Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Hazelwood, MO

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Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Hazelwood, MO. We all owe it to each other to respect the rules of the road and prioritize each other’s safety. When another driver drives drunk, they’re making an extremely self-centered and thoughtless decision. If you or a family member was hurt as a result of that decision, you deserve to seek justice in the form of a financial recovery. Motor vehicle accidents and the injuries that accompany them are always unanticipated, and the financial effects from medical costs and lost wages are sudden and profound. Halvorsen Klote Davis’s Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers have pledged their lives to giving the injured and vulnerable in Missouri and Southern Illinois the same high quality legal advocacy that large insurance companies have. If you were injured because somebody made the horrible decision to drive drunk, call HK Law today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online.

Drunk Driving Statistics | Hazelwood, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

While drunk driving fatalities have decreased 45 percent since 1982, there are still far too many people on the Hazelwood, MO roads who put others in danger by drinking and driving. When they do and harm you, the Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis will stand by your side and make certain they are held accountable and you collect the best possible compensation you need to heal.

According to reporting from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 28 people die every day in drunk driving collisions, which adds up to one fatality 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 admitted to driving after drinking too much in the last 30 days. The yearly cost associated with drunk driving accidents nationwide is over $44 billion.

The Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium reports that in 2021 alcohol and drug impaired driving was a factor in 4,027 car accident injuries and 287 fatalities, 8 percent and 28 percent of the state’s total traffic-related injuries and fatalities, respectively.

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

If you’ve been hurt because somebody else drove drunk in Hazelwood, 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? | Hazelwood, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

In both Missouri and Illinois, it is unlawful for somebody to drive or be in ”actual physical control” of an automobile:

With a BAC of at least .08
While under the influence of alcohol
While under the influence of alcoholand/or illegal substances to an extent that makes the person incapable of driving safely

The two states differ somewhat in terms of penalties:

Missouri

First offense: Up to half a year in jail, fines not exceeding $1,000, a license revocation of 30 days and potentially having an ignition-blocking breathalyzer placed in your car.
Second offense: Up to 1 year in jail, fine of up to $2,000, a license revocation of 1 year and the ignition interlock device placed in your car for at least 6 months.
Third offense: Up to 4 years in jail, fine up to $10,000, a license revocation for a decade and the an ignition-blocking breathalyzer placed on your vehicle for at least 6 months.

Illinois

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

Even though it may be encouraging that there are severe penalties for drunk drivers, criminal penalties don’t help you recover compensation for your injuries. Sometimes, drunk drivers can evade a criminal conviction or plead guilty to a lower charge. The Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis will still be able to hold them accountable in your civil case and get you the best possible financial recovery for your injuries.

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

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

While a drunk driver is obviously to blame for your injuries according to the negligence per se doctrine, there may be other parties who are at fault. Missouri and Illinois each have what are referred to dram shop laws, whereby your drunk driving accident lawyers can help you hold a restaurant, or other licensed alcohol vendor liable. Again, the rules differ between the two states:

Missouri

Following Missouri Revised Statute §537.053, your drunk driving accident lawyers must show two things in order to be successful a dram shop case:

If the drunk driver was “visibly intoxicated,” meaning they exhibited:
- Significantly uncoordinated physical behavior
- Extreme physical dysfunction
If the bar or their employee was aware of the fact that or “should have known” that the patron was under the age of 21

Revised Statute §537.053 also stipulates that a blood alcohol content of over .08% alone is not prima facie, or legally adequate to demonstrate fault. You and your drunk driving accident lawyers need to show the establishment and their employees saw physical impairment, such as:

Falling
Slurred speech
Spilling their drink
Knocking objects over
Extremely impaired motor movements

Illinois

Illinois’s Dram Shop Law is uncommon in that the person who caused you harm did not need to be “visibly intoxicated” in order for a vendor to be liable. 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 was established, meaning you can demonstrate that the vendor sold the drunk driver alcohol.
You can prove that the alcohol sold by the bar or restaurant caused the drunk driver’s inebriation.
You can demonstrate that the driver’s inebriation was the proximate cause of your injuries.

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

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

Injured in Hazelwood, MO? Call Us.

What Compensation Can I Recover? | Hazelwood, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

The compensation you receive will count on the significance of your injuries and the knowledge of your drunk driving accident lawyers. When you hire Halvorsen Klote Davis, we’ll fight to deliver you a complete financial recovery for:

Economic damages, including:

Lost wages for time spent off work recovering
Lost earning capacity if your injuries result in an impairment that prohibits you from performing the tasks of your job anymore
Medical costs, for instance
- Emergency room bills
- Follow up doctors appointments
- Surgeries
- Physical rehabilitation
- Medication
- In-home medical care
- Assistive devices such as crutches or necessary upgrades to your home
- Future estimated medical expenses, such as further physical therapy or medication, or replacement costs for assistive devices or joint replacements
- Transportation costs to and from medical treatment
- Property damage, such as damage to your car

Noneconomic damages, such as:

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

The Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis have the experience, persistence, and legal knowledge needed to secure you the best possible compensation that you are owed.

Other cases we take in Hazelwood, MO are:

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Hazelwood, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers | Halvorsen Klote Davis

You should not have to pay because somebody else made an irresponsible decision, and you do not need to navigate this difficult time alone. The Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis are understanding, talented, and accomplished in holding drunk drivers liable in Hazelwood, MO for their irresponsible actions. We keep you informed throughout the entire legal process, and give you every piece of information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. Call the Hazelwood, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of HK Law today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online.