Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer: Facts About Intoxicated Drivers and Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits by Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawyer Jason S. Coomer
Alcohol is the number one killer on our roads and the most abused substance in the United States.
About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related vehicle collision at some point in their lives. In 2009, there were 33,808 traffic fatalities in the United States, and the state of Texas accounted for 3,071 of those. In this same year, alcohol-impaired driving was a factor in 32% of the fatalities in the United States, and 45% of alcohol-related fatalities in Texas. At any given time it is estimated that on the road, one out of every 100 drivers has a BAC of .10% or more. Further, on Holidays, weekends, bar closing times, and during many special events this number increases dramatically.
One reason for the large number of drunk drivers on Texas roads are bars, night clubs, party hosts, fraternities, and restaurants that serve alcohol to customers that are already drunk. Under Texas law a bar, night club, or restaurant that serves a drunk person alcohol can be held liable if they let that intoxicated person drive and the intoxicated person causes an automobile accident. For more information on Texas Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, please read below or go to the following web pages: Texas Happy Hour Crash Lawsuits, Texas Fatal Drunk Driver Lawsuits, and Texas DWI Crash Lawsuits.
Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, Texas Drink Special Lawsuits, and other Texas Dram Shop Lawsuits
A Texas Dram Shop Lawsuit refers to Texas Bar Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, and Texas Drink Special Lawsuits where a bar, restaurant, or nightclub over serves drunk customers. These lawsuits are against the bar, restaurant, or nightclub that violated Texas law. More specifically, a dram shop is any drinking establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold including bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. The term "dram shop" relates back to a time when a drinking establishment served patrons alcohol by the measurement of a dram which is one eighth of a fluid ounce.
The Texas Dram Shop Law was passed in 1987. This law allows individuals to bring civil lawsuits against a person or business who serves, sells, or provides alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated to the extent that he presents a clear and obvious danger to himself or others. In these Texas Bar Drunk Lawsuits the injured person or family of the person who was killed by a drunk driver need to prove where the drunk driver was drinking, the drunk driver caused the accident, that the intoxicated person was served after they were obviously intoxicated, and the intoxication was the proximate cause of the damage incurred.
In September 2004, the Texas Supreme Court clarified the law surrounding the responsibility between patrons and drinking establishments when they held in the Duenez decision that a licensed alcohol seller is jointly responsible with its patron when it provides alcohol to an obviously intoxicated patron and that patron harms another.
Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuits, Texas Happy Hour Lawsuits, Texas Drink Special Lawsuits, and other Texas Dram Shop Lawsuits
If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driver crash and that drunk driver was drinking and over served at a bar, nightclub, or restaurant, please feel free to submit an inquiry to Texas Bar Drunk Driver Crash Lawsuit Lawyer Jason Coomer for a Free Online Evaluation of your potential claim.