What Do I Do If I’m Injured By a Drunk Driver? If you have been injured by a selfish and reckless drunk driver, you need to call Halvorsen Klote Davis immediately at (314) 451-1314 or contact us for a free consultation. You need a drunk driving attorney on your side immediately, standing beside you, fighting for you and your family’s future.
Drivers who make the conscious decision to get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated are responsible for an average of 10,000 deaths and more than $44 billion in damages every year in the United States.
The drunk driving lawyer team at Halvorsen Klote Davis has years of experience handling drunk driving accident cases and has won millions of dollars for clients in St. Louis and throughout Missouri and Illinois. Call us today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online to start on your road to recovery.
Five Things To Be Prepared For After Being Injured By a Drunk Driver | Halvorsen Klote Davis in St. Louis, MO
- Plan on getting involved (if possible) in the criminal process. If the drunk driver who injured you is allowed to plea the charge down, it could impact your case. Most judges will not allow significantly reduced pleas in cases involving alcohol in an accident that caused injury or death. Impact statements and opposition to plea bargains may help the process.
- Notify the drunk driver’s insurance company of your potential claim. You should receive this information in the accident report. You will want to notify the carrier of your claim and injuries.
- Do not settle with the insurance company right away. Be careful. In some cases, it may make sense to settle without consulting a lawyer, and in others it does not. Find out what makes sense by calling HK Law for free at (314) 451-1314 or contact us. If you accept an early settlement you will be signing a release prohibiting you from filing further claims.
- Notify your own insurance company. This covers you in the event that the drunk driver is uninsured or underinsured.
- Find out, if possible, where the drunk driver was drinking and track down any witnesses. Missouri and Illinois dram shop laws make it possible to hold other parties liable for causing an accident in which the driver’s intoxication played a role.
Filing Suit Against a Drunk Driver | Halvorsen Klote Davis in St. Louis, MO
In a civil case, you only need to show a preponderance of evidence, versus the “beyond a reasonable doubt” in a criminal case, meaning that you only have to demonstrate that the defendant was more likely than not to be drunk. Also, if the case goes to trial, only three-fourths of the jury needs to deliver a guilty verdict, versus the unanimous level in a criminal trial.
Negligence per se is an additional layer in a drunk driving civil case. It’s a principle in personal injury cases wherein someone is automatically liable if they break the law and cause you injuries. When the HK Law drunk driving lawyers file a claim against a drunk driver on your behalf, we file a negligence count and a separate “per se” count.
What Do I Do If I’m Injured By a Drunk Driver? | Halvorsen Klote Davis in St. Louis, MO
If you sustained injuries caused by a drunk driver, you need to call HK Law at (314) 451-1314. You are entitled to pursue compensation for measurable, economic damages like medical treatment, out-of-pocket expenses, replacement services and lost income. You’re also entitled to an amount to compensate for noneconomic damages — emotional distress, physical pain and other damages. An experienced and skilled drunk driving attorney at Halvorsen Klote Davis can help you determine your options.
Call us today at (314) 451-1314 or contact us online for a complimentary consultation. We don’t get paid unless you win.
