An auto accident lawyer in Granite City, IL generally is paid on a contingency basis. This means the client only pays fees if the attorney is successful at negotiating a better settlement or resolving the case in court in the person’s favor. Not until the compensation is paid does the client owe any legal fees.
Low Automotive Liability Coverage
Sometimes an individual has trouble collecting a reasonable amount of compensation because the at-fault driver’s maximum automotive insurance liability is too low to pay all the expenses. Depending on the situation, an auto accident lawyer in Granite City, IL may be able to find other sources of compensation.
For example, a drunk driver who seriously injured someone may have only carried the minimum liability insurance required by the state. For bodily injury, this required minimum is only $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Someone with this low amount of coverage probably does not have any assets to speak of, since people typically choose higher coverage as protection against a potential lawsuit.
The Liquor Control Act
If this person had been drinking in a bar or restaurant before getting behind the wheel, the lawyer might want to investigate that situation. Under the Illinois law known as the Liquor Control Act, commercial vendors can be held liable if an intoxicated customer continued to be provided alcohol and then caused a car crash. This law is also called the Dram Shop Act, an older term for this type of regulation. The law has been in effect since 1934; many other states have similar laws.
If this turns out to be the scenario that led to the drunk driving incident, a lawyer with a firm such as Becker, Schroader & Chapman, PC now may be able to file a lawsuit against the establishment that served the alcohol to the at-fault driver. The lawyer will want to be certain this case can be won before taking the initial steps in filing suit. Talking with witnesses at the bar or restaurant and doing other sorts of the investigation will be necessary. Anyone interested in a consultation with this particular firm may browse the website for contact details.
