Drunk Drivers

It’s amazing that people still drive drunk, but they do. Sometimes they drink at home or at a party, and other times they drink at bars. Then they get behind the wheel and lives get changed.

In Iowa, places that sell and serve alcohol are required by law to stop serving patrons who are near intoxication or who are already intoxicated.

These liquor liability rules — known as the "dram shop" law — are meant to protect public safety. When bars, restaurants and taverns continue to serve drunken people, those people can become drunk drivers. Unfortunately, innocent people often pay the price.

These rules do not apply to convenience stores or grocery stores, because they only sell liquor—and do not serve it to you. These rules also do not apply to homeowners, unless they give alcohol to someone under age.

We have been helping people hurt or killed in drunk driving and dram shop cases since 1996, and Martin Diaz has been doing them for more than 20 years.

Call (319) 339-4350 or (888) 404-6586 for a Free Initial Consultation

So, if alcohol is involved, accountability applies to two possible sources: the driver/owner of the vehicle, and the place that helped the driver get drunk.

Iowa's dram shop liability statute holds bars and restaurants responsible if they serve people to intoxication, or when it is apparent they are already intoxicated, should those people go on to injure someone while still drunk.

This is true whether your injuries were caused by drunk driving, violence, or another cause.

People who can sue under dram shop statutes include people injured by a drunk person, but it also includes family members of drunken people who have died.

If you have or a loved one has been injured in a drunk-driving collision, we are here to help you.

Feel free to call us today for a free initial consultation.