Tennessee has clear laws against driving after consuming more than a small amount of alcohol. Anyone who gets behind the wheel while experiencing alcohol-induced impairment breaks the law. So does anyone whose blood alcohol level is above the limit of 0.08% established in state code, even if they don’t display obvious signs of impairment.
One of the reasons there are such strict rules against drunk driving is how strong the correlation between alcohol use and fatal crashes is. People who made responsible choices can lose their lives in crashes caused by people who ignored the law and the risks. Drunk driving collisions in Tennessee can easily lead to wrongful death lawsuits against the drivers who were under the influence.
Breaking the law is a wrongful act
Tennessee defines wrongful death as a fatality that results from the misconduct or negligence of a person or business. Drunk driving is arguably negligent behavior given that people know how dangerous it can be.
However, more important than that, it is clearly a wrongful act and a violation of state law. If the state arrests the person who caused the crash for drunk driving, even if they don’t get charged with vehicular homicide, the surviving dependent family members of the victim of the crash may be able to take civil action against the drunk driver.
The drunk driver can be held accountable for everything from funeral expenses incurred because of the collision to the wages that someone cannot earn after their death. Learning about wrongful death lawsuits can help those coping with the recent loss seek justice for their family.