Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers St. Louis, Missouri

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in St. Louis and Missouri. Burger Law's drunk accident driving lawyers have seen firsthand the devastation that a drunk driving accident can have on the injured and their families. If you or a family member has been hurt because another driver behaved dangerously and broke the rules, the drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you receive the maximum compensation you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation and to start on your road to recovery.

We know you are hurt, confused, and depending on the severity of the crash, are possibly facing years of medical treatments or even the wrongful death of a loved one. We understand the pain you feel and will fight to get you a full financial recovery to help make you and your family whole again and start on the road to recovery. We want to see drunk drivers punished so they cannot make another family feel the same desolation you do. The Missouri and St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger law sue drunk drivers so that not only can your family collect the full recovery you deserve, but so the driver faces the maximum punishment possible and thinks twice before recklessly putting other people in harm's way by breaking the rules of the road again. When you hire Burger Law, we start working on your case right away. We handle all communication, documentation and litigation and charge no fees until we win your case. We have over two decades of experience standing up to bullies like deceitful insurance companies, and we file suit at the first hint of a low settlement offer. We know how to make resistant insurance companies pay up, and if they refuse to give you the money you deserve we will use our finely-honed trial skills to win your case in court. Make sure you call us at (314) 500-HURT before accepting any settlement offer.

While it is shocking somebody could be so reckless as to get behind the wheel when they are drunk, it is even more surprising that many times resistant insurance companies try to get out of paying the compensation you are owed. Burger Law's team of drunk driving accident lawyers stand up to bullies like drivers who think the rules do not apply to them or insurance companies who try to avoid their obligation. While a Missouri prosecutor in criminal court will likely charge a reckless driver who has caused a drunk driving accident, you will still need the skills of an experienced drunk driving accident attorney to recover maximum compensation in a civil claim. In a personal injury case, anybody who violates a statute without an excuse is automatically considered to have breached their duty of care and is automatically negligent under the law. That means that if a drunk driver has injured you, you are entitled to compensation no matter what.

If you were injured by a reckless and irresponsible drunk driver, see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

How Common is Drunk Driving in Missouri and the U.S.?

Drunk driving statistics can be pretty sobering. Every day 28 people die in accidents caused by drunk drivers, or about one person every 52 minutes. While drunk driving accidents and fatalities have steadily been on the decline since 1982, drunk drivers still account for 29% of total traffic fatalities as of 2018. While awareness campaigns and stiff punishments for drunk driving have certainly helped, some reckless St. Louis and Missouri individuals still make the irresponsible and terrible decision to put others at risk just so they can have a good time and avoid paying for an Uber. When that happens and you or a loved one are injured, you deserve to be fairly compensated with a full recovery and the negligent driver needs to pay for breaking the rules. The St. Louis and Missouri drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger Law will fight to make sure that you receive maximum compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. We know the catastrophic impact a drunk driving crash can have on you and your family and we will not rest until all of your damages are paid for.

Drunk Driving Laws in Missouri and St. Louis

According to Missouri Revised Statute §577.010, driving while intoxicated is a felony when the act causes injury to another person. Drunk driving carries harsh penalties and punishments, including:

• For a first offender, up to six months in jail and a $500 fine, as well as having their license suspended for 30 days and a 60-day period of restricted driving.
• After a second offense within five years, a drunk driver can face up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine and having their license revoked for one year.
• Persistent, aggravated and chronic offenders are people with a third, fourth and fifth DWI. Their licenses are revoked and they face years in prison and fines of up to $5,000.

If the drunk driver causes an accident that injures another person, they will face felony charges that vary based on the details of the crash:

• A class E felony if anyone is injured, which results in up to four years in a local jail and a maximum fine of $10,000.
• A class D felony if the crash causes "serious" bodily injury, which carries two to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
• A class C felony if the drunk driving accident results in either a death or an injury to a first responder, which carries a fine of up to $10,000 and three to ten years in prison.
• A class B felony in the injury causes the death of a first responder, which carries five to 15 years in prison.
• A class A felony if someone is caught driving drunk after already having been convicted of a class B felony.

How Alcohol Affects Driving | Missouri Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

While the legal limit for alcohol consumption before driving is .08% blood alcohol concentration, even a level of just .02% is enough to significantly impair someone's ability to drive. At .02% blood alcohol concentration you experience a decline in visual functions, inability to perform two tasks simultaneously, a change in mood and loss of judgment. At .05% - the product of about three drinks - a driver experiences reduced coordination, reduced ability to track moving objects, difficulty steering and a slower response to emergency situations. It is imperative to exercise great caution and always have someone else drive if you have been drinking. Unfortunately, sometimes you can follow all the rules ourselves and still experience the devastating consequences of a reckless St. Louis motorist disregarding your safety, driving drunk and injuring you or a loved one. Knowing that the negligent driver will likely face criminal charges, steep fees, restrictions on their license and possibly jail time is not enough. You need the knowledgeable and talented Missouri drunk driving accident lawyers of Burger law to make sure you recover fair compensation for all of your damages. If a drunk driver injured you or a family member, call Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT to discuss your options and start on the path to healing and being made whole again.

View More FAQs

Missouri Drunk Driving Accidents: Frequently Asked Questions

Most Missouri residents who need to hire a drunk driving accident lawyer have never been involved in a personal injury claims process, and as such have a lot of questions regarding their claim and how to best move forward. Some of the most common questions we receive are:

• Who is liable for my drunk driving accident?

  According to the legal doctrine of negligence per se, anyone who violates a state statute and injures you is automatically liable for your injuries. That means that if someone drives with a BAC over the legal limit and injures you, they are liable. But, in some cases you may also be able to make a claim against the vendor who sold them alcohol.

  Many states have what is called a dram shop rule, under which you may be able to sue a Missouri bar or restaurant for your drunk driving accident injuries if they knowingly overserved the patron who caused your injuries or served alcohol to someone they knew was under 21, according to Missouri Revised Statute §537.053. The vendor must be a place where a purchased alcohol drink is meant to be drunk on the premises, so a liquor store or grocery store does not count.

• Can I file a lawsuit if the drunk driver was found not guilty in criminal court?

  Yes, you should make a claim against the driver regardless of the outcome of their criminal case. Talented criminal defense lawyers can get their clients to avoid a conviction in a variety of ways, often due to police report errors or issues with a breathalyzer test. But a criminal conviction, while it will help your case, has no direct bearing on your civil case. The criminal and civil court processes are different in several ways:

  • The burden of proof in criminal cases is "beyond a reasonable doubt," but in a civil case it is called a preponderance of the evidence, which is much lower. That means you and your drunk driving accident lawyers will only have to prove it is more likely than not that the driver was drunk and caused your injuries, meaning a mistake in police reporting might not kill your case.
  • In a criminal case the state brings charges in order to punish the drunk driver, deter others from similar behavior and keep dangerous drivers off the roads. In a civil case, you are making a claim against the driver in order to receive compensation for your injuries and be made whole again.
  • While criminal courts may sometimes require a drunk driver to pay you some money after a guilty verdict, you will need to file a civil claim with a skilled drunk driving accident lawyer to receive compensation for all of your damages.
• Can I receive punitive damages in drunk driving accident claim?

  When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we always seek punitive damages. Not only does that help secure you the money you deserve, but it also helps secure a fair settlement from the insurance company as punitive damages are not covered under insurance policies. Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute §510.261, you and your drunk driving accident lawyers can seek punitive damages in personal injury claims if you can show "by clear and convincing evidence" that the defendant acted with "deliberate and flagrant disregard for the safety of other." At Burger Law, we believe that anyone who gets behind the wheel while drunk knows exactly how reckless they are being.

• What can I do if I was hit by a drunk driver and they drove off?

  Unfortunately, hit and run accidents are common in drunk driving cases because some drivers want to avoid criminal charges and selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their actions. If that happens, do not try to chase down the other driver. All that will do is endanger others on the road.

  Instead, take a picture of their vehicle if you can. If they drive away too fast, write down everything you remember about the car and as much of the license plate number as possible. Then, call the police. With your description they may be able to locate the driver, or check if a similar car was pulled over for drunk driving that same night. If the driver cannot be located, your drunk driving accident lawyer can still help you recover maximum compensation by filing an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.

• What damages can I recover after a drunk driving accident?

  When you file a personal injury claim with our drunk driving accident lawyers, we will ensure you receive compensation for every way in which your injuries have affected your life. Not just for the damage to your car, not just for your emergency room visit or the inconvenience, but for everything. That includes:

  • The entirety of your medical expenses — That includes any urgent care, surgeries, medications, chiropractic or physical therapy appointments and assistive devices such as crutches or wheelchairs. You will also be reimbursed for any treatment, joint replacements or replacement assistive devices you may need in the future.
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity — You will receive the full amount of the wages you lost from not being able to work while you recovered. If your injury resulted in a disability that no longer allows you to work, we will also help you receive compensation for the money you would have earned but are no longer able to.
  • The mental, physical and emotional burdens your injury has caused — Often referred to as pain and suffering, this compensates you for your ability to enjoy life as you used to, the physical pain you feel, PTSD, the mental distress the injury has caused you and any possible disfigurement. For example, if you can no longer pick up your kids without excruciating back pain, you need to be reimbursed for that.
• What can Missouri drunk driving accident lawyers do for my claim?

  Skilled, experienced and tenacious drunk driving accident lawyers can ensure you get justice and the best possible financial recovery by:

  • Investigating your claim fully, including acquiring police reports, eyewitness testimony and medical records
  • Ensuring you get the full medical treatment you need to recover
  • Consulting with economic and medical experts to precisely value your damages
  • Combating the tricks insurance companies use to devalue your claim
  • Proving negligence on the part of the drunk driver
  • Negotiating a fair settlement with the insurance adjuster
  • Filing a lawsuit when the insurance company is not being fair
  • Taking your case to court if we cannot secure a fair settlement in mediation
  • Standing by your side and fighting on your behalf until you are made whole again

If you have any other questions about your claim, call a St. Louis-based Missouri drunk driving accident lawyer at Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT. We answer any and all questions for free.

The effects of being injured in a drunk driving accident can be devastating and may cause lifelong tribulations for you and your family. In the most tragic cases, a loved one may have died and you now have to stare down decades of not having them by your side anymore. Burger Law will fight by your side to get you the full recovery you deserve. Somebody else's recklessness and terrible decisions should not mean you have to face down medical expenses, lost wages and unfathomable mental anguish without the possibility of respite. Trust in the experienced and knowledgeable drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger Law to secure the maximum compensation you deserve and help protect your family's future. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation and to start on your journey to being made whole again.