Michigan Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Hit By a Drunk Driver? You Deserve Justice.

Being hit by a drunk driver is more than an accident — it's the result of a choice someone else made that put your life at risk. If you or a loved one has been injured by an impaired driver in Michigan, the drunk driving accident lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm can help you pursue full compensation from the driver and, in many cases, from the bar, restaurant, or party host that overserved them. For over 50 years, we've fought for victims across Michigan and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars.

Understanding Drunk Driving Accidents in Michigan

A drunk driving accident occurs when a driver operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs causes a crash. In Michigan, this is a criminal offense known as Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) or, in older terminology, Operating Under the Influence (OUI).

These cases are especially serious because impaired drivers often cause higher-speed, more violent collisions than other crashes. Alcohol slows reaction time, impairs judgment, and reduces a driver's ability to respond to hazards — meaning drunk driving crashes frequently result in catastrophic injuries or death.

A criminal OWI charge against the driver does not automatically mean you'll be compensated for your injuries. Criminal and civil cases are separate processes, and pursuing the compensation you deserve requires a civil claim against the driver's insurance — and potentially against any business that served them alcohol before the crash. This is where an experienced Michigan drunk driving accident lawyer becomes essential.

Common Causes of Drunk Driving Accidents

Alcohol and drug impairment affect drivers in several dangerous ways, leading to crashes such as:

• Failure to stop at red lights or stop signs, due to delayed reaction time
• Crossing the centerline or driving the wrong way, often resulting in devastating head-on collisions
• Excessive speeding, as impaired drivers misjudge their speed and the distance to other vehicles
• Failure to maintain a lane, causing sideswipe and rollover crashes
• Rear-end collisions, where the impaired driver fails to notice stopped or slowing traffic
• Striking pedestrians or cyclists, particularly in areas with poor visibility at night
• Single-vehicle crashes, where the impaired driver loses control and strikes a fixed object, sometimes injuring passengers

According to data cited by Michigan personal injury attorneys, impaired driving has been a factor in roughly one-third of Michigan's traffic fatalities in recent years — making it one of the most preventable causes of serious crashes on our roads.

Common Injuries from Drunk Driving Accidents

Because impaired drivers often cause high-speed and head-on collisions, the injuries suffered by victims tend to be severe:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Multiple fractures and broken bones
• Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
• Severe lacerations, burns, and permanent scarring
• Loss of limbs
• Wrongful death

Victims of drunk driving accidents also frequently experience significant emotional and psychological trauma, including anxiety, PTSD, and difficulty returning to normal driving routines. These non-physical injuries are real damages that should be factored into any compensation claim.

Determining Liability in a Michigan Drunk Driving Case

In a drunk driving accident, liability often extends beyond the driver alone. Potentially responsible parties include:

• The impaired driver, whose negligence — and often recklessness — directly caused the crash
• The vehicle owner, if different from the driver, under Michigan's owner liability laws
• A bar, restaurant, club, or licensed establishment, under Michigan's Dram Shop Act, if they served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then caused the crash
• A social host, in certain circumstances involving minors