If you or someone you love was hurt by a driver under the influence, you deserve an Austin drunk driving accident lawyer who will fight for maximum compensation for your injuries and other losses.
At Lorenz & Lorenz, we have spent our careers standing up for injured Texans, and we know how devastating a drunk driving accident can be. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s reckless decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
Our legal team is ready to take on the insurance companies, hold the responsible parties accountable, and help you move forward with your life. We offer free, confidential consultations.
Call us at (512) 477-7333 today to discuss your case and legal options.
Why Choose the Austin Drunk Driving Lawyers from Lorenz & Lorenz?
Our Austin drunk driving accident lawyers focus on personal injury cases and have the resources to investigate serious crashes and take on insurance companies for you. At Lorenz & Lorenz, personal injury is all we do.
That focus means we know how Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) cases can affect a personal injury claim, including the evidence, insurance issues, and liability questions that can come with an impaired-driving crash.
Here’s what sets us apart:
- Unlike many Texas firms that treat accident cases as a sideline, personal injury is all we do. This means we stay current on every law, trend, and legal strategy that can help your drunk driving accident case.
- If your injuries keep you from traveling, we’re happy to meet you at your home or hospital, any day of the week, including evenings.
- We have an in-house investigator and relationships with medical professionals and accident reconstruction specialists who can strengthen your claim.
At Lorenz & Lorenz, you’re like family. If you were hurt by a drunk driver anywhere in the Austin area, from downtown near Sixth Street to neighborhoods along I-35, we’re here for you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
How Our Austin Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Can Help Your Case
An Austin drunk driving accident lawyer can investigate the crash, identify everyone who may be responsible, calculate your damages, and handle the insurance company on your behalf.
Even when the other driver was intoxicated, getting fair compensation is rarely that simple. Insurance companies have teams of adjusters and attorneys working to limit what they pay, even when their policyholder was at fault.
An experienced Austin drunk driving accident lawyer from Lorenz & Lorenz can help by:
- Investigating the crash thoroughly, including police reports, toxicology results, and witness statements
- Identifying all responsible parties, which may include the drunk driver, a bar or restaurant, or even an employer
- Calculating the full value of your claim so we can account for your losses
- Handling all communication with insurance companies on your behalf
- Filing your lawsuit within the legal deadline and preparing your case for trial if needed
When you have a dedicated attorney on your side, you can focus on healing while we handle the legal fight. That’s exactly what our team does every single day.
Texas DWI Laws and Your Right to Seek Compensation
A Texas DWI can lead to both a criminal case against the impaired driver and a separate civil claim for your injuries. A person is legally intoxicated when they have an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher or lose the normal use of their mental or physical faculties because of alcohol, drugs, or another substance.
For drivers under 21, Texas also prohibits driving with any detectable amount of alcohol in their system.
The Criminal DWI Case vs. Your Civil Personal Injury Case
The criminal DWI case and your civil personal injury case are two separate legal matters. Even if the drunk driver is never convicted of a crime, you can still pursue a civil claim for compensation.
The standards of proof are different. A criminal DWI charge must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, while a civil injury claim generally uses the lower preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.
This is a key reason to work with a personal injury firm that understands both sides of these cases. Our team at Lorenz & Lorenz knows how to use available evidence from the criminal proceedings, such as BAC test results and arrest records, to build your civil claim.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Drunk Driving Accident?
The impaired driver is often the primary liable party, but a bar, restaurant, alcohol provider, or another party may also bear responsibility in some Texas drunk driving accidents.
The person who chooses to drink and drive is the most obvious responsible party. They can be held liable for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages through a personal injury claim.
These crashes remain a serious problem in Austin. In 2025, Austin recorded 879 alcohol-related crashes, resulting in 23 deaths and 23 suspected serious injuries, according to TxDOT.
Bars, Restaurants, and Other Alcohol Providers
Texas has a dram shop law that states that a business that sells or serves alcohol can be held liable if it served alcohol to a person who was obviously intoxicated to the point of being a clear danger to themselves or others, and that person’s intoxication was a proximate cause of your damages.
This means that if a bar on Sixth Street or a restaurant along South Congress kept serving drinks to someone who was visibly impaired, and that person then caused a crash, the establishment could also be liable.
Social Hosts
Texas social host liability is more limited. Generally, a private party host is not liable simply for serving alcohol to an adult guest. However, an adult 21 or older can sometimes be held liable for providing alcohol to a minor under 18. That rule can apply when the minor becomes intoxicated and causes an accident.
Identifying every liable party is critical because it can identify additional sources of compensation. The Austin drunk driving attorneys at Lorenz & Lorenz investigate every angle to make sure no responsible party is overlooked.
Seeking Compensation With an Austin Drunk Driving Lawyer
If another party is responsible for your drunk driving accident, an Austin drunk driving lawyer can help you seek compensation for the financial and personal losses caused by your injuries.
Compensation may include:
- Medical expenses, such as emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, and future medical care
- Lost income, including wages you have already missed and future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to work
- Pain and suffering, which covers the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident and your injuries
- Property damage, including repair or replacement of your vehicle
- Loss of enjoyment of life, if your injuries prevent you from participating in activities you once loved
- Wrongful death damages occur when an eligible family member dies because of a drunk driving crash
In some cases, Texas courts may also award exemplary damages. Unlike other types of compensation, exemplary damages are intended to punish and deter conduct when the legal requirements are met. A drunk driving crash does not automatically result in an exemplary damages award.
Every case is different, and the value of your claim depends on the specific facts and circumstances. Our Austin drunk driving accident attorneys will review your case during a free consultation and explain the damages that may be available.
How Long Do You Have to File a Drunk Driving Accident Claim in Texas?
You generally have two years to file a Texas personal injury lawsuit after a drunk driving accident. For an action involving an injury resulting in death, the law generally provides two years from the date of death.
Missing this deadline can prevent you from pursuing your claim, although limited exceptions can affect the deadline.
The sooner you contact an Austin drunk driving accident attorney, the more time your legal team has to preserve important evidence, interview witnesses while their memories are fresh, and begin building your case.
What to Expect When You Call Lorenz & Lorenz
When you contact Lorenz & Lorenz, our team will listen to what happened, arrange a free consultation, and explain your legal options.
When you call our office, here is what happens:
- You speak with a real person who listens to your story with compassion and respect.
- We schedule a free, confidential consultation at a time and place that works for you, whether that is at our Austin office, your home, or even your hospital room.
- An attorney reviews the details of your accident and injuries and explains your legal options in plain, simple language.
- If we take your case, you pay nothing up front. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
We’re available 24/7. Whether your accident happened on MoPac during rush hour or on a quiet road near Lake Travis on a Saturday night, we’re here to help.
FAQ for Austin Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
What if I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
You can still recover compensation in Texas if your share of responsibility is not greater than 50%. Your financial recovery is reduced according to the percentage of responsibility assigned to you. If your percentage is greater than 50%, Texas law prevents you from recovering damages.
How Long Does a Drunk Driving Accident Case Typically Take to Resolve?
There is no set timeline for a drunk driving accident case. How long your case takes can depend on the severity of your injuries, the number of parties involved, disputes over liability, available insurance coverage, and whether a lawsuit becomes necessary.
We can explain the likely stages of your case after reviewing the facts and keep you updated as it moves forward.
What if the Drunk Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
You may still have options if the drunk driver is uninsured or doesn’t have enough coverage to pay for your losses. Your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage could apply, and other responsible parties may also have insurance, depending on how the crash happened.
An Austin drunk driving accident lawyer can review the available policies and determine which sources of coverage may apply.
What Should I Bring to My Free Consultation With Lorenz & Lorenz?
Bring anything you already have that can help explain the crash and your injuries, such as the police report, photos, medical records, insurance information, and messages from the insurance company. You don’t need to have every document before calling.
Can I Bring a Claim Against the Bar That Kept Serving the Driver?
The Texas dram shop law may allow a claim against a bar or other alcohol provider if it was apparent when the alcohol was served that the person was obviously intoxicated to the point of presenting a clear danger to themselves and others, and that intoxication was a proximate cause of your damages.
Evidence such as receipts, point-of-sale records, surveillance footage, and witness statements can help establish what happened before the crash. We can send preservation requests early and investigate whether the facts support a claim against the establishment.
Talk to an Austin Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today
If you were injured by an impaired driver, our Austin drunk driving accident lawyers can investigate the crash, deal with the insurance companies, and help you pursue compensation for your losses.
At Lorenz & Lorenz, we have built our practice fighting for accident victims across Austin and Central Texas, and we’re ready to help you understand your options. Call us 24/7 at (512) 477-7333 for a free, confidential consultation.