Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In another tragic car accident involving a driver going the wrong way on a local highway, three died early this morning when a black Infiniti headed eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-20 and ran head on into a dark colored SUV. The accident occurred about 12:30 am near Polk Street, in the red Bird area of South Dallas. All three occupants of the two vehicles died at the scene.

The Infiniti was being driven by Ramiro Moreno of Dallas, a 29 year old auto technician and the father of two young children. His passenger was 21 year old Ian Edward Pierson. The innocent victim driving her SUV was 45 year old Karla Rivers of Cedar Hill, who was a dispatcher at Baylor university medical center at Dallas.

Was alcohol a factor in this accident? Most likely. The officers found alcohol in the men’s car. As everyone knows, it is illegal to drive a car while intoxicated, but people do it every day. There is no way anyone in their right mind would go the wrong way on the interstate. I am pretty sure we will be hearing later that toxicology tests will come back showing a high Blood Alcohol Content of the driver of the wrong way vehicle.

Alcohol contributes to over 1500 deaths on Texas roads each year. And there have been four deaths alone this year on the Dallas Tollway from two separate wrong way driver accidents. For more information on drunk driving wrecks and the rights of injury victims or their families, please click here.

Information and commentary provided by Mark A. Anderson, Dallas Fort Worth Accident Lawyer, who can be contacted at 877-294-1115 or ONLINE.

A new study was released yesterday by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute which confirmed what we already knew—that texting while driving is extremely dangerous. But the results were even scarier than all the experts had previously thought. Before this new study, all the predictions on how more likely you were to have an accident while driving were based on laboratory experiments—where drivers were in a simulator. Those tests showed a risk of having an accident about eight times more if you were texting. But the new study is much better: they used cameras mounted in trucks over an 18 month period. The new study, based on real life data, showed that you have a risk of a truck wreck of 23 times more if you are texting. That is a huge increase in risk!

Another interesting thing is that the study showed that the truckers took their eyes of the road an average of five seconds when they were texting. At average highway speeds, an 18 wheeler will travel the length of a football filed in that five seconds. That is a very scary scenario.

Currently, only 14 states ban texting while driving (Texas is not one of them). While banning it will not solve this problem, it would serve as some sort of deterrent. Certainly we can all wait (or pull over) before we text while driving. Texting while driving is about as dangerous as drinking and driving.

From a litigation standpoint, if the cause of an accident is in dispute, obtaining the cell phone records to determine if a trucker was texting at the time of the collision is crucial.

Information provided by Texas Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, 817-294-1900.

I often get asked by injury victims how I am paid. They are very concerned that they cannot afford the high hourly rate they hear that attorneys charge. But they soon learn from me that hiring an injury attorney takes no out of pocket money. That is because I work on (and also all injury attorneys I know also work on) contingent fee contracts. What that means is that no money is paid to me up front or as the case progresses. Instead, the contracts signed by my clients spell out that I am paid a percentage of the recovery once the case is finally resolved, either by settlement or by trial. At that time, I receive a portion of the proceeds. The standard attorney’s fee contract also calls for the injury attorney to be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the attorney in the case.

So basically, the attorney does not get paid until the end of the case, and the client never has to write a check to the attorney, as it is just deducted from the overall settlement proceeds. At my firm, we provide a detailed settlement breakdown so the client can see and understand all fee and the expenses.

So what happens if the case is lost for some reason and no money is ever recovered? In such instance, the attorney is simply not paid anything for his services and the expenses are just written off. Said another way, the client will owe the attorney nothing.

Because it is never guaranteed that the client will be able to win the case, each case must be evaluated closely and the attorney must decide on his own if the case is worth pursuing. I limit my practice to serious injuries where there is a likelihood of success.

Contingent fee contracts are a wonderful way for everyone to access the civil justice system. Without these types of contracts, it would be difficult to retain an attorney to fight for your rights.

If you would like to discuss hiring the Anderson Law Firm on a contingent basis for a serious injury claim, please call the firm at 214-327-8000 in Dallas, at 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth or toll free at 1-877-294-1115.

I often get asked by injury victims how I am paid. They are very concerned that they cannot afford the high hourly rate they hear that attorneys charge. But they soon learn from me that hiring an injury attorney takes no out of pocket money. That is because I work on (and also all injury attorneys I know also work on) contingent fee contracts. What that means is that no money is paid to me up front or as the case progresses. Instead, the contracts signed by my clients spell out that I am paid a percentage of the recovery once the case is finally resolved, either by settlement or by trial. At that time, I receive a portion of the proceeds. The standard attorney’s fee contract also calls for the injury attorney to be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the attorney in the case.

So basically, the attorney does not get paid until the end of the case, and the client never has to write a check to the attorney, as it is just deducted from the overall settlement proceeds. At my firm, we provide a detailed settlement breakdown so the client can see and understand all fee and the expenses.

So what happens if the case is lost for some reason and no money is ever recovered? In such instance, the attorney is simply not paid anything for his services and the expenses are just written off. Said another way, the client will owe the attorney nothing.

Because it is never guaranteed that the client will be able to win the case, each case must be evaluated closely and the attorney must decide on his own if the case is worth pursuing. I limit my practice to serious injuries where there is a likelihood of success.

Contingent fee contracts are a wonderful way for everyone to access the civil justice system. Without these types of contracts, it would be difficult to retain an attorney to fight for your rights.

If you would like to discuss hiring the Anderson Law Firm on a contingent basis for a serious injury claim, please call the firm at 817-294-1900.

This past Friday, a 51 year old Bedford, Texas man, Theo Richardson, died from injuries he received when his motorcycle collided with a car. The accident occurred at the 300 block of East Pipeline Road in Hurst, Texas. Mr. Richardson was transported to Harris Methodist Hospital in downtown Fort Worth, where he was pronounced dead as a result of blunt trauma to the head and chest.

The news reports do not say how the accident occurred. But I have represented many families of motorcycle riders and based on that experience, my guess is that the driver of the car did not see the motorcyclist and either turned in front of him or pulled out in front of him. The failure to see a motorcyclist is the No. 1 cause of wrecks involving motorcycles. That is not to say that the motorcycle riders are never at fault, as they sometimes are, but the odds are that the vehicle driver just plain did not notice the motorcycle.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Motorcycle Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached at 817-294-1900 or Contacted Online.

A man has been arrested following the pedestrian car accident which involved two Bell Helicopter Plant workers early Wednesday.

76-year-old Cullen McNair of Hurst was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault for hitting two Bell employees who were on strike in the parking lot. The strike has been going on for a month and 2,500 manufacturing workers are striking and picketing—many in the parking lot at Bell.

Witnesses say McNair was driving behind another car and the two men were walking in between the slow-moving vehicles when McNair sped up and hit the men. McNair has been released on $20,000 bond for the two counts against him.

50-year-old Fort Worth resident, John Bird and 53-year-old Jimmy Shook of Alvarado were injured and taken to local hospitals. Shook was released from Texas Health Harris H-E-B but it is unknown what happened to Bird. Investigators say neither man was seriously injured, although one’s foot was run over by McNair’s vehicle.

At this time, a motive has not been determined but an accident investigation, including taking statements from witnesses and those involved, will hopefully reveal the cause of McNair’s actions.

Information provided by DFW Accident and Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson: 817-294-1900.

Three people were killed and three were injured when a pickup truck hit motorcycle riders head-on during a charity ride in Corsicana Saturday.

The ride was held on a rural highway outside Corsicana, which is 65 miles south of Dallas. Apparently the driver of the pickup truck swerved into the oncoming lane of parading cyclists, striking two motorcycles before it flipped and hit two more.

Among those who died were 34-year-old Leslie McCluney, a teacher at Corsicana High School who was riding on the back of a motorcycle with her father, 61-year-old Terry Nelson, who was also killed. David Coley, 54, was the third motorcyclist who died at the scene. The three were among the first two motorcycles hit by the truck and all were residents of Corsicana.

Two other drivers were taken to Dallas hospitals and were last known to be in fair condition. The driver of the pickup who caused the crash was William Lindsey Jr, 54, who was taken to the hospital, treated and released.

The cause of the motorcycle accident is unkown at this time as an investigation is being conducted.

The ride was a charity event to benefit the Corsicana High School's drill team.

Information provided by Dallas Fort Worth Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson 817-294-1900.

An accident in South Fort Worth this morning had traffic backed up during the majority of the morning rush-hour.

A garbage truck popped a tire on Interstate 20 and hit the guardrail before flipping over. No word on whether or not anyone was hurt. Traffic was backed up at Grandbury Road and the Grandbury Road exit was closed during the morning commute to clean up the scene.

Dangerous truck accidents like this happen all the time in North Texas due to the high volume of heavy trucks and 18-wheelers passing through the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. If you have been injured in a wreck involving a tractor-trailer, dump truck, garbage truck, or any other type of large commercial vehicle, usually the injuries are life-altering. Please contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn your rights if you've been affected by an accident like this by calling 817-294-1900 or Contact Us Online.

A 13-year-old boy and his grandfather died Sunday from injuries they received in a multi-vehicle car accident just south of Gainsville, Texas.

Gervious Hinkle and his grandson Casey Hinkle, both of Fort Worth, were traveling northbound on Insterstate 35 around 2:30 p.m. when they were forced to slow for traffic and road construction in front of them. All of a sudden, an 18-wheeler came barreling up at a high rate of speed and crashed into the slowed cars, causing a 9-vehicle chain reaction auto accident.

Hinkle and his grandson were driving a Ford Explorer when they were hit. Hinkle died at the scene. Casey was taken to JPS Hospital in downtown Fort Worth where he was pronounced dead an hour later from his serious injuries.

Casey's mother and sister were also in the SUV and were hospitalized for injuries, but their conditions are unknown at this time.

The driver of the big-rig, Randy Crume, was from Harrah, Oklahoma. He was issued a citation by highway patrol for failing to control his speed.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a vehicle crash, please contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn your rights by calling 817-294-1900.

An Oklahoma Turnpike accident has claimed 10 lives--some of which were residents of North Texas. The crash happened Friday and is still under investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Cars were stopped on the turnpike due to another accident up ahead when an 18-wheeler crashed into the vehicles in front of it, causing a chain-reaction wreck involving several cars.

Among those killed were the Hayes family of Frisco, Texas--Randall Hayes, 38, Ethan Hayes, 7 and the most-recent person to die from her serious head injuries, 35-year-old Shelby Hayes.

Others who died were residents of Oklahoma including: Oklahoma City residents Oral Hooks, 69, Earlene Hooks, 63, Antonio Hooks, 42, and Dione Hooks, 41 and Crossroads Oklahama resident Cynthia Olson, 55.

The driver of the big-rig was 76-year-old Donald Creed of Willard Missouri, who is reportedly in good condition after being treated for head injuries in a Missouri hospital.

Reports say some of the victims were trapped in the accident wreckage for almost 9 hours before they were able to get out.

This tragic case of several wrongful deaths is so devastating because with a little better driver attention, this crash might have been easily preventable. My heart goes out to the families effected by this huge accident.

If one of your loved ones has died due to the negligence of another person or company, please contact Board Certified Texas Wrongful Death Attorney Mark A. Anderson for a free consultation by calling 817-294-1900.