If a drunk driver caused your Texas traffic accident, you may be able to hold them legally responsible regardless of whether they are convicted of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge. A DWI accident lawyer in Texas from Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., may be able to help you develop a strong claim or lawsuit and recover compensation for your injuries, expenses, and losses.
You can learn more during a free consultation with one of our lawyers. We provide these complimentary meetings so accident victims can learn more about their right to compensation and how to get justice in their case. We can also evaluate the strength of your case and explain how we may be able to help during this initial conversation with our team.
Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., Helps Car Accident Victims Recover Damages
At Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., our attorneys know what it takes to recover a fair and just payout following a drunk driving accident or another injury collision. We have helped many people in a similar situation as you are in to get the money they need to pay their bills, cover losses, and ensure their ongoing treatment and care.
Some examples of recoverable damages may include:
- Medical care costs, from ambulance transportation to rehabilitation and therapy
- Future care and treatment expenses
- Lost income from time missed at work
- Reduced earning capacity, when applicable
- Property damages
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Other economic and intangible damages
Our attorneys identify the damages our clients suffered and gather documentation. We value each loss suffered based on its cost, our experience, and how insurers and the courts generally handle them. We will put a fair settlement value on your case and fight for the proper compensation during negotiations with the insurance company if that is the best option for your case.
Our team is not afraid to sue and take the case to trial, either. We will face head-on any company or insurer who will not offer a fair and just payout to our client based on the facts of the case we built.
Damages May Differ in a Texas Wrongful Death Action
In some cases, a DWI crash victim may suffer fatal accident injuries. If a drunk driver took your family member’s life, a wrongful death attorney from our team can answer your questions, explain your compensation options, and work on building a case for justice on your behalf.
While the estate of the deceased may be able to recover damages normally received through a personal injury claim, immediate family members could recover additional damages. This includes future loss of the decedent’s income, loss of services, funeral and burial costs, and intangible losses the decedent’s spouse and children or parents suffered.
Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., Lawyers Fight for Our Clients’ Best Interests
The car accident lawyers from Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., have a reputation throughout Texas as a team that will not back down. Insurers, individuals, and large corporations alike know that we will not hesitate to take a case to trial and win, regardless of their size or how much money they will put into fighting our clients’ allegations.
As a personal injury law firm whose attorneys believe victims should stand up to those who cause injuries and financial distress, we work based on contingency. We never ask our clients for money up front or charge attorney’s fees for cases we do not win.
We encourage you to act quickly to learn more about your options for seeking justice in your Texas DWI collision. If we need to sue, we have up to two years from the crash date to develop a strong argument and begin the legal process under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
Criminal DWI Cases Versus Your DWI Accident Claim or Civil Suit
While a drunk driver may face charges and consequences, as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) outlines, this will do little to help you pay for your medical care or cover the wages you missed while your injuries kept you away from work. It is important to remember that the DWI charge is part of the criminal case against the at-fault driver.
The case you may file—and the case Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., can help you with—is the civil case. The burdens of proof are different in these two types of cases. In fact, we are often able to recover compensation for our clients hurt in a traffic accident when the at-fault party is not accused of a criminal offense at all.
The other driver does not have to be found guilty of a DWI for you to hold them legally responsible and recover compensation. Instead, we must show they acted carelessly or recklessly and caused the crash. In these cases, this is known as negligence. There are four parts to negligence:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Harm
For example, if a drunk driver failed to maintain their lane, drifted into your lane, and hit you, our evidence would need to prove:
- The driver had a duty to remain in their lane while passing you safely.
- They failed to do so, crossing into your lane.
- This caused a collision.
- You suffered injuries as a result.
While having evidence to show they were intoxicated at the time would support our claim or lawsuit, it is not strictly necessary. We could still recover compensation based on their negligence without it.
Get Your Free Consultation with Our Team Today
At Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., our lawyers offer free initial consultations for victims of Texas traffic accidents. This ensures victims understand their rights, their options, and how having an attorney from our team on their side can help. We will assess your case with you and discuss your next steps for holding the at-fault driver legally responsible, if possible. We may be able to recover compensation for you.
Connect with our team today to learn more about how insurance claims and civil actions work after a DWI accident in Texas.