NEWS & BLOG

Evidence in Cowboy DUI Case a Bounty for Wrongful Death Claim

In a recent interview with Chuck Schechner of KRLD-AM radio, Fort Worth trucking accident lawyer Steven C. Laird says the same evidence presented in the criminal DUI case against former Dallas Cowboy lineman Josh Brent could be key in a civil wrongful death lawsuit. Mr. Brent recently was convicted of intoxication manslaughter in the single-car crash that killed a teammate. “You’ve got more than a normal amount of evidence coming out of the criminal trial,” Mr. Laird says. According to news accounts, prosecutors presented surveillance footage from Club Privae that showed Brent drinking straight from a bottle shortly before driving at least 110 mph in a 45 mph zone. “Texas dram shop laws hold bars civilly liable if they overserve customers. Criminal evidence, including surveillance footage and blood-alcohol reports, can be compelling to a jury or judge in a civil trial,” says Laird, whose experience in dram shop claims includes a major recovery for the family of a drunken-driving victim.