Some people with alcohol issues are successful professionals who hide their substance abuse from their families and their employers. Others aren’t as successful in hiding their struggles. They may bounce from job to job and struggle to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships.
If someone who belongs to that second category causes a crash that leaves you with significant injuries, like a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury, you could be at a real disadvantage. The other driver may not have very much insurance or may have even allowed their policy to lapse.
Even if you take them to court, they may not have much personal property. If a business served them that alcohol before they caused the wreck, then a dram shop claim could help those hurt by a drunk driver without assets or enough insurance.
How a Kentucky dram shop claim works
When you bring a dram shop claim against a business, you ask the civil courts to award you compensation for your injuries because of their violation of state alcohol rules. Either by serving alcohol to an underage customer or by continuing to serve someone already visibly under the influence, the business may have contributed to the collision you experienced.
Businesses typically carry substantially more liability insurance than the average person. They also have valuable assets and future revenue that can go toward paying for the losses you have suffered. When a drunk driver doesn’t have sufficient insurance or assets to compensate you, considering third-party liability options like dram shop claims could help.
Knowing your rights after getting hurt by a drunk driver in Kentucky can help you reduce the lasting impact of the crash on your life.
