Drunk Driving Accidents – Injured by an Intoxicated Driver?
A large share of serious car crashes trace back to drunk, intoxicated, and impaired driving, which makes a drunk driving accident one of the most preventable tragedies on Texas roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly 31% of all U.S. traffic fatalities come from alcohol-related collisions. A drunk driving accident is never just bad luck — it is the direct result of a choice someone made to get behind the wheel impaired. If that choice hurt you, the law lets you hold the driver accountable.
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If a drunk driving accident left you seriously hurt, you are entitled to damages for your full medical costs, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, lost present and future income, and the cost of rehabilitation and retraining. Do not let an insurance agent settle with you for a fraction of what you are owed. Have your case evaluated first by a personal injury lawyer experienced in drunk driving accident cases.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Crash
What you do in the hours after the crash protects both your health and your claim. Get medical attention right away, even if you feel only shaken, and make sure the police respond so the suspected impairment is documented in an official report. Photograph the scene and the vehicles, collect names and numbers from witnesses, and keep every bill and record tied to the crash. Then call a lawyer before giving any statement to the other driver’s insurer.
How a Drunk Driving Case Proceeds in Texas
Once you have legal representation, your attorney investigates the crash. If the other driver was cited for drunk or intoxicated driving, the records of those charges are obtained. If not, your attorney builds the negligence case by contacting witnesses and securing evidence.
Your attorney also contacts your physician for estimates of the future care you will need and whether any injuries are permanent. With that picture, they can gauge the settlement your future requires. Once damages are estimated, and in coordination with you, your attorney demands fair compensation from the insurance company. If the insurer comes to terms, the case settles; if not, your attorney prepares for trial and presents your case persuasively to a jury. Our office also knows how to prove impairment — one of our attorneys spent years as a supervising forensic chemist-toxicologist for the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory Division, and that background helps establish a driver’s intoxication and secure full compensation for victims.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Drunk Driving Crash
The impaired driver is the obvious defendant, but Texas law can reach further. Under the state’s dram shop law, a bar, restaurant, or other establishment that serves a visibly intoxicated person who then causes a crash may share liability for the harm. Identifying every responsible party often makes the difference between a partial recovery and a full one, especially when the driver carries little insurance.
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Punitive Damages in Drunk Driving Cases
Drunk driving cases can carry more than ordinary compensation. Because driving while intoxicated is a clear disregard for the safety of others, Texas allows exemplary, or punitive, damages in cases of gross negligence — awarded on top of your medical bills and other losses to punish the conduct and deter it. An experienced attorney knows how to build the record these damages require.
Get in Touch with a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a serious drunk driving accident, do not wait to speak with a personal injury attorney from our Law Office. Our firm has fought for the rights of accident victims for nearly two decades, so you can trust that we will pursue your case aggressively. Recovering damages is a necessary part of healing, and we make sure you recover the level of compensation you actually deserve. If that means standing up to the insurance company, that is exactly what we will do. Contact the firm today for a free consultation.