Someone who chooses to drive after drinking has broken the law and could face prosecution if they get caught by police officers. Sadly, other people often pay the price for someone’s decision to drive drunk.
Those harmed in a crash caused by an intoxicated motorist may have massive expenses. They can file an insurance claim against the liability coverage of the drunk driver. Other times, they may sue the drunk driver. Occasionally, it is also possible to sue a business that served alcohol to a drunk driver under dram shop laws in Minnesota. Why do people file dram shop claims after a drunk driving crash?
The drunk driver doesn’t have adequate insurance
The best possible outcome after a major collision involves having enough insurance coverage available based on the losses generated in the crash. Someone who drove drunk may also violate other traffic rules, including the Minnesota requirement for liability insurance. Other times, they have insurance but very little coverage given the extent of the damages they caused. A personal injury lawsuit against the drunk driver might be an option, but they may not have enough personal resources to compensate someone directly. A business often has more insurance and also more assets to compensate those affected by a drunk driving crash.
The drunk driver died
Occasionally, the impaired motorist at fault for a collision may die in the crash that they caused. It can be much more difficult to make a compensation claim when the party at fault for a wreck can not earn income in the future. Although insurance may still be an option, it could be insufficient given the losses generated in the crash. Claims against an estate are sometimes possible but can be very challenging, especially if someone did not have many valuable resources to their name. A dram shop claim may be the best option when the driver who caused the wreck dies.
They want to change business practices
Businesses sometimes ignore alcohol service violations by employees because they make the company money. The decision to keep selling alcohol to a visibly drunk adult or to sell alcohol to a minor is a dangerous violation of liquor law. The only way to counter a financial incentive for misconduct is to impose a financial penalty for that behavior. Filing a dram shop lawsuit against a business can potentially force management to better comply with liquor service laws.
A dram shop claim may lead to better compensation for those affected by a drunk driving wreck. It can also create consequences for a restaurant or bar that contributed to a major collision by violating alcohol service laws. Holding the right parties accountable can diminish the lasting economic harm caused by a drunk driving crash.