As an auto accident lawyer, I see many clients who have been involved in car wrecks with drunk drivers.  There is nothing more offensive as a car wreck lawyer than knowing that the driver who caused your client’s injuries engaged in such reckless conduct.  A personal injury lawyer handling a civil lawsuit against a drunk driver should always consider a punitive damage count for the reckless conduct of driving while intoxicated.  The attorney should also investigate potential dram shop claims depending on the facts of the case.  Drunk drivers may be avoiding criminal penalties more often than any of us would like, but accident lawyers can add civil pressure on these drivers by including claims for punitive damages.

As an auto accident lawyer in St. Louis, I see clients all of the time who have sustained serious bodily injury as the result of  a car wreck.   Often, the driver whose negligence caused the car wreck has minimum liability insurance limits. The insurance limits may not be  enough to fairly compensate the injured client. This problem can be minimized through the purchase of underinsured motor vehicle insurance. Underinsured coverage is not required by Missouri law; however, the premium for this coverage tends to be inexpensive.  This coverage will protect the client in the event that an auto accident results in damages in excess of the policy limits of the negligent driver.  An injury attorney needs to be aware of the different procedural issues involved with making an underinsured claim.   As a personal injury lawyer who has handled cases around St. Louis, St. Charles and Farmington, among other areas, I am familiar with the procedures necessary to successfully handle an underinsured motor vehicle accident claim.