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50+ Years of Experience Serving Houston

Meet Our Houston Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

Attorney Steve Lee

50+ Years of Experience Serving Houston

Meet Attorney Steve Lee

Attorney Sam Lee

Over 100,000+ Clients Represented

Meet Attorney Sam Lee

Injured in a Drunk Driving Car Wreck? Hold Reckless Drivers Fully Accountable

The moments after a drunk driving crash are chaotic and frightening. You’re left dealing with physical pain, mounting medical bills, and the lingering emotional distress of a traumatic event that was not your fault. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, impaired driving remains a leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities on our roads.

Alcohol impairs a driver’s judgment, reaction time, and motor skills, leading to reckless decisions, missed traffic signals, and a failure to control their vehicle. The result is often a severe auto accident or car crash that leaves innocent accident victims like you with life-altering severe injuries and significant financial strain.

In Texas, a driver is considered legally intoxicated if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08% or higher. If the driver’s BAC is over this legal limit, they can be arrested and face criminal charges for DUI. However, here is the critical distinction every victim must understand:

Criminal charges focus on punishing the drunk driver for breaking the law. They do not pay for your medical expenses, repair your property damage, or compensate you for the pain and suffering and impairment you must now endure.

While a conviction may lead to jail time, it is only a successful personal injury claim or personal injury lawsuit in civil court that can force the at-fault party to provide the financial compensation you need to rebuild your life and achieve a full financial recovery.

This is where our skilled Houston drunk driving accident lawyers at Attorney Steve Lee come in. Our law office is comprised of a dedicated legal team of Houston car accident attorneys who fight for your right to full financial recovery.

We are dedicated to ensuring that you are not left bearing the costs of another person’s irresponsible decision to engage driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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How Our Houston Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Can Help You Secure Maximum Compensation

Understanding Texas as an At-Fault State

Texas operates as an at-fault state for automotive insurance, which is a fundamental principle that works in your favor. This means the driver who causes a motor vehicle collision is legally and financially responsible for the resulting damages.

In the context of a drunk driving crash, the intoxicated driver is almost always the at-fault driver. This establishes clear liability. But, securing a fair outcome from insurance companies is often a complex battle. They have teams of insurance adjusters whose primary goal is to minimize payouts on your insurance claim, not to ensure you receive maximum compensation or fair compensation.

As your dedicated Houston drunk driving accident lawyer, Steve Lee and his legal team step in to level the playing field. We take on the burden of the legal process so you can focus entirely on your medical treatment and recovery.

Our approach is thorough, strategic, and focused on building an undeniable personal injury case for liability and damages.

A Comprehensive Approach to Building Your Case

1. Gathering Critical Evidence: The foundation of any strong personal injury case is irrefutable evidence. We act swiftly to secure and preserve all necessary proof, including:

  • The police report, which often contains the responding officer’s observations, witness statements, and any initial citations issued for DUI.
  • Official blood alcohol concentration (BAC) results from breathalyzer or blood tests.
  • Your complete medical records from all treating physicians, which directly link the auto accident to your severe injuries.
  • Photographs of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and visible injuries.
  • Testimony from accident reconstruction experts and medical professionals. This process of gather evidence is crucial for all drunk driving cases.

2. Connecting You with Medical Care: The full extent of accident injuries is not always immediately apparent. Common injuries from these high-impact collisions, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, and broken bones, require specialized diagnosis and medical care. We can connect you with a network of reputable medical specialists in the Houston and Harris County area to ensure your serious injuries are properly diagnosed and treated, creating a clear documented trail for your personal injury claim. Seeking immediate medical attention is not only critical for your health but also for your case.

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3. Calculating the Full Scope of Your Damages: Insurance companies will often only offer to cover immediate, out-of-pocket costs. We fight for every dollar you are owed, compiling a comprehensive list of both economic and non-economic damages. Our law firm has a proven track record of helping accident victims recover for:

While the initial medical bills and lost wages are often overwhelming, the true, long-term financial devastation of a serious injury can be even more profound. Many severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, require a lifetime of care, including future surgeries, ongoing rehabilitation, and specialized medications. The impact on your ability to work can extend far beyond your immediate recovery, resulting in a permanent loss of earning capacity that threatens your family’s financial future.

Furthermore, the intangible costs of a diminished quality of life—such as the inability to enjoy hobbies, the need for home modifications, and chronic pain and suffering—are very real damages. A skilled Houston drunk driving accident lawyer doesn’t just calculate the costs you’ve already incurred; we work with medical and economic experts to project these future needs, ensuring your claim seeks maximum compensation for the complete life-altering consequences of the crash.

DRUNK DRIVING AND HIT-AND-RUNS

Why Punitive Damages May Come Into Play

In some egregious drunk driving cases, we may also pursue punitive damages to punish the defendant for especially reckless conduct.

We will also conduct a deep investigation to identify all responsible parties. In many drunk driving cases, the bar or restaurant that over-served the intoxicated patron may share liability under Texas Dram Shop law, opening another avenue for you to seek justice.

Furthermore, if a loved one has died as a result of their injuries, our firm can help survivors file a wrongful death lawsuit.

DUI Accident Cases and the Basics of Texas Dram Shop Law: Holding Every Responsible Party Accountable

When you are the victim of a drunk driving crash, your primary focus is on the driver. However, Texas law recognizes that other parties can bear responsibility for putting a dangerous driver on the road. The Texas Dram Shop Act provides a legal pathway to hold commercial alcohol providers accountable for their role in causing your injuries.

Bars and Restaurants Serving Alcohol Can Be Held Responsible

The Texas Dram Shop Act (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02) is a powerful tool for victims. It states that a bar, restaurant, or other licensed establishment can be held legally responsible if they serve alcohol to a patron who is “obviously intoxicated” to the extent that they pose a clear danger to themselves or others, and that intoxication proximately causes damages.

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02. Causes of Action

(b) Providing, selling, or serving an alcoholic beverage may be the basis of a cause of action under this chapter only if: (1) at the time the provision occurred it was apparent to the provider that the individual being sold, served, or provided with an alcoholic beverage was obviously intoxicated to the extent that he presented a clear danger to himself and others; and (2) the intoxication of the recipient of the alcoholic beverage was a proximate cause of the damages suffered.

personal injury lawyer speaking in court

To build a successful dram shop case, your Houston drunk driving accident attorney must demonstrate that:

  1. The establishment’s employees knew, or should have known, that the patron was visibly intoxicated.
  2. Despite this obvious intoxication, they continued to serve him or her alcohol.
  3. The over-service was a direct and foreseeable cause of the drunk driving crash that injured you.

Critical Deadlines: The Texas Dram Shop Statute of Limitations

It is crucial to act with urgency in these drunk driving cases. While the standard statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit in Texas is two years, a dram shop claim has a much shorter deadline.

Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 33.004(e)

(e) A claimant must bring a suit under Section 2.02, Alcoholic Beverage Code, against an alcoholic beverage provider not later than one year after the day the cause of action accrues.

This means you have only one year from the date of your vehicle accident to file a lawsuit against the bar or restaurant. Missing this deadline forever bars your claim against them, which is why immediate consultation with a law firm experienced in these complex accident cases is essential.

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DRIVING HIGH HOW RECREATIONAL DRUGS AFFECT YOUR DRIVING

Social Hosts and Establishments Serving Minors

Social Host Exemptions: The Dram Shop Act generally protects “social hosts”—individuals who serve alcohol at private parties without charge—from liability. However, if a host charges for alcohol, effectively acting as a commercial vendor, they may lose this protection.

Serving Minors: The law takes an even stricter stance when minors are involved. Restaurants and bars that knowingly serve alcohol to a person under the age of 18 lose all protection under the Dram Shop Act and can be pursued aggressively for negligence.

Navigating a dram shop claim requires a sophisticated understanding of Texas law and its nuances. With our experienced law firm on your side, you gain a skilled personal injury lawyer who knows how to investigate, evidence, and litigate these complex third-party liability claims to maximize your potential financial compensation.

The Cost of Hiring a Houston Drunk Driving Car Accident Attorney

We operate on a contingency fee basis for all personal injury claims. This means you pay nothing upfront to hire us. Our legal fees are contingent upon us successfully recovering financial compensation for you; we only get paid a percentage of the settlement or court award we win on your behalf.

If we don’t recover money for you, you owe us nothing for our legal services. This approach allows you to access experienced and skilled legal representation without adding financial stress to the immense burden of your serious injuries. From your initial free consultation to the final resolution of your case, you can expect professionalism, dedication, and a partner who is truly fighting for your best interests and your right to fair compensation.

You Have a Limited Time to Act. Contact Our Houston Law Firm Today.

The aftermath of a drunk driving wreck is overwhelming, but you do not have to navigate this challenging time alone. The insurance companies are not on your side, and the legal process is designed to protect their profits. The clock is ticking on your statute of limitations, and evidence becomes harder to collect as time passes. Don’t risk your chance to secure fair compensation for your types of injuries, from broken bones to permanent spinal cord injuries.

Don’t let the reckless actions of a drunk driver dictate your future. You have the right to seek maximum compensation for all you have endured. Our legal team at the Law Office of Steve Lee is ready to stand by your side, fight for your rights, and guide you through every step of your personal injury lawsuit.

We offer a 100% free, no-obligation case evaluation. During this free consultation, we will listen to your story, explain your legal options, and outline the precise steps we can take to build your case. There are no upfront fees or hidden costs—we only get paid when we recover money for you.

Contact us now to schedule your free consultation. Call our law office today at (713) 568-5767. Let our experience and dedication, backed by countless positive testimonials, guide you toward justice and recovery.

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