If a drunk driver hit you, you’re likely dealing with painful injuries, growing medical bills, and time away from work, none of which you caused. A drunk driver accident lawyer in Forney can help you hold that driver responsible and recover the money you need to move forward.
It helps to understand that the criminal case against the driver is separate from your injury claim. Even if the state charges them with DUI, that case won’t pay your medical bills or replace your lost income. That money comes from a civil claim you file on your own.
The Forney car accident lawyers at The Texas Law Dog handle that civil claim for you, dealing with the insurance company and pursuing the full compensation you’re owed. Get in touch for a free case review.
How a Drunk Driver Accident Lawyer in Forney Can Help
It’s easy to assume a drunk driving case proves itself, but a Forney personal injury lawyer still has to connect the driver’s impairment to your specific injuries and losses. That means gathering the evidence, identifying every source of compensation, and standing between you and an insurance company that wants to pay as little as possible.
A lawyer’s role in these cases usually includes:
- Investigating how the crash happened and securing proof of impairment
- Identifying all liable parties, which sometimes reaches beyond the driver
- Working with medical providers to document the full extent of your injuries
- Handling every conversation with the insurer so you don’t say something that’s later used against you
- Taking the case to court if a fair settlement isn’t offered
There’s also a Texas-specific angle worth knowing. Under the state’s dram shop law (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02), a bar or restaurant can sometimes share liability if it kept serving someone who was already obviously intoxicated. Spotting when that applies can open an additional source of recovery that’s easy to miss without an attorney involved.
Common Injuries and Losses After an Impaired Driving Wreck
Drunk driving crashes tend to be more severe than ordinary wrecks. Impaired drivers react late or not at all, so collisions happen at higher speeds and with little braking. The injuries reflect that force:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord damage and back injuries
- Broken bones and crush injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Lasting scarring or disfigurement
Serious injuries like these often mean long recoveries and future medical costs that aren’t clear right away. Settling too soon can mean settling short, which is why a Forney drunk driver accident lawyer looks beyond today’s bills to what the injury will cost down the road.
Types of Damages You May Be Able to Recover
The point of a claim is to cover everything the crash took from you. In drunk driving cases specifically, that can come in three forms.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are your measurable, out-of-pocket losses, including medical bills, ongoing treatment, lost wages, reduced earning ability, and vehicle repairs.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages cover the harder-to-measure harm, such as physical pain, emotional distress, and the disruption to your daily life.
Punitive Damages
Because drunk driving is such a reckless act, Texas allows exemplary (punitive) damages designed to punish the driver on top of compensation for your losses. These require clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 41.003, something a Forney drunk driver accident attorney can help you build toward.
Forney Drunk Driver Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Evidence That Can Strengthen Your Claim
Building a strong claim means pulling together proof from several different sources, including:
- The driver’s chemical test results and criminal records from the DUI case
- Bar or restaurant service records, if a dram shop claim is in play
- Surveillance footage from the driver’s last stop before the crash
- Expert analysis reconstructing how the collision happened
Much of this isn’t something you can simply ask for; it has to be formally requested, and some of it takes legal authority to obtain. A Forney drunk driver accident lawyer knows which of these to pursue for your specific case and how to get them released before they disappear.
Steps to Take After a Drunk Driver Accident in Forney
What you do at the scene can shape both the criminal case against the driver and your own claim. If you’re able:
- Call 911 and tell the dispatcher you suspect the driver is impaired, so officers respond prepared.
- Stay at the scene and wait for police. Don’t confront the other driver.
- Photograph everything: the vehicles, the road, and your injuries.
- Note signs of impairment you observed, like the smell of alcohol or unsteady movement.
- Get witness contact information before people leave.
- See a doctor the same day, even if you feel okay.
The most useful step is the first one. A prompt 911 call gets officers on scene while the driver is still impaired, which is when the strongest evidence, a breath or blood test, can be collected. A lawyer builds on that foundation later, but it starts with what happens in those first minutes.
Texas Laws That May Affect Your Case
Two Texas laws influence most drunk driving claims. The first is the filing deadline: you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Miss it, and the court can dismiss your case regardless of how clear the driver’s fault was.
The second is how fault is shared. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001, meaning you can recover compensation as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, but your award is reduced by your share of the blame.
In a drunk driving case, fault usually rests squarely with the impaired driver, but insurers may still try to shift some of it onto you, and pushing back on that is part of what protects the value of your claim.
Why The Texas Law Dog?
We’re a hometown firm that treats injured people like neighbors, not case numbers. Before founding the firm, our attorney worked inside the insurance industry, so we know exactly how these companies think and where they cut corners, and we use that knowledge for our clients.
People choose us because we make the hard part easier:
- No fee unless we win: our work is contingency-based, so there’s nothing out of pocket to start.
- Available 24/7 whenever you need us.
- Hablamos español.
- We come to you, whether that’s your home or the hospital.
When the other side has adjusters and lawyers working against you, it helps to have a team that bites back.
Speak With a Drunk Driver Accident Lawyer in Forney
An impaired driver made a dangerous choice. You shouldn’t be the one paying for it. In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a claim, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, but the sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.
The Texas Law Dog knows the insurance industry from the inside. Our drunk driver accident lawyers in Forney work on contingency, so you pay nothing out of pocket. We’re also available 24/7. Reach out today for a free case evaluation. There’s no cost to find out what your claim is worth, and no fee unless we win for you.
