Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Osage Beach, MO

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Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers in Osage Beach, MO. We all have a responsibility to other people to respect the rules of the road and keep each other safe. When another driver drives drunk, they’re making an incredibly selfish and irresponsible choice. If you or someone you love was harmed as a consequence that decision, you are entitled to pursue justice through a financial recovery. Auto crashes and the subsequent injuries are always unforeseen, and the financial reverberations from medical costs and lost wages are instantaneous and profound. Halvorsen Klote Davis’s Osage Beach, MO drunk driving accident lawyers have committed their careers to giving the injured and vulnerable in Missouri and Southern Illinois the same high quality legal representation that large corporations have. If you were injured because another person made the terrible decision to drink and drive, call HK Law today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online.

Drunk Driving Statistics | Osage Beach, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

While drunk driving deaths have declined 45 percent since 1982, there are still far too many people on the Osage Beach, MO roads who endanger others by drinking and driving. When they do and harm you, the Osage Beach, 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 maximum financial recovery you need to be made whole again.

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

The Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium reports that in 2021 alcohol and drug impaired driving was a factor in 4,027 motor vehicle wreck 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 reports that almost 20 percent of the 1,088 fatal accidents 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 by a drunk driver in Osage Beach, 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? | Osage Beach, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

In both Missouri and Illinois, it is criminal for a person to drive or be in ”actual physical control” of a motor vehicle:

With a blood alcohol concentration 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 unable to drive safely

The two states differ a bit in terms of consequences:

Missouri

First offense: Up to 6 months in jail, fines up to $1,000, a license revocation of 30 days and potentially having the ignition interlock device placed on your vehicle.
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 not exceeding $10,000, a license revocation of 10 years and the an ignition-blocking breathalyzer placed in your car for at least 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 not exceeding $2,500 and a license revocation of 5 years.
Third offense: A range of 10 days to 7 years in prison, fines not exceeding $25,000 and a license revocation of 10 years.

Although it may be encouraging that there are stiff consequences for drunk drivers, criminal penalties don’t help you recover compensation for your injuries. Occasionally, drunk drivers can evade a criminal conviction or plead guilty to a lower charge. The Osage Beach, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis will still be able to hold them liable in your civil case and get you great compensation for your injuries.

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

Who is Liable for My Injuries? | Osage Beach, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

While a drunk driver is undoubtedly to blame for your injuries pursuant to the negligence per se doctrine, there may be other parties who are to blame. Missouri and Illinois both have what are referred to dram shop laws, through which your drunk driving accident lawyers can help you hold a restaurant, or other licensed alcohol vendor accountable. Again, the rules vary between the two states:

Missouri

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

If the customer was “visibly intoxicated,” meaning they showed:
- Considerably uncoordinated physical behavior
- Significant 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 states that a BAC of more than .08% by itself is not prima facie, or lawfully sufficient to demonstrate liability. You and your drunk driving accident lawyers will have to demonstrate the bar or restaurant and their employees saw physical impairment, such as:

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

Illinois

Illinois’s Dram Shop Law is atypical in that the person who injured you did not need to be “visibly intoxicated” for a restaurant to be liable. 235 ILCS 5/6-21, the Illinois Liquor Control Act, permits someone injured by a drunk driver to bring a claim against a licensed liquor vendor if:

A vendor-patron relationship was established, meaning you can show that the bought alcohol at that specific restaurant.
You can show that the alcohol sold by the bar contributed to the drunk driver’s intoxication.
You can show that the driver’s intoxication was the proximate cause of your injuries.

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

$77,787.30 for each person who sustained damages
$95,073.37 per person when an injury or death led to either loss of support or loss of society.

Injured in Osage Beach, MO? Call Us.

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

The recovery you collect will be based on the significance of your injuries and the talent of your drunk driving accident lawyers. When you hire Halvorsen Klote Davis, we’ll fight to deliver you full compensation for:

Economic damages, for instance:

Lost wages for time you could not work due to your injuries
Lost earning potential if your injuries result in a disability that prohibits you from performing the tasks of your job anymore
Medical expenses, for instance
- Emergency room bills
- Follow up doctors appointments
- Surgeries
- Physical rehabilitation
- Medication
- In-home medical care
- Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or necessary improvements to your home
- Future approximated medical expenses, such as further physical therapy or prescriptions, or replacement costs for assistive devices or joint replacements
- Transportation costs related to your medical care
- Property damage, for instance damage to your vehicle

Noneconomic damages, for example:

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

The Osage Beach, MO drunk driving accident lawyers of Halvorsen Klote Davis have the experience, persistence, and legal talent required to get you the maximum compensation that you are entitled to.

Other cases we take in Osage Beach, MO are:

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Osage Beach, MO Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers | Halvorsen Klote Davis

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