Sugar Land Drunk Driving Accident Victim Lawyer

Accidents resulting from drunk driving can have devastating effects. Despite countless “Don’t Drink and Drive” campaigns, the number of alcohol-related accident fatalities nationwide is over 10,000 every year.

Our main goal is helping you seek total financial recovery in a timely manner by holding the guilty, negligent motorist responsible.

What Should You Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Sugar Land, TX?

Your first priority should be to ensure that you and other road users are safe. Seek medical help and from there, follow the steps below:

Promptly notify the police.
Collect as much evidence as you can, such as photos and recordings.
Gather information from the drunk driver – Their vehicle registration number, insurance information, name, phone number, and address.
Collect the names and contact details of any witnesses on the scene.
Keep a record of everything, including medical bills and injury evaluation reports.
Seek the services of our Sugar Land, TX, drunk driving attorneys.
Do not accept any offers by the other driver’s insurance provider without legal counsel on your side.

Civil vs Criminal Charges Against a Drunk Driver

Pursuing a civil claim against a drunk motorist is different from pursuing criminal charges against the driver. For a criminal case, the state of Texas seeks to impose punishment on a drunk driver due to his or her conduct. Prosecutors can pursue such a case against the drunk motorist on behalf of the state and not necessarily on the behalf of the accident victim. This implies that, if a drunk driver is found guilty, fines are paid to the state of Texas, and the offender is not necessarily ordered to compensate accident victims.

A civil claim is different. Your lawyer will prosecute the case on your behalf and the goal is not seeking a conviction but securing compensation for your financial, emotional, and physical damages. However, keep in mind that punitive damages may be sought as well in order to punish the drunk motorist and to deter such behavior from repeating in the future.

Drunk Driving Laws in Sugar Land, TX

Like most states, Texas’ penal code for drunk driving defines DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) as operating a car on public roads with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) of 0.08% or more. The BAC level of a driver is usually determined through blood, breath, or urine tests performed by police officers after a crash or arrest.

However, even if the BAC of a driver is less than 0.08%, such a motorist can still be convicted of driving while intoxicated. A DWI conviction is usually based on the consumption of any alcohol amount, drugs, or both which causes someone to lose the normal use of their physical or mental faculties.

Signs of Driver Impairment

Our lawyers will help you in proving the fault of the drunk driver using evidence such as:

Slurred speech
Red, glazed, or bloodshot eyes
A strong alcohol smell on the breath
Reckless driving such as driving too slowly, speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, drifting across lanes, or failure to stop at a red light or at a stop sign

Who Can You Sue in a Drunk Driving Accident?

If you have been hurt from the actions of a drunk motorist, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or a pedestrian, you are entitled to fair compensation. Other than the party that directly contributed to your accident, there are other parties that our lawyers can help you pursue compensation from:

The drunk driver’s employer
The bar, store, or restaurant that sold alcohol to the drunk driver
A social host that offered alcohol to a minor

What Can You Recover From a Drunk Driving Accident Claim?

Our Sugar Land auto accident lawyers are committed to seeking maximum recovery both for you and your loved ones. We will investigate your case thoroughly and consult with experts to ascertain what the ideal amount of compensation that should be sought for is for your claim.

Although the amount that you can recover depends on accident-specific facts and issues, a claim will typically seek the recovery of:

Diminished future income and lost wages
Current and future medical expenses for personal injuries
Emotional distress
Pain and suffering
Scarring and disfigurement
Physical impairment
Loss of consortium

Wrongful Death from Drunk Driving

If a drunk driving accident leads to wrongful death, our lawyers will hold the responsible driver accountable for:

Funeral/burial costs
Medical bills incurred by the loved one before death
A potential loss of inheritance
Loss of benefits
Emotional anguish
Pain and suffering endured by the deceased before death

What are Punitive Damages?

Punitive damages are usually reserved for serious accident cases that involve gross negligence. Punitive damages can be pursued for drunk driving accident cases to punish the drunk driver for their negligent acts and to provide additional compensation for losses incurred by the victim.

Contact Our Drunk Driving Expert Attorneys in Sugar Land Today

If a drunk driver caused pain, injury, or devastating, life-changing injuries to you or caused the loss of your loved one, our lawyers will help you file for full financial and medical recovery from the negligent driver responsible for the accident. Contact us today to learn about your legal options and for no obligation, contingency-based services at no up-front cost whatsoever. Call now at 713-677-2159.