Hit by a drunk driver in Dallas: who pays, the bar and the criminal case
Dallas County had 1,986 alcohol-related crashes in 2025, with 79 people killed. If a drunk driver hit you, you generally have 2 years to sue that driver. Texas lets you claim against a bar only if it served someone obviously intoxicated who was a clear danger. The criminal case runs separately.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (31)
How common are drunk driving crashes in Dallas County?
Very common. TxDOT counted 1,986 alcohol-related crashes in Dallas County in 2025. Seventy-nine people died and 174 were seriously hurt. Dallas's own crash study found the most severe crashes cluster from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., so a wreck on the way home from dinner fits a pattern the city already tracks.
Across all causes, Dallas had 24,677 crashes in 2025, with 172 people killed and 1,065 seriously injured. Dallas Police investigated 16,257 crashes that year.
Who investigates a DWI crash in Dallas and what should I ask for?
The DPD Traffic Unit handles crashes with serious injury or death. Questions about a traffic death or a vehicle offense go to the Vehicle Crimes Unit at (214) 670-5817. Since Aug. 28, 2026, a city memo says DPD also takes over freeway crash response inside the city. Outside the city limits, sheriff's deputies cover unincorporated Dallas County.
Ask the officer for the service number before you leave the scene. A crash report costs $6 and is usually ready in 5 to 7 working days. Write down where the driver said they had been drinking. That one detail can decide whether a bar is part of your case.
Who pays after a drunk driver hits me in Dallas?
| Source | What to know | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's auto policy | First place most claims go | Texas minimum is $30,000 per person |
| Your uninsured motorist coverage | Protects you if the driver has no insurance or too little | Your policy limit |
| The bar or restaurant | Only under the Texas dram shop rule | Depends on its insurance |
| Texas crime victim fund | Can help with medical bills, counseling and lost wages | Set by the state program |
| Criminal restitution | A court may order it after a conviction | Depends on the judge and the defendant |
A driver who owes you for a DUI injury cannot wipe that debt out in bankruptcy. That matters when the driver has little money today but may earn later.
Can I sue the bar that served the driver in Dallas?
Sometimes, and the standard is strict. Texas requires that it was apparent the person was obviously intoxicated to the point of being a clear danger. For drinkers 18 and older, this law is the only claim against the seller. A bar may also say its workers were trained, and then an employee's act may not count against it.
Receipts, card records and video go away fast, so get a lawyer's request out early. You can also tell the state. Anyone can file a complaint with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission online with no login. It takes reports of a licensed place selling to intoxicated people. A complaint is not a lawsuit, and it will not pay your bills, but it creates a record.
How does the Dallas County DWI case affect my injury claim?
- Ask for a victim advocate. DPD's Victim Services works with victims of traffic crimes. Call 214-671-3584.
- Contact the District Attorney's Victim Services at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Blvd., (214) 653-3600.
- Sign up for custody alerts through VINE at 1-877-894-8463.
- Apply to the Texas crime victim fund. DWI and intoxication offenses are included.
- Keep filing your civil claim on its own clock. The criminal case does not stop your 2-year deadline.
You do not have to wait for a conviction to make an insurance claim. A guilty plea can help, but your civil case uses a lower standard of proof than the criminal case.
Can a Dallas jury punish a drunk driver with extra damages?
It can, with more proof. Texas requires clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence for punitive damages. Punitive awards usually have a cap, but it does not apply to intoxication assault or intoxication manslaughter. Insurance often will not be the source of that money, so ask a lawyer what can really be collected.
Families who lost someone can reach the DA's list of support groups, which includes MADD at 214-637-0372. A wrongful death claim has its own rules on who may bring it.
Questions
How long do I have to sue a drunk driver in Dallas?
Generally 2 years. The criminal case does not change that.
Can I sue the bar in Dallas if the driver was drunk?
Only if the driver was obviously intoxicated and a clear danger when served.
What if the drunk driver has no insurance?
Your uninsured motorist coverage can step in if you carry it. The state crime victim fund may also help.
Who do I call about the DWI case in Dallas?
DPD Victim Services at 214-671-3584, or the DA's Victim Services at (214) 653-3600.
Hit by a drunk driver in Dallas? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (31)
- TxDOT, 2025 DUI (Alcohol) Crashes and Injuries by County, checked 2026-11-09. “Dallas 71 79 122 174 395 563 259 480 1,103 2,828 36 112 1,986”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 2.02, checked 2026-11-09. “it was apparent to the provider that the individual being sold, served, or provided with an alcoholic beverage was obviously intoxicated to the extent that he presented a clear danger to himself and others”
- Dallas Police Department, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Our advocates work with victims of sexual assault, robbery, assault, traffic crimes and families of homicide victims.”
- Dallas Police Department, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Crimes Against Persons Division: Main Number - 214-671-3584”
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 56B.003, checked 2026-11-09. “Section 49.04 (driving while intoxicated)”
- City of Dallas, Vision Zero Crash and Survey Data Analysis, checked 2026-11-08. “the highest density of severe crashes occurring from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm”
- TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns, checked 2026-11-08. “DALLAS 165 172 883 1,065 3,778 5,158 4,040 7,024 14,744 46,742 1,067 5,790 24,677”
- TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “DALLAS PD 115 122 700 843 2,999 4,174 2,926 5,264 8,577 28,004 940 3,768 16,257”
- Dallas Police Department, Traffic Unit, checked 2026-11-08. “The investigation of serious injury or death related to vehicular crashes.”
- Dallas Police Department, Public Information, checked 2026-11-08. “Questions pertaining to traffic fatalities or offenses involving a vehicle, contact the Dallas Police Department's Vehicle Crimes Unit (214) 670-5817.”
- City of Dallas memo, Transition of Freeway Traffic Enforcement and Crash Response Services, checked 2026-11-08. “DPD will expand its Traffic Unit to assume responsibility for freeway traffic enforcement, crash investigations, and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane enforcement within the City of Dallas.”
- Dallas County Sheriff, Enforcement Bureau, checked 2026-11-08. “These deputies also patrol the unincorporated areas of Dallas County.”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “There is a $6.00 fee for the accident report if requested through the mail or if picked up in person.”
- Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Reports are usually available 5 to 7 working days after the accident.”
- Texas Transportation Code 601.072, checked 2026-11-09. “$30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision”
- Texas Insurance Code 1952.101, checked 2026-11-09. “protects insureds who are legally entitled to recover from owners or operators of uninsured or underinsured motor vehicles”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “covering costs like medical bills, counseling, lost wages, and more”
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 42.037, checked 2026-11-09. “the court that sentences a defendant convicted of an offense may order the defendant to make restitution to any victim of the offense”
- 11 U.S.C. 523(a)(9), checked 2026-11-09. “for death or personal injury caused by the debtor's operation of a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft if such operation was unlawful because the debtor was intoxicated”
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 2.03, checked 2026-11-09. “This chapter provides the exclusive cause of action for providing an alcoholic beverage to a person 18 years of age or older.”
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code 106.14, checked 2026-11-09. “the actions of an employee shall not be attributable to the employer if”
- TABC, File a Business Complaint, checked 2026-11-09. “Anyone can file a complaint through AIMS, no login required.”
- TABC, File a Business Complaint, checked 2026-11-09. “Selling alcoholic beverages to minors or intoxicated people.”
- Dallas County District Attorney, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Frank Crowley Courts Building - 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, LB 19, Dallas, TX 75207 Telephone: (214) 653-3600”
- Dallas County District Attorney, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “VINE (Texas) - Victim Information and Notification Everyday www.vinelink.com 1-877-894-8463”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 41.003, checked 2026-11-09. “exemplary damages may be awarded only if the claimant proves by clear and convincing evidence that the harm with respect to which the claimant seeks recovery of exemplary damages results from”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 41.008, checked 2026-11-09. “any noneconomic damages found by the jury, not to exceed $750,000; or (2) $200,000”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 41.008, checked 2026-11-09. “if, except for Sections 49.07 and 49.08, the conduct was committed knowingly or intentionally”
- Dallas County District Attorney, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving www.madd.org 214-637-0372”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 71.004(a)-(b), checked 2026-11-08. “An action to recover damages as provided by this subchapter is for the exclusive benefit of the surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased. (b) The surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased may bring the action or one or more of those individuals may bring the action for the benefit of all.”