Missouri Dram Shop Claim
Drunk Driver Bar Liability AccidentsBar and restaurants owe a duty to Missouri residents to exercise care in the service of intoxicating liquor and alcohol to customers on their premises. Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute 537.053.2, businesses are "not permitted to knowingly serve intoxicating liquor and/or alcohol beverages to a visibly intoxicated person." Missouri courts have struggled with what "visibly intoxicated" means in the context of the statute, but circumstantial evidence may be presented to the jury to infer 'visible intoxication.' Factors can include:
- Unsteady gait
- Slurred speech
- Elated or euphoric mood
- Boisterous behavior
- Repeated trips to the restroom
- Quantity of beverages consumed
- Alcohol content of beverages consumed
- Impaired perception
- Impaired comprehension
When a drunk driver is the cause of a serious or
fatal car accident, chances are high that the driver was consuming alcohol at a business prior to the crash. If sufficient evidence exists to prove that a bar continuously served the defendant alcohol after he or she was already visibly intoxicated, the victim may file a Missouri dram shop claim for compensation against the business.
St. Louis Dram Shop Car Accident LawyerThe
Missouri dram shop lawyers at Schultz & Myers law firm always investigate the possibility of a claim against a local bar or restaurant when the car accident involves a drunk driver. Dram shop claims are hard to prove and when evidence is not gathered immediately following the car accident, it may be hard to win your case. Our dram shop attorneys utilize the expertise of toxicologists and pharmacologists in these types of cases to prove negligence on the part of the business. Experts in these fields are vital to the success of any dram shop claim.
Contact a Missouri dram shop lawyer by calling (866) 840-3636 or locally at (314) 448-0934 and discuss your case with a lawyer immediately.
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