Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The city of Dallas is expected to pay a settlement to the family of Cole Berardi, a 10-year-old boy who was tragically killed while riding his bike when a Dallas Police Officer struck him with his squad car. If the settlement is approved by the Dallas City Council, the city will pay the family $250,000-the maximum allowed under Texas law.

The fatal accident occurred at night on October 17, 2008 on Belt Line Road in Dallas. Senior Cpl. Michael Vaughn was racing to a call without his lights and siren on when he struck Berardi on his bicycle. Speed was a factor in the crash, according to police. Vaughn was driving around 70 mph in a 40 mph zone. In July of this year, Vaughn received a one-day suspension for driving over the speed limit without the lights and siren on. Within days of Berardi’s death, Police Chief David Kunkle issued new driving rules for Dallas police.

The value of a human life is worth way more than this settlement. But our laws protect our governments and this is the most the law allows one to recover against our cities. I feel so sorry for the family of this young boy. While it is necessary for police to speed on occasion, it is wrong to speed without the lights and sirens on. If the officer had been using the lights and sirens, then this accident probably would not have happened.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

Here is a news story about a really bad traffic accident which could have been prevented in so many ways. A day care van ran a red light Monday morning causing an accident that sent 13 children to the hospital. The driver of the Kids Clubhouse day care van did not have a license, and there were 20 children in a vehicle meant to hold 14, according to police.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Mayfield Road and Great Southwest Parkway in Grand Prairie. 20-year-old Karissa Acosta was driving the van west on Mayfield when she swerved around another car waiting at a red light, ran the light, then was struck by an SUV. The collision caused the van to roll over onto its side. The driver of the SUV, who also did not have a license, and two small children passengers were hospitalized as well.

The children in the van were not wearing seat belts, and police said Acosta will face charges for not requiring them to buckle up, as well as multiple traffic violations. Although none of the children's injuries were life threatening, some were quite serious; one child had to undergo surgery for a broken leg.

I feel bad for all the injured kiddos and their families. They trusted the day care center to take care of their kids and it simply did not. There is no way in the world that a day care center should allow an unlicensed driver to operate a van. There should be checks to ensure a valid driver’s license and a good driving record. And no seat belts? That is ridiculous. The day care center should have had another employee riding along as a monitor to make sure the kids were buckled up. And then we have the over the limit issue. There is a reason that vans have passenger limits. There are only so many seat belts in a van. Here, there were 20 kids in a 14 passenger van. Again, that is ridiculous. And then we have the reckless driving of the van driver. When one is transporting 20 children, one must take extra precaution to drive safely. Running a red light while transporting children is extremely reckless.

Clearly, the day care center has a big liability problem here. I sure hope they have enough insurance to cover all of the expenses incurred by all of these families. While all accidents involving innocent children are tragic, this one is especially aggravating as it was easily preventable.

Information provided by Mark A. Anderson, Dallas/Fort Worth Injury Lawyer, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

In what is a father’s worst nightmare, a Dallas man accidently ran over his three year old son on Friday in his own driveway. The boy had exited the Ford F-250 to go to another vehicle and the father backed up and did not see his son behind the truck. The child was transported to Children’s Medical Center of Dallas where he was listed in critical condition.

My prayers go out for this family. I sure hope the child recovers. These types of accidents are just horrible and I am sure the father undoubtedly feels terrible. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, each year we have around 200 such driveway back over accidents resulting in fatalities. Plus there are around 7000 injuries reported each year n our country. Predictably, children are by far the most common victims. New technology is helping, with backup cameras and sensors.

A school bus and an SUV were involved in an accident yesterday morning in Mansfield, Texas. Both drivers were taken to the hospital, but thankfully no children were hurt.

The wreck happened early Saturday morning at Debbie Lane and Highway 157 in Mansfield. The driver of the Ford Explorer was taken by air ambulance to the hospital. The bus driver went to the hospital in an ambulance. There were two children on the bus at the time.

I hate to see school bus crashes. Because the buses are so large, the injuries sustained in these wrecks can after time be very serious. Plus, there is the fact that children are usually in the buses (such as in this case). These two child passengers do not appear to be injured, which is great news.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

There has been a rash of wrong-way driving accidents this year on the North Dallas Tollway. I blogged about these terrible accidents several times. Now, the North Texas Tollway Authority is taking steps to reduce wrong-way accidents in Texas.

Several new features will be tested out on the Dallas North Tollway, such as better wrong way signs and sensors that will detect if a car is driving the wrong way and alert a command center. Some confusing intersections may even have to be renovated.

According to the tollway authority, all wrong-way crashes in 2008 and 2009 involved drunk drivers. This doesn’t surprise me a bit. Drunk driving is a big problem in Texas, with 64 drunk driving fatalities in Dallas in 2008, and over 1,500 drunk driving crashes in Dallas that year.

I’m relieved to find out that something is being done to help this problem. I applaud the tollway authority for trying these additional steps. We shouldn’t have to do this but as long as people drive drunk, we will have to keep spending our money to make the streets as safe as possible for the rest of us. It’s obvious that drivers going to wrong way on the highway can have devastating consequences.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

A passenger in a single car crash which occurred early Saturday morning in Watauga died Tuesday at a hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. The passenger, Kent Powell, was only 27 years old. The accident occurred in the 6200 block of Chapman road when a man driving a Corvette lost control of the car and hit a telephone pole. Mr. Powell was ejected from the car. The driver was taken to the hospital as well and he was already released.

I have no idea how this unfortunate accident happened. I don’t know if speed, alcohol or other vehicles were involved. Investigating a single car accident is very difficult. Hopefully the driver is not seriously hurt, and hopefully he can provide the investigators at the Watauga Police department the information they need to complete their investigation. I feel sorry for Mr. Powell’s family. They lost a man way too young.

Information provided by Dallas Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-3113, or contacted by clicking here.

Early Thursday morning a drunk driver struck another vehicle while driving north in the southbound lanes for a half-mile on the Dallas North Tollway near Loop 12.

47-year-old Isidoro Camacho, who was charged with drunk driving, hit 23-year-old Holly Harding head on. Both were injured and taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Drunk driving is a huge problem in North Texas. I've blogged several times about tragic wrong way accidents. A former FBI employee was even arrested for a wrong way accident on the Tollway. Going the wrong way on a highway can have devastating consequences, and both of these drivers are lucky to be alive.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted toll free at 877-294-1115, or by clicking here.

A woman died Tuesday after a collision with a dump truck on North Main Street in Fort Worth.

41-year-old Fuguria “Renee” Reed was tragically pronounced dead at the scene after the van she was riding in struck the side of a dump truck. The dump truck turned left onto Main Street from Auto Court in front of the van. As a result of the crash, Ms. Reed was thrown from her wheelchair inside the van. The driver of the van, Ms. Reed’s mother, was injured and taken to Texas Health Harris Methodist in Fort Worth. The dump truck driver was not hurt.

There are many questions surrounding this terrible accident. Was the dump truck at fault for turning in front of the van? Was Ms. Reed’s wheelchair properly secured? Hopefully these questions and more will be answered during the course of the investigation.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached at 817-294-1900, or contacted by clicking here.

A school bus driver died yesterday morning in a collision with an 18-wheeler that ripped off the front of the bus. Thankfully, no children were on board at the time.

The accident happened on FM 439 just outside of Belton, a town near Waco, Texas. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident with the big rig.

Luckily no children were hurt in this terrible accident. So far there are no details about who was at fault as the crash is still being investigated. The driver of the tractor trailer seemed to be fine.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or who can be contacted by clicking here.

With all the rain we’ve been getting lately, it’s no surprise that Dallas/Fort Worth area firefighters have had to make some daring rescues in deep, fast moving water.

Sunday morning, firefighters rescued Marie and Joann Reynolds from their car on Oak Grove Road. The women were going to church when they drove through some unexpected water than swept them into the trees. Firefighters had to use a boat to rescue the women as freezing floodwater washed through their car.

Burleson has had several floodwater rescues as well. Firefighters rescued a person stranded in a car at Lakewood Drive and Wilshire Boulevard early Sunday morning, and two people were rescued from vehicles in high water at Wicker Hill and Wilshire Boulevard. Some residents on Bowden Circle even had to be evacuated. The city put up barricades at some crossings to prevent further accidents.

Thank goodness nobody has been hurt. Several days of heavy rain like this can be dangerous because people mistakenly think water isn’t very deep, or in some cases they don’t see the water at all, and drive into it and get stranded or washed away. If it looks like you’re about to drive through deep water, turn around and take another route. Even if it takes you a few extra minutes, it will be worth it in the long run to avoid getting washed away and stranded by floodwater.

Information provided by Fort Worth Accident Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached at 817-294-1900, or who can be contacted by clicking here.

Photo from The Fort Worth Star Telegram

A Dallas court convicted former FBI spokesperson Lori Bailey of driving while intoxicated and sentenced her to a fine and two years probation.

Bailey, 51, pleaded guilty last Friday. She was arrested on February 3, 2008 after she caused an auto accident by driving the wrong way in the southbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway near the Wycliff exit. The court fined her $900 as well as $344 in court costs.

This just shows that anyone can get into trouble for drunk driving. Driving the wrong way down a highway can cause a serious accident. She is lucky no one lost their life due to her bad judgment.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Accident Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted toll free at 877-294-1115, or by clicking here.

Various cities in North Texas are introducing a flashing yellow arrow signal for unprotected left turns.

Currently, if a driver sees a green light at a left turn, it means he or she should yield to oncoming traffic. A green arrow means the driver making the left turn has the right of way. The flashing yellow arrow would replace the green light and city officials think more people would understand that they need to yield to oncoming traffic instead of just driving through.

Richardson has put up several flashing yellow lights, mostly along Coit Road, and one at Renner Road and Routh Creek Parkway (as shown above). Irving has been using the signals for the past three years. The changes were implemented in 2006 after a study indicated that drivers understood the flashing yellow arrow better than the solid green light. For now, instructional signs accompany the flashing yellow arrows.

I’m very curious to see how this turns out. Turning on an unprotected green light directly into oncoming traffic can cause a serious accident. I wonder if people will recognize that they need to stop and yield, or if some will mistake the flashing yellow arrow for the steady yellow arrow, which simply means the light is about to change to red. It will be interesting to monitor the number of left turn car accidents as these lights become more prominent.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted toll free at 877-294-1115 or by clicking here.

Photo from The Dallas Morning News

18-year-old Lauren Saludares died at the scene of a head-on collision Wednesday night in the 5200 block of North U.S. 377 in Flower Mound. The other driver was taken to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth by air ambulance.

Saludares was driving south on the highway when she tried to pass another car in a no-passing zone and crashed into an oncoming car. The condition of the other driver is still unknown.

What a terrible tragedy. A head-on crash at highway speeds is going to have devastating consequences. Although it may look clear, it is always dangerous to pass in a no-pass zone, because you never know what might be right up the road. In this case, a young woman lost her life.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted at 877-294-1115 or by clicking here.

A Dallas woman is fighting for tougher legislation regarding cell phone use while driving and will meet with industry executives, legislators, and White House officials in Washington, DC later this month. Jennifer Smith lost her mother in a car crash a year ago after a driver talking on his cell phone struck Ms. Smith’s mother’s vehicle in Oklahoma City.

I recently blogged about one of the new laws passed in the most recent Texas Legislative Session regarding cell phone use in school zones. As of September 1, it is illegal to use a hand-held device for any reason in a school zone. It is also illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to use a cell phone while driving anywhere.

The ban came after increasing numbers of car wrecks and deaths caused by cell phone use while driving, such as the accident with Ms. Smith’s mother. Some experts claim that texting while driving is even more dangerous than drunk driving. This information may have contributed to lawmaker’s ban of cell phones for teens since they are the age group that engages in the most texting.

Although banned for teens and anyone in a school zone, cell phone use while driving remains legal in Texas despite efforts for a statewide ban. Hopefully these new restrictions on cell phone use will prevent tragedies like the one Jennifer Smith had to go through.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115 or by clicking here.

22-year-old Michael Dunnam died early Saturday morning after crashing his truck on FM 365, half a mile south of Highway 124. His truck went off the road and rolled after striking a ditch.

Unfortunately, Dunnam was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth in Beaumont.

I recently blogged about a new Texas law requiring seat belts for every person in a motor vehicle. The law was enacted because seat belts so often make the difference between life and death in car and truck accidents.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or by clicking here.

The use of seat belts may have saved four lives, including that of a 2-year-old girl, in a car accident Thursday morning in Dallas, Texas. I recently blogged about new seat belt laws and the importance of child safety seats, and because this little girl was secured in one, she walked away from a serious crash.

Rodney McGaughy, his young daughter, and two other women were rescued from a creek bed after their car sped down an embankment near Kiest Boulevard and South Westmoreland Road. The Ford Crown Victoria was traveling on Boulder Drive when it left the road and tumbled down an embankment into a creek with several inches of water. McGaughy said the driver, who he identified as his grandmother, slammed the brakes but the car did not stop. Dallas Fire-Rescue had to use pulleys and ropes to rescue the four passengers.

McGaughey said he and his daughter were fine, and the other two women were taken to the hospital by ambulance. This is a case where the absence of seat belts would have almost certainly caused death or serious injury to those involved. Thank goodness they made the right choice to keep themselves safe.

Information provided by Dallas Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115 or contacted by clicking here.

Photo from The Dallas Morning News

Five people died in a car crash Wednesday near Pampa, Texas. 14-year-old Aime Banuelos was driving the van that crossed the center line on Texas 70 and collided with a truck hauling oversize machinery.

The only survivor of the crash was 5-year-old Celeste Espitia, who was taken to a nearby Amarillo hospital. Aime Banuelos, 15-year-old Juan Banuelos, 16-year-old Jeff Pace, 46-year-old Teresa Martinez, and 74-year-old Estafana Cortez-Rosales were all killed in the car accident. The truck driver was not injured.

Why was a fourteen year old driving this van? The current law in Texas requires a person to be 16 in order to obtain a license. While a learner’s permit or a hardship license can be obtained at age 15, there are no licenses available for a fourteen year old.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115 or contacted by clicking here.

Dozens of new laws go into effect today across Texas. Please take note of some of the changes and make sure you are still driving safely and in compliance with these new rules.

Starting today, all occupants in a vehicle must wear seat belts, no matter how old they are or where they’re sitting in the car. It is important to take note of this change because adults sitting in the backseat could previously choose not to wear a seat belt. Now, everyone must do so.

Several changes in child safety laws went into effect today as well. A motorcycle rider cannot have a passenger on his or her bike under the age of 5 unless the child is seated in a sidecar attached to the motorcycle. You don’t see many motorcycle sidecars these days; I wonder if this law will change that?

The law has also changed for small children in the car. Now, all children younger than 8 years must sit in an approved child safety seat. Children under age 8 but who are at least 4’9” are exempt from this rule. Although the law goes into effect today, police officers cannot issue citations for violations until June 1, 2010, so you have plenty of time to find the right seat for your child. The law also creates a new court cost for conviction of this offense which will go toward buying safety seats for low income families. Although some parents might see this law as a pain, remember that securing a child in a safety seat can be the difference between life and death in an auto accident.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted toll free at 1-877-294-1115 or by clicking here.