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Laredo Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
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After a drunk driving crash in Laredo, the pressure can start before you have time to understand how badly you were hurt. Medical bills arrive. Missed work creates financial stress. The at-fault driver’s insurance company may call within days, asking questions that could affect your claim before your doctors know the full extent of your injuries.
A recorded statement can give the insurer language to use against you later. An early settlement offer can close your claim before future treatment, lost income, and long-term pain are fully documented. The faster the insurance company can resolve the case, the less time you have to understand what the crash has truly cost you.
We represent people injured in serious drunk driving and dram shop cases in Laredo and Webb County. Our founding attorney, Will Clark, began his legal career in Laredo and holds Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by fewer than 3% of Texas attorneys. We fully prepare serious drunk driving cases so the insurer has to evaluate the full harm caused by the crash.
Trial-Ready Representation for Drunk Driving Victims in Laredo
In Laredo, serious crashes often happen along I-35, Loop 20, and US 83, where local traffic, commercial vehicles, and cross-border freight overlap. When a drunk driving crash involves a commercial truck, company vehicle, or a driver leaving a bar or restaurant, the case can reach beyond the driver’s auto policy. Potential sources of recovery include the driver’s liability insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, the employer’s policy if the driver was on the job or being negligently entrusted with a vehicle, and dram shop coverage carried by the establishment that overserved the driver. Identifying every available source early shapes how the case is investigated.
In the hours after a crash, the at-fault driver’s insurer may assign an adjuster and begin building a file. That adjuster’s timeline does not match your recovery timeline. The insurer is focused on limiting what it pays, which is why requests for recorded statements, broad medical authorizations, and early settlement discussions often come quickly. The decisions made in the first days after a Laredo drunk driving crash can affect the evidence available, the way liability is framed, and the value of the claim.
Why We Handle Serious Drunk Driving Cases in Laredo
Choosing a Laredo drunk driving accident lawyer means choosing who will stand between you and the insurance company if the case does not settle. In a serious drunk driving case, that choice matters. Our preparation, trial record, local court familiarity, and willingness to keep building the case after a low offer can affect how the insurer evaluates risk.
Client Testimonials
“After a few short months, [the firm] was able to settle my case after being hit by a drunk driver. I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Thank you to Amanda, Emily, and Nicole for being so efficient and communicative throughout the process to ease my concerns. Highly recommend going through this firm for personal injury cases.” — Niomi P.
“Highly recommend this law firm to anyone involved in serious motor vehicle crashes. This law firm always made me feel like a priority, the customer service is on point. No robots, as soon as you call you talk to someone immediately. Wanna give a huge thanks to Emily Martinez for taking my calls and answering any concerns/questions I had. Truly helped me & made me feel heard throughout the whole case.” — Robert G.
“I want to personally thank Mr. Clark and his firm for all the care and dedication they put into my case. From the very first call, I was treated like an individual versus a number.” — Deirdre J.
Meet Your Laredo Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Will Clark’s Roots in Laredo
Will Clark began his legal career in Laredo, and Webb County courts are familiar ground for our firm. Clark holds Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a credential held by fewer than 3% of Texas attorneys.
A Documented Trial Record in Webb County
In February 2026, we argued and won the largest reported truck crash jury verdict in Webb County history in the 341st District Court before Judge Beckie Palomo: $20,259,042.79 plus interest. The defense entered trial at $750,000. The jury returned more than $20 million after approximately five hours of deliberation. That result reflects our trial posture, which can affect how insurance companies evaluate settlement risk.
Trial Posture Shapes Settlement Negotiations
Insurers evaluate what a firm is willing and able to do if a case does not settle. Firms that routinely resolve cases before trial receive offers calibrated to that pattern. We build every drunk driving case with trial in mind, which is why settlement negotiations in these cases follow a different trajectory.
A Commitment to Safer Roads
We run a Sober Ride program that provides free Uber vouchers to help people get home safely from major events. Our involvement in drunk driving litigation comes from seeing these cases up close. Preventing crashes and representing victims are two sides of the same commitment.
Texas Law and Your Rights as a Drunk Driving Victim in Webb County
Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 defines driving while intoxicated as operating a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated. Under Texas law, intoxication can mean a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, or the loss of normal mental or physical faculties because of alcohol, drugs, or both. Commercial driving cases may involve a 0.04% BAC standard for commercial motor vehicles, and Texas law prohibits drivers under 21 from operating a motor vehicle with any detectable amount of alcohol in their system.
A civil injury claim is separate from the criminal DWI case. Even if the driver is not convicted, an injured person may still bring a personal injury claim if the evidence shows the driver’s conduct caused the crash. Several rights may apply after a drunk driving crash in Webb County:
- A victim may pursue a civil personal injury claim against the drunk driver even if the criminal case is still pending or does not result in a conviction.
- Texas dram shop liability, under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 2.02, may apply when a provider served alcohol to someone who was obviously intoxicated to the point of presenting a clear danger to themselves or others and that intoxication caused the crash.
- Texas applies a modified comparative fault rule. A victim who is 50% or less at fault may still recover damages, reduced by their percentage of responsibility.
- Wrongful death claims may be available for the surviving spouse, children, and parents of a person killed in a drunk driving crash.
Texas dram shop law creates a separate cause of action against bars, restaurants, clubs, and other licensed providers when their service of alcohol contributes to a drunk driving crash. Under §2.02(b), a provider can be held liable if, at the time the alcohol was served, the patron was “obviously intoxicated to the extent that he presented a clear danger to himself and others,” and that intoxication was a proximate cause of the injuries. Texas courts assess obvious intoxication through the patron’s appearance, conduct, and behavior at the point of service, not solely through later BAC results.
Providers often raise the “trained server” defense under §106.14, which can shield the establishment if its servers completed a TABC-approved seller-server program and the employer did not encourage violations. Whether that defense applies in a given case turns on the establishment’s actual training records, supervision practices, and service patterns on the night of the crash — all of which require early subpoena and preservation efforts to develop.
Texas social hosts who serve adult guests generally cannot be held liable to third parties under §2.02, but a different rule applies under §2.03 when an adult knowingly provides alcohol to a person under 18 who is not their own child or under their care.
An attorney representing the victim of a drunk driving crash needs a deep understanding of the relevant statutes and court decisions that the average car wreck attorney may not have. Attorney Will Clark holds Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has experience litigating high-profile drunk driving crash cases. Free consultations are available to review your case.
How Long Do You Have to File a Drunk Driving Claim in Laredo?
Texas law generally gives injured victims two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. For wrongful death claims, the two-year period runs from the date of death.
One significant exception applies when the at-fault driver was a government employee operating a government vehicle. Those claims trigger shorter notice deadlines and procedural requirements that differ from standard civil claims. Anyone injured by a government driver should contact a Laredo drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible. Waiting reduces available evidence and, in some situations, eliminates the right to recover entirely.
However, evidence at the bar or restaurant disappears quickly. Many bars and restaurants overwrite surveillance video within weeks. Point-of-sale records showing how many drinks were poured and to whom can be purged on a similar timeline. We send preservation letters to providers within days of taking a dram shop case so video, server logs, drink tickets, and TABC training records are preserved before they are lost.
What Compensation Can Drunk Driving Accident Victims Recover in Texas?
Texas law allows injured people to pursue compensation for financial losses and personal harm caused by a drunk driving crash. Some cases may also support exemplary damages, often called punitive damages, when the evidence meets Texas’s higher proof standard.
Economic Damages
- Medical expenses, including past treatment and projected future care.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity.
- Property damage.
- Out-of-pocket costs tied to the injury.
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress, including documented conditions such as post-traumatic stress.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Disfigurement or scarring.
- Physical impairment.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §41.003 allows exemplary damages, often called punitive damages, when an injured person proves by clear and convincing evidence that the harm resulted from fraud, malice, or gross negligence.
Drunk driving is one of the categories of conduct that Texas courts have repeatedly treated as supporting a gross negligence finding, because driving while intoxicated involves both an objectively extreme risk and a subjective awareness of that risk. In appropriate cases, we plead and develop the exemplary damages claim from the outset of the litigation, including discovery into the driver’s drinking history, prior DWIs, and conduct that night.
How The Injury Law Guides Approaches Drunk Driving Cases in Laredo
Our process on drunk driving cases in Laredo is structured around building the full case, not settling it quickly:
- Free consultation to review the crash circumstances, injuries, and effect on daily life and income
- Investigation covering police reports, BAC records, witness statements, and available video footage from the I-35 and Loop 20 corridor and other Laredo crash sites
- Dram shop evaluation on every case to determine whether an establishment’s overservice contributed to the crash and opens an additional avenue for recovery
- Medical documentation coordinated with treating providers to capture both current treatment and future care needs
- Parallel negotiation and trial preparation, with settlement discussions proceeding alongside case-building so the file is trial-ready if the insurer’s offer does not reflect fair value
- If settlement terms are not acceptable, the case goes to trial in the 341st District Court of Webb County, where we have a documented record
Insurers respond differently when we have tried serious injury cases in the courthouse where the case may be heard. That trial-focused posture is the foundation of our approach in Laredo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drunk Driving Accidents in Laredo
What Should I Do Immediately After a Drunk Driving Crash in Laredo?
Call 911 and request medical attention, even if injuries are not immediately obvious. Some injuries, including soft tissue damage and traumatic brain injuries, may not produce obvious symptoms at the scene. Document the crash site with photographs if it is safe to do so. Try to avoid giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before consulting with a Laredo drunk driving accident lawyer. Contact us for a free consultation before making any decisions about the claim.
Can I File a Claim Even if the Drunk Driver Was Not Convicted?
Yes. A civil personal injury claim operates independently of the criminal case. The burden of proof in a civil claim is lower than the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Criminal charges and civil claims proceed on separate legal tracks under Texas law, and a conviction is not required to pursue civil recovery.
What Is Dram Shop Liability and Does It Apply to My Laredo Case?
Dram shop liability is a separate cause of action against the establishment that served the drunk driver. Under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §2.02, a bar, restaurant, or club can be held responsible when it served a patron who was already obviously intoxicated — meaning the patron presented a clear danger to himself or others — and that overservice was a proximate cause of the crash.
Proving a dram shop case requires evidence that often disappears within days or weeks. We move quickly to send preservation letters and, when necessary, subpoenas for point-of-sale data showing drinks ordered and times, surveillance footage from inside the establishment and the parking lot, server and manager statements, TABC training and disciplinary records, and any prior incidents or complaints. Hospital toxicology, 911 calls, and crash-scene video are then used to tie the patron’s BAC and behavior back to the service window.
We evaluate dram shop liability in every drunk driving case we accept, and we open that investigation in parallel with the claim against the driver — not after the driver’s policy limits are exhausted.
How Long Does a Drunk Driving Injury Claim Take in Texas?
The timeline varies based on the nature of the injuries, the clarity of liability, and the insurer’s posture. Cases with clear liability and cooperative insurers may resolve in a matter of months. Cases that proceed to trial in Webb County typically take one to three years from filing to resolution. Preserving evidence early is one of the factors that affects how efficiently a case moves forward. We advise clients on realistic timelines at the initial consultation.
What If the Drunk Driver Had No Insurance or Minimal Coverage?
Victims may have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage through their own policy that applies to drunk driving crashes. Dram shop claims against the establishment that overserved the driver can open a separate avenue for recovery, if applicable. We identify all available sources of compensation at the outset of every case.
Protect Your Claim Before the Insurance Company Shapes the Story
The calls from the insurance company are not going to stop, and the window to preserve evidence in a Laredo drunk driving case is short. We offer free consultations and handle drunk driving cases on a contingency basis, meaning there is no fee unless we resolve the case. Call 956-758-3276 or complete the contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Written By Will Clark
Will Clark is a hard-working and aggressive Texas and Colorado trial lawyer. He prides himself on always putting his clients first and stopping at nothing to ensure they receive the results they deserve. Will Clark is a proud member of the Texas Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, along with many others. Will Clark attended the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, consistently ranked as one of the top law schools in Texas. As a trial and personal injury lawyer, Will Clark has won numerous Top 100 personal injury jury verdicts for the state of Texas, demonstrating his deep understanding of what it takes to win cases similar to yours.
