with your own medical treatment. We usually need to manage those two timelines differently, and that is the first thing we sort out.
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What a Murrieta Drunk Driving Claim Can Recover
Every drunk driving case is different, but California law generally allows recovery for both out-of-pocket costs you can document and the harder-to-measure losses that come with pain. A typical claim can include:
- Emergency, surgical, and ongoing medical care
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage to the vehicle
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family
- Punitive damages in cases involving clear intoxication
Serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries or spinal damage from a high-speed impact often require years of follow-up care. We build a thorough accounting of those future costs into the claim from the start.
Why a Drunk Driving Claim Can Include Punitive Damages
Beyond medical bills and lost income, California law allows punitive damages against a drunk driver in some cases.
Under Civil Code Section 3294, punitive damages are available when clear and convincing evidence shows the driver acted with malice, meaning a willful and conscious disregard for the safety of others. California courts have held that the decision to drive while intoxicated can itself show that kind of disregard, especially with a high blood alcohol reading or a prior DUI on the driver’s record.
Insurance companies for drunk drivers still try to shift blame onto the victim, arguing about lane position or reaction time even when their own driver was intoxicated. California’s comparative negligence rule still allows recovery even with some shared fault, with damages reduced by that percentage rather than erased.
Attorney Matthew R. Price, licensed in California since 2010 and holding a 10.0 Avvo rating, built part of his practice around pushing back on exactly these fault arguments before they shrink a settlement.
Two Cases, Two Tracks: How a Murrieta DUI Case Actually Moves
The criminal DUI charge is heard at the Southwest Justice Center on Auld Road in Murrieta, which handles felony and misdemeanor DUI matters for the region. That case is brought by the district attorney and can result in fines or jail time, but it does not put money toward a family’s medical bills.
The civil injury claim is a separate lawsuit. As of August 2026, Riverside County reassigned where unlimited civil cases are filed. Most serious injury lawsuits from Murrieta now go to the Historic Courthouse in Riverside rather than the Southwest Justice Center, even though the criminal case stays put.
Duque & Price keeps an office in Riverside, close to both courthouses, along with several other Southern California locations.
Plain-Language Answers From Our Murrieta Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
What does it cost to hire a drunk driving accident attorney?
Duque & Price offers a free consultation, and injury cases are handled on contingency, so there is no upfront fee and no cost unless compensation is recovered.
What is the difference between the criminal DUI case and a civil claim?
The criminal case is brought by the district attorney and can result in fines or jail time, but it does not compensate the victim. The civil claim is the only path to recovering medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and it proceeds on its own timeline.
Do I still have a case if I was partly at fault for the crash?
Yes. California’s comparative negligence rule still allows recovery even when a victim shares some blame. The total award is reduced by the assigned percentage of fault rather than eliminated.
What if the drunk driver did not have enough insurance?
Under Vehicle Code Section 16056, California’s minimum liability insurance rose to 30/60/15 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, the first increase since 1967. If the driver carries only California’s state minimum liability coverage, underinsured motorist coverage on the victim’s own policy may cover the difference between what the driver’s policy pays and what the damages are actually worth.
Can punitive damages be recovered against a drunk driver?
Punitive damages are possible under Civil Code Section 3294 when the evidence shows the driver acted with malice, which can include the decision to drive while intoxicated. This requires clear and convincing evidence, a higher standard than an ordinary negligence claim.
Will the case go through the Southwest Justice Center?
The criminal DUI charge will likely be heard there, since it handles DUI matters for southwest Riverside County. The civil injury claim is a separate case that, as of August 2026, typically files at the Historic Courthouse in Riverside instead.
How long do I have to file a claim after a Murrieta drunk driving accident?
You generally have two years from the crash to file an injury claim, and two years from the date of death for a wrongful death claim.
A Murrieta Injury Lawyer Ready to Get Started on Your Claim
Waiting to see how the criminal case turns out only delays a claim that can move on its own. Contact Duque & Price for a free consultation to go over what happened and what the claim may actually be worth.
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