Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Pennsylvania

Immediate Investigative Resources. A Century of Results.

When a drunk driver injures you or someone you love, the decisions made in the days immediately after the crash can affect how much compensation you ultimately recover. At Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC, our drunk driving accident attorneys are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars for accident victims throughout Central Pennsylvania, and as one of Harrisburg’s oldest and largest law firms, founded in 1922, we have the depth of resources to move fast when it matters most.

What separates us from other firms handling these claims is our full-time, on-staff investigator whose sole job is to find out what happened and who is responsible. In drunk driving cases, evidence disappears quickly. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Witnesses’ memories fade. Having an investigator who can act the moment we take your case means you don’t lose ground while your injuries are still fresh.

Call (888) 498-3023 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Drunk Driving Crashes in Pennsylvania: What the Numbers Show

According to PennDOT’s 2023 crash data, there were 8,337 alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania that year, resulting in approximately 308 deaths. Alcohol-related crashes accounted for 25 percent of all traffic fatalities in the Commonwealth, and alcohol-involved crashes were more than four times more likely to result in death than crashes without an impaired driver. PennDOT’s 2024 report shows fatalities dropped to 342, a meaningful reduction, but drunk driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes in the state. Behind each of those statistics is a real person whose life was changed by someone else’s choice to drive impaired.

Criminal DUI Charges & Your Civil Injury Claim

One of the most common misconceptions victims bring into a first consultation is the belief that a criminal acquittal ends their options. It doesn’t. Criminal DUI cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Your civil injury claim requires only a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it’s more likely than not that the driver’s conduct caused your harm. These are two separate proceedings with two separate standards, and the outcome of one doesn’t control the other.

Evidence gathered during the criminal investigation, including police reports, blood alcohol content (BAC) results, and arrest records, can be used directly in your civil case. Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence rule also matters here: you can still recover compensation as long as you weren’t more than 50 percent at fault, though your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance carriers routinely try to shift partial blame onto victims to limit payouts. We anticipate that tactic and build cases that counter it from the start.

Pennsylvania drivers who selected limited tort insurance should know that an exception may apply in drunk driving crashes. If the at-fault driver is convicted of DUI or accepts Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD), limited tort restrictions may not prevent you from recovering full damages. That detail can make a substantial financial difference. It’s also one reason speaking with a Pennsylvania car accident lawyer early matters so much.

Pennsylvania Dram Shop Law & Bar Liability

Under Pennsylvania’s Dram Shop Law, bars, restaurants, and other establishments that serve alcohol can be held liable when they serve a visibly intoxicated patron who then causes a crash. In cases involving underage drivers, social hosts, or individuals who serve alcohol to minors at private events, may face similar liability. These claims open an additional avenue of recovery that’s especially significant when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.

Establishing dram shop liability requires showing that the establishment served someone who was visibly intoxicated. This factual determination demands swift evidence collection. Our investigative process includes pinpointing where the driver was drinking before the crash, obtaining surveillance footage from the establishment, gathering witness testimony, and identifying whether the bar or server violated their legal duty. This isn’t a routine checklist. It’s targeted investigation conducted by a full-time professional whose only job is building your case.

In 2025, Attorney Gerald Kincel secured a $2.2 million settlement in a Pennsylvania dram shop case, holding both the drunk driver and the bar that overserved them accountable for a client who sustained permanent injuries. That result reflects the multi-party liability strategy we bring to these cases throughout Central Pennsylvania.

Evidence That Supports a Civil DUI Injury Claim

Building a civil claim against a drunk driver requires evidence that establishes fault and supports the full measure of damages you’re seeking. The same evidence used in criminal DUI prosecution can often support dram shop liability when it places the driver at a specific venue before the crash. Our attorneys and on-staff investigator work together to gather and preserve:

• Police reports documenting driver behavior, field sobriety results, and any DUI charges filed
• BAC or breathalyzer results establishing the driver’s blood alcohol content at the time of the crash
• Witness statements from people at the scene and, in dram shop cases, from bar staff or other patrons
• Medical records linking your specific injuries to the collision
• Crash reconstruction reports demonstrating how the accident occurred and who was at fault
• Surveillance or dashcam footage from the crash site or the establishment where the driver was drinking
• Social media activity or text messages indicating the driver’s condition before getting behind the wheel

What to Do After a Drunk Driving Crash in Central Pennsylvania

The steps you take in the hours and days after a DUI crash can affect your ability to recover. Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the incident, but evidence disappears far faster than that deadline approaches.

• Call 911 immediately. Report the accident and tell the dispatcher you suspect alcohol was involved so officers respond with that in mind.
• Seek medical attention. Adrenaline can mask injuries that surface days later. A documented medical exam creates the record your claim depends on.
• Document the scene. Photograph vehicles, road conditions, and visible injuries. Collect names and contact information from any witnesses.
• Cooperate with police. Provide a clear statement of what you observed and ask how to obtain a copy of the report.
• Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. Their adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. Let your attorney handle those communications.
• Contact a drunk driving accident attorney. Early involvement lets us preserve evidence, identify all liable parties, and protect your rights before anything is lost.

Compensation Available to Drunk Driving Accident Victims

A successful civil claim can include a wide range of damages. Economic losses, including medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and property damage, form the foundation of most claims. Non-economic losses, including pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, are also recoverable. In cases where the driver’s conduct was especially reckless, Pennsylvania courts may award punitive damages. These go beyond compensating the victim and are meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior.

If the at-fault driver carried little or no insurance, you may be able to recover through your own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. We review all available sources of recovery so that a judgment-proof driver doesn’t become a dead end.

Why Central Pennsylvania Victims Choose HHR

Our firm has won tens of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured Pennsylvanians, helping over 40,000 clients since our founding in 1922. Multiple attorneys on our team are members of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and have been named to Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC has also been included in Best Lawyers and ranked in the Best Lawyers Best Law Firms list. We bring that record to every drunk driving accident claim we handle in Central Pennsylvania.

If we take your case, there are no upfront costs. You pay nothing unless we win. Our attorneys travel statewide to meet clients at home or in the hospital, so geography is never a barrier to getting started.

Call (888) 498-3023 for a free consultation. We can answer your questions, lay out your legal options, and help you decide on next steps. Serving clients throughout Carlisle, Hanover, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Schuylkill County, and York.