Practice Areas

Brent Coon & Associates’ legal network employs attorneys with experience and specialization in a broad range of practice areas, including:

Personal Injury

Business Litigation

Railroad Injuries (FELA)

Aviation

Pharmaceutical

Environmental Contaminants

Mesothelioma/Asbestosis/Lung Cancer

Occupational Injury

Wrongful Termination

Product Liability

Arbitration/Mediation

If you would like to know if BCA can accept your case, visit the contact us page.

Attorneys

Brent Coon & Associates employs a uniquely qualified and diverse team of in-house and of-counsel attorneys and legal professionals all across the country. Working together as a single efficient unit, our legal team has the specialized knowledge and experience to work any type of case in any area of the country.
Click to meet our Attorneys >

Offices

Brent Coon & Associates has offices throughout the country, including Hub Offices in Beaumont and Houston, TX, Cleveland, OH, Denver, CO and Oakland, CA. These Hub Offices, spanning all four time zones, serve as central nodes for BCA's vast legal network of associated law firms and allows BCA and its partner firms the ability to accept and try cases in any courthouse in the country. Click to view our offices >

Wrongful Termination - Brent Coon and Associates

Employment at Will Lawsuit The relationship between an employer and an employee is generally defined as “employment-at-will” in most states In layman's terms, that means that unless there is a written employment contract or evidence of intent by the employer to alter the "at-will" status of the employee, an individual can be terminated for any reason, a good reason, a bad reason, no reason and even the incorrect reason in some cases.

Additionally, in an "at-will" employment relationship, either the employer or employee may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without warning.

However, as broad as the "employment-at-will" doctrine is, there are some limitations placed upon an employer when it takes an adverse employment action (demotion, suspension, discharge, transfer, etc.). A decision to terminate, or take some other adverse employment action, by the employer must not be discriminatory or in violation of specific federal or state laws. For example, an employer is legally prohibited from taking any “adverse employment action” against an employee because of his or her age, race, gender, religion, disability, national origin or on the basis of any other legally protected class. Additionally, an employer may also be prohibited from taking an adverse employment action based on the following:

Filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or disability;
Filing or instituting a workers’ compensation claim;
Missing work for jury duty;
Refusing to perform an illegal act, when doing so would submit the employee to criminal prosecution;
Reporting fraud or other violations of law, if the individual is employed by a federal, state, county, or municipality, or a subdivision of any of these. (This prohibition also extends to certain health care workers and those employed by contractors working for or with any of the above entities)

While specific employment laws vary from state to state, all states must comply with the federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin and disability . If you believe your employer has terminated you, or taken any other adverse employment action against you, on a prohibited basis, please contact Brent Coon and Associates in order to receive a free consultation regarding your potential claim.

BCA in the News

Check out the latest news
and developments relating to BCA.

March 18, 2013, 5:11 pm
BCA Named as a 2013 Go-To Litigation Law Firm for the Top 500 Companies
BCA is pleased to announce that it has been named as a Go-To Litigation Law Firm for the Top 500 Companies for 2013.

Gulf Oil Spill Trial Begins
February 26, 2013, 3:47 pm
Originally posted by Corey Olson - KTRH - February 26th, 2013 Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the trial is underway to determine exactly who is responsible for the disaster, and how much that responsibility will cost. The defendants are BP, Transocean, and Halliburton. Attorney Brent Coon has handled many cases stemming from the spill and is watching this trial closely. He tells KTRH that there is plenty of responsibility to go around. "BP owned the oil concession for drilling this oil, Transocean was the rig owner, and Halliburton made the cement that was to plug the well," he explains. Nevertheless, BP has been the big name attached to the disaster, and if Monday's opening arguments are any indication, the other defendants want to keep it that way. "To no surprise, most of the parties in the case, including Halliburton and Transocean, are trying to point the fingers at BP," says Coon.

Gulf Oil Spill Trial Begins

February 26, 2013, 3:47 pm

Originally posted by Corey Olson - KTRH - February 26th, 2013

Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the trial is underway to determine exactly who is responsible for the disaster, and how much that responsibility will cost. The defendants are BP, Transocean, and Halliburton. Attorney Brent Coon has handled many cases stemming from the spill and is watching this trial closely. He tells KTRH that there is plenty of responsibility to go around. "BP owned the oil concession for drilling this oil, Transocean was the rig owner, and Halliburton made the cement that was to plug the well," he explains. Nevertheless, BP has been the big name attached to the disaster, and if Monday's opening arguments are any indication, the other defendants want to keep it that way. "To no surprise, most of the parties in the case, including Halliburton and Transocean, are trying to point the fingers at BP," says Coon.

BP Spill Settlement Approval Appealed by Opt-Out Victims
January 18, 2013, 10:54 am
Thousands of individuals and businesses that sued BP Plc (BP/) over damage from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill appealed a judge’s approval of a $7.8 billion class-action settlement. Brent Coon, a lawyer for plaintiffs who opted out of the settlement, said in a filing yesterday in federal court in New Orleans that he’s appealing the judge’s orders approving the settlement.

BP Spill Settlement Approval Appealed by Opt-Out Victims

January 18, 2013, 10:54 am

Thousands of individuals and businesses that sued BP Plc (BP/) over damage from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill appealed a judge’s approval of a $7.8 billion class-action settlement.

Brent Coon, a lawyer for plaintiffs who opted out of the settlement, said in a filing yesterday in federal court in New Orleans that he’s appealing the judge’s orders approving the settlement.

November 26, 2012, 9:33 am
Spill claimants may get second chance
BP and some plaintiffs' lawyers in the litigation over the 2010 Gulf oil spill are asking a federal judge to give claimants who asked to leave a proposed class-action settlement another chance to participate.

November 26, 2012, 9:23 am
BP supervisors are ‘scapegoats,’ defense says
BP’s former rig supervisors Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine are the mystery men of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling disaster that killed 11 workers and triggered the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

November 9, 2012, 9:25 am
Judge must decide who can withdraw from spill deal
Thousands of Gulf Coast residents claiming economic or health damages from the 2010 oil spill have told a New Orleans federal judge they don’t want to participate in a class action settlement, and now he has to decide which ones he’ll allow to opt out.

BP Oil Spill – Time to Settle?
November 2, 2012, 9:06 am
BEAUMONT, Texas - It's decision time for many whose livelihoods were affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Private claims of economic hardship against oil giant British Petroleum (BP) will become part of a class-action settlement process, with participants likely forfeiting the right to sue later on their own unless they formally opt out of the deal this week. Beaumont attorney Brent Coon represents about 14,000 claimants associated with the fishing, tourism and oil industries from the five Gulf states.

BP Oil Spill – Time to Settle?

November 2, 2012, 9:06 am

BEAUMONT, Texas - It's decision time for many whose livelihoods were affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Private claims of economic hardship against oil giant British Petroleum (BP) will become part of a class-action settlement process, with participants likely forfeiting the right to sue later on their own unless they formally opt out of the deal this week.

Beaumont attorney Brent Coon represents about 14,000 claimants associated with the fishing, tourism and oil industries from the five Gulf states.

BP Spill Settlement Opt-Outs to Increase With Deadline Today
November 1, 2012, 9:07 am
Lawyers for as many as 10,000 potential plaintiffs pursuing claims over BP Plc (BP/)’s 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill said their clients today will opt out or reject the company’s $7.8 billion settlement reached in March. “I’m not trying to hold the settlement hostage, but there are too many technical problems” with the claims process, said Houston-based lawyer Brent Coon, who said he will opt out as many as 5,000 clients today. The process set up after the agreement was reached has been “slow, arduous and unexplainable,” Coon said.

BP Spill Settlement Opt-Outs to Increase With Deadline Today

November 1, 2012, 9:07 am

Lawyers for as many as 10,000 potential plaintiffs pursuing claims over BP Plc (BP/)’s 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill said their clients today will opt out or reject the company’s $7.8 billion settlement reached in March.

“I’m not trying to hold the settlement hostage, but there are too many technical problems” with the claims process, said Houston-based lawyer Brent Coon, who said he will opt out as many as 5,000 clients today. The process set up after the agreement was reached has been “slow, arduous and unexplainable,” Coon said.

October 31, 2012, 1:08 pm
Alaskans' pain set stage for Gulf spill victims' gain
As a federal judge considers whether to approve a huge civil settlement in the 2010 oil spill, thousands of Gulf Coast residents owe their day in court to a law that arose from the Exxon Valdez disaster 23 years ago.

October 31, 2012, 1:05 pm
BP Urges Judge to Approve $7.8 Billion Oil-Spill Accord
BP Plc (BP/) urged a federal judge to approve a proposed $7.8 billion settlement of thousands of claims by coastal businesses and property owners who sued over economic damages from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

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Other BCA Websites

BCA has created these dedicated websites for our prospective clients.

The History of Asbestos
America's workers are suffering from number of asbestos related diseases because of corporate greed. Watch the documentary now.

Lung Cancer Fact
Lung Cancer Fact is dedicated to providing you with the lung cancer causes, lung cancer types, and lung cancer facts.

Gulf Coast Disaster
A resource dedicated to those impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Explosion

FELA 411
Provides railroad workers with extensive information about their legal rights and the proper process of filing a FELA claim after suffering an injury on the job.

Texas City Explosion
View evidence, video and declassified documents as they are released stemming from the BP Texas City Explosion.

BCA Mortgage Fraud
The mortgage industry has recently reached a settlement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Reserve that created a multi-billion dollar fund to pay damages to victims of mortgage fraud. BCA is fighting to undo the wrongs, keeping people in their homes and getting a recovery for those who were cheated.

BCA Alternative Dispute Resolution
BCA now offers high end mediation and arbitration as part of our dispute resolutions services. Former Supreme Court Justice David Medina serves as BCA's mediator and arbitrator.

BCA v BP
A website created for the press to follow all the latest developments in BCA vs. BP.

National Attorney Network
This website is a service for our referring counsel designed to assist in the client retaining process.

Flight Attorney
BCA's Aviation Law Focus has a proven track record for handling complex, multi-party aviation cases and claims.

Auto Rollover
The team at Brent Coon and Associates knows when a vehicle rollover or the resulting injury is caused by the shortcomings in the design of the vehicle.

Chamber Sentry
The Institute for Legal Reform is trying to close your court house doors. Learn what you can do to help.

Remember the 15
Join BCA as we push a landmark bill through the Texas House & Senate.

My Safety Rights
A website created and dedicated to helping protect women's safety rights.

PharmAttorney.com
Legal Rights resources for those who have suffered from dangerous pharmaceutical drugs.

Crane Failures
Looking at the reasons behind the recent surge in Crane accidents including news stories, statistics and commentary from industry experts.

Pillot Building
A website dedicated to the historic Pillot Building located in the heart of downtown Houston. Its sophisticated design and ambiance makes it the perfect place to host meetings, fundraisers and celebrations.

Top Maritime Lawyers
Learn more about The Jones Act and Maritime & Admiralty Law from our team of attorneys.

BCA Community Involvement

BCA has created this section of our website to acknowledge the tremendous effort on behalf of our attorneys and employees in support of national and local charities. Click for BCA Charities >