St. Louis DUI Accident Lawyer
The Midwest's Most Effective Injury Law Firm
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- March 5, 2026
If you or a loved one has been injured by an impaired or drunk driver, our DUI accident lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation. Our accident and injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs or legal fees—we only get paid if you win.
Find out how our experience and resources can help you pursue the financial recovery you deserve. Call our law office in St. Louis, Missouri, at (314) 501-9510 or request a free case evaluation online.
- Why Choose to Work With a St. Louis DUI Accident Lawyer at Brown & Crouppen?
- How Our DUI Accident Lawyers in St. Louis Can Help With Your Claim
- What Damages Are Available to Drunk Driving Accident Victims in St. Louis?
- Does Car Insurance Cover Drunk Driving Car Accidents?
- Who Can Be Held Liable for a DUI Accident in St. Louis?
- What Missouri Laws Apply to Drunk Driving Accidents?
- Can I Recover Compensation for a Loved One Hit by a Drunk Driver?
- How We Put Our Clients First at Brown & Crouppen
- Types of Drunk Driving Accident Cases Our St. Louis DUI Accident Attorneys Handle
- How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Drunk Driving Accident in Missouri?
- Trusted St. Louis DWI/DUI Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight for You
- Drunk Driving Accidents FAQs
- Meet Our St. Louis Attorneys
While being injured in a car accident is difficult on its own, knowing that an impaired driver caused the crash can be incredibly frustrating. You deserve justice for what happened and a chance to hold the at-fault driver accountable for their negligence.
Our St. Louis DUI lawyers know the struggles you’re facing, including medical expenses, lost time at work or with family, and confusion while dealing with insurance adjusters. We are committed to helping you demand fair compensation for your losses and protecting you from unfair insurance companies that try to pay less than you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with our team. We’re here for you anytime, day or night, by phone, contact form, or chat.
Why Choose to Work With a St. Louis DUI Accident Lawyer at Brown & Crouppen?
Led by attorneys Terry Crouppen, Ed Herman, and Andy Crouppen, our team of more than 250 legal professionals has helped our clients recover over $1 billion in compensation. Since 1979, we have continued to fight for full-value settlements when possible and stand strong in trial when insurers refuse to make a fair offer.
Our focus is on protecting you and your family’s future, and we will go the extra mile to do so. From the very start, we’ll prepare your case as if it’s going to trial, letting insurance companies know we are ready to go the distance to maximize your compensation.
Because drunk driver accident cases can be complex, we offer compassionate support, professional guidance, and strong legal advocacy when you need it most. To us, you’re more than just another case number. You can expect to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect every step of the way.
How Our DUI Accident Lawyers in St. Louis Can Help With Your Claim
When it comes to your future, you need an experienced drunk driving accident law firm you can trust to handle your case. Our skilled attorneys provide comprehensive representation that includes:
- Launching an independent investigation into your drunk driving car accident
- Identifying the responsible parties and who can be held liable
- Gathering crucial evidence, including medical records, police reports, results of field sobriety tests, 911 recordings, witness statements, and physical evidence from the scene
- Consulting with respected accident reconstructionists and injury specialists
- Handling complications that may arise if the driver is formally charged with DUI/DWI
- Aggressively negotiating for a fair DUI accident settlement that accurately represents your losses
- Bringing your case to court when necessary
As one of the Midwest’s most awarded firms, we’re ready to invest whatever resources, time, and effort are necessary to get you the best possible results for your DUI accident claim.
FREE CASE EVALUATION
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
What Damages Are Available to Drunk Driving Accident Victims in St. Louis?
After a drunk driving car accident in St. Louis, you can pursue economic and non-economic damages through an insurance claim or lawsuit. The average settlement for an individual hit by a drunk driver generally ranges from $50,000 to $150,000, but may be higher or lower depending on various case factors.
Economic damages make up for the financial expenses associated with a drunk driving accident, while non-economic damages compensate for pain and suffering and other losses that are not easily quantified.
Brown & Crouppen will help you seek compensation for:
- Present and future medical bills
- Lost wages and income
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Nursing assistance
- Pain and suffering / Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
Punitive damages are sometimes awarded in drunk driving accident cases in Missouri, particularly in situations where a driver’s BAC is much higher than the legal limit of .08 percent. However, there must be evidence that the driver (or another party) acted intentionally or displayed a conscious disregard for your safety.
At Brown & Crouppen, we’ll carefully evaluate your case and work closely with experts as we identify your damages and determine what your DWI/DUI accident case is worth.
Brown & Crouppen DUI Accident Case Highlight
A recent client was struck by a drunk driver while helping her son with his broken-down truck. She suffered from a painful ACL tear in her knee that required extensive physical therapy.
While the insurance company initially offered the policy’s limit of $250,000, we pushed and demanded proof that there was no other coverage available. As a result, we secured a $450,000 settlement to compensate our client for her financial losses and extensive suffering.
Does Car Insurance Cover Drunk Driving Car Accidents?
Missouri is an at-fault state, which means that if you are at fault for an accident, your insurance company is liable to pay for damages. So if the drunk driver has insurance (as required by law), you can submit a claim to their carrier and seek damages up to their policy limit.
What happens if the drunk driver is uninsured or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover the costs of your drunk driving accident injuries?
In that situation, you can:
- Submit a claim to recover benefits through your Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) or Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM)
- File a claim with another liable party’s insurance policy
- File a personal injury lawsuit against the drunk driver or another at-fault party
At Brown & Crouppen, our DWI injury attorneys will aggressively pursue compensation from all available sources. This will help to ensure that you receive all the money you need and deserve after your devastating drunk driving crash.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a DUI Accident in St. Louis?
Under Missouri law, anyone who contributes to an auto accident can be financially responsible for the consequences. It’s certainly possible that a third party contributed to your drunk driving accident in some way.
Depending on the specific details of your crash, the following parties could potentially be responsible for your DUI injuries:
- Other negligent motorists
- Bicyclists or pedestrians
- Property owners
- A business that over-served the drunk driver
- A social host if the drunk driver was underage
- Vehicle manufacturers
- Employers
Our attorneys will carefully analyze your drunk driving traffic accident to determine why it happened and identify all potentially liable parties.
What Missouri Laws Apply to Drunk Driving Accidents?
In Missouri, the laws prohibiting drunk driving are designated as “Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).” Synonymous with “Driving Under the Influence (DUI),” these laws apply to a driver operating a motor vehicle while impaired or with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding 0.08 percent. If the driver in your case is charged with DWI, you can use this to invoke the legal theory of negligence per se.
Negligence per se means that the driver broke a law that was intended to prevent the type of accident and injuries that occurred. If you can show this, it makes your path to a successful financial recovery much easier. You won’t have to prove that they were drunk (and therefore breached a duty of care owed to you). Instead, you just point to the fact that they violated Missouri’s drunk driving law.
Penalties for Driving While Intoxicated in Missouri
Under Missouri Revised Statute §577.010, the following penalties apply to DWI violations:
- First DWI offense: Up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500, a court-ordered treatment program for drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or higher
- Second DWI offense: Up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000
- Third DWI offense: Up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000
- Fourth DWI offense: Up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000
- Fifth DWI offense or more: Between five and 15 years in prison
Additionally, there are mandatory minimum imprisonment times you must meet for each offense before being eligible for probation or parole. Your driver’s license will also be revoked for longer periods with every subsequent offense.
Can I Recover Compensation for a Loved One Hit by a Drunk Driver?
If a family member was hit by a drunk driver and suffered fatal injuries, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. A surviving spouse, children, parents, grandchildren, siblings, or a designated representative can bring a wrongful death claim to recover damages.
The sudden loss of a loved one in a fatal drunk driving accident can be devastating for the whole family, leaving you with financial and emotional hardships. Our St. Louis DWI lawyers are here to guide you through your next steps and help you seek justice on behalf of your family member.
How We Put Our Clients First at Brown & Crouppen
Our firm was founded with one goal in mind—getting justice for people who have been injured due to someone else’s negligence. Individuals who are injured in a DUI accident face many challenges because these cases are often complicated and cause significant trauma for victims.
What happened to you was not your fault, and it’s unfair for you to bear the burden of the accident alone. From medical care to legal guidance, our attorneys make sure you get the treatment and attention you deserve while we fight for the maximum compensation for your losses.
Brown & Crouppen isn’t just a law firm. We’re your neighbors. We live here, we work here, we raise our families here. St. Louis is home, and we’re proud to assist those impacted by drunk driving accidents in our community.
"If you're in an accident and you have reason to believe that the person who hit you was driving under the influence, please make sure to share those concerns with the police officer because they can pursue that. They can smell breath. They can request breathalyzers. In some situations they may have been able to request blood samples. When you are hit by somebody who is under the influence, It automatically will make your case more valuable. When juries see that kind of behavior, they rightfully want to punish it because the people that are out there driving under the influence are making things dangerous for every one of us - and that includes people on the jury. So if the person who hits you was under the influence We know how to frame that claim just right to increase the value tremendously."
Types of Drunk Driving Accident Cases Our St. Louis DUI Accident Attorneys Handle
Alcohol is a depressant, which slows the body’s ability to function and respond. When an intoxicated driver attempts to operate a vehicle, they may experience impaired judgment, reduced coordination, and loss of impulse control, which can all increase the risk of an accident.
Our St. Louis car accident lawyers handle all types of drunk driving injury claims, including crashes that involve:
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Speeding or driving aggressively
- Leaving their designated lane of traffic
- Driving while distracted
- Tailgating other vehicles
- Failing to yield the right of way while merging or moving through an intersection
- Failing to look for bicyclists, pedestrians, or other vehicles
- Driving the wrong way
- Ignoring or missing traffic signs
While DWI accidents often lead to serious injuries, impaired driving also accounts for 18% of the traffic fatalities in Missouri. Our team handles wrongful death claims and helps families rebuild their lives after an unthinkable loss.
Use our legal checklist to learn what to do after an accident and understand key legal considerations for recovering financial compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Drunk Driving Accident in Missouri?
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for car accident lawsuits is five years. This typically gives you five years from the date of your drunk driving accident in St. Louis to file a claim for damages.
Families have three years to initiate a wrongful death lawsuit after a fatal accident.
Keep in mind that the statute of limitations in your civil DUI injury case may be tolled if the drunk driver is charged with a crime. Your case will be put on hold until the criminal drunk driving charges against the driver are resolved. However, you must still have filed your claim on time to preserve your right to seek damages.
If you miss the deadline that applies to your drunk driving injury case, you’ll give up the right to recover much-needed money for your injuries and suffering. Talk to a St. Louis car accident lawyer at Brown & Crouppen right away to avoid missing your opportunity for compensation.
Trusted St. Louis DWI/DUI Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight for You
Someone decided to get behind the wheel while they were drunk, and now you’re left with painful and debilitating injuries. Don’t let them off the hook. Call Brown & Crouppen and have our experienced St. Louis DUI accident lawyers pursue maximum compensation from the drunk driver and other liable parties on your behalf. Call our law office in St. Louis today to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation with a member of our experienced team.
For over four decades, our car accident attorneys have been passionate advocates for clients in St. Louis and across the state of Missouri including Brentwood, Central West End, Clayton, Downtown St. Louis, Ferguson, Forest Park Southeast, Frontenac, Grand Center, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lafayette Square, Midtown, Olivette, Pagedale, Richmond Heights, Shaw, Soulard, The Hill, Tower Grove, University City, and Webster Groves.
We understand that this is your one shot at getting the money you need and deserve, so we’ll be ready to do everything in our power to get you the best possible outcome.
Drunk Driving Accidents FAQs
There are no upfront fees to hire our drunk driving accident lawyers. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means our fees are paid as a percentage of the amount we recover for your claim. This means you do not have to pay out-of-pocket for our services, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.
Many DUI accident claims will settle out of court. Our team will build your case to give us negotiating leverage that can lead to a favorable settlement for your drunk driver accident injuries. However, our attorneys can take your case to court when the insurance company does not agree to pay fair compensation.
Negligence is the foundation for most drunk driving injury lawsuits in Missouri. If you want to take legal action to recover losses, you must establish all elements of negligence, including:
- Duty of care: The drunk driver owed you a legal duty.
- Breach of duty: The driver breached this duty by operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Causation: The driver’s intoxication caused an accident that was the cause of your injuries.
- Damages: You’ve suffered losses from the accident.
Depending on the severity of the crash, DUI accidents can lead to different types of injuries that have serious consequences for victims. Common DUI accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burn injuries
- Nerve damage
- Amputation
- Neck and back injuries
- Chest injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Vision or hearing loss
- Broken bones and fractures
- Other catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Meet Our St. Louis Attorneys
FREE CASE EVALUATION
Our Results
- Last Modified:
- March 5, 2026
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION
