Burleson DUI Lawyer

Board Certified. Burleson Roots. $1.8 Million Recovered in a Drunk Driving Case.

Drunk driving crashes on Burleson’s roads, including the I-35W corridor and SH-174, produce some of the most severe injuries seen in Texas personal injury litigation. Insurance companies move quickly after these collisions to limit payouts, and victims who navigate that process alone often recover far less than their injuries warrant. Coontz Cochran has represented personal injury clients in Johnson County and Greater Fort Worth since 1990. Attorney Greg Coontz grew up here, attended Burleson High School, and built his practice in his hometown because this community is where he belongs.

If you or someone you love was hurt by a drunk driver, schedule a free consultation with the Burleson drunk driving accident attorneys at Coontz Cochran to discuss your options and understand what your case may be worth.

Injuries Drunk Driving Victims Sustain

Drunk driving collisions tend to involve higher speeds and greater impact forces than typical crashes. That’s why injuries are so frequently catastrophic and why these cases carry such high stakes for victims and their families. Drunk drivers are treated as highly negligent under Texas law, which directly affects the damages available to the people they hurt.

Common injuries in drunk driving collisions include:

• Brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury
• Spinal injuries including fractures and disc or cord damage
• Paralysis
• Broken bones
• Whiplash
• Organ damage
• Burns
• Back sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries
• Muscle and tendon damage

Property damage should be covered by insurance, but recovering the right amount is a difficult process, especially without experienced personal injury attorneys in your corner.

Texas Law & Your Drunk Driving Claim

The legal framework governing drunk driving cases in Texas directly affects how much time you have and how much you can recover. Texas personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the crash date under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. Missing that deadline generally bars any recovery, which is why contacting an attorney early matters.

Comparative Fault & How Blame Is Assigned

Texas follows modified comparative fault under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001. A victim found to be 51 percent or more at fault recovers nothing; below that threshold, any recovery is reduced by the victim’s percentage of fault. Because insurance adjusters look for any reason to shift blame, how your claim is documented from the start can significantly affect your outcome.

Exemplary Damages in Drunk Driving Cases

Texas law allows exemplary damages, sometimes called punitive damages, in drunk driving cases where the defendant’s conduct is shown to be grossly negligent. These damages are capped at the greater of $200,000 or twice economic damages plus non-economic damages up to $750,000. A DWI arrest or criminal conviction can serve as powerful evidence of negligence in a civil injury claim, and a civil case can proceed independently of any criminal proceedings.

Liability Beyond the Driver: Texas Dram Shop Law

The drunk driver isn’t always the only party who can be held responsible. Under Texas dram shop law (Tex. Alc. Bev. Code §2.02), a bar, restaurant, or other establishment that serves a visibly intoxicated person who poses a clear danger to themselves or others can be held liable for injuries that person causes. This can be a meaningful avenue for additional compensation when the driver’s own insurance falls short.

Other parties who may share liability include employers when a driver was acting within the scope of employment, vehicle owners under a negligent entrustment theory, and social hosts who served alcohol to minors. When a drunk driver is uninsured or underinsured, identifying third-party liability can be the difference between broader compensation avenues and an uncollectible judgment. The victim’s own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may also provide a recovery path when the at-fault driver lacks adequate insurance.

Why Burleson Victims Choose Coontz Cochran

Attorney Greg Coontz has been Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law since 1993. Board Certification isn’t self-designated: it requires passing a rigorous examination, demonstrating substantial experience in the practice area, and meeting continuing legal education requirements. Fewer than one in ten Texas attorneys hold this distinction. Our firm has also been recognized in Texas Super Lawyers® and holds an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest peer-review rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

A Proven Track Record in Drunk Driving Cases

We secured a $1.8 million settlement in a drunk driving accident case, along with a $604,000 settlement in a car accident matter and multiple six-figure recoveries in personal injury claims throughout Johnson County and Greater Fort Worth. We routinely go up against well-funded insurance companies on behalf of injured individuals, and our clients consistently tell us we keep them informed and make complex legal processes understandable from start to finish.

No Fee Unless We Recover Compensation

We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket. We only collect a fee if we recover compensation for you.

Call (888) 858-0536 today to contact a Burleson drunk driving accident attorney and find out how we can fight for you.

How We Handle Drunk Driving Accident Cases

From the moment you contact us, we work to build the strongest possible foundation for your claim. We review every detail of the accident: police reports, toxicology results, and all available evidence of impairment. We establish the negligence of the intoxicated driver and investigate every potential source of liability, whether that’s the driver, a third-party establishment under dram shop law, or another responsible party.

Effective investigation means securing BAC results and criminal records, interviewing witnesses while memories are fresh, and documenting all injury-related losses in full. Compensation we pursue for our clients can include medical expenses, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and, where the facts support it, exemplary damages. We fight aggressively against insurers who undervalue injuries and don’t back down when cases require litigation.

Get a Free Consultation from Our Burleson Drunk Driving Attorneys

If a drunk driver hurt you or someone in your family on Burleson’s roads, don’t wait. The two-year filing deadline moves quickly, and evidence is often more accessible early. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss what happened, understand your legal options, and learn what to expect going forward.

Call (888) 858-0536 to speak with a Burleson DWI accident attorney at Coontz Cochran today.