Louisiana Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Louisiana
Any car accident can be overwhelming and stressful, but it can be especially frustrating when it occurred because another driver operated their vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. When this happens, you have financial options for recovery, including filing an insurance or civil claim. A skilled Louisiana drunk driving accident lawyer can help you file this claim and advocate for your rights and financial interests.
Work With an Experienced Louisiana Drunk Driving Accident Attorney
At Murphy Law Firm, we have over 150 years of legal experience collectively and have served Louisiana for the past 30 years. We understand how to manage complex driving accident claims, including those involving impaired drivers.
Our firm has secured outcomes like a $4 million settlement and an $18.9 million verdict for auto accidents. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. We know how difficult it is to deal with the aftermath of these accidents. Working with a reliable Louisiana personal injury lawyer can help you protect your financial future while you focus on healing.
Drunk Driving in Louisiana
There were 7,758 alcohol-related crashes in Louisiana in 2025. In 2024, there were 13,675 driving while impaired (DWI) cases in the state, a 4.29% increase from the previous year. DWI cases involve impaired driving in accidents and during traffic stops. When someone operates their vehicle impaired by alcohol or other substances, it increases the risk of an accident in several ways:
- Limited muscle control and coordination
- Decrease in vision
- Short-term memory loss
- Lower reaction speeds
- Lowered ability to make reasoned decisions
- Effect on concentration and thinking
Alcohol crashes disproportionately lead to fatal accidents. In Louisiana, alcohol-related crashes in 2025 made up nearly 5% of property damage-only accidents and over 6% of suspected injury accidents, but over 31% of fatal accidents.
Unsurprisingly, many alcohol-related crashes occur over the course of the weekend. Nearly 60% of fatal alcohol-related crashes and over 68% of suspected injury alcohol-related crashes occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Louisiana in 2025.
If you are in an accident with a drunk driver, you might be able to hold that driver liable for your injuries and other damages. In many drunk driving accidents, the impaired driver’s negligence was the cause of the crash, and this makes them liable for the damages.
Damages Available in a Drunk Driving Claim
If you are able to hold a drunk driver entirely liable for your damages, you could recover compensation such as:
- Medical treatment, both existing bills and related future treatment
- Lost income and benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage repair or replacement costs
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of quality of life
In Louisiana, you may also be able to secure exemplary damages, which are called punitive damages in other states, although this relies on your parish and jurisdiction. These damages may be available when a drunk driver shows reckless disregard for the safety of others. They could greatly increase the total compensation you can recover in a civil claim.
An attorney may be able to improve the compensation you can recover. They assess all your damages, both past and future. Many injured people only consider their immediate damages, like medical bills from Ochsner Health and car repair costs, and then have long-term costs they can’t afford. An attorney helps avoid this and can help you hold the at-fault party fully accountable for their recklessness.
Filing Your Claim Before the Deadline
You have a limited period of time to file a civil claim, and an even shorter time limit to file an insurance claim. This is why you have to act quickly after an accident. If you do not file an insurance claim quickly enough, the company will likely use this to undermine your case, or it may claim that your injuries are unrelated to the accident. This can make it much harder to recover financially.
If you miss the deadline for a civil claim, you will likely be barred from any financial recovery. Missing the deadline also removes your leverage during insurance claim negotiations. Working with an attorney helps you remain aware of these deadlines and may make it easier to get fair compensation.
Meet Our Attorney
Peyton Murphy
Peyton Murphy, a Louisiana lawyer with 30+ years of experience, specializes in personal injury cases. He founded Murphy Law Firm in Baton Rouge in 1993 and fights for his clients’ compensation.
Contact Peyton
FAQs
What Is the Drunk Driving Law in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a statewide drunk driving law pertaining to operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; however, these laws can vary depending on your parish or jurisdiction. When someone who is impaired causes an accident, they could be liable for the cost of the injuries and other damages they caused.
What State Has the Toughest Drunk Driving Laws?
Based on ratings by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 2019, Arizona had some of the toughest drunk driving laws, which are determined based on laws requiring ignition interlock devices, the existence and frequency of sobriety checkpoints, automatic license revocation, implied consent or no refusal requirements, and the severity of child endangerment laws.
Louisiana was ranked a little under the national average by MADD for the strictness of its drunk driving laws.
Can You File an Insurance Claim Against a Drunk Driver for an Accident?
Yes, you might be able to file an insurance claim against a drunk driver for an accident, although it depends on how the accident occurred. Drivers on the road owe each other a duty of care, and driving impaired breaches this duty of care. However, the driver must have also caused the accident because of their impairment. If the accident had happened regardless of the driver’s impairment, they likely couldn’t be held liable.
Why Is It Important to Hire a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Louisiana?
Although not required, you should hire a drunk driving accident lawyer in Louisiana to help protect your rights and get the support you need for financial recovery. An attorney helps you determine if you have the grounds for a claim, investigates the cause of the crash, and assesses who is the liable party or parties. They calculate what your damages are and how to get the most financial recovery after an accident.
Get Legal Support You Can Rely On
At Murphy Law Firm, we want to help injured individuals and families get the financial recovery they need to move forward. Reach out to our team today.
*All figures cited are correct as of early 2026, but are still subject to changes.
Louisiana Drunk Driving Resources
- Learn about the most common types of car accident injuries
- See current Louisiana car accident statistics
- Understand Louisiana car accident laws
- Find out how to get a police report after a car accident
- Learn what happens if you are hit by an uninsured driver in Louisiana
- What to Do After Car Accident in Louisiana?
- How Long After A Car Accident Can You File A Claim In Louisiana?
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