Houston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

What Should You Do After a Drunk Driver Hits You?

The steps are similar to any serious crash — we cover the basics in our guide on what to do after a Houston accident — but in a DWI case, the intoxication evidence makes timing critical. Here is what to do:

1. Call 911. Tell the dispatcher you believe the other driver is drunk.
2. Tell the responding officer what you saw — slurred speech, the smell of alcohol, open containers, stumbling — and ask that sobriety testing be done.
3. Get names and phone numbers from witnesses.
4. Take photos and video of the vehicles, the scene, skid marks, and your injuries.
5. See a doctor right away, even if you feel okay. Some serious injuries show up hours or days later.
6. Do not give the other driver’s insurance company a statement. Adjusters call fast, and anything you say in shock can be used against you.
7. Call a Houston drunk driving accident lawyer before you agree to anything: (281) 587-1111.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Texas puts no cap on actual damages in a personal injury case. Depending on your injuries, you may recover:

• Medical bills — emergency care, surgery, therapy, medication, and future treatment
• Lost wages and reduced ability to earn in the future
• Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Punitive damages, where the evidence supports them

Severe crashes can cause traumatic brain injuries or other catastrophic injuries that require lifelong care. Valuing those future needs correctly is one of the most important things an experienced lawyer does. For a realistic look at case value, see our guides on what affects a Houston car accident settlement and average settlements in drunk driver cases.

What If the Driver Was Not Arrested — or Has No Insurance?

You may still have a strong case. A civil claim only requires proof that the driver’s negligence caused the crash. That proof can come from witnesses, the police report, body camera footage, 911 calls, toxicology records, or the driver’s own statements. One of our clients recovered $625,000 even though the driver was never arrested and no alcohol test was done.

Insurance is often the bigger problem. Many drunk drivers carry minimum coverage or none at all. When that happens, we look at every other path: your own uninsured motorist coverage, a dram shop claim against the bar, or an employer’s policy. We do not stop at the first policy limit.

Drunk Driving in Houston: The Local Picture

Harris County leads Texas in alcohol-related crashes, according to Texas Department of Transportation crash data:

These crashes cluster on a handful of corridors, especially after bars close on Friday and Saturday nights. We regularly investigate DWI wrecks on I-45 (both the Gulf and North Freeways), I-10 West, the 610/US-59 interchange near the Galleria, FM 1960, and Beltway 8. Knowing these roads — which businesses have cameras, where the bar districts empty onto the freeway — helps us find evidence other firms miss.

Recent Results in Houston Drunk Driving Cases

• $6,000,000 — Fatal accident settlement for a family who lost a loved one to a drunk driver; policy limits tendered before trial.
• $5,000,000 — Settlement for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a rear-end crash, resolved just before the punitive damages phase.
• $625,000 — For a husband and wife injured as passengers; the driver was never arrested, and no alcohol testing was done.
• $80,000 — For a passenger with soft tissue injuries and $2,282 in medical bills.

Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. See more of our case results.

Why Families Choose Baumgartner Law Firm

Greg Baumgartner founded the Baumgartner Law Firm in 1985 and has spent 40+ years representing seriously injured people — never insurance companies. He holds two law degrees, a distinction earned by fewer than 1% of attorneys, and is a graduate of the Trial Lawyers College. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers, the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer rating.

Just as important: we limit the number of cases we take. You work directly with Greg, not a case manager. We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, because insurance companies pay more when they know a firm will actually try the case. And we hire the experts serious cases need — toxicologists, accident reconstruction experts,  life care planners — at our expense, reimbursed only if we win.

“I know what’s at stake when a drunk driver shatters someone’s life. I’ve stood beside victims in Houston for decades, and every case I take is personal.” — Greg Baumgartner

Don’t just take our word for it — read what our clients say about working with us.

What Does It Cost to Hire Us?

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee: we advance all case costs, and we only get paid 33% to 40% of the recovery — if we win. If there is no recovery, you owe us nothing.