DWI accidents are the cause of billions of dollars in damages each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines an alcohol-related crash as a wreck that involves a driver or a non-motorist with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.01 gram per deciliter or higher. The NHTSA refers to the occurrence of a fatality in an alcohol-related car accident as an alcohol-related crash.
A Texas County has the Worst Record of Alcohol-Related Fatalities
It is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol level that exceeds 0.08 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that thirty-two people die each day in car crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. The CDC reported that 11,773 deaths resulted from alcohol-related crashes in 2008. This accounts for 32 percent of all deaths caused by car accidents in the U.S.
In some parts of the U.S., alcohol-related fatalities are high. In Harris County, a report by the Houston/Harris County Office of Drug Policy revealed that 60 percent of traffic fatalities in the county are alcohol-related.* This is twice the national average.
The report used two different sources, the NHTSA and the Texas Department of Transportation, to determine how many alcohol-related fatalities occurred in Harris County in 2006. The NHTSA determined that alcohol-related car accidents resulted in 174 deaths, while the Department of Transportation attributed 145 deaths to DWI accidents in Harris County.
Wrongful Death of a Loved One
Alcohol-related fatalities leave the families of the victims devastated by the loss of their loved ones. If your loved one has died in an alcohol-related car accident, you and your family may be entitled to compensation for their wrongful death. The law defines a wrongful death as one that occurs because of another person’s negligent or reckless conduct.
A wrongful death claim requires the following elements:
The death of the decedent was caused by the defendant’s conduct;
The defendant was negligent, reckless, or engaged in intentional conduct;
Family members or beneficiaries survive the decedent; and
Monetary damages resulted from the decedent’s death.
If your loved one has died in a Houston DWI accident, it is important to seek legal help from a Houston auto accident attorney as soon as possible. The legal team of Denena & Points have experience litigating wrongful death cases involving DWI accidents. For a free consultation, contact the law office of Denena & Points at 713-807-9500 or 877-307-9500.
**Source: Chron.com, “DWI deaths called ‘pandemic’ in Houston,” by James Pinkerton, June 10, 2009