Houston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Injured in a Houston Drunk Driving Accident?
According to the United States Department of Transportation, in the United States, approximately thirty (30) people die every day from drunk driving accidents. Also, driving while drunk or intoxicated is a crime and can be prosecuted by the local District Attorney’s Office. However, the criminal charges will not get the compensation needed for the victims of drunk driving. To get maximum compensation, injured drunk driving accident victims need to call a Houston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer at Molina Law Firm to immediately begin the accident investigation.
A car accident caused by a drunk driver usually causes serious injuries to innocent victims. Drunk drivers have slower reaction times, are not aware of their surroundings, and have impaired cognitive functions. Yet, drunk drivers still manage to get behind the wheel, which can lead to an auto accident with serious injuries. In Texas, it is illegal to drive a car or boat with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or more. It is also illegal to drive drunk if you do not have the normal use of you mental of physical abilities. Also, if you are younger than 21 years old, you cannot drive with any detectable amount of alcohol in your body. Yet, drunk driving accidents unfortunately continue to happen and these accidents continue to make the daily news. Hopefully, you will not ever need a drunk driving accident lawyer, but if you do, then call Rick Molina today!
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Drunk Driving Accident?
Who can be sued in a drunk driving accident? The obvious responsible person is the drunk driver. However, there are also other people and entities that may also be responsible. For example, an injured drunk driving victim may have a claim against an entity or person that sold the alcohol or drugs to the driver. These cases are called dram shop claims. The dram shop claims are against the bar, restaurant, or business that sold the alcohol.
How Long Do I Have to File My Drunk Driving Accident Case in Court?
In Texas, driving drunk accident cases must be filed in court within two years after the date of the accident. However, you should begin your accident investigation as soon as possible after the accident. The opposing insurance company will begin its investigation immediately after the accident. They will talk to witnesses, take photos, and assess how the accident was caused. If you wait to begin your investigation then crucial evidence may be lost or destroyed.
What Should I Do After A Drunk Driving Accident?
Accidents, especially drunk driving accidents, are traumatic events that can lead to aggravation and frustration. There are many steps that are needed to make sure that Justice is served.
- Get the necessary medical treatment. If necessary and possible, call an ambulance from the accident scene. Or, have someone call an ambulance for you if you are not able to use a phone. You may also need to go to the closest Hospital Emergency Room. Many times, accident injuries are not immediately open and obvious. For this reason, you should get the necessary medical evaluation and treatment.
- Try to write down the accident facts. Accidents are quick and traumatic. With so much going through your mind after an accident, you might not remember every detail about the accident. It is best to write down as much as possible about the accident so that you do not forget details later.
- Exchange insurance information. Many times, the police will arrive at the scene and obtain the necessary insurance information. If the police do not show up, you should exchange insurance information with all involved drivers. Obtain the name of the driver, the name of the insurance company, and the policy number. This information is necessary to file the claim against the drunk driver.
- Contact an experienced drunk driving accident lawyer to begin your investigation as soon as possible. Molina Law Firm will guide you through every step of the process to make sure that you receive all of the compensation that Justice deserves.
What are Types of Injuries in a Drunk Driving Accident?
Drunk driving accidents are usually the result of high speed impacts because the drunk driver is not aware of his or her surroundings and is not aware of his or her speed. According to the Center for Disease Control, 30% of all traffic-related deaths are caused by drunk drivers. Drunk driving accidents can cause the following types of bodily injuries. Also, these injuries may cause economic and non-economic damages.
- broken bones
- back injuries
- neck injuries
- scars
- brain injuries
- amputations
- spinal cord or nerve injuries
- burn injuries
What are the Personal Injury Damages in a Drunk Driving Accident?
The above injuries may cause both economic and non-economic damages. In Texas, personal injury damages generally fall under two categories: economic and noneconomic.
Economic damages are generally out-of-pocket damages such as medical expenses, and lost earnings or loss of earning capacity. Loss of earning capacity is the loss of your ability to earn money. For permanent injuries, the loss of earning capacity can be for the remainder of your work life. Also, for permanent injuries such as brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, the medical expenses can last a lifetime. Drunk driving accidents can also result in a wrongful death case. In wrongful death cases, economic damages can also include funeral expenses.
Non-economic damages are intangible damages such as pain, suffering, disfigurement, and physical impairment. Many times, the non-economic damages are significantly higher than the economic damages. The non-economic damages generally have to deal with quality of life issues. For example, disfigurement is an bodily impairment or deformity that was caused by an accident. Additionally, physical impairment is the damage caused because of the inability to do things after an accident. Physical impairment is usually referred to as the loss of the enjoyment of life. In wrongful death cases, non-economic damages can also include loss of companionship.
Do I Need a Houston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer?
The Molina Law Firm has been representing auto accident victims for over 20 years, helping them navigate the sometimes complex legal fight against corporations and ultimately insurance companies. Remember that when you retain Attorney Rick Molina, you pay nothing upfront and we only collect a percentage of the compensation you receive only when we have won your case. Don’t go against the insurance carriers alone. Attorney Rick Molina will aggressively represent you and fight on your behalf. We have the knowledge, resources, and experience to get you all the compensation you deserve for your loss, pain and suffering.
No Win, No Fee
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Drunk Driving Accident accident, it is important that you get an experienced personal injury attorney to help you. Time is important. Contact us today!
Free Accident Case Review
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in an accident, fill out the form below to start your free case review.
Common Types of Car Accidents
For fastest service call us!
If this is an urgent matter, please consider calling us instead at (281) 922-4300 or click on the phone icon on the left.
Visit our office or we can come to you!
