Liability and responsibilities for serious crashes are often complex. Even in situations that initially seem straightforward, there may be more complications than people initially expect. For example, in a crash caused by a drunk driver, it’s pretty obvious that the person under the influence of drugs or alcohol is the one responsible for the collision.
Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing until after a crash happens whether that driver will have adequate insurance or the financial stability necessary to compensate the people that they hurt or the surviving loved ones of a person who dies in a crash.
If your family has had to deal with an injury or death because of a drunk driver who didn’t have enough insurance to cover your losses, it may be possible to pursue compensation elsewhere.
Did a restaurant or bar over-serve the drunk driver?
Businesses that want to serve alcohol have to adhere to specific rules in order to maintain their license. They may not serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, and they also need to monitor the status of individual customers and decline to serve those who are obviously inebriated.
When somebody slurs their words while ordering a last beer at the bar, the bartender ought to cut them off. Sadly, many individuals working in restaurants and bars, as well as the businesses themselves, might prioritize tips and profit over legal compliance. If the drunk driver had just left a restaurant or bar after having overindulged in alcohol, that business may be culpable under Minnesota dram shop laws.
Taking action against a business can help your family recover
A single drunk driving crash could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of financial impact for the victims. From medical care to lost wages, there are countless ways that an impaired driving crash can change your life.
When that driver doesn’t have insurance, doesn’t have enough insurance and doesn’t have assets worth pursuing in a civil suit, the victims often wind up bearing the burden of someone else’s mistake. Dram shop laws allow victims of drunk driving crashes to hold businesses accountable if their violation of state liquor law resulted in someone getting too drunk and causing a crash that hurt others.