Each year, more than 2.5 million people are injured in car accidents in the United States alone. These car accidents range from minor hit-and-runs to serious head-on collisions that leave victims with life-threatening injuries.
It is important that you seek legal
representation immediately after a car accident. At Hernandez Law Group, PC , our experienced personal injury attorneys have
extensive experience serving car accident victims. You should be fully
compensated for your injuries, vehicle damage, and other damages so that you
are not saddled with financial hardship after the accident. Additionally,
you deserve to be compensated for pain and suffering during and after the
accident. The attorneys at Hernandez Law Group have a proven track record
of getting their clients fully compensated for their damages, and we will make
sure you get the best result for your case.
Common Types of Car
Accidents
Car accidents can happen at any time,
and you may not always be able to anticipate them. Some of the most common
types of car accidents include:
- rear-end collisions
- side accidents
- frontal car accidents
- Automobile hit-and-run collisions
- Collisions between multiple cars
- rollover accidents
- pedestrian accidents
- bicycle accidents
- Semi Truck Accidents
- Accidents due to driving under the influence
of alcohol
What to Do
Immediately After a Car Accident
It is important to stay calm after a
car accident and make sure you follow all of these steps:
- Move your car (if you can do it safely). It is much more important to get off the road
than to stay right where the accident happened. This way you and
other drivers will be safer. Of course, if you can't move your
vehicle after the accident due to major damage or your injuries from the
impact, don't worry about it. In any case, be sure to turn on your
hazard lights.
- Look at the other driver and passengers. It is important to make sure that no one was
seriously injured after the accident. If anyone is (including you),
immediately call an ambulance.
- Call the police. Once you've gotten to safety and checked out
the others, it's time to call the police to file a report.
- Gather information about the crash. While waiting for the police to arrive, you
need to gather as much information about the car accident as
possible. This will help you when you are reporting the accident to
the police. This information may include the names of drivers and
passengers, license plate numbers, the other driver's insurance
information, vehicle makes and models, witness statements and contact
information for any witnesses, and the location of the accident.
- Take photos of the accident scene. Use your cell phone to record all damage after
the accident.
- Call a lawyer. Many people think that the next step is to
call their insurance company. However, insurance companies are
notorious for twisting words and giving people the least amount of money
possible for their accident. The attorneys at Hernandez Law Group
will be there to help you receive the full amount you deserve from both
the other driver and the insurance company.
- Visit a health professional. After an accident, you should always see a
doctor to help check your injuries. Even if you think you don't have
any injuries, you still need to go to the hospital because some injuries
(such as traumatic brain injuries) don't show up right away.
How
to File a Car Accident Police Report in Texas
After a car accident, it is best to file your report with the officer who shows
up at the scene of the accident. However, in some cities, you also have
the option of filing an after-the-fact report with the Texas Department of Transportation . If
the damage is minor, you are not legally required to file a police car accident
report.
Remember that filing a police car accident report does
not obligate you to file an insurance claim; therefore, you should file a
report even if you and the other driver are considering a settlement without
involving the insurance company.
Common Causes of
Car Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association ,
some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Speeding
- Lack of vehicle maintenance
- Inadequate surveillance
- Driving too fast for conditions
- don't keep your distance
- Distracted or inattentive
- aggressive driving
- Tiredness or falling asleep at the wheel
- Driving maneuver not allowed
- driving while intoxicated
Responsibility
Theories
Theories of liability help determine
who is responsible for your injuries and the damage to your car. In some
cases, more than one theory of liability may apply, so multiple parties may be
held liable for your damages. The liability theories that are most commonly
applied to car accident cases are:
- Negligence, or direct responsibility. The most common cause of car accidents is
negligence (also known as direct liability). When another driver
drives your vehicle unsafely, their negligence can cause you to be involved
in a car accident. Whether they are speeding, failing to keep their
distance, not paying attention, or engaging in other negligent behavior , they are liable
for your damages.
- Respondeat Superior (vicarious
responsibility). Respondent
Superior is the liability theory that holds employers responsible for the
actions of their employees. If you are hit by a trailer, tow truck,
or company vehicle, you may be able to hold both the operator of the
vehicle and your employer liable for your damages.
- Liability for defective products. In certain cases, a defective vehicle or part
can influence or cause the accident. Defective parts can also lead to
aggravation of injuries, such as air bags not deploying. In these
cases, the vehicle manufacturer may be held fully or partially responsible
for your car accident.
Common Injuries in
Car Accidents
A car accident can result in a wide variety of serious injuries. Some of
these are:
- spinal injuries
- soft tissue injuries
- traumatic brain injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Scrapes and cuts
- Burns
- Internal bleeding
- Paralysis
Car Accident Injury
Compensation
After a car accident, there are
several types of damages for which you may be entitled to
compensation. These include:
- Property damage. You deserve compensation for any damage to
your vehicle after a car accident. In addition, you may also be able
to receive compensation for any other items in your vehicle that were
damaged in the accident.
- Medical bills. He is likely to sustain injuries after being
in a car accident. These injuries can result in thousands of dollars
in medical bills, which you deserve to recover.
- Loss of income. While recovering from injuries sustained in a
car accident, you may lose income, for which you deserve compensation.
- Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering damages include any type of
physical or mental suffering that you suffer after an accident.
- punitive damages. In some cases, you may be entitled to punitive
damages after a car accident. These damages are designed to punish
the entity or individual that caused the accident for their reckless or
negligent behavior.
- Mental anguish. If a loved one is killed in a car accident,
you may be entitled to compensation for the mental anguish suffered.
Mandatory Vehicle
Insurance in Texas
The only type of auto insurance required in Texas is
liability insurance. These are the minimum coverages that every driver in
Texas must have:
- Bodily Injury Liability: $30,000 for each
injured person and $60,000 total per accident.
- Property Damage Liability: $25,000 per
accident.
Optional insurance you should
consider includes collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, uninsured motorist
protection, and personal injury protection.
Dallas/Fort Worth
Car Accident Statistics
According to data collected by the Texas Department of Transportation , there were 422,695 car accidents in the state in 2017, which represents an average of about 1,158 accidents per day. 3,342 of these accidents were fatal, which means that 8 out of every 1,000 accidents ended in death.
The most dangerous cities to drive in
Dallas/Fort Worth are:
- Dallas, with 32,059 crashes
- Fort Worth, with 16,446 crashes
- Arlington, with 6,788 crashes
- Flat, with 5,669 crashes
- Irving, with 3,434 crashes
- Grand Prairie, with 3,429 crashes
- Denton, with 3,287 crashes
- Lewisville, with 2,676 crashes
- Garland, with 2,328 crashes
- Richardson, with 2,094 crashes
In total, there were 122,352 car accidents
in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area, which represents 29% of the total number
of accidents in Texas. Dallas County was the most accident-prone city,
with 20 accidents per 1,000 people and 50,627 vehicle crashes
overall. Collin County was the safest, with 13 car accidents per 1,000
people.
Drunk Driving Statistics in the DFW Area
The situation in the Dallas/Fort
Worth area for drunk drivers is dire. Alcohol was the cause of 5,589
traffic accidents in 2017, which is equivalent to about 15 a day. While
alcohol only contributed to about 4.6% of all vehicle accidents in the DFW
area, DUI incidents were the cause of 10.7% of accident-related
deaths. The 10 cities in Dallas/Fort Worth with the worst drunk driving
statistics are:
- Arlington , with 117 car accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Mesquite , with 114 car accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Dallas , with 97 car accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Grand Prairie , with 78 auto accidents caused by drunk
drivers, per 100,000 people.
- Fort Worth , with 67 auto accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Garland , with 54 auto accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Irving , with 51 auto accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Plano , with 45 car accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- Frisco , with 44 car accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
- McKinney , with 39 auto accidents caused by drunk drivers, per 100,000
people.
Nearly 24% of all DUI accidents that
occurred in Texas were in the DFW area.
How Our Texas Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You Receive Compensation
A personal injury attorney does more
than represent your case in court. Our car accident attorneys will help
you determine who is responsible for your injuries, what types of claims you
should file, what damages you deserve compensation for, and other important
factors in your case. We will also handle insurance companies on your
behalf; The legal team at Hernandez Law Group knows how to work with
insurance companies so they can't manipulate you into receiving less
compensation than you deserve.
If you have been in a car accident,
contact the team at Hernandez Law Group, PC. Juan Hernandez is one of the
few attorneys in Texas who is board certified in personal injury law. For
this reason, he can be sure that he has the experience to win his case. Contact us today to make an appointment
for a free legal consultation regarding his car accident. We have offices
in Dallas , Amarillo , and Abilene .
