Last year, the police department investigated 231 motor vehicle accidents across the city. As part of their commitment to promote safety and enforce traffic violations, they made more than 11,000 traffic stops and 1,500 DWI arrests the same year.
From physical injuries to emotional trauma and costly bills for medical care to property damage, life can change in a matter of seconds for someone involved in a crash. Arlington personal injury lawyers with Patterson Law Group pursue legal action to help injured clients rebuild and move forward after a devastating wreck.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents in Texas?
According to the most recent crash data available, one person was injured every two minutes, and one person was killed every hour in auto wrecks across the state.
The Texas traffic crash fact sheet provides important clues about where and why accidents happen most frequently in the state:
- Speed: Failure to control speed was the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal accidents in rural and urban areas.
- Driver inattention: Distracted drivers are the second leading factor contributing to crashes across the state.
- Alcohol: One-quarter of traffic fatalities happened in crashes where the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
- Rural locations: More than half of the state’s fatal crashes happened in rural communities.
- Intersections: Just over 1,000 people passed in crashes at intersections or related to intersections.
Other common accident factors listed in the report include unsafe lane changes, unsafe turning, failure to yield, and following too closely.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Depending on the speed and angle of impact, crash injuries can be devastating and even life-threatening. Here are some of the most common injuries that occur in car accidents:
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Head, neck, and spine injuries
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Sprains and strains
- Internal Injuries
- Emotional Distress
Seek Medical Care After a Motor Vehicle Accident
We always caution anyone who has been in an accident to see their healthcare provider—even if they feel okay. Car wrecks are known to cause “invisible,” internal, or delayed-onset injuries. These are conditions that do not have obvious immediate symptoms, or those that develop later, in the hours and days after the initial trauma.
What Compensation Is Available to Car Accident Victims?
Under Texas law, an individual who is harmed in a car accident can make a damage claim for their losses. These losses are referred to as damages and fall into two categories: monetary losses and non-monetary losses.
- Monetary losses (special damages) are easy to quantify because they are dollar-specific, and easy to verify with receipts and other documentation. They include things like past and future medical bills, lost income, and property damage. In the case of a fatal accident, funeral and burial costs may also be compensable.
- Non-monetary losses (general damages) are not as simple to calculate, but they are just as significant. Physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, and disability or disfigurement are a few examples of non-monetary damages.
At Patterson Law Group, we fight for compensation that truly reflects all the ways an accident has impacted your mental, physical, and financial well-being.
What Is Comparative Negligence?
In a legal context, “negligence” is failing to exercise an expected degree of care in order to minimize the risk of harm to others.This principle is the cornerstone of most injury claims, including those filed in Texas.
However, there are some slight differences in how states consider negligence. In contributory negligence states, you are barred from recovering any damages if you bear any fault for an accident—even as little as one percent. Only four states and the District of Columbia follow this highly restrictive law.
Most other states use some form of comparative negligence which reduces each party’s compensation based on their percentage of fault for an accident. This is ideal for victims because they can collect compensation even if they are primarily at fault.
Texas applies a modified form of comparative negligence. Also known as proportionate responsibility, this principle reduces the accident victim’s recovery based on their percentage of fault. However—if they are more than half at fault, they are barred from recovering any damages at all.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Claim?
Under Texas law, you typically have two years from the date of your injury to file a injury claim in the state’s civil court system. If you file after that two-year window, the party you are suing can file a motion to dismiss your case.
The court will most likely grant that motion—meaning any possibility of compensation will be lost. In rare cases, you can apply to extend the filing deadline. It’s best to discuss your options with your lawyer as soon as possible in case this option is unavailable.
Contact Our Arlington Car Accident Attorneys Today!
Patterson Law Group car accident lawyer Arlington, TX have over 200 5-star reviews for a reason. Our goal is to provide justice for every client who depends on us.
If you were injured in any type of life-changing accident, we can help. Call or reach us online to schedule a free case review with a car accident lawyer in Arlington, Fort Worth, or San Antonio, Texas.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident call us today for a free consultation.
