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A car accident can change your life in an instant. You may be left with severe injuries, significant medical bills, and an inability to return to work. However, you don’t have to deal with the financial fallout, stress, and frustration alone.
If you were involved in a car accident in the Dallas-Fort Worth area or anywhere in the counties of Dallas, Collin, Fort Worth, Ellis, Rockwall, or Denton, you can count on MR Civil Justice to be by your side. Our Dallas car accident attorneys work to build a tailored case strategy focused on helping you obtain as much compensation as possible for your injuries.
We know that it is important to file an injury claim as soon as possible after a car wreck, so we work quickly to gather the necessary evidence to prove the negligence of the at-fault party. Our firm is truly dedicated to helping you obtain the compensation you need to cover the costly expenses associated with the recovery process.
Benefits of hiring our firm for your car accident claim after a wreck in Dallas:
When you’re suffering due to injuries from a car accident, it can be hard to focus and work on your case. Let us do it for you so you can rest. Our Dallas car accident lawyers are here to support you. We also protect the rights of the injured in Chicago!
As of the 2020 Census, there were over 1.3 million people living in Dallas. Dallas is the third largest city in Texas and the ninth most populous in the United States.
Sadly, in 2020, Dallas also saw the sixth-highest number of traffic deaths and the fifth-highest number of pedestrian deaths in the United States. The 2021 TxDOT motor vehicle accident statistics for Dallas are as follows:
The 2021 TxDOT motor vehicle accident statistics for Dallas County reported:
Many of the above accidents, injuries, and fatalities were preventable. Thankfully Dallas is taking steps to improve road safety for its residents and visitors.
In June 2022, the Dallas City Council unanimously passed a Vision Zero action plan seeking to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries by improving road safety.
The action plan includes at least 40 steps and recommendations for Dallas to reduce traffic deaths which could cost $30 million. However, Vision Zero could save lives, and improve traffic conditions and road safety for the city’s residents and visitors.
Recovery in a Dallas car accident depends on state insurance law. Texas is a fault-based insurance state. This means that the party liable for the car accident is responsible for any resulting injuries and property loss.
When an at-fault party has car insurance, any damages claim is filed against their car insurance company. Texas requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance in the event of an accident.
Texas minimum liability coverage is currently set at:
However, drivers may opt to carry more coverage as this is the lowest coverage available. If car accident injuries exceed an at-fault driver’s coverage, an injured party can personally sue the driver for the difference.
Texas follows the modified comparative fault rule. Under this rule, injured drivers who sue to recover damages exceeding an at-fault driver’s insurance must prove the other driver caused the accident.
If the court finds both parties shared fault for the accident, each is assigned a percentage of that fault up to 100%. Any injured party found 51% or more at fault is barred from monetary recovery.
If an injured party is less than 51% responsible for the accident, any damages award is reduced by their percentage of fault.
For example:
Modified comparative fault prevents drivers who are primarily at fault for accidents from recovering monetary damages from their less liable counterparts.
A liable party may avoid responsibility for severe injuries when the injured party failed to wear a seat belt. Seat belt use is required by Texas law and failure to wear a seat belt can exacerbate accident injuries.
Car accident claims are filed with a liable party’s insurance company. Experienced car accident attorneys file claims on behalf of their clients as well as demand letters for current and future accident-related compensation.
Attorneys thoroughly assess and investigate all aspects of a car accident to determine a proper demand amount and solidify a client’s claim. While every car accident is unique, the following categories of damages are common in all personal injury claims:
Economic damages include current and future accident-related expenses. They include but are not limited to:
Non-economic damages are difficult to calculate but as real as economic damages. They vary but may include:
Punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages, are awarded when an at-fault party acts with extreme recklessness or disregard for others.
Car accidents can occur in a variety of ways. Given the power and size of these vehicles, we take for granted the impact that a mishandled vehicle could have on our lives. The way in which an accident occurs can have an influential impact on the best legal strategy to pursue just compensation.
Vehicular accidents may end up in tragic injuries that have long-term consequences on one’s health, wealth, and future. Some accidents that may occur as a result of a car accident include:
No one chooses to be in a car accident. While some car accidents cannot be avoided, others are preventable. Knowing common car accident scenarios can keep drivers from becoming accident statistics.
A few of the most common car accident types are rear-end collisions, t-bone accidents, and single-car accidents.
Avoid common car accidents by focusing on driving. One of the most deadly activities practiced by drivers today is distracted driving.
Distracted driving is driving while your attention is focused on some other task. The most deadly form of distracted driving is texting.
Other ways drivers are distracted include:
Paying attention to the weather can also prevent accidents. Drivers should know their local forecasts and road conditions.
When roads are wet, drivers need greater stopping distances, and vehicles can hydroplane on wet roads. It is wise to always keep a safe following distance regardless of conditions.
Safe following distances can prevent rear-end accidents in inclement weather, heavy traffic, or in the event of an unforeseen road hazard. Avoiding road hazards is easier when drivers are anticipating sudden stops.
Drivers should always be ready to stop even when they are the only vehicle on the road. Doing so can help to avoid single-car accidents in unanticipated circumstances.
Drivers need to follow all traffic rules and regulations. Speeding is the leading cause of car accidents in Dallas. Speeding is illegal and leaves a driver open to full accident liability even if an accident was only partially their fault.
At-fault drivers can only be sued if they are caught. The police will conduct an investigation to try and identify the driver. Keep all of your accident records in the event they are apprehended.
In the meantime, you may have to pursue compensation through your own insurance company. An experienced car accident attorney can help you build a solid claim for reimbursement through your uninsured motorist coverage.
If your insurance company is unwilling to honor your claim, you may need to move forward with a civil lawsuit against them.
Liability for your medical bills depends on who was at fault for your accident. If the other driver was responsible for the accident, they may be held responsible for your medical bills.
However, if you shared blame for your accident you may be partially responsible for your losses as Texas follows a modified comparative negligence system. This means if you are more than 50% responsible for your accident you cannot recover any damages from the other driver.
For more information on modified comparative negligence and how it affects your particular accident, have your claim reviewed by a Dallas car accident attorney.
You do have to report any Texas car accident if there are injuries or if the damage to one or both vehicles is over $1,000.
If your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to hold the other motorist accountable for their actions. To ensure that you can preserve the claims you can bring against the other driver, be sure to do the following steps:
Lawsuits need planning, attention to detail, and adherence to stringent deadlines. In fact, even assessing whether a lawsuit is proper requires a realistic view of your claim. A Dallas car accident lawyer can provide you with specialized assistance and guidance from experts who have handled hundreds of cases.
Lawyers can assist beyond just determining how to file a legal claim. When you are unsure who to visit after an accident, our Dallas car accident lawyers can assist you in finding an adequate care provider, preserving evidence, handling insurance calls, assisting in advice for car damage evaluation, and walking you through the claim, settlement, and trial process.
The city of Dallas is made of many, many neighborhoods, and areas. This includes:
The Arts District, Bishop Arts District, Cedars, Deep Ellum, Design District, Downtown, East Dallas, Fair Park, Fitzhugh, Harwood, Henderson, Highland Park, Knox, Lakewood, Lower Greenville, Love Field, Medical District, North Dallas, Northeast Dallas, Oak Cliff, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Park Cities, South Dallas, Trinity Groves, Turtle Creek, Uptown, Victory Park, West Dallas, West End, and the West Village.
We can assist you no matter where your accident occurred, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Garland, Irving, Frisco, McKinney, Grand Prarie, Mesquite, Denton, Carrollton, Richardson, Lewisville, Allen, or anywhere within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (or Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington if you prefer the official designation).
Car accidents may be common personal injury claims, but each case still requires personal attention and care to ensure the victim gets the compensation deserved. At MR Civil Justice, our Dallas personal injury attorneys give you personalized attention to your case and make sure you get the justice you deserve. Contact our Dallas car accident lawyers today for your free evaluation.