Victims of drunk driving crashes can suffer even more devastating injuries or death when a driver chooses to drive when intoxicated. The State of Texas takes drunk driving very seriously both in terms of criminal prosecutions for DWI and civil compensation to the victims of these tragic wrecks. If you were injured due to a drunk driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation and punitive damages for your injuries.
What Types of Compensation Could You Receive in a Texas Drunk Driving Accident?
In any motor vehicle wreck, including when the driver is drunk, you are entitled to be compensated for your injuries. However, you may be entitled to even more compensation when the driver was drunk. You may be able to recover the following types of damages:
Medical expenses.
The drunk driver is responsible for compensating you for your doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy, medications, and any other medical treatments you need. You can also receive reimbursement for assistive tools like a wheelchair or ramp at your home, home health care, and transportation costs if you must travel to receive your treatment.
Lost wages.
You want to include any wages you lost or will lose while you are off work recovering from your injuries as well as benefits, promotions, and other perks of your job that you did not receive. If you will need to make a career change or are permanently disabled due to your injuries, you could be entitled to lost earning capacity damages as well.
Property damages.
These types of damages include the cost to repair your vehicle, replacement cost of property in your vehicle that was damaged, and car rental fees.
Pain and suffering.
You are entitled to compensation for the emotional trauma you suffered due to the wreck and the injuries caused by it. Often, this is a large portion of the compensation you receive. An experienced drunk driving attorney will be able to value this portion of your claim for you.
Wrongful death.
If a family member died as a result of his injuries, you may be entitled to reasonable funeral and burial expenses, lost wages, and medical expenses caused by the crash. In addition, you could receive damages to compensate you for the loss of financial and emotional support of your loved one.
Exemplary damages.
These are also referred to as punitive damages and are awarded to punish the driver if he engaged in gross negligence. Gross negligence can be easier to prove in a drunk driving accident. This amount is capped at two times the amount of the victim’s compensatory damages not to exceed $750,000 and an amount equal to his noneconomic damages, such as for pain and suffering, not to exceed $200,000.
Have You Or A Loved One Been Injured By A Drunk Driver in North Texas?
If you've been injured by a drunk driver in Texas you need to speak with an experienced drunk driver injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
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