Drunk drivers make dangerous choices that destroy lives. When someone chooses to drink and drive in Florissant, they risk causing crashes that leave victims with severe injuries, mounting medical bills, and weeks or months away from work.
Our experienced Florissant drunk driver accident lawyers know these crashes often cause catastrophic injuries because impaired drivers don’t brake or swerve to lessen impact.
Criminal charges against the drunk driver won’t pay your medical bills or replace lost income. That’s why our drunk driver accident attorneys in Florissant fight for your financial recovery through the civil justice system.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, our team investigates thoroughly, works with prosecutors when needed, and pursues every possible source of compensation, including the drunk driver’s insurance and, in some cases, the bar or restaurant that over-served them.
Our family firm has helped Missouri accident victims recover compensation, and we’re ready to fight for you.
How Our Florissant Drunk Driver Accident Lawyers Help You
Brothers Paul and John Beck personally handle every drunk driving case that comes through our doors. We know these cases inside and out, and we move fast to protect your rights.
Here’s what happens when you hire us:
- Accident scene investigation: We photograph damage, skid marks, and road conditions before they change.
- Witness interviews: We speak with anyone who saw the crash or the driver drinking beforehand.
- Gather necessary evidence: We get the police reports, BAC test results, and any video footage from nearby businesses.
- Medical documentation: We work with your doctors to record all your injuries and treatment needs.
- Insurance negotiations: We handle all communication with adjusters so they can’t twist your words.
- Court preparation: We’re ready to take your case to trial if the insurance company won’t pay fairly.
What To Do Right After a Drunk Driving Crash
The moments after a drunk driving crash are critical. What you do now affects your health and your legal case later.
Call 911 Immediately
Police need to respond to document the drunk driver’s condition. They’ll note slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and the smell of alcohol. This creates an official record that helps your case later.
Emergency medical technicians should also check you for injuries. Adrenaline can mask serious problems, and getting medical care right away connects your injuries to the crash.
Document Everything You Can
Take photos of both vehicles, the accident scene, and any visible injuries you have. Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses, especially anyone who saw the other driver drinking.
Write down what you remember about the crash while it’s still fresh in your mind. These details become important evidence later.
Don’t Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
The drunk driver’s insurance company will call you, sometimes within hours of the crash. They want a recorded statement from you. Don’t give one without talking to a lawyer first.
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that can hurt your case. They might seem friendly, but they work for the insurance company, not for you.
Contact Our Florissant Team Right Away
Time is critical in drunk driving cases. Surveillance video from bars gets deleted. Witnesses forget details and evidence disappears.
Our Florissant drunk driver accident lawyers start working on your case immediately, preserving evidence and protecting your rights while you focus on getting better.
Who Pays for Your Drunk Driving Injuries?
Missouri law makes the drunk driver responsible for all the harm they caused. But finding money to pay for your injuries can be complicated.
The drunk driver’s auto insurance should cover your damages. However, many drunk drivers carry only minimum coverage or have let their insurance lapse completely.
We investigate every possible source of payment:
- The drunk driver’s insurance policy: This is usually the first place we look for compensation.
- The driver’s employer: If they were working or driving a company vehicle when the crash happened.
- The vehicle owner: If someone else owned the car the drunk driver was using.
- Bars or restaurants: Missouri dram shop law lets you hold bars and restaurants responsible when they over-serve drunk drivers.
- Your own insurance: Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when the other driver has no insurance.
Suing Bars Under Missouri Dram Shop Law
Missouri dram shop law lets you hold bars and restaurants responsible when they over-serve drunk drivers. But proving a dram shop case requires specific evidence.
The law says the person must have met the visibly intoxicated standard when the bar served them. This means staff could see obvious signs like stumbling, slurred speech, or dropping things. A high blood alcohol level alone isn’t enough.
Our Florissant car accident attorneys gather the evidence needed to prove the establishment should have known the person was too drunk:
- Security camera footage: Shows the person’s behavior inside the bar
- Credit card receipts: Prove how many drinks they bought and when
- Witness statements: From other customers who saw the person drinking
- Staff testimony: About the person’s condition when they were served
Dram shop laws apply only to businesses that sell alcohol. You can’t sue someone who served drinks at a private party in their home.
Compensation You Can Recover After a DUI Crash
Drunk driving crashes often cause severe injuries because the impaired driver doesn’t brake before impact. Your compensation should cover every way the crash has affected your life.
Medical Expenses:
All costs related to treating your injuries, including emergency room visits, surgery, physical therapy, and prescription medications. If you need ongoing treatment, we calculate those future costs too.
Lost Income:
Money you couldn’t earn because of your injuries, including wages, salary, commissions, and self-employment income. If your injuries prevent you from returning to your old job, we seek compensation for reduced earning capacity.
Pain and Suffering:
Physical pain and emotional distress caused by the crash and your injuries. This includes depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in activities you used to love.
Property Damage:
Repair or replacement costs for your vehicle and any personal items damaged in the crash.
Drunk driving cases often qualify for punitive damages. These are extra payments meant to punish the drunk driver for their reckless choice and discourage others from drinking and driving. Punitive damages can significantly increase your total compensation.
How We Prove the Driver Was Drunk and at Fault
Proving a drunk driving case requires more than just showing the driver had been drinking. We need to connect their intoxication to the crash that injured you.
Police Reports and BAC Results
The police report documents everything officers observed at the scene. This includes the driver’s behavior, failed field sobriety tests, and blood alcohol concentration results.
Missouri’s 0.08% legal limit is the statutory threshold, but drivers can be impaired at lower levels. We use expert testimony to show how the driver’s specific BAC affected their ability to drive safely.
Bar Evidence and Witness Statements
We immediately send legal notices to any bars where the driver was drinking, requiring them to preserve surveillance footage. This video often shows the person’s condition before they got behind the wheel.
We interview bartenders, servers, and other customers who saw the driver drinking. Their testimony helps establish how intoxicated the driver was before the crash.
Accident Reconstruction
Our accident reconstruction experts analyze the crash scene, vehicle damage, and police measurements. They can show how the driver’s impairment caused them to make the mistakes that led to your injuries.
Medical experts explain how alcohol affects reaction time, judgment, and coordination. This testimony connects the driver’s intoxication to their inability to avoid the crash.
What If the Drunk Driver Has No Insurance?
Many drunk drivers carry minimum insurance coverage or have let their policies expire. When this happens, you’re not out of options. You may have an uninsured driver claim.
Your own auto insurance policy likely includes uninsured motorist coverage. This protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages.
Medical payments coverage on your policy can pay for immediate medical bills regardless of who caused the crash. Your health insurance can also cover treatment costs while we work to recover compensation from other sources.
We explore every possible avenue for payment, including the driver’s personal assets if they have any. Our goal is making sure you don’t get stuck with medical bills from someone else’s reckless choice.
Does the Criminal DUI Case Help Your Civil Claim?
The drunk driver will face criminal charges from the prosecutor’s office. These criminal charges are separate from your civil case for money damages.
A criminal conviction makes proving your civil case easier, but it is not required to win.
We obtain all evidence from the criminal case, including arrest videos, lab reports, and plea agreements. Even if the driver’s criminal charges get reduced or dismissed, we can still prove they were negligent and owe you compensation.
The criminal case punishes the driver for breaking the law. Your civil case gets you the money you need to pay medical bills and replace lost income.
Time Limits for Filing Your Drunk Driving Case
Missouri gives you five years from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit. This might seem like plenty of time, but waiting too long can hurt your case.
Evidence disappears over time. Security cameras record over old footage and witnesses move away or forget important details. That’s why, the sooner you contact us, the better we can preserve the evidence you need.
If the drunk driving crash killed someone you love, you have only three years to file a wrongful death claim. These deadlines are strict, and missing them means losing your right to compensation forever.
What If You Share Some Blame for the Crash?
Insurance companies often try to blame crash victims to reduce what they have to pay. Missouri’s comparative fault law lets you recover damages even if you were partially at fault.
In these scenarios, your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 10% responsible and your damages totaled $100,000, you’d receive $90,000.
Even if you made a minor mistake like speeding slightly, the drunk driver’s behavior was far worse.
We fight back against unfair blame-shifting tactics. Insurance companies know that any fault they can pin on you reduces what they have to pay.
Where Drunk Driving Crashes Happen in Florissant
Drunk driving crashes can occur on major roads through Florissant, including Highway 65 and I-44, where impaired drivers sometimes cause wrong-way accidents by entering highway ramps incorrectly.
We know these areas well and understand the traffic patterns that contribute to drunk driving crashes. This local knowledge helps us investigate your case thoroughly and work effectively with Florissant police and emergency responders.
Our Results for Florissant Drunk Driving Victims
We help drunk driving victims get their lives back on track.Our settlements and jury verdicts have helped families pay medical bills, replace lost income, and move forward with their lives.
Every case is different, and past results don’t guarantee future outcomes. What matters is our commitment to fighting for every dollar you deserve. We work on contingency, which means you don’t pay attorney fees unless we win your case.
Our experience with Missouri drunk driving law gives us an advantage in negotiations and at trial. Insurance companies know we’re prepared to fight, which often leads to better settlement offers.
Experienced DUI Injury Law Firm In Florissant, Missouri
Being hit by a drunk driver changes everything in an instant. You’re hurt, overwhelmed, and facing an uncertain future. You don’t have to handle this alone.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we understand what you’re going through. Our mission is simple: help drunk driving victims get their lives back on track.
As a family firm, we treat every client with the respect and attention they deserve.
- Free consultations—always
- No attorney fees unless we win your case
- Available 24/7
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Most Drunk Driving Injury Cases Take to Settle?
Some drunk driving cases settle, but complex matters involving severe injuries often take longer. We don’t rush your case because settling too early often means accepting less money than you deserve.
Can I Still Sue if the Drunk Driver Wasn’t Convicted?
Yes, you can win your civil case even if the drunk driver wasn’t convicted of criminal charges. Civil cases have a lower burden of proof, so we can often prove negligence even when criminal charges are dropped or reduced.
What if I Was a Passenger in the Drunk Driver’s Vehicle?
Passengers injured by drunk drivers have the same right to compensation as other victims. Missouri law doesn’t reduce your recovery just because you accepted a ride from the person who caused the crash.
Do Drunk Driving Cases Always Include Punitive Damages?
Not always, but many do. Missouri courts award punitive damages when the defendant’s conduct was especially reckless or malicious. Choosing to drive while intoxicated often qualifies for punitive damages.
Can I Use My Health Insurance for Treatment After a Drunk Driving Crash?
Yes, you should use your health insurance to get the medical care you need right away. We’ll handle any reimbursement issues with your health insurer when we recover compensation from the drunk driver’s insurance company.
What if the Bar That Served the Drunk Driver Has No Insurance?
We investigate the business’s insurance coverage and assets before filing a dram shop claim. Even if the bar lacks insurance, they may still be responsible for paying damages from their business assets.
