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(314) 500-HURTIf you or a loved one has been hurt due to the selfishness and recklessness of a driver who made the decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle drunk, call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation and to start on the road to recovery.
Nearly a third of all traffic fatalities in the United States are caused by drunk driving. In every state, it is illegal to drive drunk, yet, on average according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one person is killed in a drunk driving accident every 45 minutes. Locally, the numbers are just as staggering – in Missouri, 26.7 percent of the driving deaths in 2019 were alcohol related while in Greater St. Louis it is 28.4 percent. This needs to stop.
We have seen firsthand the countless St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois residents who sustained severe injuries due to a drunk driving accidents, even some who have unfortunately lost their lives. Drunk drivers face charges for their decision to drive under the influence and may end up paying fines, losing their license, going to jail and having to attend an alcohol treatment program. Individuals who make the decision to drink and drive must be held responsible for their negligent actions and for the damages they have caused. Many are repeat offenders. The St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger Law sue drunk drivers to make sure you and your family collect recovery, but also so that drunk drivers face the maximum punishment and think twice about doing that again.
If you are dealing with injuries sustained in an accident caused by a drunk driver, find out how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator. Call Burger Law as soon as possible at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online contact form to schedule a no-obligation case review.
According to Missouri Revised Statute §577.010, driving while intoxicated is a felony when it causes injury to another person. Drunk driving carries harsh penalties and punishments, including:
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:
How Does Alcohol Affect a Driver and Increase the Likelihood of a St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident?
It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content over .08 percent or under the influence of a controlled substance in St. Louis. However, even lower amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive. The table below shows how different levels of alcohol in one’s system affects the ability to drive
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.
States have dram shop rules, under which you may be able to sue a Missouri or Illinois 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 and the Illinois Liquor Control Act, 235 Illinois Compiled Statute 5/6-21.
What Are the Specific Dram Shop Rules in Missouri and Illinois?
Generally speaking, Missouri prohibits dram shop liability. However, there are two important exceptions where you can still make a claim:
§537.053 also states that a blood alcohol content above .08% alone is not prima facie, or legally sufficient to support liability. You and your drunk driving accident lawyer in St. Louis will have to prove the establishment and their employees saw physical impairment, such as:
Illinois is unusual in that the person who is liable for your injuries did not have to be “visibly intoxicated” in order for a vendor to be found liable. 235 ILCS 5/6-21 allows you to make a claim against a licensed liquor vendor if:
What Damages Can I Recover After a St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident?
When you file a personal injury claim with our St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers, we will make sure you get compensation for every way in which your injuries have affected your life, including:
What Can a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in St. Louis Do For Me?
Call Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online. Our skilled, experienced and tenacious St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers can ensure you get justice and the best possible financial recovery by:
The St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers at Burger Law are passionate about getting our clients throughout Missouri and Illinois maximum compensation for their injuries and damages. We understand how severe injuries can impact your physical, mental and financial health, and we are ready to help you fully recover.
Call our drunk driving lawyer team in St. Louis right now for a free, no-obligation case review at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.
Other car accident cases we take on in St. Louis and throughout Missouri and Illinois include:
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