What Happens if a Drunk Driver Injures You in Fort Worth? | Top Texas Car Accident Attorneys

There were 414 drunk driving crashes in Fort Worth during 2024, according to TxDOT crash records. Because of these accidents, 17 people died, and many more sustained major and minor injuries. These damages are devastating, especially when they fall on innocent victims, and they happen every year. The Fort Worth car accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw can help accident victims seek justice by pursuing financial compensation for their losses.

When you hire a skilled Texas lawyer from Carabin Shaw, you get our compassionate commitment to helping you get the compensation you deserve. We offer an initial free consultation, and you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call 1-800-862-1260 today to speak with one of our English- or Spanish-speaking staff members, available 24/7 to answer questions. You can also contact us online.

A Fort Worth drunk driving accident lawyer helps you seek civil damages from another party as a result of their wrongful or negligent act. It differs from a criminal case, where the government would charge a drunk driver for the criminal act of driving while intoxicated. A criminal act is not necessary for a lawyer to justify filing a civil claim, but it might serve as clear evidence that a driver’s intoxication was the ultimate cause of the accident.

Texas law considers a person legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08%. However, a person is breaking the law the moment that alcohol impairs them, even if their BAC is less than the legal limit. Documentation from law enforcement that a person was under the influence of alcohol at the time of a drunk driving accident may be the primary evidence a lawyer uses to prove fault in a personal injury lawsuit.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code holds people who sell, serve, or provide alcohol accountable for damages caused by the intoxicated person if your attorney can prove two conditions:

1. The person was clearly intoxicated and a danger to himself or others.
2. The person’s actions caused the damage.

This is known as a dram shop law, and it works very much like the requirements for negligence, wherein a defendant has a reasonable duty of care to prevent harm. Consulting with a Fort Worth DUI accident attorney will help drunk driving victims to identify all liable parties who may have contributed to the cause of their harm.

Other parties who may be liable for drunk driving injuries in Fort Worth include employers and vehicle owners. An attorney may file a claim against vehicle owners for the negligent entrustment of their vehicle to a person they knew was drunk. Employers may be vicariously liable for an intoxicated employee if that employee was working at the time of the crash.

Texas applies civil liability to one or more parties based on the concept of proportionate responsibility, or modified comparative fault. This means that a drunk driver may be the primary defendant in a personal injury case, but your Texas drunk driving injury lawyer may also include other parties responsible for damages if they contributed to the cause of the crash. The court may order them to pay compensation proportionate to their level of fault.

If you’ve suffered injuries in a drunk driving accident in Fort Worth, Texas, calling the legal team at Carabin Shaw allows you to seek justice and get the money you need to pay for medical care, auto repairs, and household needs. Read our law firm’s client reviews to discover how we’ve helped people get the compensation they deserve to help them recover from an accident. Then, call our toll-free number at 1-800-862-1260.

For more information:

• Texas Department of Transportation - DUI (Alcohol) Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns
• Texas Department of Transportation - Impaired driving and penalties - DUI/DWI
• Cornell Law School