Injured in an accident? Call a car accident lawyer in Dallas for help.
Dallas is a great place to live, work, or visit. Our legal team knows and loves this thriving Texas city. Whether shopping, commuting, enjoying some fine dining, grabbing a drink on McKenny, or getting your funk on in Deep Ellum, Dallas and its highways and streets are full of life – and traffic.
With so many people constantly traveling around Dallas, car accidents occur frequently. If you have suffered an injury, you may have questions about what to do next, and you may not even know where to start. Please know that we offer a FREE consultation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call us right now at 800-898-4877 or send us a question online to get more information. There is NO cost for a consultation right now. If you decide to hire us, you pay us nothing upfront, and you will pay absolutely nothing at all unless and until we’ve won your case.
With more than 20 years of experience and thousands of victories under our belts, our team of Dallas car accident lawyers will leave no stone unturned to get you the largest possible recovery for your injuries. Furthermore, we are one of the highest-rated major personal injury law firms in the state. We take pride in treating our clients like family—so contact us now and join the family.
How Often Do Car Accidents Occur in Dallas?
The chances of a car crash in Dallas are probably greater than you think. Recent annual statistics for the city of Dallas showed:
- Total reported crashes: 31,077
- Possible injuries: 12,046
- Reported non-incapacitating injuries: 4,443
- Reported incapacitating Injuries: 889
- Fatalities: 173
No one wants to think about being in a car accident—they’re upsetting, dangerous, and expensive. Most of us want to move on with our lives as soon as possible. However, if you were injured in a car accident that another driver’s negligence caused, you need to seriously consider your options. Our experienced legal team understands the common threads that run through every unique car accident. When you meet with a car accident lawyer in Dallas, we can answer all your questions. In the meantime, let's review some car accident basics.
What Should I Do Immediately After a Car Crash?
It’s easy to say, don't panic if you’re in a car accident. In reality, regardless of the crash severity, it’s difficult to remain calm. Knowing what to expect and what to do next can help.
Here are some quick steps you can take immediately following an auto collision:
- If your accident resulted in serious injuries to yourself or others, call 911 immediately and sort the rest out as and when you can. Always put safety—your safety and the safety of everyone else involved—first.
- Your next task is to move out of the line of traffic (if it’s possible). Call 911 as you check yourself for injuries. If you can, check on anyone else who may have suffered injuries. If you’re qualified to render First Aid, do so until emergency services arrive.
- No matter how major or minor the accident, we recommend calling the police to investigate. You’ll need a police report anyway, and it will bolster your car accident claim by getting the details pinned down in an official record—rather than the inevitable warring words between you and the other driver.
- Exchange car insurance and contact information with the other driver. Also, gather any witness contact information and take plenty of photos of the scene, your vehicles, the surrounding area, and more.
If you’re injured in a car accident that another driver’s negligence caused, you’re no doubt overwhelmed by the mayhem of it all. You are not alone, however—an experienced car accident attorney can help. A skilled car accident lawyer in Dallas has the knowledge, experience, and commitment to help efficiently and effectively guide your claim toward the compensation you deserve.
What Should You Say, or Not Say, After a Dallas Car Accident?
The scene of a car accident is no place to get chatty. It’s only human to want to apologize after a car accident (even when it isn’t your fault) but resist the urge. Apologies can come back to haunt your legal claim when the other parties reinterpret them as admissions of fault.
The facts of the crash will guide the case, so don't use your social skills to guess or speculate what happened after a car accident. If the attending officer asks you questions about the accident, carefully and honestly answer those exact questions as succinctly as possible. And if you have reason to believe that drugs, alcohol, or drowsiness may have impaired the other driver, that a cell phone or something else may have caused a distraction to the other driver, or that the other driver violated the speed limit or otherwise drove recklessly, share this important information with the attending officer.
While we’re on the subject, you’re not obligated to give a recorded statement or speak to a representative of the other driver’s insurance company. And we suggest you should not do so. Let your skilled Dallas car accident lawyer speak on your behalf.
Insurance company representatives may try to twist your words and later use those words as admissions of fault. Your own insurance company, however, may require you to go on the record. Our Dallas car accident lawyers will provide you with the guidance to give honest, succinct answers to the exact questions you receive.
Will the Insurance Company Help Me File a Car Accident Insurance Claim?
Insurance companies are in the business of turning a profit—it’s just as simple as that. Do not let the warm and fuzzy commercials or anything else sway you. This is a business transaction, and insurance companies will sometimes implement whatever means they can get away with to minimize or deny claims, including yours. Unless your car accident attorney advises you to engage, steer clear of the involved insurance companies and let your attorneys handle your insurance claims for you.
What Evidence is Available At the Scene of the Accident?
If another driver’s negligence injured you, try to gather evidence at the accident scene. If you cannot do so, enlist a bystander, friend, family member, or anyone else who’s available to take on this important task. Several categories of evidence will prove critical to your claim, such as:
- Take smartphone pictures and videos of the accident scene from every angle, and make every effort to get an accurate depiction of exactly what transpired. Don’t forget to capture all of the damage and each vehicle’s license plates.
- Take eyewitness statements in support of your claim and record eyewitness contact information.
- Gather all documentation related to the accident, including police reports, medical bills and reports, damage estimates, and anything else that pertains to the accident.
- Sketch the accident scene—and pinpoint the exact crash location, any extenuating circumstances, the movement of the vehicles at the time of the accident, where the vehicles came to rest, and any other relevant details.
- Write a narrative summary that describes the accident in your own words and capture as many details as you can remember as soon after the accident as you’re able. Car accidents can be terribly upsetting, and your memories can quickly become fuzzy.
It’s a lot, but by gathering any evidence that you can, you will strengthen your car accident claim and give your Dallas car accident attorney a solid foundation for your claim.
Many Types of Driver Negligence Can Cause Dallas Car Accidents
If you’re injured in a car accident that another driver’s negligence caused, pinpointing exactly what caused the accident could prove difficult, but common factors often show up, such as:
Distraction. Once people started using smartphones, they never looked back. These now-ubiquitous handheld gadgets have led to massive increases in distracted driving and motor vehicle crashes. In fact, smartphones distract drivers in every way possible, including the distraction of their eyes, hands, and thoughts. Distracted drivers—instead of paying their full attention to the critical task of driving safely—are dangerous drivers who cause serious injuries.
Impairment. Every driver on the road knows the dangers associated with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Still, many drivers continue to make the egregious decision to drive while impaired. Impaired drivers endanger everyone sharing the road.
Speed. It bears repeating that speed kills. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that speeding is one of the deadliest forms of aggressive driving—and yes, speeding is a form of aggression. A driver who exceeds the speed limit isn’t simply making a personal choice. Instead, it’s a dangerous form of aggressive driving that puts other people’s safety at risk. In fact, speed plays a critical role in nearly one-third of U.S. traffic fatalities. When you see a driver putting the pedal to the metal, steer clear and allow that driver plenty of room to get around you. If the situation warrants it, alert the authorities when it’s safe to do so, and you could stop a dangerous accident.
Aggressive drivers. Aggressive drivers give driving a bad name. We’re all accustomed to the telltale signs of aggressive drivers, and they aren’t pretty. Aggressive drivers may also evolve into drivers who exhibit road rage at the slightest aggravation. A combination of scary driving techniques (rather than a single behavior) typically characterize aggressive driving, such as:
- Tailgating
- Passing on the right shoulder
- Driving erratically, randomly stopping or slowing down, ignoring traffic signs, signals, and lights, and failing to yield safely
- Incessantly honking, flashing lights, yelling, and obscenely gesturing at other drivers
- Excessive speeding
Any of these driving behaviors on their own is frightening, but when drivers combine bad-driving options, they can make the roads downright terrifying. Always give aggressive drivers all the space you can, but if you see something, say something. When you witness an aggressive or rage-fueled driver, do everyone a favor by alerting the authorities (when it’s safe for you to do so). You could help save a life.
Call Our Dallas Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation Today
Car accidents are always difficult, but familiarizing yourself with the basics leaves you better prepared to act when the time comes. Your first line of defense is to remain as calm as you can at the scene of the accident and focus on everyone’s safety first. Then, consult an experienced Dallas car accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
Car accidents can overwhelm anyone, but a dedicated car accident attorney in the Dallas law offices of Stewart J. Guss will walk you through the exceedingly complex process while helping to guide your claim toward its best possible resolution. There's no risk because you don’t pay us ANYTHING unless we win your case. So call today at 800-898-4877 or contact us online for help.
Don't Take Chances - Let Us Help You!
See what past clients have to say:
Review: 5/5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"As a relatively new resident of Houston, I did not know of an attorney to contact for a personal injury suit. I randomly went through the yellow pages contacting two attorneys that had rejected my case prior to me contacting Stewart Guss. Stewart took my case on and settled for far more than I had anticipated. The silver lining of this is that I will now have enough money to go back to school for retraining, so I will be able to reenter the workforce in a new capacity. The paralegal, Angela, was kind and supportive throughout the process. If I did not understand the legal jargon, I did not hesitate to ask, and was never once made to feel that I was incompetent. Thank you Stewart and Angela for giving me a new lease on life."