Colleyville Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

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A drunk driving accident can change your life in a matter of seconds. One driver’s decision to get behind the wheel while impaired can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and a long road to recovery. If you or someone you love was hurt by a drunk driver near Colleyville, Texas, you have the right to pursue full compensation, and Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is ready to help you do exactly that. Our firm serves injured clients throughout the Denton, Texas area, including communities across Tarrant County like Colleyville, Southlake, and Grapevine.

Table of Contents

Texas DWI Law and What It Means for Accident Victims in Colleyville

Texas law defines “intoxicated” under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49 as either not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties due to alcohol or drugs, or having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. That legal definition matters directly to your civil injury case because it sets the baseline for proving the driver was impaired.

Under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04, a person commits the offense of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) when they operate a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated. A standard first-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor. However, if the driver’s BAC was 0.15 or higher at the time of the analysis, the offense rises to a Class A misdemeanor. If the driver had an open container of alcohol in their possession, the minimum jail confinement period increases as well.

When a drunk driver causes serious bodily injury to another person, the offense becomes Intoxication Assault under Texas Penal Code Section 49.07, a third-degree felony. When the driver kills someone, Section 49.08 covers Intoxication Manslaughter, a second-degree felony. These criminal charges do not automatically win your civil case, but a conviction creates powerful evidence that supports your personal injury claim.

Colleyville sits near several major corridors, including Highway 26, State Highway 121, and the Grapevine Highway interchange. These roads see heavy traffic from the DFW Metroplex, and impaired drivers frequently travel them after leaving bars and restaurants in Grapevine, Southlake, and surrounding areas. If a drunk driver hit you on any of these roads, the criminal case and your civil claim can move forward at the same time. You do not have to wait for a criminal verdict to pursue compensation.

The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys understand how Texas DWI law connects to civil liability. We use every piece of available evidence, including police reports, breathalyzer results, and field sobriety test records, to build the strongest possible case for you.

The Scope of the Drunk Driving Problem in Texas and the Colleyville Area

Texas consistently ranks among the highest states in the country for alcohol-related traffic deaths. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes across the United States in 2023. Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 30 percent of all crash fatalities nationally.

The numbers in Texas are even more troubling. Driving under the influence of alcohol remained a major factor in traffic fatalities, and in 2024, 1,053 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers, accounting for 25.37 percent of all traffic deaths in the state. That means roughly one in four people killed on Texas roads died because of an impaired driver.

While road accident fatalities are down slightly in Texas, injuries from car crashes are on the rise, with 251,977 recorded injuries in 2024, up slightly against 2023’s 250,489. More injuries mean more families dealing with trauma, lost income, and long-term medical needs, all because of someone else’s choice to drink and drive.

Colleyville is part of Tarrant County, and the DFW Metroplex as a whole faces significant exposure to drunk driving crashes. The area’s proximity to Grapevine’s entertainment district, the restaurants along Precinct Line Road, and the bars near DFW Airport means impaired drivers regularly share the roads that Colleyville residents use every day. Near landmarks like Colleyville Nature Center and along busy stretches of Glade Road and Cheek-Sparger Road, the risk is real.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), drunk and impaired driving kills or injures someone in America every 79 seconds, and all of these tragedies are completely preventable. If you were injured in one of these preventable crashes, you deserve to be made whole. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 to discuss your case.

Texas Dram Shop Law: Holding Bars and Restaurants Accountable After a Colleyville Drunk Driving Crash

The drunk driver is not always the only party responsible for your injuries. Under the Texas Dram Shop Act, codified at Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 2.02, a bar, restaurant, or other alcohol-serving business can also be held legally liable when their actions contributed to the crash.

The law is specific about when liability applies. Under Section 2.02(b), a provider of alcohol can be held responsible when, at the time they served the drink, it was apparent that the person receiving alcohol was obviously intoxicated to the extent they presented a clear danger to themselves and others, and that intoxication was a proximate cause of the damages the victim suffered. “Proximate cause” means the overservice of alcohol directly led to the crash that hurt you.

“Obviously intoxicated” does not require a blood test result from that moment. Slurred speech, stumbling, glassy eyes, or erratic behavior are all signs that a reasonable server should recognize. Common forms of evidence in these cases include receipts or transaction records showing when alcohol was served, eyewitness testimony from patrons or staff, surveillance video showing visible intoxication, and police reports and breathalyzer results confirming impairment.

This matters enormously for victims. One of the key purposes of Texas Dram Shop laws is to offer another path for personal injury victims to seek justice, especially in drunk driving accidents. If the drunk driver does not have enough insurance, victims may pursue legal action against the business that over-served them. Many drunk drivers carry minimum liability coverage, which is often far too little to cover serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or broken bones.

Establishments can attempt to avoid liability through the “Safe Harbor” defense under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.14(a). This provision states that an employer’s actions will not be attributed to the employee if the employer requires employees to attend a commission-approved seller training program, the employee actually attended such a program, and the employer did not directly or indirectly encourage the employee to violate the law. However, many businesses fail to meet all three conditions, leaving them exposed to liability.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys investigates both the driver and any establishments that may have contributed to the crash. We act quickly to preserve surveillance footage, secure receipts, and identify witnesses before that evidence disappears.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Colleyville Drunk Driving Accident?

Texas law allows drunk driving accident victims to pursue two main categories of damages: compensatory damages and, in certain cases, exemplary (punitive) damages. Compensatory damages are designed to make you financially whole after the crash. Exemplary damages go further and are meant to punish the wrongdoer.

Compensatory damages in a drunk driving case typically include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, property damage, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. If you suffered a catastrophic injury such as a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, or severe burns, those future care costs can be substantial and must be fully accounted for in your claim.

Exemplary damages, also called punitive damages, are available in drunk driving cases because driving while intoxicated is treated as gross negligence under Texas law. Punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages, are defined in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.001(5) as “any damages awarded as a penalty or by way of punishment but not for compensatory purposes.” Examples of personal injury claims that might lead to punitive damages in Texas include drunk driving accidents, defective product cases where a company was aware of the risks but ignored them, and cases involving assault or acts of violence.

A victim must prove through clear and convincing evidence that harm caused to the victim resulted from gross negligence, malice, or fraud in order to recover punitive damages. In drunk driving cases, a driver’s BAC, prior DWI history, and the circumstances of the crash often provide exactly that kind of evidence. One situation where punitive damage caps may be removed entirely is when the case involves certain types of felony criminal conduct, like aggravated assault or intoxication manslaughter.

Every case is different, and past results in other cases do not guarantee the same outcome in yours. What Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys does is work to identify every dollar of compensation you are entitled to under Texas law and fight to recover it. Call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

The Two-Year Deadline to File Your Colleyville Drunk Driving Accident Claim

Texas law sets a firm deadline on how long you have to pursue a personal injury claim after a drunk driving accident. The statute of limitations is two years from the injury date for personal injury claims, or from the date of death for wrongful death claims, per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Miss that deadline, and Texas courts will dismiss your case regardless of how strong it is.

Two years may sound like a long time, but it moves fast when you are focused on recovering from injuries. Evidence disappears quickly after a crash. Surveillance footage from restaurants and bars along Colleyville’s Glade Road corridor or near Southlake Town Square is often deleted within days. Witness memories fade. The at-fault driver’s insurer begins building its defense immediately.

The statute of limitations is not the same as insurance claim deadlines. While you may have two years to file a civil lawsuit, insurance companies often have much shorter reporting requirements, sometimes as brief as 30 days. Waiting too long to report your claim to the insurer can create complications even before the legal deadline arrives.

If the victim of a drunk driving crash was a minor, or if the victim was left mentally incapacitated by their injuries, the two-year clock may be tolled (paused) under Texas law until certain conditions change. An attorney can review the specific facts of your situation to determine exactly when your deadline falls.

Wrongful death claims follow the same two-year window under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, running from the date of the loved one’s death. If you lost a family member to a drunk driver near Colleyville, do not wait to speak with an attorney. The Denton County Courthouse and Tarrant County courts have strict filing procedures, and every day matters when it comes to preserving your right to compensation.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles drunk driving accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Reach out to us at (940) 800-2500 or visit our office to get started right away.

Why Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys Is the Right Choice for Your Colleyville Drunk Driving Case

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is a personal injury law firm based in Denton, Texas, serving clients across the DFW Metroplex, including Colleyville and surrounding Tarrant County communities. We handle drunk driving accident cases with the seriousness they deserve, because we know these crashes are not accidents in the true sense of the word. They are the result of a deliberate choice that put innocent people in danger.

Our firm investigates every angle of your case. We examine the police report, the driver’s criminal history, the DWI investigation, and any establishments that may have served the driver before the crash. We work with accident reconstruction professionals and medical experts when needed to fully document your injuries and their long-term impact. We do not settle for less than what our clients are owed.

We understand that drunk driving accidents often cause injuries that go far beyond a typical car crash. Victims frequently suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and severe emotional trauma. These injuries affect your ability to work, care for your family, and enjoy your life. We account for all of it when calculating your damages.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles cases on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no upfront costs and no fees unless we win your case. Whether your crash happened on Highway 26, near Colleyville Heritage High School, along the roads bordering the Bear Creek Greenbelt, or anywhere else in the area, we are prepared to take on your case.

Attorney Chandler Ross is responsible for the content on this page. The primary office for Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is located in Denton, Texas. Results in past cases do not guarantee the same outcome in future cases, as each matter depends on its own unique facts and applicable law.

Call us today at (940) 800-2500. The consultation is free, and we are ready to listen.

FAQs About Colleyville Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Can I sue a drunk driver in civil court even if they were not convicted of DWI?

Yes. A criminal conviction is not required for you to pursue a civil personal injury claim in Texas. The standards are different. In a criminal case, the state must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In a civil case, you only need to prove your claims by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely than not that the driver was negligent and caused your injuries. Police reports, witness statements, BAC test results, and other evidence can support your civil claim even if the criminal case was reduced, dismissed, or is still pending.

What is the difference between a DWI accident claim and a dram shop claim?

A DWI accident claim is filed directly against the drunk driver who caused the crash. A dram shop claim is filed against the bar, restaurant, or other alcohol-serving business that provided alcohol to the driver before the crash. Under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 2.02, a business can be held liable if it served someone who was obviously intoxicated to the point of being a clear danger, and that intoxication caused your injuries. You can pursue both claims at the same time, and doing so often increases the total compensation available to you, especially when the driver has limited insurance coverage.

How long do I have to file a drunk driving accident lawsuit in Colleyville, Texas?

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the two-year period begins from the date of the victim’s death. This deadline is strict. Texas courts will dismiss your case if you file even one day late. Insurance companies also have their own, often shorter, reporting deadlines. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible after your crash to protect your right to compensation.

What types of compensation can I recover after a drunk driving accident in Colleyville?

Texas law allows you to pursue compensatory damages, which include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. In drunk driving cases, you may also be eligible for exemplary (punitive) damages under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.001(5), because drunk driving often qualifies as gross negligence. These additional damages are meant to punish the driver’s reckless behavior. The amount you can recover depends on the specific facts of your case, the severity of your injuries, and the available insurance coverage. Past results in other cases do not guarantee any particular outcome in yours.

What should I do immediately after being hit by a drunk driver near Colleyville?

First, call 911 so police and emergency services respond to the scene. A police report is critical evidence in your case, especially if the officer notes signs of intoxication or administers a breathalyzer test. Seek medical attention right away, even if you feel fine, because some injuries like traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding may not show symptoms immediately. Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and any visible injuries. Collect contact information from witnesses. Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Then call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation as soon as possible.

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