Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Laredo, Texas

If you or someone you love was injured by a drunk driver in Laredo, the case should be treated differently from an ordinary car accident claim. Drunk driving crashes often involve preventable danger, reckless choices, serious injuries, and evidence that needs to be preserved quickly.

At Tellez Law, we help injured people and families in Laredo, Webb County, and South Texas after serious drunk driving accidents. Our team investigates the crash, reviews possible dram shop liability, protects important evidence, and works to identify the responsible parties and pursue the compensation available under Texas law.

Call (956) 717-8200 for a free case evaluation with a Laredo personal injury lawyer.

Drunk Driving Accidents Are Different From Regular Car Accident Claims

A drunk driving crash is not just a mistake on the road. It is often the result of a dangerous decision that puts innocent people at risk. When an intoxicated driver causes a collision, the injured person may have a civil personal injury claim separate from any criminal DWI case filed by the State of Texas.

A criminal case may punish the drunk driver, but it does not automatically pay your medical bills, lost income, vehicle damage, or pain and suffering. A civil injury claim is how you seek compensation for what the crash has done to your health, your family, your work, and your daily life.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Drunk Driving Accident?

Every case is different, but a drunk driving accident claim may include compensation for:

• Emergency room treatment, ambulance bills, and hospital care
• Surgical procedures, chiropractic care, and physical therapy
• Advanced pain management and therapeutic spinal injections
• Lost wages and long-term loss of earning capacity
• Property damage, vehicle replacement, and out-of-pocket expenses
• Physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional trauma
• Punitive damages when supported by extreme driver misconduct

The value of the case depends on the facts. Serious injuries, emergency treatment, objective medical findings, missed work, long recovery time, permanent limitations, and evidence of intoxication can all affect the claim.

Can You Recover Punitive Damages After a Drunk Driving Crash?

In some drunk driving accident cases, the injured person may be able to pursue punitive damages. These damages are different from medical bills or lost wages. They are meant to punish especially dangerous conduct and discourage similar behavior in the future.

Drunk driving can support a claim for punitive damages when the facts show more than ordinary negligence. That is why it is important to investigate the driver's conduct, level of intoxication, driving behavior, criminal charges, prior history when available, and the full circumstances leading up to the crash.

Texas Dram Shop Law: Can a Bar or Restaurant Be Responsible?

In some Texas drunk driving cases, the intoxicated driver is not the only party who may be legally responsible. A bar, restaurant, nightclub, liquor store, or other alcohol provider may also be responsible if it served alcohol when it was apparent that the person was obviously intoxicated to the extent that they presented a clear danger to themselves and others, and that intoxication caused the crash.

This is commonly called a dram shop claim. These cases require quick investigation because important evidence can disappear. Surveillance video may be overwritten. Receipts may be lost. Witnesses may become harder to locate. Employees may leave the business. The sooner the investigation begins, the better chance there is to preserve the evidence needed to prove overservice.

Evidence That Can Matter in a Drunk Driving Accident Case

Strong drunk driving accident cases are built with evidence. Tellez Law looks for facts that show how the crash happened, how intoxication contributed to the collision, and whether any business or third party may have played a role.

• Police crash reports and DWI arrest files
• Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or breath test results
• Police officer body camera and dash camera video footage
• 911 dispatch audio logs and crash scene photographs
• Bar, tavern, or restaurant internal surveillance footage
• Point-of-sale receipts, bar tabs, and timestamped credit card logs
• Statements from bartenders, servers, hosts, or other establishment patrons

Who Can Be Held Responsible After an Intoxicated Driver Wreck?

Depending on the facts, more than one party may be responsible for a drunk driving accident. Potentially responsible parties may include:

• The drunk driver
• The owner of the vehicle under negligent entrustment rules
• A commercial bar, restaurant, nightclub, or liquor store vendor
• An adult who unlawfully provided or purchased alcohol for a minor
• An employer if the drunk driver was operating a work vehicle while on duty

Common Injuries Caused by Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving crashes often happen at dangerous speeds, involve delayed braking, or occur when the intoxicated driver fails to stay in their lane, runs a red light, rear-ends another vehicle, or causes a head-on collision. These high-impact crashes can cause serious injuries, including neck injuries, back injuries, disc herniations, broken bones, concussions, or permanent physical impairment.

Even when symptoms seem manageable at first, pain can worsen over time. Neck pain, back pain, numbness, tingling, headaches, dizziness, sleep problems, anxiety while driving, and difficulty working should be taken seriously and documented.

Wrongful Death Caused by an Intoxicated Driver

When a drunk driving crash takes a life, the family is left with grief, unanswered questions, and sudden financial pressure. A wrongful death claim may help surviving family members pursue compensation for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, loss of financial support, and mental anguish allowed under Texas law.

What To Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Laredo

1. Call 911 immediately and ensure responding officers document signs of driver impairment.
2. Seek emergency medical care to document your physiological trauma immediately.
3. Document the scene via photos or videos of vehicle rest positions and damage.
4. Collect independent witness names and telephone numbers.
5. Refuse recorded statements to the at-fault commercial or private insurance adjuster.

Why Choose Tellez Law for a Drunk Driving Injury Case?

Drunk driving accident cases require more than submitting medical bills to an insurance company. These cases often require early investigation, evidence preservation, insurance coverage review, and pressure on the responsible parties before the evidence goes cold.

• We handle complex third-party dram shop liability and injury claims in Laredo and Webb County.
• We use targeted evidence preservation letters to secure bar and restaurant receipts or video files.
• Injury clients enjoy direct interaction and communication channel access with attorney Joey Tellez.
• Contingency Legal Model: No attorney fees unless our legal team recovers compensation for you. Case expenses remain the responsibility of the client.

Serving Victims Across Webb, Zapata, LaSalle, and Jim Hogg Counties

Tellez Law represents people injured in drunk driving crashes throughout Laredo, Webb County, Rio Bravo, El Cenizo, Zapata, Hebbronville, Cotulla, and communities across South Texas. Whether the crash happened on I-35, Loop 20, McPherson Road, Saunders Street, Mines Road, Highway 359, Highway 83, or another local roadway, our team can review the facts and help you understand your options.

Speak With a Laredo Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Today

If you were injured by a drunk driver, do not wait for the insurance company to control the case. Important evidence may need to be preserved quickly, especially if the driver was coming from a bar, restaurant, nightclub, or store that served alcohol.

Every case is different. The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not guarantee any result. Speaking with Tellez Law does not create an attorney-client relationship unless and until an agreement is signed. Case expenses and administrative court costs may be the responsibility of the client.

Call Our Office: (956) 717-8200 or Request a Free Consultation Online

Tellez Law • 702 Corpus Christi St, Laredo, TX 78040 • Tel: (956) 717-8200

Providing Representation across Laredo, Webb County, Zapata County, LaSalle County, and Jim Hogg County