13 Injuries Caused by Drunk Driving Accidents (And How to Claim Compensation)

Drunk driving accidents leave behind more than just wreckage—they leave lives changed forever.

The injuries caused by drunk driving can be devastating, ranging from traumatic brain injuries to permanent disabilities. These crashes don’t just cause physical harm—they also lead to emotional trauma, financial loss, and long-term disruption to daily life.

At Alpha Law Group, we understand the pain and uncertainty that victims face after a DUI-related accident, and we’re here to guide you through the legal process with compassion and expertise.

In this blog, you will learn:

• 13 serious injuries commonly caused by drunk driving collisions
• How these injuries affect your body, life, and long-term recovery
• What legal steps should I take to claim rightful compensation

Let’s explore the real impact of impaired driving—and what you can do next.

Understanding Drunk Driving Accidents in Florida

Florida has a big problem with drunk driving.

Every year, drivers who are not sober cause many crashes. These accidents hurt and even kill people. They also bring high costs for medical care and damage to property. When someone gets caught driving drunk, they break the legal limit on blood alcohol concentration (BAC). This led to severe results. The state has strong DUI laws to stop this kind of risk. The goal is to keep all road users safe.

Blood alcohol concentration is the main thing used to determine if a person is in good shape to drive or not. Florida says you cannot have a BAC over 0.08%. But even a little alcohol can slow down someone’s coordination and judgment. It can also lower how fast they react. This makes it dangerous for them and others out on the road.

If you know about these rules and the legal limit for BAC, you can better see why it is so essential to work on stopping drunk driving and hold people accountable for their choices. When everyone understands this, it can help lower the number of DUI incidents, fatal crashes, and harm to people across Florida.

The Prevalence of Drunk Driving Cases in Florida

Drunk driving is a big problem in Florida.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that a lot of the traffic deaths in Florida and around the country are caused by impaired driving. Florida is one of the top states for DUI-related crashes. This shows why it is essential to have strict DUI laws. Every year, drunk and impaired drivers cause deaths, significant money losses, and many severe injuries to other road users.

Statistics show that DUI crashes in Florida cause hundreds of deaths each year. These deadly events affect pedestrians, people on bicycles, and other drivers, too. Here are some key numbers:

These numbers about drunk driving, severe injuries, and deaths show why it is so important to spread the word, make laws stronger, and help the victims. Each accident takes a significant toll on people and costs a lot for everyone.

Legal Blood Alcohol Limits and DUI Laws in Florida

Florida has strict DUI laws. These laws are in place to help keep the roads safe.

If you drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08%, you face penalties. This is the legal limit across the United States. At this level, your reaction time and judgment get worse. This can be risky for all people on the road.

Even a small amount of alcohol can slow down how you drive. Your weight, gender, and age play a role in how alcohol affects your BAC. In Florida, there are also rules for when the BAC is lower, like for repeat offenders or commercial drivers. These people can get in trouble, too, because there are special rules for them.

Why Drunk Driving Accidents Are Especially Dangerous?

Drunk driving accidents are hazardous because alcohol changes how your mind and body work. 

An impaired driver will have slow reaction times and poor judgment. They also struggle to control their movements, so they may not act fast enough when the road changes quickly. All of this makes it clear that drunk driving puts every road user in danger.

Drinking also makes it harder for people to see and move correctly. This harms their coordination. Many people also feel sleepy after they drink, and this makes it easy for them to stop paying attention or even fall asleep while driving.

When you add up how alcohol affects judgment, vision, and body movement, you can see why accidents with an impaired driver are often so severe.

13 Common Injuries Caused by Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving accidents can cause severe injuries.

They often leave people with lasting pain in their bodies, minds, and money problems. The kind of harm from these accidents changes with how bad the crash is and what happened during it.

Some of the worst injuries from drunk driving are traumatic brain injuries, problems with the spinal cord, and damage to the body. Broken bones, whiplash, and harm to the face are also common.

Knowing the type and the severity of injuries is essential. It helps doctors choose the right treatment. It also helps if someone wants to get money for what happened.

1. Head and brain injuries

Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are one of the most serious problems that can happen in a drunk driving accident.

They are often caused by a hard blow to the head during the crash. The signs of a TBI may be memory loss, trouble staying focused, or even a lasting disability. Many people need long-term care or rehab for this type of injury.

When there is a sudden crash from a drunk driving accident, it can cause the skull to break, the brain to swell, or there to be bleeding inside the head. TBIs can take away a person’s thinking skills. They can also change someone’s mood or personality. This makes every day hard for victims and the people who care about them.

Driving accidents caused by drunk people make it much more likely for someone to get a bad TBI. This shows why holding those drivers responsible under the law is so important. Getting the right amount of money after these injuries gives people some help.

This can help pay for hospital bills, therapy, and lost wages, which takes some of the worry off victims and their families.

2. Spinal cord injuries

Injuries to the spinal cord are often caused by the violent impacts that happen in drunk driving accidents.

This type of injury can bring about major physical limitations and can even cause paralysis. It changes a person’s life a lot. Severe injuries like these not only bring high medical bills but also leave lasting emotional pain for the person and their family.

The need for rehabilitation is often long, and it takes many treatments. This shows just how severe alcohol impairment is when it comes to road safety and the well-being of people who get hurt.

3. Broken bones and fractures

Bone fractures are some of the most common injuries in drunk driving accidents.

When there is a crash, the force can be a lot. If the driver’s coordination is not good because of alcohol, the risk of getting hurt is even higher. This is especially true for pedestrians and people riding in other cars.

Broken bones often mean you will need a lot of time to heal. Sometimes surgery is needed to fix them. These injuries can do more than hurt your body. They can also make you feel bad emotionally and mentally.

The trauma from these events can stay with people for a long time.

4. Whiplash and neck injuries

Injuries to the neck, especially whiplash, often happen in drunk driving accidents.

This is because these crashes’ sudden force and movement can cause the head to jerk back and forth quickly. This type of injury can lead to pain in the soft tissues, neck muscle strain, or even harm to the nerves in the spine.

Many people think whiplash is not a big deal, but it can cause long-lasting pain and make it hard to move your neck. These problems can make it tough to enjoy life. It’s essential to get medical help right away if you have this type of injury.

Quick action helps fix injuries better and keeps bigger problems from happening.

5. Internal organ damage

Injuries to the inside organs can be some of the worst things to happen in a drunk driving accident.

The force in a driving accident often hits the body’s essential organs. These include the liver, kidneys, and lungs. Damage to these organs may not show immediately, so it is very important to get checked by a doctor on time. Internal injuries from a drunk driving accident can bring big health problems.

Some people may need a lot of treatment and long-term rehab to get better. Knowing about these risks shows why it is so important to follow the law and stay under the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit. This is one way to stop injuries like this from happening.

6. Facial injuries and disfigurement

Injuries to the face can happen when there is a drunk driving crash.

These can change how someone looks and affect their mind for a long time. When there are high-impact collisions, the skin, bones, and tissues in the face can be hurt. People who live through these might need a lot of reconstructive surgery and time to heal.

This can take over their daily life and make them feel bad about themselves. When someone has facial injuries from these crashes, it can bring new mental health issues, making it even harder to get better.

It is important to have legal support to get the help you need for these injuries, including money for medical care and pain.

7. Burns and lacerations

Accidents with drunk drivers can cause severe burns and cuts. These injuries often happen because the crash is hard and may start a fire or break the car windows.

Broken glass and fire can hurt your skin and leave deep wounds. People who get hurt like this may need rehab to heal. Even after healing, they might still have scars that change their appearance.

Knowing about these injuries shows why it is important to discuss the negative effects of driving when one is not fully alert and why we need to do more to find safer ways to use the road.

8. Emotional trauma and PTSD

Going through a drunk driving accident can leave deep emotional scars for people involved and for their families.

Many who survive these collisions may notice changes in their mental health. They may have flashbacks, feel anxious, or become depressed because of the violence in a drunk driving accident. This may change how they live each day, how they connect with others, and their sense of well-being.

It is essential to know about these mental injuries if you want to get compensation. These emotional effects of a driving accident can be as hard to deal with as physical injuries.

9. Loss of limbs or amputations

The impact of a drunk driving accident can be awful. Some people may lose their arms or legs in these crashes.

A driving accident like this often changes a person’s life. The person may have trouble moving and feel a lot of stress. These injuries happen because collisions are forceful. The body can not handle the strong hit from these crashes. Recovery after a drunk driving accident is usually long. People often need a lot of medical help.

They may go through therapy and sometimes need new limbs. This shows how important it is to prevent drunk driving from happening. We must ensure that people who cause these driving accidents are held responsible. That way, we may stop such painful incidents from happening to others.

10. Dental injuries

Injuries to the teeth and gums can happen in drunk driving accidents.

This often leads to serious dental harm. Some people may have chipped or broken teeth. Others might need larger dental work to fix both how their teeth work and how they look. The pain is not only physical. The shock can be hard for a person to handle.

It is common for people to struggle with their feelings because of what drunk driving can cause. Taking legal action may help people get money to cover costly dental treatment. It can also help them start to feel better about themselves after something so hard.

11. Hearing or vision loss

Injuries from drunk driving accidents can be more than just cuts or broken bones.

These crashes often hurt important senses like hearing and vision. The force from an accident may damage parts of the ear or the optic nerves in the eyes. Sometimes, this can cause people to lose hearing or sight for good.

When you lose these senses, it can make simple day-to-day things hard to do. You may also feel deep sadness and have other mental health issues. It is tough to regain their normal hearing or vision after these injuries. This is why there are big risks when people drink and drive.

The risks make it clear that we need stronger rules against drunk driving to keep everyone safe.

12. Paralysis or nerve damage

Injuries from drunk driving accidents can cause paralysis or nerve problems.

When an impaired driver hits someone, the crash may harm the spinal cord. This type of injury can change a person’s life, making things much harder. It is not just about the body, as it can lead to problems with how you feel and think.

Victims often find it hard to do daily things and may need a lot of help and time to get better. Talking about these serious injuries during legal cases is essential, so people get the support and money they need to recover.

13. Soft tissue injuries and sprains/strains

Soft tissue injuries can happen in a drunk driving accident.

These include sprains and strains. They affect the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the body. People with these injuries often have pain, swelling, and cannot move as they could before. When someone is an impaired driver, alcohol lowers their coordination and slows their reaction time.

This makes soft tissue injuries in a driving accident much more likely. Recovery often needs time, can include physical therapy, and may mean living with long-term pain or limits in day-to-day life after these collisions. This can change the way people feel about their well-being.

Steps to Claim Compensation After a Drunk Driving Accident in Florida

Getting compensation after a drunk driving accident in Florida involves several important steps. Here’s a concise guide to help you navigate the process:

• Gather Key Evidence: Collect police reports and witness statements to support your case. This documentation is crucial in establishing liability.
• Consult a Lawyer: Speak with our attorney, who is experienced in DUI cases, to understand your rights and options. Our knowledgeable drunk driver accident lawyer can provide valuable guidance throughout the process.
• File a Claim: Submit a claim to the appropriate insurance company. Be sure to include all necessary documentation to strengthen your claim.
• Track Medical Expenses: Record all medical bills and treatments related to your injuries from the accident. This will help ensure you seek adequate compensation for your losses.
• Stay Organized: Maintain all documents together to improve your chances of a favorable outcome. Being organized can make the process smoother and more efficient.

Final Thoughts

The injuries caused by drunk driving can turn lives upside down in an instant. From the physical pain to emotional trauma and mounting financial stress, the aftermath of these reckless accidents is often overwhelming.

Victims and their families deserve more than sympathy—they deserve justice, accountability, and the chance to heal. Understanding the types of injuries and the steps to claim compensation is critical to moving forward. At Alpha Law Group, we’re here to stand beside you during this difficult time, offering skilled legal guidance and a compassionate approach that puts your recovery first.

Every case is unique, but no one should have to navigate this process alone. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a drunk driving accident, don’t wait to get help. Call us today at (941)-304-1500 or fill out our online form to schedule your free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prove the other driver was drunk in a Florida accident?

To demonstrate that the other driver was intoxicated in a crash, you can use official police reports, breathalyzer or blood test results, eyewitness accounts, and video footage from traffic cameras or bystanders. These items form key evidence to support DUI-related claims. Our attorney can weave this information together according to legal standards, strengthening your case under Florida’s DUI laws (see Florida Statutes § 316.193).

What compensation can I claim for my injuries?

If you are hurt in a DUI accident, you may recover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and rehabilitation costs. Depending on the severity and circumstances, you may also seek long-term care and punitive damages, which are awarded to punish particularly reckless behavior under Florida Statutes § 768.72.

How long do I have to file a claim after a DUI accident in Florida?

In Florida, you typically have four years from the date of the DUI accident to file a personal injury lawsuit, as outlined in Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). Speaking to a lawyer early is essential—preserving evidence and meeting deadlines can make or break your case.

Can I sue for emotional distress after a drunk driving crash?

Yes, you can pursue emotional distress damages, including claims for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from the DUI accident. These forms of non-economic damages require medical documentation and expert testimony to support your claim under Florida tort law.

Do I need a lawyer for a drunk driving injury claim in Florida?

While you can file a claim on your own, hiring an attorney is highly recommended. An experienced DUI injury lawyer will understand the intricacies of Florida DUI laws, including how to negotiate with insurance companies and present evidence effectively. Legal representation under contingency gives you the best chance to recover full compensation fairly and efficiently.