Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Florissant, MO

Call (314) 451-1314 for a Free Consultation and Case Evaluation.

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Florissant, MO. We all have a responsibility to each other to heed the rules of the road and keep each other safe. When another driver gets behind the wheel when they’re drunk, they’re making a terribly self-centered and reckless choice. If you or a loved one was hurt as a result of that decision, you deserve to pursue justice in the form of a financial recovery. Auto wrecks and the injuries that come with them are always unanticipated, and the financial effects from medical bills and lost wages are instant and harsh. Halvorsen Klote Davis’s Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers have dedicated their careers to giving the injured and vulnerable in Missouri and Southern Illinois the same high standard of legal advocacy that large corporations have. If you were injured because another person made the terrible decision to drive drunk, call HK Law today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online.

Drunk Driving Statistics | Florissant, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Though drunk driving fatalities have decreased by almost half since 1982, there are still way too many people on the Florissant, MO roads who put others in danger by getting behind the wheel drunk. When they do and end up injuring you, the Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis will fight for you to make sure they are held accountable and you receive the full financial recovery you need to be made whole again.

As stated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 28 people die each day in drunk driving collisions, which amounts to one person every 52 minutes, and more than 10,000 people annually. According to reporting from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in both Illinois and Missouri, 2.2 percent of drivers confessed driving after having too much to drink in the last 30 days. The annual cost of drunk driving crashes in the United States totals over $44 billion.

The Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium found that in 2021 alcohol and drug impaired driving contributed to 4,027 motor vehicle wreck injuries and 287 deaths, 8 percent and 28 percent of the state’s total traffic injuries and fatalities, respectively.

The Illinois 2020 Crash Facts found that 19.7 percent of the 1,088 fatal crashes in the state involved alcohol. Of 448 drivers who perished and were tested for alcohol, 37.1 percent tested positive.

If you’ve been injured because someone else drove drunk in Florissant, MO, call HK Law’s drunk driving accident lawyers today at (314) 451-1314.

What Are the Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties in My State? | Florissant, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

In both Missouri and Illinois, it is against the law for somebody to drive or be in ”actual physical control” of a motor vehicle:

With a blood alcohol concentration of at least .08
While impaired by alcohol
While under the influence of alcoholand/or illegal substances to the point that a person is rendered incapable of driving safely

The two states differ a bit in terms of consequences:

Missouri

First offense: Up to half a year in jail, fines not exceeding $1,000, a license revocation of 30 days and the possibility of having an ignition-blocking breathalyzer placed on your vehicle.
Second offense: Up to 1 year in jail, fine no greater than $2,000, a license revocation of 1 year and an ignition-blocking breathalyzer placed on your vehicle for at least 6 months.
Third offense: Up to 4 years in jail, fine not exceeding $10,000, a license revocation of 10 years and the the ignition interlock device placed on your vehicle for a minimum of 6 months.

Illinois

First offense: Up to 1 year in jail, fines not exceeding $2,500 and a license revocation of 1 year.
Second offense: A range of 5 to 364 days in prison, fines up to $2,500 and a license revocation of 5 years.
Third offense: A range of 10 days to 7 years in prison, fines no greater than $25,000 and a license revocation of 10 years.

While it’s a good thing that there are severe penalties for people who drive while intoxicated, it doesn’t help you receive compensation for your damages. Occasionally, drunk drivers can avoid a criminal conviction or plead guilty to a lower charge. The Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis will still be able to hold them to blame in your civil case and get you full compensation for your injuries.

The following are some informational links and FAQs from your HK Law Drunk Driver Accident Lawyers in Florissant, MO:

Who is to Blame for My Injuries? | Florissant, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

While a drunk driver is obviously to blame for your injuries pursuant to the negligence per se doctrine, there could be other people who are liable. Missouri and Illinois each have what we call dram shop laws, whereby your drunk driving accident lawyers can assist you in holding a restaurant, or other licensed alcohol vendor liable. Again, the laws vary between the two states:

Missouri

Under Missouri Revised Statute §537.053, your drunk driving accident lawyers must show two things in order to secure a victory in a dram shop case:

If the customer was “visibly intoxicated,” which means they showed:
- Substantially uncoordinated physical action
- Considerable physical dysfunction
If the restaurant or bartender or server was aware or should have been aware of the fact that the patron was under the age of 21

Revised Statute §537.053 also stipulates that a blood alcohol content of over .08% by itself is not prima facie, or legally sufficient to show liability. You and your drunk driving accident lawyers need to show the bar or restaurant and their employees saw physical impairment, such as:

Falling
Slurring when they talk
Dropping their drink
Knocking objects over
Extremely impaired motor movements

Illinois

Illinois’s Dram Shop Law is atypical in that the person who caused you harm did not need to be “visibly intoxicated” in order for a vendor to be to blame. 235 ILCS 5/6-21, the Illinois Liquor Control Act, permits an injured person to make a claim against a licensed liquor vendor if:

A vendor-patron relationship existed, meaning you can show that the vendor sold the drunk driver alcohol.
You can show that the alcohol sold by the bar caused the drunk driver’s drunkenness.
You can demonstrate that the driver’s intoxication was the proximate cause of your injuries.

Each year, the Illinois Office of Comptroller is obliged to set liability caps for Dram Shop cases. As of January 20, 2022 those caps are:

$77,787.30 for each person who suffered damages
$95,073.37 per individual when an injury or death resulted in either loss of support or loss of society.

Injured in Florissant, MO? Call Us.

What Compensation Can I Collect? | Florissant, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

The financial recovery you receive will be based on the gravity of your injuries and the knowledge of your drunk driving accident lawyers. When you hire Halvorsen Klote Davis, we’ll fight to get you a full financial recovery for:

Economic damages, including:

Lost wages for time you could not work owing to your injuries
Lost earning potential if your injuries result in an impairment that doesn’t allow you to perform the tasks of your job anymore
Medical costs, for instance
- Emergency room visits
- Follow up doctors appointments
- Surgeries
- Physical rehabilitation
- Medication
- In-home medical care
- Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or needed improvements to your vehicle
- Future approximated medical costs, such as further physical therapy or medication, or replacement costs for assistive devices or joint replacements
- Transportation costs to and from medical care
- Property damage, such as damage to your vehicle

Noneconomic damages, such as:

Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Inconvenience
Physical impairment
Disfigurement
Loss of capacity to enjoy life
Loss of consortium

The Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis have the experience, tenacity, and legal skills necessary to secure you the best possible compensation that you deserve.

Other personal injury cases we take in Florissant, MO are:

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Florissant, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers | Halvorsen Klote Davis

You should not have to pay because another driver made a reckless decision, and you do not have to go through this confusing process alone. The Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis are compassionate, skilled, and accomplished in holding drunk drivers liable in Florissant, MO for their reckless actions. We keep you informed throughout the whole legal process, and give you every piece of information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Call the Florissant, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of HK Law today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online.