Drunk or Chemically Impaired Driver Accidents
Loss of life or serious injuries and damages on our highways and roads in accidents caused by drunk, drugged, chemically impaired, or otherwise intoxicated drivers is a sad fact. Vehicular accidents despite laws passed nearly yearly that get together on drivers who are impaired by alcohol and drugs, these drunk driver accidents or drugged driver accidents continue at a high rate.
Victims of these drunk driver accidents, or drugged driver accidents, do have remedies for their injuries and damages, or wrongful death actions by family members. Common law claims and lawsuits and even Dram shop causes of actions can be filed depending on the specific facts of the case.
At common law, claims and suits can be filed against the drunk driver or drugged driver. Common law causes of action allow the injured parties to make a claim or sue for disability, pain and suffering, scaring, disfigurement, past and future, medical bills, wage loss, economic loss. Family members of someone who died can bring wrongful death claims or suits for the loss of the family member’s companionship, comfort, lost economic support, services, medical bills, pain and suffering of the deceased, as well as for other damages.
Dramshop law – many states, including Missouri and Illinois, have laws that allow the victim of drunk driver accidents, or drugged driver accidents, to sue the establishment that served a visibly drunk or intoxicated individual alcohol before the accident.