St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Combatting Drunk Driving and Protecting Missouri Lives

Someone else’s criminal negligence should not deter your future. If it has, you deserve to hold them accountable. Drunk driving is a preventable tragedy that disrupts lives and causes harm to individuals, families, and communities.

Our St. Louis drunk driving injury lawyers at DM Injury Law understand the traumatic impact these accidents can have and are committed to fighting for justice on behalf of drunk driving victims.

Get in contact with us today to schedule a free consultation and tell us your story. Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless we win your case.

Take a look at some of our successful case results for our drunk driving victims:

• $300,000: Our client’s wife died after being hit by a drunk driver after she stopped to help someone who had been in an accident.
• $250,000: Our client sustained a broken neck, herniated disk, broken rib, and concussion, and she broke both of her elbows after being hit by a drunk driver while riding with her daughter.
• $250,000: A drunk driver crossed into our clients’ lane and hit them head-on. Our clients received a broken left femur in two places, four broken ribs, back pain, whiplash, concussion, and PTSD.

How Common Are St. Louis Drunk Driving Car Accidents?

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of accidents and injuries. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, in 2022, there were 64 drunk driving or otherwise impaired car crashes in St. Louis and 669 in St. Louis County.

Operating a vehicle under the influence can affect reaction time, coordination, and judgment. This type of reckless behavior endangers not only the life of the driver but also any passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers on the road.

What Injuries Can I Receive from Drunk Driving Accidents?

Since drunk drivers have less control over their vehicles, the injuries sustained are typically more severe. Common catastrophic injuries from drunk driving accidents include:

• Amputations
• Brain or head injury
• Broken bones or fractures
• Burn injury
• Internal organ damage or bleeding
• Neck and back injury
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injury

In the worst of cases, drunk driving accidents can lead to the wrongful death of a loved one. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car crash with a drunk driver, reach out to a lawyer for guidance. Our St. Louis drunk driving accident attorneys can explore all possible ways to maximize the compensation you are eligible to receive.

What Damages Can I Seek After a Drunk Driving Car Crash?

After being involved in a personal injury case like a drunk driving accident, you have the ability to seek compensation for your injuries, mental anguish, property damages, and more. Teaming up with an experienced lawyer for drunk driving accidents in St. Louis can help you maximize your total amount of financial compensation.

There are 2 categories for personal injury damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are damages that compensate for measurable, out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages compensate for intangible losses that don’t have a direct financial cost.

Economic Damages

As a plaintiff, you may be able to seek compensation for:

• Current and future medical bills
• Rehabilitation and therapy
• Long-term care
• Past and future lost wages
• Property damage
• Funeral and burial costs (if the accident resulted in wrongful death)

Non-Economic Damages

As a plaintiff, you may be able to seek compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship
• PTSD
• Loss of independence
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement

Missouri’s Dram Shop Liability Law

Missouri has strict laws in place to deter drunk driving, like implementing blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits, administrative and criminal penalties, and even felony charges.  

Those seeking compensation from a drunk driving accident can recover damages from the driver for a variety of reasons. In addition, due to the Missouri Dram shop law, damages can also be pursued from the bar or restaurant that overserved the driver.

Dram shop laws apply to the following scenarios:

• Bars or restaurants that continued serving alcohol to a “visibly intoxicated person” who showed signs like slurred speech and difficulty walking.
• The establishment served alcohol to an individual under the legal drinking age of 21.

These laws may not apply to every drunk driving case, which is why it’s beneficial to hire a St. Louis drunk driving crash lawyer for legal representation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Drunk Driving Injury Claim in St. Louis?

• Missouri: The statute of limitations for filing a drunk driving accident claim is 5 years.
• Illinois: The statute of limitations for filing a drunk driving accident claim is 2 years.

What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Drunk Driving Accident Case?

In order to receive compensation after a drunk driving crash, your attorney needs to prove that the at-fault driver was acting negligently when the accident occurred. That means proving 4 things:

1. The intoxicated driver had a duty of care to ensure your safety.
2. This duty was violated when the driver operated a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
3. The driver’s impairment directly led to an accident, which caused your injuries.
4. As a result, you have sustained damages.

If you believe the at-fault driver was drunk during the accident, tell the responding police officers. They may be able to arrest the perpetrator, creating more evidence for your claim. Speak to a DUI accident lawyer in St. Louis if you need assistance with your claim or gathering evidence.

DM Injury Law is Here for You

We are committed to holding drunk drivers accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one has been affected by a drunk driving accident, reach out to our team today. Our goal is to help you secure the compensation you deserve while providing compassionate support and aggressive legal representation.  

You will not only have access to our experienced St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyers, but you also have access to our support staff of case managers, medical record specialists, and investigators. We all work hard to make sure your claim is as strong as possible.

DM Injury Law offers free consultations and works on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t collect a penny from you unless we win. 

Past results obtained on behalf of clients afford no guarantee of future results, and every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.