Is anyone other than the drunk driver liable for a crash?

The person at fault for the crash is the one to blame for the wreck occurring. Someone who drove too fast and lost control of their vehicle would be at fault, as would a drunk driver who made a mistake at the wheel.

You probably recognize that Arizona state law allows you to bring a claim against a drunk driver. Their insurance could pay for your hospital bills and vehicle repair, and you could even take them to civil court if they don’t have enough insurance to fully reimburse you for the damages they cause.

Of course, someone driving while drunk may make poor choices in other areas of their life, such as improperly managing their personal finances or maintaining bad insurance. Do you have an option of pursuing a claim against another party if the drunk driver who hit you doesn’t have the resources to properly compensate you?

Arizona does allow for dram shop claims

There are some scenarios in which a business could potentially have liability for a drunk driving crash. Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol to members of the public must comply with all alcohol service regulations. When they failed to do so, they may have liability for any collisions or injuries that result.

There are typically two different situations in which a person affected by a drunk driving crash could bring a dram shop claim against a business. If a licensed business served alcohol to a minor, that will open the business up to liability if the minor leaves and causes of wreck. Businesses can also be financially responsible if they over-serve someone already visibly drunk, and then that drunk patron leaves and causes a major crash.

Why dram shop claims help

There are two benefits that you can derive from pursuing a dram shop claim. The first is access to more valuable resources and larger insurance policies. If expenses. The second major benefit is to change a company’s practices. When a business has to pay a large settlement for its role in a drunk driving wreck, management at that business will likely change their training practices and how they enforce alcohol Service rules among their staff members.

Learning about your options for justice after a  drunk driving car crash can help you connect with the financial support you need for the injuries you suffered.