Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Austin
Even a single alcoholic beverage can have a significant effect on your reaction time and ability to concentrate, and having enough drinks to become substantially impaired makes you unable to safely operate a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, despite strict laws against drunk driving and the serious criminal penalties that impaired drivers can wind up facing, far too many people around Austin still choose to get behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol, leading to devastating collisions.
If a drunk driver struck and injured you recently, you have a right to demand civil compensation from them. Lawsuits built around drunk driving car accidents in Austin can be complicated on both legal and emotional levels, and assistance from someone with experience handling similar cases can be key to achieving a favorable result from one. During your case process, a hardworking vehicle accident attorney can assess the strength of your claim and help you understand your next steps.
Proving Another Person Was Driving Drunk
Driving while intoxicated is against state law and a textbook example of irresponsible behavior behind the wheel. Any instance of impaired driving would count as a breach of the duty all licensed drivers have to act responsibly and lawfully while operating their vehicles. Someone who directly causes a crash resulting in serious physical injury by breaching their duty of care can be considered legally negligent, and then, based on that negligence, held financially accountable for all the consequences of the wreck.
In many cases, someone who gets into a car crash in Austin while drunk will be cited for drunk driving by the police officers who respond to the scene. That citation, which should be included in the accident report compiled by those same officers, can be crucial evidence when it comes to proving civil fault for accident-related injuries. However, even if there is no citation or arrest to reference, it is often possible to establish another driver’s intoxication through additional evidence, such as witness testimony, photos of debris at the crash site, and even subpoenaed purchase records from businesses like bars or liquor stores.
Recovering Compensation Within Filing Deadlines
Someone who injures another person in Austin by causing a drunk driving car accident can be held liable for both the economic and non-economic repercussions of that crash, including:
- Past medical expenses, the predicted cost of future care, and assistive equipment like wheelchairs
- Car repair/replacement costs
- Home/vehicle modifications to account for long-term disability
- Lost working capacity and/or income
- Physical pain and suffering
- Psychological and emotional distress
- Lost consortium
- Lost overall quality of life
Even if a drunk driving wreck results in life-altering losses, though, an injured driver generally only has two years at most after initially suffering injury—in accordance with Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003—to file suit. Assistance from knowledgeable legal counsel is often essential to building a strong and comprehensive civil claim within this strict filing period.
Contact an Austin Attorney For Help With Drunk Driving Car Accidents
Drunk drivers put themselves and every person around them at risk the second they merge onto the road. When an impaired driver hits you or causes a crash that leaves you with serious injuries, they should be the one to pay for your losses and expenses.
Pursuing compensation for a drunk driving car accident in Austin is something a skilled car accident lawyer could give you irreplaceable help with. Call today to learn more.
