Drunk Driving Accidents
While being injured in a Texas car wreck can be a traumatic event, being injured in a drunk driving accident can be absolutely devastating. Car wreck injuries that are caused by a drunk driver can be some of the most catastrophic injuries an individual can face. Oftentimes, the drunk driver walks away unharmed, while the other party or parties involved are seriously injured, disabled, or even killed. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 32% of all auto accident fatalities in 2008 involved a driver with an illegal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC of .08 or greater). When Dallas/Fort Worth drunk driving accidents are fatal, the loved ones and family members of the deceased are left to deal with the tremendous pain and loss that accompanies such a horrific tragedy. At Tate Law Offices, we understand that pain and we believe that drunk drivers should not only be held civilly liable (meaning they should pay money for the injuries they inflict), but should also be criminally prosecuted (subject to the approval of our clients) to the full extent of the law.
If you have been the victim of a Texas drunk driving accident, contact Tate Law Offices immediately to protect your rights and safeguard your future.
Texas drunk driving lawsuits are tried differently than traffic accidents that do not involve alcohol; therefore, it is especially important to know what to do when you are involved in a car accident. In addition, it is essential to seek legal advice in order to protect your rights after a drunk driving accident.
Call our Dallas or Fort Worth, Texas office today for a FREE Consultation at 888-223-3461 to learn more about your legal rights and how to pursue your case.
Tate Law Offices has the experience necessary to get you the money you deserve and punish those responsible!
With law offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Sherman, Texas, Tate Law Offices represents drunk driving accident victims from Texas and across the nation. Our team of professional Texas drunk driving accident attorneys has experience filing lawsuits for a variety of drunk driving claims and is dedicated to maximizing the value of your case. In addition, our firm operates on a contingency basis – in other words, we charge no upfront legal fees or costs unless we first collect money for you.
Texas Drunk Driving—Civil Lawsuits
When our client has been injured by a drunk driver, we file what is known as a civil lawsuit. In this civil lawsuit, you can rest assured that your Dallas/Fort Worth drunk driving accident attorneys will fight for the maximum financial compensation for all of the injuries and damages you have suffered as a result of the drunk driver’s negligence. Regardless of the outcome of any criminal prosecution, or even if there is no prosecution, we will file a civil action to recover monetary damages from the Texas drunken driver. Unlike a criminal case in which the central question is whether the offender is guilty of the crime, in a civil lawsuit, the question is whether the Texas drunk driving offender, or his/her employer, is responsible for monetary damages.
On the civil side, the attorneys at Tate Law Offices have successfully handled hundreds of drunken driving auto wrecks in Texas and throughout the United States. Our team of dedicated lawyers understands how to prove a drunk driving case. We have successfully recovered substantial sums of money for our clients for:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment
- Scarring
- And more
In addition, the experienced drunk driving accident attorneys at Tate Law Offices understand that alcohol is usually considered an aggravating factor in auto accidents. An aggravating factor is when an action, such as drunken driving, is given a more severe punishment. It is also something that is used to increase the value of a claim above and beyond what it would have been had the aggravating factor not been a factor in the Texas auto accident claim. When aggravating factors, such as drunken driving, are involved, we can assert a claim for punitive / exemplary damages to punish the drunk driver for his or her illegal actions and to help deter future drunk driving in the State of Texas.
Texas Drunk Driving—Criminal Lawsuits
In a criminal prosecution, the government brings a case against the Texas drunk driver. The goals of a criminal prosecution are to:
- Maintain public safety
- Punish the criminal
- Deter others from committing the same crime
- Rehabilitate the offender
In a criminal prosecution the lawyer is known as the prosecutor and he/she represents the government. This is in contrast to a civil case where the lawyer represents the victim and is known as the plaintiff’s attorney.
On the criminal side, Tate Law Offices drunk driving attorney, Chris Rehmet, is a former prosecutor with the district attorney’s office and has been involved in many drunk driving cases in Dallas, Fort Worth, and throughout the State of Texas. Not only does Chris use his skills on the civil side to help Texas auto accident victims collect monetary compensation, but he also works with numerous district attorney offices, police investigators, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and other organizations to criminally convict drunk drivers and prevent them from killing or injuring other victims.
Texas Drunk Driving—Finding Additional Responsible Parties
It is important to look at all potential responsible parties when analyzing a Texas drunken driving accident. While the obvious answer may be the drunk driver, in some circumstances “dram shop liability” may apply; that is, the party that supplied the liquor may also be held liable. Additionally, if the Texas drunk driver was on the job at the time of the wreck, the employer may also be held liable for the drunk driving accident. Therefore, it is important to understand that when you are involved in a drunk driving accident, you may have multiple claims to file. The Texas drunk driving accident attorneys at Tate Law Offices have the experience to investigate your claim and bring claims against all responsible parties for the maximum amount of compensation for which you are entitled.
Texas Drunk Driving—Dealing with Insurance Companies and Adjusters
When insurance claims adjustors contact you, they do so with the intent to limit their liabilities and reduce the amount of compensation they have to pay you. They will try to use your answers against you, so please do not speak with them. The Texas auto accident attorneys at Tate Law Offices know how to deal with these insurance companies and will communicate with them on your behalf. Click here for more information about Dealing with Insurance Companies.
Drunk Driving Statistics and the Need to Prevent Drunk Driving
Though it is illegal to drive in Texas with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, many people unfortunately choose to disobey this law. In fact, someone is killed in an alcohol related car wreck every 40 minutes in the United States. This means that 36 people a day die in drunk driving related accidents – over 13,000 people per year. In addition, 700 people a day are injured in drunk driving wrecks – over 250,000 people per year. Unfortunately, the Office for Victims of Crimes estimates that 30 percent of Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident at some point in their lifetime. These statistics are staggering and show that unless drunk drivers are punished, they will continue to drive drunk and injure or kill innocent victims. In order to ensure that drunk drivers do not continue their destructive behavior and injure or kill others, victims of Texas drunk driving accidents are encouraged to file both civil and criminal claims against the drunk driver.
Our team of Texas drunk driving accident lawyers will handle your drunk driving case the right way, putting you in a position to receive substantial compensation for your injuries and helping to prevent repeated drunk driving in the future. Contact the Texas drunk driving accident attorneys at Tate Law Offices today for a FREE Consultation.
