Were you injured in a drunk driving accident in Sioux Falls, SD?

Loos, Sabers & Smith, LLP stands with Sioux Falls victims of impaired drivers, from the first phone call to the final resolution of a claim.

If a drunk driver injured you in Sioux Falls, the first step to take is to talk with a personal injury lawyer before you accept any offers from the insurance company. You have the right to seek full compensation for your medical bills, your lost wages, and the disruption the crash caused. 

The attorneys at Loos, Sabers & Smith, LLP have represented injured people throughout South Dakota for more than three decades. If you need trusted legal advice, a Sioux Falls, SD drunk driving lawyer can examine your case and explain what it may be worth, at no cost to you. Contact us to set up a meeting.

Drunk Driving Lawyer Sioux Falls, SD

A drunk driving lawyer works for the injured person. We do not defend the driver who was arrested. When someone is charged with driving impaired, that criminal case belongs to prosecutors, and its purpose is to determine guilt and penalties.

What we handle is the civil claim. It is your path to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and the disruption a crash brings to your life. A drunk driving accident attorney pursues that recovery through negotiation with the insurer or, if needed, a lawsuit. The criminal court can punish the driver, but it cannot reimburse you. Your civil case is built for that, and it can succeed even if the criminal charges are dropped. The two cases also run on separate tracks, so you do not have to wait for the criminal matter to finish before protecting your own rights.

Types of Drunk Driving Cases We Handle in Sioux Falls

Our Sioux Falls drunk driving attorneys represent victims in every kind of crash that grows out of a decision to drink and drive. Here are the cases we handle most often.

• Car accidents. Most drunk driving claims start with a vehicle collision. We dig into how the crash happened, build the proof, and push the at-fault driver’s insurer toward a fair result.

• Truck accidents. When an impaired driver is operating a commercial truck, the injuries can be severe. We pursue the driver and, where the facts support it, the trucking company and the additional insurance coverage that may apply.

• Motorcycle accidents. A rider has almost no protection against a drunk driver. We represent injured motorcyclists and push back on the unfair blame riders so often face.

• Pedestrian accidents. A person on foot is exposed to the full force of a vehicle. Injuries to pedestrians struck by impaired drivers are frequently serious, and we handle them accordingly.

• Bike accidents. Cyclists hit by drunk drivers often suffer head and spinal injuries. We work to hold the responsible driver accountable for everything those injuries cost, both now and in the years that follow.

• Brain injuries. A blow to the head can alter memory, mood, and the ability to work. These claims need careful medical proof and a long-term view of recovery.

• Wrongful death. When an impaired driver takes a life, we help the family seek accountability and the support the law provides during an unimaginable time.

• Catastrophic injuries. Some crashes leave lasting disability that reshapes a person’s life and finances. We prepare these cases for the long term, accounting for future treatment, in-home care, and the income a serious injury can take away over a lifetime. These claims often call for medical and economic opinions, and we build them with that evidence in mind.

Why Choose Loos, Sabers & Smith, LLP as my Drunk Driving Lawyer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota?

A Plaintiff-Only Focus

Michael C. Loos has built his practice around personal injury since 1994, standing with individuals hurt in serious accidents instead of the insurers across the table. He is admitted in South Dakota and before the federal district court and the Eighth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals. He has been selected to Super Lawyers for personal injury every year from 2017 through 2025 and completed his undergraduate degree at Mankato State University. Putting an experienced personal injury lawyer in Sioux Falls, SD on your case signals to an insurer that you are serious about full value.

Experience Insurers Recognize

Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for injured South Dakotans across a range of serious claims. We treat preparation as the heart of the work, building each file as if a jury will see it. That approach tends to move insurers toward fair offers. A claim that is documented thoroughly and ready for court is far harder for an adjuster to dismiss. Your first consultation is free, and you will walk away knowing where you stand.

What Is Important to Understand About a Drunk Driving Case?

A drunk driving case generally comes down to a handful of core issues: what your losses are worth, who is legally at fault, how long the matter will take to resolve, and what evidence you will need to prove it. The answers depend on South Dakota law and on the particular facts of your crash. Each issue is addressed in turn below.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Drunk Driving Cases

Each category of damages must be documented and supported before an insurer will pay it. A drunk driving claim generally encompasses the following.

• Medical expenses. Emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, rehabilitation, and the treatment you will require later.

• Lost income. Wages lost while you recover, plus any diminished earning capacity if you cannot fully return to work.

• Pain and suffering. The physical pain and the narrowing of daily life that a serious injury brings.

• Emotional harm. The anxiety, depression, and trauma that commonly follow a violent crash.

• Property damage. The cost to repair or replace your vehicle and other damaged property.

• Punitive damages. Where a driver’s conduct is sufficiently reckless, the law may allow damages intended to punish that conduct.

Liability is the question of who is legally at fault, and the answer often shapes the entire claim. The Sioux Falls crash laws and South Dakota’s broader fault rules can change what you ultimately collect. Because the state follows a fault standard unlike any other, even a modest dispute over your share of responsibility deserves careful attention before any settlement is accepted.

What Are Important Aspects of a Drunk Driving Case?

A claim is built on evidence. A few elements carry the most weight.

• The police report and any breath or blood testing of the driver.

• Photos of the scene, the vehicles, and your injuries.

• Medical records that tie your treatment to the crash.

• Witness statements and any available video.

• How South Dakota’s shared-fault rules apply to your circumstances.

What Is The Drunk Driving Case Timeline?

Every claim has its own pace. Most travel through the same stages.

• Getting medical care and documenting your injuries.

• Investigating the crash and preserving evidence.

• Submitting the claim to the responsible driver’s insurer.

• Negotiating, and filing a lawsuit if the insurer will not be fair.

• Settling the case or, when necessary, trying it.

What Should You Bring to Your Drunk Driving Consultation?

Bring whatever you have available. Missing items can be obtained as the case proceeds.

• The crash or police report, if you have it.

• Photographs from the scene and of your injuries.

• Medical bills and records you have collected.

• Insurance information and any adjuster letters.

The consultation costs nothing. We will listen to what happened, answer your questions, and explain how a claim would proceed. You are under no obligation to hire us afterward.

What Are Important South Dakota Legal Resources for Drunk Driving Cases?

These public resources can help you understand the South Dakota laws behind an injury claim. Treat them as background, not as advice built around your case, and bring any questions they raise to your free consultation so we can apply them to what actually happened to you.

• The three-year filing deadline for most injury suits comes from the statute of limitations.

• South Dakota’s comparative negligence statute explains how shared fault affects recovery.

• The duty to use ordinary care is set out in South Dakota negligence law.

• The deadline for fatal-crash claims appears in the wrongful death statute.

• National impaired-driving data is published as NHTSA drunk-driving data.

• Statewide safety information comes from the Office of Highway Safety.

Reach Out to Loos, Sabers & Smith, LLP to Schedule a Consultation

Every case we take begins with a free consultation. We will listen to what happened, review the strength of your claim, and explain the path forward so you can make an informed decision. There is no cost to meet and no commitment required. To get started, contact us to arrange a convenient time to talk.