What We Do
Accident Lawyers
- Minnesota Car Accident Lawyer
- Minnesota Car Accident Injury
- Driver Negligence
- ATV Accident Lawyer
- Minnesota Bicycle Accident Attorney
- Minnesota Boating Accident Lawyer
- Minneosta Bus Accident Attorney and Lawsuit
- 15-Passenger Van Collision
- Minnesota Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
- Plane Crash Lawyer
- Railroad Crossing Accident Lawyer
- Minnesota Snowmobile Crash Lawyer
- SUV Rollover Accident Lawyer
- Minnesota Semi Truck Accident Attorney
- Minnesota Truck Accident Lawyer
- Uninsured Motorists
- Minnesota No-Fault Law
- Car Accident Insurance Settlement: Geico, Progressive, State Farm Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Allstate
- Pain and Suffering
- Minnesota Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Welcome to PritzkerOlsen, P.A.
Minnesota Drunk Driver Accident
MINNESOTA DRUNK DRIVER ACCIDENT DEATH OR INJURY: ATTORNEY FOR DRUNK DRIVER CAR ACCIDENT
The following information about a Minnesota DWI / DUI accident is provided by Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. Our attorneys have appeared on CBS News, Fox News, KARE-TV, KSTP-TV and WCCO-TV. Several have also been named "Minnesota Super Lawyers" by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine. If you have been in a Minnesota car accident involving a drunk driver, contact Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. for a free consultation. Please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form for review by an attorney.
Drunk Driving Accident: MN Victim Compensation
If you have been injured in a Minnesota drunk driver accident, you may have a claim for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering - includes physical pain, disfigurement, disability and emotional distress
- Cost of care
- Punitive damages - an amount of money meant to punish the party at fault for deliberately disregarding the rights or safety of others
When someone dies in a drunk driver accident in Minnesota, the spouse and next of kin may have a claim for the following under the MN wrongful death statute, Minnesota Statutes, section 573:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses
- Loss of potential earnings
- Loss of advice, comfort, assistance, protection, counsel and society
- Punitive damages
Punitive Damages
In a civil action against a drunk driver, the injured party can ask for punitive damages, which, depending on the circumstances, can be significant. For example, Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. won $6,000,000 on behalf of a 26 year-old female passenger whose right leg was amputated when the motorcycle on which she was a passenger was struck by a drunk driver.
A criminal charge or conviction is not a prerequisite to consideration of punitive damages. Evidence of past criminal convictions for drunk driving or criminal vehicular homicide or injury is admissible into evidence. (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169A.76(b) (2006).) Generally, if there are past criminal convictions for either of these, it is more likely that punitive damages will be awarded.
Dram Shop Liability (Bars and Restaurants)
Generally, dram shops (bars, restaurants and other sellers of liquor) are liable when they have violated a law or regulation in the state where the liquor was served. This means that the bar, restaurant or other seller of liquor could be responsible for the following:
- If the victim of the drunk driving accident survives: medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and punitive damages
- If the victim is killed in the drunk driving accident: funeral expenses, loss of potential earnings, loss of advice and comfort, and punitive damages.
While selling liquor to an obviously intoxicated customer represents the most common dram shop violation, the illegal sale of intoxicating beverages can take other forms, such as:
- Selling liquor without a license to do so;
- Selling liquor after hours; or
- Selling liquor to a minor.
Our Minnesota car accident lawyers can help you determine if a dram shop violation played a role in your car accident. Read more about dram shop liability.
Negligence of Drunk Driver
Under Minnesota Statute, Section 169A, it is a violation of Minnesota law to drive with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. If someone violates this law, it is prima facie evidence of negligence in a civil case (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.96 (2006)).
This does not mean that someone who is injured by a drunk driver will automatically win a lawsuit against the drunk driver , but it does mean that the person suing has a good case.
If the drunk driver has not been charged or convicted of drunk driving, a person injured by the drunk driver can still bring a civil lawsuit against the driver. The person suing the drunk driver may still have a good case, but evidence of the intoxication will have to be proven by a preponderance of the evidence. A good car accident lawyer will be able to present a case successfully whether there is a criminal conviction or not. To contact a Minnesota car accident lawyer at Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. for a free consultation, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.
If the driver was a commercial truck driver (for example, a tractor-trailer driver), the trucking company, owner of the freight, employer of the driver and others may be liable for damages. Read about truck accident liability and
For further information about drunk driving,
please see the following:
- Blood alcohol concentration and fatalities
- Blood alcohol concentration variables
- Detecting a drunk driver
- Drunk driving statistics
Keywords: Minnesota Drunk driver accident, attorney for drunk driver car accident, lawyer with experience, crash involving drunk driver, intoxicated driver, DUI and DWI, Minneapolis, MN, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester, Austin, Bloomington, Edina, Roseville, Shoreview.
Free Case Consultation
News - Accident Lawyers
Truck Accident Lawyer
Attorney Fred Pritzker has obtained another large recovery in a car-truck accident case. Our law firm represented the family of a man killed by a truck wheel that had come off of the truck, rolled off a bridge and killed the driver of a car that was traveling on the road below. A confidentiality agreement prevents us from discussing the case in detail, but we welcome you to contact Fred Pritzker (toll-free 1-888-377-8900) for more information about this case and other trucking accident claims our law firm has handled. For more information, see our truck accident FAQ.
School Bus Accident in Minneapolis Injures Elderly Man
May 26, 2008 -- A Minneapolis school bus hit an 81-year-old man who was walking in a crosswalk with a walk sign and a green light. The school bus was...
Yamaha Rhino Lawsuit
NBC affiliate KSBY interviewed Fred Pritzker regarding Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents. There has been a Yamaha Rhino recall. Read more Yamaha Rhino accident information and about a Rhino rollover suit.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen spoke at the annual Minnesota Association for Justice Brain Injury Seminar.
Heartland Express Lawsuit
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the trucking company on behalf of the family of a passenger in a car that was allegedly struck by the semi truck.
Car Hit by A Truck? Need a Lawyer?
If your bicycle, motorcycle or car has been hit by a commercial truck, you need a lawyer with experience obtaining multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for accident victims and their families.
Waste Management Lawsuit
Our law firm has successfully handled cases of injury and death against Waste Management, Inc., a national trash collection company.
FedEx Accident Lawsuit
One recent accident involved a FedEx truck allegedly colliding with an SUV in an intersection. According to police reports, the accident caused the truck to roll over, killing a pedestrian in the adjacent crosswalk
Schneider National Lawsuit
In a recent fatal van-truck accident, a woman was killed when a tractor trailer allegedly rear-ended her van while it was stopped at a red light
UPS Lawsuit and Van or Truck Accident
In a recent truck-pedestrian accident, an elderly woman was allegedly hit by a UPS truck while walking her dog
J.B. Hunt Transport Lawsuit and Semi Truck Accident Claim
In a recent car-truck accident, a tractor-trailer allegedly rear-ended a car, allegedly causing a multi-vehicle accident. One passenger suffered head trauma and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
More Semi-Truck-Car Accident Information
- Penske Truck Accident Settlement
- USF Holland Truck Accident and Lawsuit
- Swift Transportation Accident
- Allied Van Lines Accident
- Werner Truck Accident
- North American Van Lines Truck Accident
- United Van Lines Accident
- Con-Way Freight Truck Accident
- U.S. Xpress Accident
- Minnesota Dump Truck Wheel Accident
- Semi Accident Lawyer
- Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney
- 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer
Additional Practice Areas
- E. coli
- Foodborne Illness
- Dog Bite Attorney
- Fire and Explosion
- Injuries and Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Traffic Accidents
- Defective Medical Products
- Defective Products
- Legionnaires' Disease
- Wrongful Death
