Missouri and Kansas passengers injured in drunk driving accidents
What would you do if you were injured while riding in a car with a drunk driver? How would you pay your medical bills? And are the laws in Missouri and Kansas different regarding your right to be compensated for your injuries?
Passengers often sustain injuries in car accidents. On average, 9,668 people die each year in accidents while riding in a vehicle. And often, drunk drivers cause these accidents. In Missouri, drunk drivers killed 364 people in 2008. That’s 38 percent of all fatalities. The numbers are just as staggering in 2008 in Kansas, where drunk drivers killed 157 people, totaling 41 percent of traffic fatalities.
What does all this mean if you were injured while a passenger in a drunk driving accident? Any time passengers sustain injuries in a car accident, passengers almost always have a personal injury claim against one of the drivers.
Another important factor to consider is who supplied the alcohol to the driver. If a bar or liquor store knowingly sold alcohol to the driver in an intoxicated state, you may be able to pursue a case against the bar or liquor store.
Liability laws vary from state to state. Missouri has a fault-based insurance system. Under this system, insurance companies pay according to each party’s degree of fault. Kansas is different. Kansas is “no fault” insurance state. That means your insurance company pays your medical bills after an accident regardless of who’s at fault. But getting your insurance company to cooperate can sometimes be a challenge.
Drunk driving accidents are complicated. Knowing what to do can be difficult. You need an experienced legal team in your corner. You need someone who thoroughly understands the law. You need Castle Law Office of Kansas City.
Our knowledgeable attorneys at Castle Law have years of experience defending clients seriously injured in drunk driving accidents in Kansas and Missouri.
We understand how traumatic drunk driving accidents can be. We can help.
Don’t leave your future to chance. Take action. Contact Castle Law Office today. We’re on your side.
