Texas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Helps DWI and DUI Victims
Texas drunk driving accident Lawyer, Jason Coomer, helps victims and their families recover compensation from driving while intoxicated (DWI), or driving under the influence (DUI) collisions. When a drunk driver causes a crash anywhere in Texas, from busy Houston highways to remote West Texas roads, the harm can be devastating. The Texas drunk driving accident lawyer combines thorough accident investigation, strategic legal advocacy, and compassionate support to hold negligent drivers and overserving establishments responsible.
Have you or a loved one suffered serious injuries or a wrongful death in a Texas drunk driving collision? Contact Jason S. Coomer, a leading Texas drunk driving lawyer, for a FREE CASE REVIEW. Further, reach out today by email or call 866-474-1477 (toll-free) to contact the Law Offices of Jason S. Coomer for more information on reviewing a DWI accident injury claim, lawsuit, or settlement.

State Statistics: DWI Crashes in Texas
Drunk driving remains one of the most serious safety issues on Texas roads. According to a 2022 study by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the highest numbers of DUI-related crashes occurred in major cities. These cities include Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
Houston reported the highest number of DUI-related crashes, with a total of 3,553 incidents. Dallas followed with 2,275 crashes, San Antonio had 1,854, and Austin reported 1,464 DUI related crashes. These statistics highlight the significant impact of impaired driving in urban areas across Texas. Efforts to reduce DUI-related incidents in these cities are crucial. These efforts help improve road safety and prevent alcohol-related accidents.
These crashes often cause devastating and permanent harm. Victims may suffer traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, internal organ damage, severe burns, or amputations. Many require multiple surgeries, months of inpatient care, and long-term rehabilitation. In the most serious cases, families are left to manage lifelong disability and financial hardship. Medical bills, lost wages, and emotional trauma can create a lasting burden.
To pursue compensation, it is critical to begin investigating the crash as early as possible. Important evidence can quickly be lost or destroyed. A strong legal claim often includes police crash reports, blood alcohol content test results, photographs of the scene, or dash camera video, and data from the vehicles involved. In some cases, toxicology reports and expert analysis of crash reconstruction may also play a key role.
The Law Offices of Jason S. Coomer acts quickly to preserve critical evidence and protect the interests of clients injured by drunk drivers. The firm also investigates whether a bar, restaurant, or social host violated the Texas Dram Shop Act, which may allow additional claims against those who overserved an intoxicated driver.
Texas Dram Shop Liability
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Texas drunk driving accident, it’s important to act quickly. Evidence from the crash scene, witness accounts, and alcohol service records can fade or be lost over time. An experienced Texas drunk driving accident lawyer can help you investigate what happened, identify all responsible parties including any bar, restaurant, or event venue that may have overserved the driver and fight for the compensation you deserve.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02(b) (the Dram Shop Act) allows injury victims to sue not only the impaired driver but also the bar, restaurant, or retailer that overserved them. To win such a claim, you must prove:
- That intoxication was a direct cause of the crash and resulting injuries.
- The establishment sold or provided alcohol to someone who was intoxicated.
These cases often rely on eyewitness accounts, surveillance footage, and point-of-sale receipts to show how much alcohol was served. Prompt legal action can help preserve this critical evidence before it disappears.
Common dram shop liability examples:
- A dance hall serving liquor to a visibly slurring patron who then wrecks on I-35.
- A San Antonio nightclub overlooking aggressive behavior and letting an intoxicated customer leave in a vehicle.
- A Lubbock bar ignoring warnings and pouring drinks to a stumbling guest who later causes a fatal crash.
The Texas drunk driving accident lawyer examines vendor records, electronic point of sale data, witness statements, and surveillance footage to identify overserving incidents. This thorough investigation helps uncover whether a bar, restaurant, or other establishment contributed to the crash by continuing to serve alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person. Identifying these details can support a dram shop liability claim and help hold all responsible parties accountable.
Where Does Drunk Driving Occur?
Drunk driving remains a serious threat on Texas roadways, especially in areas with heavy traffic, active nightlife, or major event venues. Law enforcement and crash data often reveal patterns that point to specific regional concerns. Although Texas drunk driving crashes can happen anywhere, certain areas present an elevated risk:
- Highways: High speeds and heavy traffic on highways like I-35, between Dallas and Austin, create conditions where crashes can easily occur. When alcohol is involved, the risk of a serious or fatal collision increases significantly.
- College Towns: Popular Texas universities, such as the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and Texas A&M University in College Station, are just a few examples of campuses where students may encounter impaired driving accidents after leaving campus parties.
- Tourist Destinations: Busy Texas beach towns like Port Aransas and Galveston, as well as wineries in the Hill Country, often feature popular daytime activities that frequently involve alcohol and can lead to situations where people choose to drive under the influence.
- Rural Roads: Poor lighting, narrow roads, and lengthy emergency response times on West Texas roads can contribute to increased fatality rates.
- Large Events: Events like the Houston Rodeo, Austin City Limits, and Dallas Cowboys football games all draw large, transient crowds and often involve significant alcohol consumption, which can strain local safety resources and increase the risk of drunk driving incidents.
By mapping these hotspots, the Texas car wreck lawyer lawyer tailors investigations to gather crucial evidence such as bartender records, ride sharing logs, and cell phone geolocation to build strong claims. This targeted approach helps identify patterns of negligence and strengthens the case against those who contributed to the crash.
Below are some helpful FAQs by Texas drunk driving accident lawyer Jason Coomer:
Question #1:What is the Texas Dram Shop Law?
Answer #1:Under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02, licensed vendors can face liability if they serve alcohol to an intoxicated person who then causes a crash that injures or kills an individual.
Question #2:Who can file a DWI or DUI crash claim in Texas?
Answer #2:Anyone seriously injured in a Texas drunk driving crash can file a personal injury lawsuit. Surviving family members in fatal collisions can pursue a wrongful death claim against the driver. They can also hold other liable parties responsible, including negligent alcohol vendors.
Question #3:How long do I have to file a drunk driving lawsuit?
Answer #3:Texas law generally gives you two years from the date of the accident to file. Acting promptly preserves evidence and strengthens your DWI crash case. Victims may recover medical bills and lost income. They can also seek compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and future care costs. Additionally, victims might recover funeral expenses, loss of consortium, and sometimes punitive damages for gross negligence.
Question #4:What is the difference between a DUI and a DWI?
Answer #4:In Texas, we typically charge adults with a DWI (driving while intoxicated) if they're driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Minors under 21, however, usually face a DUI (driving under the influence) if caught with any alcohol in their system.
Question #5:What if the at fault driver lacks insurance?
Answer #5:You can pursue your own uninsured, or underinsured motorist coverage and may even pursue dram shop law or social host claims against bars, private hosts, or property owners who provided alcohol.
The Dangers of Drunk Driving in Texas
Texas Highway Statistics
Drunk driving is a persistent danger across Texas highways, especially in Austin where traffic is heavy and nightlife is active. Statewide statistics show thousands of alcohol-related crashes each year. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), from 2014 to 2023, drunk or impaired driving was a factor in 14,389 deaths, which made up 37 percent of all traffic-related fatalities during that period. These accidents often cause serious injuries or fatalities, affecting not only drivers but passengers and innocent bystanders.
Driving under the influence of alcohol reduces reaction time, impairs decision-making, and increases the likelihood of high-speed collisions. These risks are not limited to late-night incidents. The morning after drinking, drivers may still be intoxicated and unaware of how impaired they are, leading to dangerous situations on the road.
Texas Law and Blood Alcohol Content Level (BAC)
Texas law sets the legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) at 0.08%, but even lower levels can be dangerous. Drivers with a BAC under the legal limit may still be impaired and held liable if they cause a crash. Understanding how alcohol affects the body is key to recognizing when someone should not be driving.
Drunk driving accidents don’t just happen at night. Many occur the next morning, especially after parties or events where alcohol was consumed in large quantities. This is often the case with gatherings hosted by athletes, actors, musicians, or wealthy individuals, where alcohol is abundant and planning for safe transportation may be overlooked.
Legal Options for Texas Drunk Driving Victims
Compensation for Victims
Those injured in drunk driving crashes may be entitled to compensation. This can include coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and future care needs. A qualified attorney can help gather evidence, build a strong case, and fight for full financial recovery.
In certain cases, Texas Dram Shop Laws allow victims to file claims against bars, clubs, or restaurants that over-served alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person. These establishments may share liability for the accident if they ignored signs of intoxication and continued to serve the driver.
Comparative Negligence in Texas
Texas uses a modified comparative negligence rule, which allows a victim to recover damages even if they share some responsibility for the injury, as long as they are not more than 50 percent at fault. In cases where multiple drivers or factors contribute to a crash, this rule helps assign fault fairly. If a person is partly responsible for their own injury, their compensation will be reduced according to their percentage of fault.
However, if they are found to be 51 percent or more at fault, they cannot recover any damages. For example, someone who is 30 percent responsible for an accident would have their award reduced by 30 percent. This approach promotes a fair distribution of responsibility while preventing compensation for those primarily to blame.
Holding Responsible Parties Accountable
Drunk driving accidents often cause catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal bleeding, or permanent disability. Recovery can be long and expensive, making it important to pursue a legal claim as soon as possible. In a Texas drunk driving crash case, liability may extend beyond the negligent driver, and include:
- Dram Shop Operators: Bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and other licensed vendors.
- Social Hosts: Individuals who provide alcohol to minors or visibly intoxicated adults at private gatherings.
- Property Owners: Those who allow on-site drinking without proper monitoring.
- Employers: Companies that permit employees to drive after workplace or company-sponsored drinking events, or holiday parties.
- Vehicle Owners: Individuals who loan cars to intoxicated drivers, who are aware that they are impaired.
The Law Offices of Jason S. Coomer is committed to pursuing justice for those affected by devastating drunk driving crashes. His team works with the expertise of accident reconstruction specialists, toxicologists, and industry consultants to thoroughly investigate all parties responsible and secure the best possible outcome for victims and their families.
Contact the Law Offices of Jason S. Coomer
Jason Coomer, a drunk driving accident lawyer, and his team are dedicated to providing compassionate and comprehensive legal support.
Get In TouchPursuing a Settlement for a Drunk Driving Accident
Recovering full compensation after a DWI crash often involves navigating a complex insurance policies. This includes the at-fault driver’s liability coverage for bodily injury, as well as your own uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits when the responsible party lacks sufficient insurance. Immediate medical costs may be covered through personal injury protection or medical payments, regardless of who caused the accident.
Additional coverage might come from commercial general liability policies held by bars, restaurants, or property owners, and homeowners or renters insurance when private hosts serve intoxicated guests. In tragic cases involving wrongful death, life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) policies may also provide compensation to survivors. Many families are unaware of these various sources of coverage or how to access them. The Texas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer takes proactive steps to identify and demand payment from all relevant insurers before any claim deadlines pass, ensuring clients do not miss out on entitled benefits.
What Are the Consequences of a Drunk Driving Accident?
A Texas drunk driving crash can devastate every part of a victim’s life, not just their physical health. Many are forced to stop working for weeks, months, or even permanently, leading to lost income for both victims and family caregivers. Medical bills often climb into six or seven figures due to co-pays, deductibles, and treatments not covered by insurance. In some cases, families face the risk of losing their homes when mortgage payments become unmanageable.
The emotional toll is just as severe post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression frequently follow serious collisions or the loss of a loved one. These crashes can also cause lasting strain on families, disrupting childcare, overwhelming caregivers, and testing relationships. To help clients cope with these challenges, Jason Coomer’s office offers more than legal support by connecting families with local Texas Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) chapters, counseling professionals, and other trusted community resources.
File a Lawsuit Against a Drunk Driver
Pursuing a Texas drunk driving crash case requires much more than simply filling out paperwork. It begins with securing critical evidence before it disappears, such as blood alcohol content test results, surveillance footage, and vehicle electronic data. From there, a well-planned legal strategy must account for complex issues like dram shop liability and Texas’s comparative fault rules under Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 33.001. Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts or delay the process, so strong negotiation skills are essential to push back against undervalued claims.
When necessary, the case may move to trial, where presenting expert testimony and building a compelling argument becomes key. Texas drunk driving accident lawyer Jason Coomer works quickly and strategically, combining legal experience with clear communication to help clients pursue justice and full financial recovery
Contact Texas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Jason Coomer
Victims and families affected by drunk driving crashes in Texas deserve answers, support, and a clear path to justice. These tragedies often leave lasting physical, emotional, and financial wounds, and no one should face them alone. With the right legal guidance, it is possible to uncover the truth, hold negligent parties accountable, and begin the process of healing.
For a FREE CASE REVIEW, call 866-474-1477 (toll-free) or email the Law Offices of Jason S. Coomer. Be sure to include your name and contact information, the date and location of the crash, a brief description of the injuries or loss, and the name of the at-fault driver or establishment if known. The Texas drunk driving accident lawyer is committed to representing victims and families across Texas. He’s ready to help you seek recovery, hold all responsible parties accountable, and move forward with strength.