Dallas, Texas, is no stranger to car accidents. The Texas Department of Transportation reports over 50,000 collisions annually, translating to one crash every fifteen minutes.
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident, you know all too well that your entire life changed in a matter of seconds. Many individuals find that their path to recovery, from damage to your car to injuries sustained from the collision, is a long and stressful one. It doesn’t have to be. The car accident attorneys at Hernandez Law Group, P.C. have been representing injured parties of car accidents and helping them claim the compensation they deserve to ease their path to recovery. With a proven track record, our law firm has become synonymous with justice. While you focus on recovering from your injuries, you can rely on our lawyers to get you the ideal outcome to cover medical expenses and damages. Contact us today and let our family fight for yours!
Why You Need a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer
The aftermath of a car accident is overwhelming and costly. While the crash itself occurs within a split second, the resounding aftermath of accumulating medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and the legal process can stretch the recovery period out for months. Having an experienced car accident attorney, such as the attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. ensures that you can get the compensation you deserve and are not bullied into accepting anything less.
Having a Hernandez Law Group, P.C., car accident attorney on your side evens the playing field against insurance adjusters, protects your right to fair compensation, and allows you to focus on your recovery while ensuring your case is being handled properly. You should always seek out a car accident attorney if the following is true of your accident:
- You were injured in the accident
- The medical costs for treatment are significant or involve future care
- You missed time at work due to your injuries, which led to lost income
- The liability is unclear due to multiple parties being involved
- The insurance company is trying to lowball or deny your claim
- The case is complex due to multiple vehicles being involved, the presence of commercial drivers, or unclear accident circumstances
- You suffered emotional trauma from the accident
Benefits of Hiring a Dallas Car Accident Attorney
An individual can expect various benefits associated with working with a knowledgeable car accident attorney on their case. This includes but is not limited to:
- Higher settlements: The Hernandez Law Group is known for securing much larger payouts, covering fees for medical expenses, damages, and much more.
- Expert Negotiation: Our attorneys counter aggressive insurance tactics and reinforce the true value of your case.
- Case Management: Our car accident attorneys handle all of the paperwork, deadlines, and communications so you can focus on your recovery.
- Investigation: Our experts gather crucial evidence to support your claim, such as camera footage and witness statements.
- Legal Expertise: The Hernandez Law Group, P.C. is well-versed in the current Texas laws surrounding car accidents, knows how to calculate future costs, and can create a strong case for you to get the compensation you deserve.
- Peace of Mind: Reduce stress by placing your case in the most capable hands. Contact the trusted car accident attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C., today.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Dallas
- Move your car to the side of the road (if it’s safe to do so)
- Check for injuries for yourself, your passengers, and others involved in the accident
- Call the police and emergency services
- Gather information about the accident
- Name of the other driver/drivers involved
- License plate numbers
- Insurance information of the drivers involved
- Makes and models of the vehicles
- Witness statements and contact information
- Location and time of the accident
- Take pictures of the accident scene and any injuries
- Contact the Hernandez Law Group, P.C.
- Visit a medical professional
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Dallas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has noted the most common causes of car accidents as follows:
- Speeding
- Failure to perform vehicle maintenance
- Inadequate surveillance
- Driving too fast for the road conditions
- Following too closely
- Distraction/inattention
- Aggressive driving
- Fatigue
- Illegal driving maneuver
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Common Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can result in life-changing injuries. These include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Even seemingly minor impacts to the head can have serious consequences, affecting cognitive functions, memory, and overall quality of life.
- Spinal cord injuries: The force of the collision can cause serious spinal cord injuries, ranging from herniated discs to spinal fractures. This can lead to chronic pain, mobility issues, and extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
- Paralysis: Paralysis can occur after serious car accidents due to nerve damage, resulting in the individual losing the ability to control the muscles of the affected area.
- Burn injuries: Parts of the car might get extremely hot or catch on fire after the collision, causing burn injuries. Individuals can also sustain burns from hot water or steam leaking from a broken radiator.
- Back injuries: Unexpected force on the muscles and tendons in the back can lead to strain or tears. Symptoms of a back injury from a car accident can last for weeks or months after the accident, interfering with one’s ability to work, sleep, and function normally.
- Neck injuries: The abrupt force of the collision puts a lot of pressure on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck that are used to stabilize the head. This can lead to intense pain, limited range of motion, and disruption to sleep.
- Whiplash: Whiplash is one of the most commonly experienced injuries from car accidents. It occurs when the head is suddenly and forcefully jerked forward and then backward during the collision. This type of injury causes damage to the soft tissue in your neck, shoulders, and upper back, limiting movement.
- Joint injuries: Joints, such as knees, can suffer damage from the impact as they hit against the dashboard or are forced into unnatural positions. This can leave movement uncomfortable and may need chiropractic adjustments or surgery to fix tears or displacements.
- Soft tissue injuries: A soft tissue injury occurs when there is damage to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, or skin. Car accidents can easily cause these as force from the impact jostles the body. These injuries often occur as strains to the knees, wrists, and ankles, or the neck from whiplash. Symptoms of soft tissue injuries are often delayed, which is why it is crucial to get checked out by a medical professional to prevent further damage and get proper treatment.
- Scrapes and cuts: Often caused by flying glass, debris, or airbags deploying, these injuries can range from minor to severe and may potentially need stitches.
- Broken bones: Fractured bones are common in car accidents, especially high-impact collisions. These injuries can result in significant pain, surgical procedures, and often have a lengthy recovery period.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Dallas Car Accident?
Various theories of liability aid in determining who is responsible for your injuries and the damage to your car. In certain cases, more than one theory of liability will apply, so multiple parties can be held responsible for your damages. The theories of liability that most commonly apply to car accident cases are as follows:
- Negligence or Direct Liability: The most common cause of car accidents is negligence (also known as direct liability). When another driver operates their vehicle unsafely, their negligence may cause you to get into a car accident. Whether they’re speeding, following too closely, not paying attention, or engaging in other negligent behavior, they’re liable for your damages.
- Respondeat Superior: Respondeat Superior is the theory of liability that holds employers responsible for the actions of their employees. If you’re struck by an 18-wheeler, a crane, or a company vehicle, you may be able to hold both the vehicle’s operator and their employer responsible for your damages.
- Product Liability: Occasionally, a faulty vehicle or part may contribute to or cause your accident. Faulty parts may also cause an increase in injuries, such as in the case of airbags not deploying. In these cases, the vehicle manufacturer may be held wholly or partially responsible for your car accident.
What Compensation May You Be Entitled To?
After a vehicle accident, there are several types of damages you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Property damage: You deserve to be compensated for any damage to your vehicle after you are in a car accident. In addition, you may also be able to receive compensation for any objects in your car that are damaged in the wreck.
- Medical bills: You’re likely to incur injuries after you’ve been in a car wreck. These injuries can lead to thousands of dollars in medical bills, for which you deserve to be recouped.
- Income loss: As you recover from the injuries you sustain from a vehicle accident, you may lose income, for which you deserve compensation.
- Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering damages include any physical or mental suffering you experience after an accident.
- Punitive damages: In some cases, you may be entitled to punitive damages after an accident. These damages are designed to punish the entity or individual who caused the accident due to their grossly negligent behavior.
- Mental anguish: If a loved one is killed in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the mental anguish you suffer.
What Kind of Car Insurance is Required in Texas?
Texas only requires liability insurance for cars. 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 that every driver should consider includes collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, uninsured motorist protection, and personal injury protection.
Why Is Car Insurance Often Not Enough to Cover Damages?
Car insurance often falls short due to policy limits, especially for individuals who only obtain minimum coverage. The lack of full coverage often leaves individuals facing high treatment costs for severe injuries and long-term care and scrambling to make ends meet. Additionally, without proper legal representation, the insurance companies will often try to lowball or delay payment or dispute whose fault the accident truly was.
Don’t leave your future in the hands of insurance companies that are only looking out for their bottom line. Instead, turn your trust to the car accident attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C., who do not stop fighting until you get the compensation you deserve.
How Our Dallas Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
A car accident attorney does more than represent your case in court. Our attorneys will help you determine who is liable for your injuries, what kinds of insurance claims to file, what damages you deserve compensation for, and other important factors of your case.
Our attorneys also have years of experience handling insurance companies. We do not allow them to manipulate our clients into accepting anything less than they deserve.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact Hernandez Law Group, P.C. Our attorneys are led by Juan Hernandez, one of the 2% of Texas lawyers who are board-certified in personal injury law. With a success rate of 98%, you can trust that our team will get you the results you need to get your life back on track.
Car Accident FAQS:
There are three basic requirements that your car accident case must meet for a valid compensation claim. These are as follows:
– The other driver was negligent
– Proof that your injuries were a direct result of the accident
– The accident caused you to suffer damages and injuries that are compensable
The statute of limitations in Texas for a car accident is two years from the date of the accident.
Here is an overview of the legal process for a Dallas car accident claim:
– Hire an experienced car accident attorney from the Hernandez Law Group, P.C.
– Claim and medical record review to determine damages
– Negotiation and filing
– The discovery process to gather materials needed for the case:
– Witness statements
– Medical records
– Expert witnesses
– Police reports
– Photos
– Pretrial motions
– Motion to exclude: Either attorney may request exclusion of certain evidence, such as material gathered illegally.
– Motion to change venue: Either attorney may request to change the venue if the case has received excessive publicity and poses a threat to your safety.
– Second settlement attempt
– Personal injury trial
– Presentation of evidence
– Interrogation of witnesses
– Rendering of a verdict by a judge or jury
– Determination of the compensation amount by the judge
Yes! The state of Texas is a modified comparative negligence state. This means that if the plaintiff is found to be less than 50% at fault for the accident, then they can still recover damages. However, the compensation they will receive will be reduced by the percentage of fault they were found to have.
Contact the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. to schedule your free no-obligation consultation to go over the specifics of your case. We won’t quit until you get the compensation you deserve.
