In 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) drafted a report which highlighted alarming statistics regarding alcohol-impaired driving in 2016. The organization found that 10,497 people died that year as a result of a motor vehicle accident involving drivers who had blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels at 0.08 g/dL or higher. Alcohol-related accidents accounted for 28 percent of all fatal car accidents in the United States that year.
Drunk driving continues to be a national concern that results in life-changing injuries and deaths every day.
The Austin drunk driving accident attorney, Laura Ramos James, has made it her mission to defend the rights of innocent victims whose lives have been tragically damaged as a result of a drunk driver. Do not hesitate to contact the law office of Ramos James Law, PLLC., today at (512) 537-3369 if you have been involved in an alcohol-related accident.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), a person is driving while intoxicated (DWI), a.k.a. drunk driving, if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at 0.08 g/dL or higher. This usually occurs when a person has had two or more alcoholic beverages an hour.
Even if you’ve had one drink, you could still be breaking the law. If any amount of alcohol is detected in individuals under the age of 21, they could be charged with driving under the influence (DUI), even if their BAC is under 0.08.
This offense isn’t limited to the consumption of alcohol. Driving under the impairment of drugs is also considered a form of intoxication.
Texas Penal Code Section 49.01 defines intoxication as “not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a combination of two or more of those substances, or any other substance into the body.”
The top five injuries that individuals are most likely to suffer in a drunk driving accident include:
Closed – Injury to the head that does not pierce the skull.
Penetrating – Injury to the head that is inflicted when projectiles break through the cranium and pierce brain tissue.
Victims that suffer from a TBI are prone to suffer seizures, long-term or permanent damage of physical or cognitive capabilities, behavioral or emotional problems, paralysis, or fall into a coma.
It isn’t uncommon for people who have been involved in a drunk driving accident to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as well.
The unfortunate reality is that when it comes to a drunk driving accident, victims can include occupants of another vehicle, pedestrians, bicyclists, or even passengers in the drunk driver’s vehicle itself.
Thankfully, under Texas law, you have the right to seek damages from the at-fault party. As a victim of a drunk driving accident, you have the right to seek compensation for:
Every day, attorney Laura Ramos James fights for the fair compensation of victims whose lives have been turned around because of someone else’s mistakes. If you or someone you love have fallen victim to a drunk driving accident, there’s still hope.
Contact us today at (512) 537-3369 to set up your free legal consultation and begin the journey to take your life back.