Dallas Drunk Driving Accident Injury Attorneys
Every year, thousands of victims are severely injured or killed in automobile accidents caused by the negligence of drunk drivers. In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving accidents, a staggering average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurring every 52 minutes. Drunk driving fatalities accounted for 31 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States.
These accidents are often the most difficult for victims and family members to cope with, because they were preventable if the driver had abstained from becoming so intoxicated that he or she could not safely operate a vehicle. However, the drunk driver is not always the only party to blame in these circumstances. In some accidents, the bar, restaurant, or night club that served alcohol to the drunk driver is also liable for the injuries sustained by innocent individuals on the road who are unnecessarily involved in an accident with the drunk driver. These types of lawsuits are known as “Dram Shop” lawsuits and are governed by the Texas Dram Shop Act.
Generally, the Texas Dram Shop Act states that a bar, restaurant, night club or other provider may be held liable for negligence if: (1) it knows that an individual being sold, served, or provided with an alcoholic beverage was obviously intoxicated to the extent that he presented a clear danger to himself and others, and (2) the intoxication of the recipient of the alcoholic beverage was a proximate cause of the damages suffered by the plaintiff. However, a Dram Shop defendant will only be held jointly and severally liable if its share of the responsibility for the plaintiff’s injuries exceeds fifty percent.
Obviously, the issues of whether the alcohol provider knew the recipient was intoxicated and whether that intoxication caused the plaintiff’s injuries can involve intense factual and legal inquiries that are properly addressed by a qualified Dram Shop attorney with extensive experience representing victims and their families whose lives have been affected by a drunk driver. At Reed Law, PLLC, we understand how traumatic a drunk driving accident can be, and we have experience and success in bringing to justice both drunk drivers and the establishments that served those drivers an excessive amount of alcohol.
Numerous physical, emotional, and financial injuries can result from a collision with a drunk driver, and our attorneys have been successful obtaining compensation for our clients who have sustained these injuries. The most common injuries and/or damages that result from a drunk driving accident include the following:
- Bone Fractures
- Lacerations
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Neck and Back Injuries
- Bruising
- Disfigurement
- Head Trauma
- Lost Wages
- Mental Anguish
If you have been severely injured or a family member has died in a drunk driving accident, please contact our attorneys today to learn more about your rights and the process for obtaining compensation from all the parties responsible for your tragic accident. Call 214.570.9555 today for a free consultation with a knowledgeable drunk driving accident attorney regarding your claim.