Our Dallas car accident attorneys at Kraft & Associates, P.C., we understand that being involved in a car crash can be frightening, painful, and stressful, especially for those who are forced to pay for expensive medical bills.
With more than 45 years of experience helping Dallas car accident victims and their families, we are well-equipped to assist you in seeking compensation for your own accident-related costs, so if you were involved in an accident that was not your fault, please contact a dedicated Dallas car accident lawyer today.
This experience has given our team the knowledge we need to tackle the complex legal issues that often arise in these types of cases. It can, for example, be extremely difficult to negotiate with the various insurance companies that are often involved following a severe car accident.
Fortunately, our many years of experience has given us insight into the inner workings of insurance companies, enabling us to seek maximum compensation for our clients and their families. There is no better time to call our Dallas car accident lawyers at Kraft & Associates, P.C.for a free consultation or if you have any questions regarding insurance companies.
While it is true that recovering damages cannot always return an injured party to his or her pre-accident state of health, it can go a long way towards helping victims and their families pay off mounting medical debt and focus on recovery.
Compensation After Being Injured in a Car Accident
Our Dallas car accident lawyers also assist our clients with calculating damages, which could include compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Lost wages incurred while the injured party was unable to work;
- Lost earning potential for future work if the injuries sustained by the victim were so severe that he or she suffers from a permanent disability;
- The cost of vehicle repair or replacement or expenses related to other property damage;
- The pain and suffering endured by the victim as a result of the car accident;
- Loss of affection between the victim and a family member; and
- Wrongful death, if the victim passed away as a result of his or her injuries.
In cases involving gross negligence, courts are often willing to order punitive damages to the victim, which, unlike compensatory damages, are not intended to make the victim whole but to punish the at-fault party and deter similar conduct in the future.
Dallas Car Accident Statistics & Common Causes
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) tracks every motor vehicle accident in Texas through its Crash Records Information System (CRIS) by obtaining crash reports from every city and county in the State. TxDOT then aggregates these crash reports yearly to analyze how auto collisions have changed.
Dallas County Car Accidents Statistics
In all of Dallas County in 2021 55,634 total crashes included:
- Fatality crashes: 324 fatal crashes which led to the deaths of 352 individuals
- Serious injury crashes: 1,646 serious crashes that resulted in 1,963 people sustaining serious injuries
- Minor injury crashes: 6,681 minor crashes that led to 8,925 individuals receiving minor injuries
- Possible injury crashes: 9,577 possible injury crashes which resulted in 15,301 possibly injured individuals
- No injury crashes: 33,810 non-injury crashes in which 99,268 vehicle occupants were uninjured
- Unknown severity crashes: 3,596 unknown severity crashes which resulted in unknown injuries to 16,748 people
However, if you are physically capable of moving and standing after the car crash, then you should be sure to take the following steps:
- Stop and Move to Safety: Regardless of the severity of the collision, you must stop to prevent being cited for a hit-and-run accident per Texas Transportation Code § 550.022. Also, if you are able move to a safe location off the roadway to avoid being the victim of a secondary collision. You may also want to put on your hazard lights to signal other drivers that an accident has occurred.
- Dial 911: Calling 911 in an emergency, such as a car accident, will alert the Dallas Police Department and EMS to work on ensuring your safety, creating a crash report, and contacting an ambulance, if needed.
- Provide an Honest Statement: Your statement to the police should describe how you believe the accident happened, but do not apologize for the accident as it can be construed as an admission of fault, even when you are saying it in politeness. Never comment on how you feel physically or allow an insurance adjuster to record your statement, and do not comment on social media about your accident as insurance companies can use it against you later. Our Dallas car accident lawyers will obtain your Dallas crash report and work to establish liability with the insurance companies based off the report and other evidence.
- Collect Info and Take Pictures: Take pictures of everything, as this early post-accident information will serve as the basis for your injury claim. You should take photos of every vehicle involved in the collision to show property damage and establish a basis for the mechanism of injury due to the force of the collision. When collecting data from the other drivers – drivers licenses, insurance cards, license plates, vehicle identification numbers (VIN) – be sure to take photos in addition to writing the information down, so you can ensure accuracy of the data.
- Scan for Evidence: Look to see if anyone witnessed or captured the accident, for example with a dash camera or cameras at nearby businesses.
- Seek Medical Treatment: Getting medical treatment after an accident is important both for ensuring your physical health, and to establish a causal relationship between your injuries and the accident.
- Document Everything: Personal injury claims can take time to resolve, so it is crucial to document your injuries in photos even before they heal (e.g., bruising, lacerations, abrasions, scarring). You may have missed work, so it is important to document lost wages. Often property other than the vehicle itself is damaged in accidents (e.g., laptop computers, mobile phones), so document that damage and retain any repair receipts.
- Call Our Dallas Car Accident Lawyers: Insurance claims involving a personal injury attorney have been shown to result in up to a 3x increase in compensation to victims of car accidents, versus claims handled independently by an individual. Our Dallas car accident lawyers have a strong track record of providing excellent results for our clients, and we stand ready to assist with your claim.
Remember, it is the job of insurance adjusters to reduce insurance claims payouts. They have no interest in you getting you full and fair compensation. Thus, never sign any release, authorization, or anything for the insurance company of the party at fault. If you were hurt in a wreck where you were the driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian, call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION.
