Car accidents happen for a variety of reasons and, unfortunately, are not uncommon occurrences in Texas. After a wreck involving injuries, it is important to connect with a Texas car accident lawyer. You can trust The Mejia Law Firm to present you with your legal options and fight to help you recover compensation for your losses.
Top Causes of Car Accidents in Texas
There is no shortage of reasons for car accidents in Texas, but some causes are more common than others. While some crashes produced minor-to-moderate damage and injuries, many left victims with devastating losses.
Speeding
In data on speed-involved crashes by county, TXDOT reports 162,214 crashes. For fatal speed-involved crashes, the 344 victims include:
- 164 speeding drivers
- 104 people in non-speeding vehicles
- 51 passengers in speeding vehicles
- 21 pedestrians
- 4 others
Driver Inattention
Though rules of the road require drivers to keep their attention on the road, many do not. Texting, eating and drinking, daydreaming, arguing, and any behavior that takes a driver’s eyes and attention off the road contribute to distracted driving accidents.
TxDOT reports 484 fatalities from distracted driving accidents. Its report on crash-contributing factors lists driver inattention, distractions within the car, and use of mobile devices in its breakdown of distractions. The percentage of distracted driving accidents increased by more than 11% from the previous year.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher is illegal in Texas. For drivers under age 21, driving with any trace of alcohol in their system is illegal. Despite laws and penalties governing driving under the influence (DUI), impaired driving remains a major cause of Texas car accidents.
TxDOT also reported that 1,163 people died in DUI accidents. In the previous year, that number was 963. Thousands more sustained injuries in these drunk driving crashes.
Fatigue and Failure to Obey Rules of the Road
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that fatigue and sleepiness behind the wheel make drivers less able to pay attention to the road, slow reaction times, and affect a driver’s ability to make good decisions. It is easy to see how a lack of attention or the inability to brake or swerve in time to avoid a crash could lead to auto accidents. Fatigued or sleeping drivers caused 4,500 of Texas’ motor-vehicle crashes, according to the TxDOT.
The report also lists many specific traffic infractions leading to accidents. Among other errors, drivers fail to yield the right of way, follow too closely, pass in no-passing lanes, and / or change lanes unsafely. Car accidents caused by these collective infractions number in the tens of thousands.
Consequences of Car Accidents
Regardless of the cause, the consequences of a car accident can be devastating. The accident itself brings emotional trauma, while the physical injuries bring weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime of pain and disability. Victims often find themselves on shaky financial ground, paying for medical care and losing income while recovering. When injuries are long-term or permanent, that uncertainty and lost potential for earning a living extends far into the future.
The Mejia Law Firm is here to offer victims hope. We understand your fear, empathize with your pain, and will fight to secure the compensation and justice you deserve.
Texas Car Accident Statistics
In a recent year of data collection, the Motor-Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts Calendar from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) shows:
- 15,299 serious-injury crashes, leaving 18,880 victims seriously hurt
- 4,481 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents
- A total of 244,092 people injured from a motor vehicle crash
Further, one person is killed every hour and 57 minutes, one person is injured every two minutes and nine seconds, and a reportable crash takes place every 57 seconds. Sadly, there were no “deathless days” on Texas roads for this year of reporting.
Crashes took place in a variety of locations, from rural roads to major highways, and took a variety of forms. They involved head-on collisions, single-car events, motorcycles, and pedestrians, many occurring in intersections
Legal Options Following a Texas Car Accident
Texas car accident victims have the right to seek compensation for the losses they have suffered through a personal injury lawsuit. To collect compensation, a victim (the plaintiff) must prove the at-fault party’s (the defendant) negligence caused the accident, leading to the victim’s injuries and other subsequent losses. Partnering with a car accident attorney puts victims in the best position to collect the compensation they need.
Out-of-Court Settlements
Most car accident cases settle out of court. This means victims, defendants, and their representatives do not argue their respective cases in front of a judge or jury. An out-of-court settlement happens through negotiation.
If you are the victim of a car accident, your personal injury attorney will examine how the collision has affected your life – physically, emotionally, and financially – and put a dollar amount on those effects. Typically, your lawyer will factor in:
- Medical costs, including costs for future care
- Income loss, including lost potential earnings, if you cannot return to employment
- Property damaged and requiring repair or replacement
- Other expenses incurred by the accident
- Your physical pain and emotional suffering
- Your diminished quality of life
The total dollar value of these losses is your settlement demand. Your attorney will send this demand to the at-fault party’s representatives, who will likely respond with a lower offer. The at-fault party’s representatives and your lawyer will continue with back-and-forth negotiations until reaching an agreed-upon amount. After accepting the offer, your case ends.
Courtroom Verdicts
Sometimes, the at-fault party refuses to engage in good-faith negotiations or only makes offers far below what your losses warrant. In this scenario, your attorney will inform you of your options, including the choice to argue your case in court by filing a personal injury lawsuit. During the trial, both sides will present their arguments, evidence, and witnesses to the court. An auto accident settlement can still be reached even during the trial. Barring that, the judge and / or jury will decide the outcome.
Pros and Cons of Settlements and Verdicts
There are benefits of settling out of court. For one, negotiations wrap up more quickly than litigation, so you are likely to see a settlement sooner. Additionally, you do not have the stress and expense that come with going to trial.
Trials can be costly and time-consuming. There is also no guarantee that a judge or jury will decide in your favor. However, when they do, your compensation is often higher than what you might receive through negotiation. This is often because insurance companies rarely pay for pain and suffering, while a trial verdict usually includes financial acknowledgment of these losses.
A Texas car accident lawyer from The Mejia Law Firm will provide you with trustworthy guidance and superior representation no matter what path your case follows. As negotiators, we will work tirelessly to secure a fair out-of-court settlement, but we are fully prepared to fight fiercely in the courtroom. Our goal is to get you justice.
We Are Ready to Fight for Justice for You
It can be hard to know what to do after a car accident, especially if you are suffering from serious physical, emotional, and financial fallout. Once you connect with The Mejia Law Firm, your only job will be to focus on healing. Your Texas car accident lawyer will take care of all legalities.
When someone else’s negligence causes you pain, you deserve compensation. Our team will work tirelessly to get you the financial justice you deserve. We provide legal services in both Spanish and English, so contact us today for a free consultation.