If you or someone you love suffered catastrophic injuries in a collision caused by a drunk driver, your entire life could be upended. Fortunately, drunk drivers can be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law for their reckless and irresponsible actions. There may be multiple opportunities for you to recover the total value of your damages. With help from our Fort Worth drunk driving accident attorneys from the Law Office of Paul Previte, you can demand the fair compensation you deserve.
Your Fort Worth car accident lawyer can help you negotiate with the insurance company for a reasonable settlement and secure the most favorable outcome possible based on the circumstances of your case. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today and learn more about other parties who could share responsibility for your damages and how to get the most out of your claim.
Drunk Drivers Can Be Held Accountable
Drunk drivers should be brought to justice for their negligent actions. The criminal justice system will determine whether the drunk driver faces driving under the influence (DUI) charges. If convicted under Tex. Pen. Code § 49.04, they could be facing time in jail or prison, license suspension, fines, and other penalties.
However, you do not need to wait for the criminal justice system to decide whether the liable party should be held accountable. You can take matters into your own hands by filing a civil claim against the drunk driver and other liable parties. The driver who hit you should be ordered to cover the total value of your damages. This does not only include your monetary losses, but every other way you have been affected by the DUI accident and your resulting injuries.
Texas Dram Shop Liability Laws
Per Tex. Alc. Bev. Code § 2.01, dram shops may also be held accountable for drunk driving accidents. Dram shops are establishments that serve or sell alcohol. Some examples of establishments that could be considered dram shops include:
- Stadium venues
- Amusement parks
- Grocery stores
- Night clubs
- Bars
- Liquor stores
- Convenience stores
- Restaurants
- Taverns
- Other vendors
If the dram shop serves or sells alcohol to someone who is already visibly impaired, and that party goes on to cause a collision, the dram shop may be partially responsible for your injuries. These laws also apply to social hosts. When an adult supplies alcohol to an underage driver who goes on to cause a collision due to their drunk driving, the social host can share liability for the victim’s suffering.
What to Expect From the Insurance Company
You may be able to recover a portion of your damages by filing a claim with the insurance company. Since Texas follows fault insurance laws, when you file a claim, it will be against the liable party’s insurance policy. However, if the driver who hit you was drunk, it could complicate your insurance claim.
Insurance companies have been known to attempt to avoid liability by claiming that the insurance coverage is not active if the driver is intoxicated or impaired at the time of the accident. However, your catastrophic injury attorney will need to review the specific details of the insurance policy to determine whether this is allowed or if the insurance company is attempting to deny you the compensation you deserve in bad faith.
Trust In Our Reputable Fort Worth Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Despite the fact that drunk driving is widely recognized as being dangerous, there does not seem to be a decrease in the number of DUIs and drunk driving accidents across the state. For this reason, it is critical that we continue our efforts to prosecute drunk drivers to the fullest extent of the law and hold them accountable in civil court wherever possible. Our compassionate and zealous Fort Worth drunk driving accident attorneys from the Law Office of Paul Previte will stop at nothing to help you maximize your payout.
Learn more about how much compensation you could be awarded and how the liable party may attempt to avoid culpability when you contact our office to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. Reach us by phone or through our online contact form to get started on your claim as soon as today.
