DUI Car Accident in St. Louis
St. Louis Drunk Driver Car Accident Injury Claim - Call 314.448.0934
It is illegal to operate an automobile in the city of St. Louis with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .08 or higher. The number of drinks consumed to reach this level of intoxication varies on the sex, age, and stomach contents of the individual. Drivers who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol are placing themselves and others in harms way. Drunk drivers that cause accidents may be both criminally and civilly liable. Victims of a DUI car accident in St. Louis are entitled to compensation by filing a DUI car accident injury claim.
Another potential party bearing responsibility in a DUI car accident claim is the restaurant or bar that served intoxicated liquors to the drunk driver prior to the crash. Commonly referred to as "dram shop law", it is illegal for bar owners to 'knowingly serve a visually intoxicated customer.' What qualifies as visibly intoxicated varies from case to case and is completely dependent upon the testimony of bar employees and witnesses. If it can be determined that the bar's employee knew, or should have know, that the consumer was legally intoxicated and yet he/she was continuously served alcohol, the bar may be held financially responsible in civil court based upon a
St. Louis dram shop claim.
DUI Car Accident Claim for Compensation
DUI car accident claims for compensation can be substantial. Drunk driving accidents typically involve high speed collisions. Drunk drivers are impaired and will disobey traffic signals and speed limits. We have filed cases against drunk drivers who are driving in the opposite direction of traffic on the highway, or who drive through a victims house. Serious injuries and fatalities result from DUI crashes more often than minor injuries. It is critical to retain a drunk driving car accident lawyer immediately following a crash.
DUI
car accidents also result in criminal charges against the drunk driver. In certain situations, a DUI criminal defendant is entitled to remain silent in the civil case throughout the life of the criminal case. Only once the criminal case concludes can a DUI car accident lawyer question the defendant driver. The privilege to remain silent is known as a defendant's 5th amendment right against self-incrimination. This privilege evaporates once the criminal charges have been disposed of through plea or verdict.
St. Louis DUI Car Accident Injury Lawyers
The
St. Louis DUI car accident injury lawyers at Schultz & Myers are aggressive when it comes to filing injury claims against drunk drivers. Each of these types of crashes are completely preventable. If the drunk driver would have called a sober driver, our client wouldn't have not been seriously injured or killed. You hear about these types of crashes in the St. Louis Post Dispatch each week. The reality is that drunk drivers are all around us. When you become a victim of a DUI car accident, contact a lawyer who will take the case the distance.
St. Louis attorney Stephen Schultz has represented clients in several highly publicized injury and death cases. These cases have received local and nationwide media attention. Our lawyers are driven to relentlessly prosecute any drunk driver, no matter his or her reputation in the community. The act of drinking and driving, resulting in a serious car accident, is simply inexcusable.
Call 314.448.0934 or 866.840.3636 for an immediate free consultation
Contact a St. Louis drunk driver accident lawyer by calling (314) 448-0934. You will have the opportunity to discuss your injury case with an attorney immediately, free of charge.