If a drunk driver hurt you in St. Louis, you have the right to pursue full compensation. Our team is ready to fight for it. Right now, you may feel angry, frightened, and buried under medical bills you never should have faced. That reaction is normal, and you do not have to sort through it alone.
The Granat Law Office helps injured people across St. Louis hold impaired drivers accountable and recover what their injuries have cost them. As your St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyer, we handle the insurance calls, the evidence, and the legal deadlines so you can focus on healing. Call us today at (314) 804-2232 for a free case evaluation.
You should not have to negotiate with an insurance company while you are still in pain. That is our job, and we take it seriously.
Attorney David Granat has represented injured people in the St. Louis area for more than 20 years. Our practice focuses on personal injury and serious motor vehicle crashes, so we know how these claims are built and defended.
When you hire us, our team investigates the crash, secures the police report and any chemical test results, and identifies every source of compensation. We deal directly with the insurers so you are not pressured into an early, insufficient offer.
We also work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you, which means you can get strong representation without adding to your financial stress.
Impaired driving remains one of the deadliest and most preventable dangers on Missouri roads. According to the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, impaired driving accounts for 18% of all traffic fatalities in the state.
The human cost is staggering. In 2023, 181 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes involving a substance-impaired driver.
Behind each of those numbers is a family whose life changed in an instant. If you are now one of those families, your anger and grief are justified, and the law gives you a way to respond.
The value of your case depends on the specific harm you suffered, not on a fixed formula. No honest attorney can promise a dollar amount at the first meeting.
Several factors shape what your claim may be worth, including:
Because a drunk driver's conduct is often reckless, these cases can also support claims that a routine fender-bender would not. We review every detail before we estimate what full and fair compensation looks like for you.
Missouri law allows injured people to recover several categories of damages after a drunk driving crash. These are meant to restore what the collision took from you.
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses, such as medical expenses, future medical care, lost income, and property damage.
Non-economic damages address harm that has no receipt, including pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of a normal life.
In cases where a driver's choice to drive drunk shows conscious disregard for the safety of others, punitive damages may also be available. These are intended to punish the conduct and deter it, and their availability depends on the facts we can prove.
Yes. Even if the insurance company argues you were partly at fault, you can still recover compensation under Missouri law.
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule. Any fault assigned to you reduces your award proportionally, but it does not bar your recovery.
For example, if your total damages are $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, you may still recover $80,000. Insurers know this rule and often try to shift blame to shrink what they pay. Our team pushes back with evidence, so your share of fault is not overstated.
A crash caused by an impaired driver can leave injuries that reshape your daily life. We build your claim around the full medical picture, not just the first emergency room visit.
The injuries we see in these cases include:
Some of these injuries require years of treatment. Our team works with your medical providers to document ongoing and future care, so the compensation we pursue reflects every cost ahead of you.
Most drunk driving crashes happen because alcohol and drugs strip away the abilities a driver needs to react in time. Impairment slows reflexes, blurs vision, and destroys judgment.
Common causes we see in these cases include speeding, drifting across lanes, running red lights, and wrong-way driving. Late nights and weekends tend to carry higher risk, when more impaired drivers are on the road.
None of these behaviors are accidents in the ordinary sense. They are the predictable result of a choice to drive while impaired, and that choice is what makes the driver legally responsible.
To recover compensation, you must show the drunk driver was negligent. Negligence has four parts: a duty to drive safely, a breach of that duty, a direct link between the breach and the crash, and real damages.
A driver who gets behind the wheel while impaired breaches the duty of care owed to everyone on the road. Proving it, though, still takes solid evidence.
Our team gathers the police report, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) results, chemical test records, dashcam and surveillance footage, and witness statements. Together, this evidence connects the driver's impairment to your injuries and strengthens your claim.
In most drunk driving injury cases, Missouri gives you five years to file a lawsuit. That deadline comes from the Missouri statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
If a drunk driving crash took the life of a loved one, a shorter deadline applies. Missouri's wrongful death statute generally requires those claims to be filed within three years.
Waiting is still risky. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and records are lost. Contacting us early gives your claim the best chance to succeed.
The impaired driver is usually the primary party responsible for your injuries, but they may not be the only one. Identifying every liable party can expand the compensation available to you.
If the driver was working at the time, their employer may share responsibility. In limited situations, a business that served the alcohol may also be liable.
Under Missouri's dram shop law, a licensed seller can be held responsible only when clear and convincing evidence shows it knowingly served a visibly intoxicated person or a minor. Our team investigates each of these possibilities so no responsible party is overlooked.
Speak with an attorney first. Insurance adjusters work to minimize what they pay, and an early recorded statement can be used to undervalue or deny your claim.
You may still recover through your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Our team reviews every available policy to find compensation for your injuries.
Yes. A civil injury claim is separate from criminal charges and uses a lower burden of proof so that you can pursue compensation regardless of the criminal outcome.
We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fee upfront and owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Missouri generally allows five years for personal injury claims. Evidence fades quickly, though, so contacting us soon protects your case.
Yes. Missouri's wrongful death law lets certain family members pursue compensation, generally within three years of the death.
You did not cause this crash, and you should not carry its cost alone. A drunk driver made a dangerous choice, and Missouri law gives you the power to hold them accountable.
The Granat Law Office is ready to stand with you. As your St. Louis drunk driving accident lawyer, we will fight for the full compensation your injuries deserve while treating you with the respect this moment demands.
Call The Granat Law Office today at (314) 804-2232 for a free case evaluation. There is no fee unless we win your case.
David Granat is a seasoned personal injury attorney and the founder of Granat Law Office, LLC, which he has led since 2005. A St. Louis native, David began his legal career at several well-known law firms in the area, where he focused on personal injury and premises liability litigation. That early experience laid the groundwork for his own successful practice, where he continues to advocate for clients who have been injured due to negligence.
David earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and his Juris Doctor from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He later completed advanced legal training at Harvard University, receiving a Certificate in Negotiation in 2008. Known for his strategic mindset and client-first approach, David has built a reputation for delivering results with integrity and dedication throughout the St. Louis community.
