Drunk Driver Accidents
Texas leads the nation in the number of alcohol-related drunk driver crashes that occur each year. In 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 1,200 people were killed in alcohol-related car accidents in Texas. Each year, drunk driving accounts for more than 45% of all the car accident deaths in the state of Texas. Based on these numbers, that means there is an average of 5 alcohol-related deaths in Texas each day. The greatest number of drunk driving fatalities in 2007 occurred in the Eastern and Northern regions of Texas, with 20% and 21% of the fatal accidents occurring there, respectively.
What to do
If you were hurt in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, or if you have lost a loved one in a alcohol-related crash, contact The Law Office of Sonyia Byrd by filling out our free case evaluation, or call their toll-free number at 1.817 924-6700.
Damages and Compensation
Most accident cases are entitled to compensatory damages that compensate the injured party for the harm caused by the accident. Drunk driving accident cases have the higher potential for punitive damages. Punitive damages are in addition to compensatory, and are meant to punish or deter the guilty party. This means a drunk driving accident case could be worth more money than a case where merely standard compensatory damages are available.
It’s a documented fact that drunk driving causes far too many accidents where people are seriously injured or killed. If it can be determined where the driver consumed the alcohol or who provided the driver with the alcohol, then those parties may be responsible. For example, if a bar or restaurant provided the alcohol to the intoxicated driver, they may be held responsible under the law. It is important to start investigating drunk driving accidents immediately to determine other responsible parties. Our law firm will start investigating the accident as soon as you contact us. As always, the initial consultation for drunk driving accidents is free, so you have nothing to lose in contacting us and everything to gain.