West Plains Drunk Driving Accident Attorney
Fighting For Drunk Driving Accident Victims in Missouri
Car accidents caused by drunk drivers are much more common than many people believe. Between 2004 and 2014, Missouri had over 90,000 drunk driving accidents (DWI Special Report). In the state of Missouri, it is unlawful to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol. This means that any person who gets behind the wheel with a BAC at or above .08 percent may be arrested. This also means that this person is much more likely to make poor decisions behind the wheel and possibly cause a serious car accident. A personal injury lawyer in West Plains, MO from Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C., can help you get compensation if you have been one of these victims.
Call for your free case evaluation today! 80+ years of collective experience with Missouri drunk driving laws and working for our clients.
Missouri Drunk Driving Statistics
According to a 2017 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 1,150 fatalities due to drunk driving car accidents in Missouri between 2012 and 2016. There were 235 fatalities in 2016 alone. But what percent of accidents are caused by drunk driving? It may shock you to learn that the NHTSA estimates that 30 percent of all fatal traffic accidents involve alcohol. Other statistics also show that one in three people in the United States will be involved in an alcohol-related car accident at some point in their life.
The same report showed that in the past 60 days from when the report was given, 7% of survey-takers reported having gotten behind the wheel within 2 hours of drinking alcoholic beverages. 30% of those surveyed claimed that they believed the chances of them getting arrested for drinking and driving was "rare." Another 30% believe that they will only be arrested "half of the time."
Who Is Most At-Risk?
According to national statistics, young people and riders of motorcycles tend to be the most at risk for injuries and / or death caused by an intoxicated driver on the road. It must be remembered, however, that all drivers are at risk when on the road with another vehicle operator who shows signs of impairment, especially if the impairment was caused by intoxication form alcohol. Any blood alcohol content over the legal limit can cause accidents and account for injuries and fatalities.
Missouri Dram Shop Liability Laws
Contrary to popular belief, the driver responsible for an accident that was caused by drunk driving may not be the only one at fault for the collision that resulted from intoxicated driving. In addition, the bars, restaurants and other alcohol retailers could be held accountable for the injuries or death that resulted from a drunk driving accident. These laws are provisional, however, and require that the accident was caused by an intoxicated driver who came to be that way through the alcohol provided to them at the facility which is now being held partially responsible for the incident.
How Do Dram Shop Lawsuits Work?
A civil lawsuit will be enacted in order to properly attend to cases involving dram shop allegations. Specifically, these laws allow for the victim of a DUI accident, or his / her family if the incident resulted in death for one or more of the victims involved, to take legal action against the alcohol vendor or retailer that supplied to drunk driver with alcohol. Dram Shop laws do not exclude the intoxicated individual from responsibility; rather, they divide the responsibility between two defendants – the intoxicated driver and the alcohol supplier.
Contact Our Drunk Driving Accident lawyer Today
According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), an average of one out of every three traffic deaths results from a drunk driver. If you were injured or lost a loved one because of a drunk driver, you deserve compensation. You should not have to pay for any medical bills or property damage which resulted from the accident.
By filing a personal injury claim, you could receive compensation to cover lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. Although filing a lawsuit will in no way make up for the loss of a loved one, it is still important that the individual is held accountable for what they have done. This could prevent them from ever getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking again.
Please, if you want to discuss your specific case, contact a drunk driving accident attorney from our West Plains team today!
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“Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C. are courteous and eager to help.”- Sunni L.
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“I could not have asked for better representation than I received from Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C.”- David Z.
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“Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C. did a fantastic job on my case not only getting my bills paid, but getting me substantial compensation for my injuries.”- Kathy B.
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“Even though we live 115 miles from Mr. Henry’s office, we wouldn’t hesitate to use him again. Just hope we don’t have to.- Dennis D.
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“I’m so thankful for all of attorney Roy Williams' help!”- Michael T.
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“From our very first meeting until they were finished with my case, I knew that I had made the right choice in retaining Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C.”- Heath J.
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“Attorney Nikki Kinder cares about her clients and works for fair and just compensation.”- Billy R.
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“I have worked with attorney Nikki Kinder twice.”- Dovie M.
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“Attorney Nikki Kinder was always quick to reply and easy to talk to.”- Kim Y.
Our Settlements & Verdicts
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$8 Million Rear-End Truck Accident
Rear-end truck accident resulting in paraplegia settled with insurance carriers for a confidential amount after trial court entered an $8,000,000 judgment.
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$6.7 Million Construction Zone Death
No offer wrongful death case brought by the family of a 32-year-old West Plains man killed in an unsafe MoDOT construction zone resulting in a Howell County record $6,700,000 jury verdict.
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$6 Million Tow Truck Wrongful Death
Tow truck wrongful death case where the driver left the scene of the accident settled for $6,000,000.
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$6 Million Unsafe Highway
A double fatality unsafe highway case against MoDOT for the deaths of two Willow Springs teenagers resulted in an award of $3,000,000 each for a total award of $6,000,000.
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$6 Million Wrongful Death
$6,000,000 Arbitration Award against MoDOT for the deaths of two teenage boys killed as a result of a dangerous highway that had no shoulders.
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$4.9 Million Product Liability
Dangerous product which resulted in a traumatic brain injury resulted in a $4,980,000 settlement.