Grapevine Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

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A drunk driving crash on SH-114 near Grapevine Mills Boulevard or on William D. Tate Avenue can change your life in seconds. You did nothing wrong, and yet you are the one left dealing with hospital bills, missed work, and pain that keeps you up at night. If a drunk driver hurt you or someone you love in or around Grapevine, Texas, you have legal rights, and the team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is ready to fight for you. Our firm serves clients in Grapevine, Denton, and throughout the DFW Metroplex. Call us today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

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Drunk Driving Crashes in Grapevine, Texas Are a Serious Problem

Grapevine sits at the crossroads of SH-114, SH-121, and SH-26, making it one of the busiest travel corridors in Tarrant County. The city’s entertainment district along Main Street, the Grapevine Mills shopping area, and venues near Lake Grapevine draw large crowds year-round. More people means more chances for an impaired driver to cause a crash.

There were more than 1,000 deaths in Texas from DUI and alcohol-related crashes in 2024, meaning three people were lost every single day because a driver chose to get behind the wheel impaired. That is not a statistic from years past. That is the reality on Texas roads right now.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, drunk driving causes an average of 65 alcohol-related crashes every day in Texas, and three Texans die daily as a result. These crashes happen everywhere, including on the roads connecting Grapevine to Southlake, Colleyville, and Irving.

The area around Grapevine Lake, the Gaylord Texan Resort, and the Bass Pro Shops on Grapevine Mills Parkway all see heavy traffic on weekends and holidays. As recently as July 2025, a suspected DUI collision on Grapevine Mills Parkway resulted in five people being hurt. That crash is a reminder that impaired drivers are not just a problem on late-night highways. They show up on the same roads you drive every day.

If you were hurt in a crash like this, you deserve answers and you deserve compensation. The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handle drunk driving accident claims in Grapevine and are ready to help you move forward.

What Texas Law Says About Driving While Intoxicated

Texas Penal Code Chapter 49 governs intoxication offenses in this state. Under Section 49.01, a person is legally “intoxicated” when they do not have the normal use of their mental or physical faculties due to alcohol or drugs, or when their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 0.08 or higher.

Under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04, driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense, carrying a minimum of 72 hours in jail. The offense escalates to a Class A misdemeanor when a breath or blood test shows a BAC of 0.15 or higher. A DWI in a school crossing zone, such as near Grapevine’s Cannon Elementary or Silver Lake Elementary, becomes a state jail felony.

Texas Penal Code Section 49.045 makes DWI with a child passenger under 15 years of age a state jail felony, regardless of the driver’s BAC. Texas Penal Code Section 49.08 covers intoxication manslaughter, which applies when a drunk driver kills another person. That offense is a second-degree felony.

The criminal case and your civil injury claim are two separate matters. A drunk driver can be convicted criminally and still be held financially responsible to you through a civil lawsuit. The criminal conviction can actually strengthen your civil case by establishing that the driver was impaired. This is one reason why acting quickly and preserving evidence after a crash is so important.

Texas Law Allows You to Sue the Drunk Driver and Possibly the Bar That Served Them

In Texas, liability for a drunk driving crash does not always stop with the driver. The Texas Dram Shop Act, codified at Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 2.02, allows injured victims to bring a civil claim against a bar, restaurant, or other alcohol provider under certain conditions.

Under Section 2.02(b), a provider of alcohol can be held liable when two things are proven. First, it must have been obvious at the time of service that the person being served was already intoxicated to the point of being a clear danger to themselves and others. Second, that intoxication must be a proximate cause of the damages the victim suffered. “Proximate cause” means the intoxication was a direct and foreseeable cause of the crash and your injuries.

Section 2.02(c) adds another layer. An adult 21 or older who knowingly provides alcohol to a minor under 18 can be held liable for damages caused by that minor’s intoxication. This applies even in private settings, as long as the adult is not the minor’s parent, guardian, or spouse.

Grapevine has a lively restaurant and bar scene along Historic Downtown Grapevine and near the Grapevine Main Street corridor. If you were hit by a driver who was overserved at one of these establishments, you may have a dram shop claim in addition to a claim against the driver. These cases require prompt investigation. Surveillance footage from bars and restaurants disappears quickly. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys can move fast to preserve that evidence before it is gone.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Grapevine Drunk Driving Crash?

Texas law allows injured victims to seek compensation for a wide range of losses after a drunk driving crash. The damages available to you depend on the facts of your case and the severity of your injuries. Past results in other cases do not guarantee the same outcome in your case, but understanding what types of compensation exist helps you know what to ask for.

Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses. These include current and future medical bills, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, prescription costs, lost wages from missed work, and reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term. If your vehicle was totaled on SH-121 near Grapevine, property damage is also recoverable.

Non-economic damages cover losses that do not have a set dollar value. Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and damage to your personal relationships all fall into this category. Serious crashes, such as those causing traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or severe burns, often result in significant non-economic losses that deserve full compensation.

Texas also allows punitive damages, sometimes called exemplary damages, in cases involving gross negligence or malicious conduct. Drunk driving is often treated as gross negligence because the driver made a deliberate choice to get behind the wheel knowing the risk. Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct. These are not available in every case, and a court must find clear and convincing evidence of the conduct that qualifies.

If your loved one was killed by a drunk driver, a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002 allows surviving spouses, children, and parents to seek compensation for their own losses. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 to talk through what your case may be worth.

The Two-Year Deadline to File a Drunk Driving Injury Claim in Texas

Texas law sets a strict filing deadline for personal injury claims. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003(a), a person must bring suit for personal injury not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues. Miss that deadline and you lose your right to sue, no matter how strong your case is.

For injury resulting in death, the same two-year limit applies, and the cause of action accrues on the date of the injured person’s death, not the date of the crash. This matters in wrongful death cases where the victim survived the crash but passed away days or weeks later.

Two years sounds like plenty of time. It is not. Evidence disappears fast. Traffic camera footage from near the Grapevine Convention Center or along Northwest Highway gets overwritten within days. Witnesses forget details. The drunk driver’s insurance company starts building a defense the moment the crash happens. The sooner you have an attorney working on your case, the better your position.

There are limited exceptions to the two-year rule. If the injured person is a minor, the clock does not start until they turn 18. If the defendant leaves Texas after the crash, the time they are absent may not count toward the deadline. These exceptions are narrow and courts apply them strictly. Do not count on an exception to save your case. Act now.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serves clients in Grapevine and throughout the DFW area from our office in Denton, Texas. Call (940) 800-2500 or contact us online to get started before time runs out.

FAQs About Grapevine Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

What should I do immediately after a drunk driving crash in Grapevine?

Call 911 right away and stay at the scene. Get medical attention even if you feel fine, because some injuries do not show symptoms right away. Ask officers to note any signs of impairment in their report. Take photos of the scene, your vehicle, and any visible injuries. Get the names and contact information of witnesses. Then call an attorney before speaking with any insurance company. The steps you take in the first 24 hours can have a significant impact on your claim.

Can I still recover compensation if the drunk driver did not get a DWI conviction?

Yes. Your civil injury claim operates under a different legal standard than a criminal case. In a criminal DWI case, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In a civil personal injury case, you only need to prove that the driver’s negligence caused your injuries by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely true than not. A driver can be found not guilty in a criminal court and still be held financially responsible in civil court. The two processes are completely separate.

How long does a drunk driving injury case take to resolve in Texas?

Every case is different. Some cases settle within a few months after demand letters and negotiations with the insurance company. Others take longer, especially if the insurance company disputes liability or the extent of your injuries, or if the case goes to trial. Cases involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants such as a driver and a bar under the Dram Shop Act, or disputed facts tend to take more time. What matters most is that your case is handled thoroughly, not just quickly. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys will keep you informed at every stage.

Does it matter that the drunk driving crash happened in Grapevine but I live in Denton?

No. Where you live does not determine where you can file a claim. Texas law allows you to file a personal injury lawsuit in the county where the crash occurred or in certain other counties with a connection to the case. Grapevine sits in Tarrant County, and cases there are handled in Tarrant County courts. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is based in Denton and handles cases throughout the DFW Metroplex, including Tarrant County. Your location does not limit your ability to work with our firm.

What if the drunk driver had no insurance or minimal coverage?

This is a real problem in Texas. If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, you may be able to make a claim under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, if you purchased it. Texas does not require drivers to carry UM/UIM coverage, but insurers are required to offer it. You may also have a dram shop claim against a bar or restaurant that overserved the driver, which can provide an additional source of recovery. An attorney can review all potential sources of compensation in your case. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 to discuss your options.

This page was prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys. The firm’s principal office is located in Denton, Texas. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case. Each case is unique and results depend on the specific facts and applicable law.

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