Texas law imposes several duties after a car accident that causes injury or death. You must stop at the scene, exchange information with the other drivers, and contact the police. You also need to protect yourself and your right to pursue personal injury compensation against the at-fault driver.
The steps you take after a car accident can affect your legal rights. A lawyer from Anderson Injury Lawyers can tell you what to do to preserve your rights if you are injured in a car accident in Dallas, TX.
Contact us online or call our law office at (214) 327-8000 to request a free initial case evaluation with an experienced Dallas car accident attorney.
How Our Dallas Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help If You Are Hurt in a Car Accident
Since 2007, Anderson Injury Lawyers has been representing Dallas, Texas, victims of traumatic incidents against the people responsible for their injuries. Our Dallas car accident lawyers have decades of legal experience and include an attorney with board certification in personal injury trial law.
If you suffer an injury in a traffic crash, our attorneys can provide the following:
- A free case consultation to evaluate your claim and advise you of your options
- Aggressive negotiators who fight for a fair settlement
- Seasoned litigators who battle insurers in court when they refuse to settle
A car accident can jeopardize your physical, mental, and financial health. Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers to discuss your injuries and how we can pursue compensation for the losses they caused.
How Many People Get Injured in Car Accidents in Dallas, Texas?
A query on Texas’s official Crash Records Information System (CRIS) revealed that Dallas had 37,848 traffic crashes in 2022.
These crashes included:
- 218 fatal collisions
- 10,532 non-fatal injury collisions
- 23,126 crashes with no injuries
- 3,972 crashes with unknown injuries
These numbers encompass all traffic crashes in Dallas that produced a crash report, including pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and single-vehicle collisions.
If you focus strictly on multi-vehicle car accidents, you get 27,649 crashes that caused:
- 88 fatal injuries
- 695 severe, incapacitating injuries
- 4,351 minor, non-incapacitating injuries
- 7,774 complaints of pain or other symptoms without a visible injury
In total, 12,907 drivers and passengers suffered injury or death in Dallas car accidents in 2022. Many of these people had claims against the driver who caused their injuries.
Steps To Take After a Car Accident Injury in Dallas, TX
After a car crash, you will probably feel many emotions. You might feel some shock and anger at yourself or the other driver or concern for the medical expenses you face. You will need to deal with all these feelings as well as the confusion about what happened.
How you act at this time can affect your legal rights. Some steps you should take after you get injured in a car accident include:
Stop At the Accident Scene
Texas law requires you to stop at the accident scene after a collision – especially if it causes injury or death. If you fail to stop, prosecutors can charge you with a hit-and-run.
While stopped, you must exchange information with the other driver, including your name, address, and insurance information. You will use this information to pursue your claims for property damage or bodily injuries resulting from the other driver’s actions.
Contact the Police
You must contact the police after a crash that causes:
- Death
- Injury
- Damage that prevents the car from moving safely
Once they arrive, the police officers will investigate your crash and summarize the investigation in a crash report. You should cooperate with the police so that the report includes your side of the story. A favorable accident report can help you in your injury claim.
Request Medical Assistance
Many injuries only require first aid at the accident scene. But if you need more than that, you should either request an ambulance or visit your doctor promptly. Acting quickly will help your doctor establish the extent and cause of your injuries. A doctor can also diagnose any hidden injuries like concussions or cartilage tears.
Your medical records after your crash will support your personal injury claim, as well as describe your diagnosis and treatment.
Start the Claim Process
Texas uses fault-based insurance. Every vehicle owner must buy liability insurance to register their vehicle. After a crash, the insurer steps up to pay the at-fault driver’s liabilities up to the policy limits. The liabilities covered by the insurer include bodily injuries and property damage.
To recover compensation for your losses after a crash, you will file an insurance claim under the at-fault driver’s liability policy. It will describe your crash and provide supporting documents like the crash report and your medical records.
Avoid Dangerous Admissions
Throughout the post-accident process, any admissions could adversely affect your accident claim.
You should avoid:
- Apologizing to the other driver
- Talking to the at-fault driver’s insurer
- Posting about your crash on social media
The insurer can twist anything you say into an unintended admission. Your lawyer may need to expend a lot of effort to overcome any slip-ups.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Dallas Car Accident Lawyers
Even minor injuries in a car accident can cause severe pain and require expensive medical treatment and physical therapy. Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your crash injuries and the compensation you can recover for them.