Holiday Drunk Driving Accidents Spike Personal Injury Suits

Are bar owners responsible for drunk driving injuries?

Missouri personal injury attorneys can attest to the fact that there is generally an up-tick in personal injury lawsuits after the winter holiday season and its high volume of family gatherings and corporate parties where alcohol is served. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, many drunk- or impaired-driving automobile accidents unfortunately result in serious injuries or fatalities.

While state laws differ, in addition to the drunk driver, there may also be dram shop liability against the bar or tavern that served alcohol to someone who was “visibly intoxicated” if that person later caused an automobile accident that injured or killed someone else. So even though Uber and other similar riding-sharing services may help keep some drunks off the road, those who do venture out behind the wheel– and the people who served them to excess– may be held liable for the injuries or deaths they cause by driving drunk.

In a personal injury lawsuit, a victim must prove their injuries were caused by the reckless, negligent, or intentional actions or inactions of another person or entity. If liability is established, the victim may recover compensatory damages for their physical and emotional harm as well as such items as current and future lost income, current and future medical expenses, and more, depending on the circumstances of each case.

If the victim dies from their injuries, their closest surviving relatives may be entitled to compensatory damages through a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death lawsuits are complex and differ on a case-by-case basis as far as who has legal standing to sue and what type of damages they may be entitled to recover. In addition to the victim’s final medical and funeral expenses, close relatives may be entitled to compensation for financial and other losses suffered as a result of the victim’s death.

If you or a loved one has been injured or a loved one has been killed in an automobile accident or any other accident the Noland Law Firm may help maximize the compensation to which you may be entitled. Contact us today for a free consultation.

From our office in Liberty, Missouri, we represent injured people and their families throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and Western Missouri, including Clay County, Liberty, Blue Springs, Independence, and Gladstone.