Vancouver, WA Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Drunk driving crashes are among the most preventable and most devastating collisions on Vancouver’s roads, and they cluster around the bars and restaurants of downtown Vancouver and Uptown Village, along with the I-5 and I-205 corridors late at night and on weekends. A driver who chooses to drive impaired is held to the same negligence standard as any other driver, and often faces criminal charges alongside the civil claim. If a drunk driver injured you in Vancouver, the drunk driving accident lawyers at DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law can help you recover what Washington law allows.

Why Choose A Vancouver Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer From DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law?

Our firm has handled drunk driving accident claims across the Portland-Vancouver metro area since 2008, including cases filed at Clark County Superior Court. We take a limited number of cases so each client works directly with an attorney, we advance all case costs, and we charge nothing unless we recover compensation. We coordinate the civil claim with the criminal case against the driver, using the police investigation and any DUI conviction to strengthen your recovery.

Where Drunk Driving Accidents Happen in Vancouver

The crashes we see most often happen late at night and on weekends near the bars and restaurants of downtown Vancouver and Uptown Village, and on I-5, I-205, and SR-14 during late-night hours. Crashes on the freeways are investigated by the Washington State Patrol, while city streets fall to Vancouver Police, and our attorneys move quickly to obtain the police report, blood alcohol results, and any dashcam or body camera footage.

Washington Drunk Driving Laws and How They Apply to Your Claim

A driver with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is presumed impaired under Washington law, and a DUI citation or conviction is powerful evidence of negligence in your civil claim. Washington also has a dram shop law under RCW 66.44.200 that can hold a bar or restaurant liable for overserving a visibly intoxicated patron who then causes a crash, though Washington does not impose the short 180-day pre-suit notice Oregon requires for dram shop claims. Unlike Oregon, Washington generally does not allow punitive damages against the drunk driver, even though the conduct was reckless; recovery is limited to compensatory damages. Washington’s pure comparative fault rule under RCW 4.22.005 still allows you to recover even if the insurer argues you share some fault.

Damages Available to Vancouver Drunk Driving Accident Victims

You can recover economic damages, including medical bills, future treatment, and lost wages, and noneconomic damages for pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Washington does not cap noneconomic damages. Drunk driving crashes often cause severe injuries because impaired drivers frequently fail to brake or swerve before impact; our personal injury practice handles the more catastrophic cases, and our Vancouver wrongful death page covers fatal crashes.

How Long Do You Have to File a Drunk Driving Accident Lawsuit in Washington?

Washington’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, RCW 4.16.080, gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit, and that deadline remains in effect as of 2026. A dram shop claim against a bar or restaurant follows the same three-year deadline, though evidence like surveillance footage and receipts disappears quickly, so acting fast matters.

What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Vancouver

Call 911 and make sure the driver is tested for impairment at the scene. Get medical attention right away. Photograph the scene and your injuries. Get the responding officer’s name and the report number. Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurer before speaking with a lawyer. For other types of crashes in Clark County, see our Vancouver personal injury lawyer page.

Contact A Vancouver Drunk Driving Accident Attorney From DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law

If you were injured by a drunk driver in Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, or anywhere in Clark County, DuBois Law Group – PDX Injury Law offers a free consultation and charges no fee unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us online or call (503) 222-4411 today.