Houston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Drunk driving is reckless and can cause horrific injuries and fatalities. The physical and emotional toll of being involved in an accident with a drunk driver can be immense. When a driver is intoxicated, they cannot safely operate a vehicle. Those who display this blatant disrespect for the law, and the lives’ and safety of those around them can face serious criminal charges. Along with that, a separate civil lawsuit can be brought against them to help compensate victims for their suffering.

Attorney Tom can offer the emotional support and legal guidance you need to seek justice. Our firm has a deep understanding of just how devastating a serious injury can be. Your life may be turned upside down, you may be out of work, and you are undoubtedly suffering a great deal. We go above and beyond to not only provide top-quality legal support but also to help rebuild the lives of those in our community. We believe strongly in providing the resources necessary to help victims of drunk driving accidents get their lives’ back on track. To speak directly with one of our compassionate team members, call us today at (713) 244-6363 or contact us online to begin going over your situation with a Houston drunk driving accident attorney.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

Recovering from an accident involving a drunk driver can be incredibly time-consuming, exhausting, and stressful. Your injuries may be severe, or you may have even tragically lost a loved one. These tragedies can be even more heartbreaking and frustrating because they could have been easily prevented if the other driver had been more responsible and not gotten behind the wheel while intoxicated.

Working with an attorney will allow you to obtain justice while not having to deal with negligent drivers or insurance companies pushing you to settle quickly. A strong legal advocate can help you heal physically and emotionally and provide you with peace of mind knowing your case is being well cared for.

Along with providing crucial emotional support, working with an attorney can help ensure you get the most favorable outcome possible from your lawsuit. Accidents can lead to substantial medical bills, which can be even harder to deal with if your injuries are preventing you from working. You and your loved ones should never face financial hardship after being injured by a drunk driver.

If you have been injured, working with an attorney is the next step in your recovery. A skilled lawyer can provide the emotional support you need while handling every detail of your case to ensure you can recover the compensation you deserve. Financial hardship should not be an additional consequence of your accident; working with an attorney can make sure you recoup the damages you need to pay for your recovery and care for your loved ones.

Why Should I Choose Attorney Tom?

After being involved in an accident with a drunk driver, finding the right attorney for you and your family is a deeply personal process. Attorney Tom is deeply committed to getting justice for you. We know that you and your loved ones have suffered greatly after being involved in an accident with a drunk driver. Our team is here to help make things right. We don’t shy away from the biggest and most complex cases, we are equipped to handle any challenge.

Our founding partner, Tommy John Kherkher, has been on a lifelong journey towards becoming an attorney, and it shows in his work. As the child of lawyers, Tommy John knew the law was his calling from the very start. His passion for justice touches every aspect of our work as we aim to advocate for our community.

We are available to you and your loved ones 24/7 and prioritize communication with you in order to keep you fully informed on the details of your case. Our team will work tirelessly on your behalf to deliver the compensation you and your loved ones deserve with skill, compassion, and care.

Frequently Asked Questions about Drunk Driving Accidents

Can I Sue Someone Who is Facing Criminal Charges?

The short answer is, yes you can sue a drunk driver who is also facing charges in criminal court. Criminal and civil law are two entirely separate branches of the legal system. While they may seem similar, the results are completely independent of each other. Both help to bring justice, but they serve different roles.

Criminal courts punish drunk drivers for their actions through fines, prison sentences, and other punishments. Civil courts help to aid in the recovery of victims through financial compensation and in some cases also punish drunk drivers by awarding punitive damages. Drunk driving accidents are unique cases that invoke both criminal and civil charges. The legal system takes drunk driving very seriously and offers a variety of legal options to help deliver justice.

What is Dram Shop Liability?

A ‘dram shop rule’ holds business and individuals responsible for damages caused by those they over-serve. Serving alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated or close to it can make a business or individual financially liable if that person gets behind the wheel and causes an accident. This means that victims can sue a bar, restaurant, a party host, etc., if it is believed that the drunk driver was over-served by someone who had a responsibility to cut-off the intoxicated drinker. While proving that anyone other than the drunk driver themself is responsible for the accident is difficult, victims in Texas are able to sue for damages on the grounds of dram shop rules.

How Often Do Drunk Driving Accidents Happen?

Vehicle accidents can be horrific under any circumstances, however, they can be especially catastrophic when they are caused by a drunk driver. Drunk drivers behave erratically, travel at improper speeds, and are not capable of following traffic laws. Under these driving conditions, no one is safe. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reports that every day, 29 Americans are killed in drunk driving crashes, or one every 50 minutes.

Our firm is committed to helping our community, in an effort to do so, here are 10 statistics from the CDC about drunk driving that can help you stay informed:

1. The total cost for alcohol related accidents is $44 billion annually in the U.S
2. In 2016, 10,497 Americans were killed in drunk driving accidents
3. Drunk driving accidents account for 28% of all vehicle accident fatalities
4. In 2016, 1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics
5. Self-reporting surveys calculate that there are over 100 million incidents of drunk driving each year in the U.S
6. 17% of all vehicle accident deaths for children aged 0-14 were due to drunk driving
7. Drivers aged 25-34 account for the most drunk driving fatalities at 27%
8. From 2003 to 2012, 13,138 people were killed in drunk driving accidents in Texas
9. 2.1% or Texans self-reported driving after drinking too much in a recent survey
10. Men are more than three times more likely than women to die in an alcohol related car crash in Texas

What Compensation Could I Recover?

If you have been injured or lost a loved one to a drunk driver, you can file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Lawsuits of this kind are designed to ease the financial burden for victims who have suffered injury or death through no fault of their own. The state of Texas allows victims and their families to recover the following types of damages:

• Medical expenses (current or future)
• Loss of wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life
• Permanent scarring, injury, disfigurement
• Counseling and therapy expenses
• Burial and funeral costs

In the state of Texas, victims of drunk driving accidents can also seek punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded financially and serve a dual purpose, to punish and to warn others. Punitive damages punish the drunk driver for their egregious actions. They also serve to set a precedent to deter others from drinking and driving in the future. Punitive damages are not common in civil cases and are only available for particularly reckless or harmful actions.

Contact Us

If you have been injured or tragically lost a loved one in an accident with a drunk driver in the Houston area, we are here to help. You are not alone. The team of car accident lawyers with Attorney Tom is here to work for you and deliver justice. We know no amount of financial compensation can ever erase your pain and suffering. However, you should not have to suffer any form of financial hardship after being involved in an accident with a reckless driver.

Our team will aggressively pursue the maximum compensation on your behalf to help you and your loved ones get your lives’ back on track. Call us today at (713) 244-6363 or contact us online to begin working with a Houston drunk driving accident attorney.