Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A Pepsi products 18-wheeler overturned going southbound on the Dallas Tollway at Beltline yesterday morning.

The tractor trailer truck was traveling southbound when another vehicle cut him off. When he over-corrected, he crossed the median and ended up in the northbound lane of the Tollway. Six vehicles were involved in the accident, and at least two have been towed.

While it was not reported that anyone was hurt, it is important to remember to be cautious when driving next to a large vehicle, like an 18-wheeler. You're looking at a vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds; the injuries sustained in a semi-truck wreck are far more severe than a regular car accident. One out of every nine traffic fatalities in 2007 was caused by a tractor-trailer or other large truck. Following the rules of the road could have prevented this accident, so make sure to be attentive and courteous while driving.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Truck Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions involving a truck accident or a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Authorities were forced to shut down LBJ freeways southbound lanes for hours after a tractor-trailer crushed another vehicle earlier this morning.

One victim died at the scene and the other two members in the wreck were sent to the hospital. Their names and conditions have not been released.

Authorities reopened the freeway about 6 a.m. Authorities are still trying to identify what caused the accident. More details will be released later.

In wrecks involving tractor-trailers, 44% of people injured in a truck wreck suffer devastating injuries. Tragically, around 9% die. This means that 53% of people driving other vehicles in truck-related accidents suffer an incapacitating injury or death as a result of a tractor-trailer crash.

At The Anderson Law Firm we want to help those who have been injured in a truck accident. With investigating and reconstructing the accident, we work to immediately uncover and collect all the facts pertinent to your case. We do this to help those injured get the best possible compensation for their injuries.

So far there is no evidence to explain why and how this crash occurred, but hopefully there will be a thorough investigation. Through reconstruction of the accident, police may be able to tell what happened. Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased victim. We wish for a speedy recovery to the two injured still in the hospital.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a truck accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

An on-duty Dallas police officer, driving a marked squad car, was the victim of a hit-and-run accident Sunday morning while traveling westbound on C.F. Hawn Freeway. Matje collided with a vehicle after the driver of another vehicle sideswiped the police car and then took off.

Police said they have no description of the driver, but said that the hit-and-run vehicle should have heavy front-end damage. Matje was taken to Baylor Medical Center Dallas by ambulance and is in fair condition. Police are asking people to call Dallas Police Traffic Unit at 214-670-5816 with any information regarding the incident.

We hope the police are able to find the driver of the other vehicle, because hit-and-runs are a serious issue, especially when it involves a police officer. We also trust that the police department will do all that they can to solve this investigation, to give justice to the innocent officer. Hit-and runs is a traffic accident that can cause injury, so it is important to try and get the license number or make and model of the car if it’s possible.

It is also likely that an injured person might want to make a claim even if he or she gets hit by a driver that flees the scene.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas as 214-327-8000. If you have questions concerning a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Late Wednesday afternoon four people were injured in a head-on collision on C.F. Hawn Freeway in South Dallas. The Eastbound lanes of the freeway were close for three hours after the wreck. Kim Leach, a Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, said one of the two automobiles was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes at around 5:15 p.m.

The four injured partiers were taken to Baylor University Medical Center for treatment. No further details have been released.

Several wrecks occur in the Dallas/Fort Worth area each year from wrong way driving crashes, only a small, but preventable, percentage of the total amount of automobile accidents. There were 6 million reported car accidents in the United States last year. It is vital to always follow road safety rules to avoid injury while driving. My hope is that by informing people about easy tips to stay safe while driving, there will be less preventable traffic accidents in our area.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a car crash, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Streets will be filled with dozens of bicyclists around North Texas and throughout the nation on Wednesday in support for the ‘Ride of Silence’. The Ride of Silence is a silent, slow procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured on roadways.

A local event will be held in Willow Park County this Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. The ride will begin at Ranch House Road and Interstate 20, in remembrance of where bikers Larry McQuien and Thomas Hollrith Jr. were killed. McQuien and Hollrith were killed in separate accidents in the same place in the past two years.

Other rides will take place in Fort Worth, and in Arlington, Coppell, and Dallas.
According to local organizers, the ‘Ride of Silence’ is being held during National Bike Safety Month to raise awareness to motorists, police, and city officials that bicyclists have a legal right to the roadways. Every year, over 600 cyclists die on American roadways.

Cyclists have always had a legal right to share the roads, but automobile drivers aren’t always aware of the rights. Hopefully this ride, along with the publicity of National Bike Safety Month will help inform motorists of biker’s rights and increase their knowledge of what to do when encountering a bicyclist.

Come out and join north Texas cyclists in remembering Larry McQuien and Thomas Hollrith Jr. and other riders who have been hurt or killed on American roads. It will be a memorable ride for a great cause.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have been involved in a bicycle accident and have questions please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

Two Dallas police officers are on administrative leave today after they were arrested of driving while intoxicated last week. The two will be on leave pending administrative and criminal investigations.

The officers and are involved in two different units of the Dallas Police Force, and were at two different locations when they were found drinking and driving. The officers were identified as Patrol Officer Manuel Romani and Sr. Cpl. James Rucker of the department's helicopter unit. Romani, a four-year-veteran, was arrested in Forney on Saturday, and Rucker, who has been on the force for 26 years, was arrested in Rockwall on Sunday.

Drinking and driving is inexcusable under any circumstance, and the fact that two people who are supposed to enforce this law were caught doing so makes the offense even more disappointing. By learning how to avoid drunk driving risks in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we can make the community roads much safer to drive on. And with about three in every ten Americans assumed to be involved in alcohol-related crashes in their lifetime, police officers need to be more responsible in practicing what they preach and following the laws they themselves insist upon.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions concerning a drunk driving incident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Fred Krusemark of Dallas, an 87-year old World War II Navy veteran, was given a drive around the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday when the car crashed. He was being honored by Carter BloodCare for years of making blood donations.

After the accident occurred, Krusemark died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck, the Denton County Medical Examiner's Office said Tuesday. Texas Driving Experience was renting the track, and the company offers what it describes as safe, educational, and fun programs and extreme racecar rides and drives for individuals and corporate groups.

Krusemark was the passenger in a Corvette that hit the wall during a turn on one of the laps and ended up on the infield. Krusemark was taken to a hospital by helicopter and was taken off life support Monday morning. The driver of the car, Andre Vandenberg, 53, is said to be in critical condition.

Krusemark's parents both lived to be 100, and he had been heard saying that he planned to have the same luck. He was not only a doting husband, but also a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

This is a tragic accident that is hard to write about because what was supposed to be a joy ride turned into a devastating loss for a family. Our hearts go out to both the victim and the victim’s family, especially since he was known to be such a giving person. It is important to remember that any car is dangerous when it drives at high speeds, even the professional race cars that ride around the Texas Motor Speedway Track.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

On Tuesday afternoon, five people were injured in a two-car crash in west Arlington. The accident took place at the intersection of Pioneer Parkway and South Davis Street. The intersection was close shortly after the crash around 12:00 p.m. and was not reopened until 3:15 p.m.

Four of the injured victims were taken to local hospitals, while the fifth victim was taken by helicopter ambulance to a further hospital. An Arlington Police spokeswoman, Tiara Ellis Richard, said none of the injuries seemed to be life threatening.

There is no current information on how the automobile accident happened. Luckily no one was killed; hopefully all injured parties will have a speedy recovery.

There are more than six million car accidents each year in the United States. Most of these motor vehicle accidents happen because driver's make reckless mistakes. They can either be simply not paying attention, or it could be the driver was talking on a cell phone, texting, or eating. By following road safety rules the probability of a being in a car accident is greatly reduced.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal injury Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out a contact form online for a free consultation.

The Arlington School District is taking a harsh reality approach in showing students the dangers of texting and driving. District officials are requiring that all nine schools watch a video of an explicit, staged car accident caused by texting and driving.

After seeing the three-minute video, which is a localized version of the popular YouTube video, students are asked to sign a pledge that promises to refrain from texting while driving. The campaign is called, "txtN n drivN. it cn w8." This is texting shorthand for “texting and driving, it can wait.”

The video depicts a teenage girl who causes a three-car wreck that involves more than one fatality. Arlington officials downloaded the video and added statements from state and local elected officials, a Dallas Cowboys player and others who have taken similar anti-texting pledges.

Government agencies and advocacy groups are turning up the heat on drivers who text, citing studies that show that cell phone distractions are as detrimental as driving under the influence of alcohol.

I have been working on a similar campaign called TADD, which stands for Teens Against Distracted Driving. I go to local schools and ask them to sign a pledge card that’s says that will not text and drive. If they sign these cards, then they get an orange bracelet to remind them of the oath they took.

It is important to educate children, teens, and adults alike about the dangers of texting and driving. And while the video may be graphic, it gets the message across. Any distraction from driving can cause accidents, and often times those accidents can prove fatal. I want to encourage the Dallas/Fort Worth area to start being more attentive, and wait until after they get out of a car to write a text. In 2008, 11% of fatal crashes involved a distracted driver.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident or about the TADD campaign, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

On Monday morning, a jailer with the Dallas Sheriff’s Office was involved in a motorcycle accident on his way to work. The crash happened shortly before 6 a.m. under Interstate 30 on South Riverfront
Boulevard.

The unidentified motorcyclist suffered multiple broken bones, but none of the injuries were thought to be life threatening. The news reports do not say how the accident occurred.
In the past I have represented many motorcycle riders and based on experience, my guess is that a driver of a car did not see the biker and either pulled in front of him or turned into him. Failing to see a motorcyclist is the number one cause of wrecks involving bikes. That does not mean that motorcyclists are never in the wrong, as sometimes they are, but the odds are that the automobile driver didn’t see the motorcycle.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a motorcycle accident please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

On Sunday Evening a Seminole man was rushed to the hospital after his motorcycle accident in Midland, TX. The 41-year-old man was admitted to Midland Memorial Hospital with serious injuries at around 6:30 p.m.

According to police he was traveling east on Hwy 191 at high speeds when he hit a curb, causing him to lose control of his bike. This caused him to roll several times before finally coming to a crash.

The biker was not wearing a helmet, causing him to sustain more serious injuries that he would have, had he been wearing the proper equipment. The injuries and fatalities of motorcycle riders are unfortunately, on the rise. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, in 2008, there were over 5,290 deaths and over 96,000injuries involving motorcycle riders. These injuries and deaths are even more likely when one does not wear a helmet.

Our firm is a friend and advocate of motorcycle enthusiasts, having successfully represented many injured riders in the past. We encourage all riders to wear helmets, so please choose the right gear to protect you in an accident. A helmet can never hurt.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. If you or someone you love has suffered personal injuries or been killed as the result of a motorcycle accident, please contact Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about motorcycle crashes, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A Fort Worth man died on Sunday after being involved in a traffic accident in Fort Worth. The victim, Sri Vempati, died at Texas Health Fort Worth hospital at around 4 in the afternoon, shortly after the car crash.

The wreck happened at Forest Park Boulevard, around the intersection where Forest Park meets West Rosedale Street. Fort Worth police did not release details on the accident, but confirmed that Vempati was the driver.

My condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Vempati. Hopefully, the accident investigation by the Fort Worth Police Department will reveal the cause of this tragic wreck.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

On May 4, 2010, an Irving, Texas woman was seriously injured when she was hit by a speeding car that was turning from Rochelle onto Manion in Irving. The injured lady was mowing her lawn when she was hit by the speeding silver Toyota Camry, possibly a 2002 to 2006 model. The Irving woman who was injured was initially taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas when she has been since released from the hospital and is at home recovering from her injuries.

The Irving Police Department is still looking for the driver of the Toyota Camry who struck and injured this woman. The car most likely sustained noticeable front-end damage in the accident. If anyone has any information regarding the identity of the hit and run driver who caused this motor vehicle assault, they are encouraged to call the Irving Police Department accident investigators at (972) 721 2761 or call the 24-hour non-emergency dispatch number at (972) 273 1010.

Information provided by Texas Car Accident Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in the Dallas area at (214) 327 8000 or in Tarrant County area at (817) 294 1900, or can be contacted online for a free personal injury consultation.

On the morning of May 9th a tragic car accident occurred in Fort Worth. The driver, Livita Simms, was driving north on the I-35 service road when her car went over the curb, hit a medium and burst into flames. Four members in the six person car were killed. The wrecked killed Simms, her five year old daughter, and two thirteen year old boys identified Elijah Drisdle and Deguone Matlock Jr.

There is confusion as to whether a seventh person was in the car when the automobile crashed at 1:30 a.m. Simms was said to have dropped off Jamie Muriel at her house minutes before the wreck took place. One of the two boys who survived said there was a seventh person who grabbed the steering wheel during an argument and fled the scene after the accident. Muriel however denies being in the car at the time of the incident.

Our hearts go out to those involved in the accident. It’s unfortunate to hear of an accident of this severity. Our condolences to those families involved. We hope the police will be able to sort through the facts to find the missing pieces in this case.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about car accidents, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

The City of Dallas will soon enact the 2011 Bike Plan to increase the amount of people riding bikes but reduce the number of bicycle accidents. Other parts of the plan will focus on education, culture, signage, funding, connectivity and routes.

The plan hopes to ensure safety on the main roads so more people will use their bikes as a source of transportation.The plan will include the 450 miles of roads in the Dallas area.

As always, it is important to be aware of the bicycle safety concerns in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. The U.S. Department of Transportation has a policy on bicycle accommodations to make certain that the public is aware of the danger that comes with riding on a main street. 44,000 cyclists are hurt annually in traffic crashes, and Dallas is doing a fine job in attempting to lessen the chances of these accidents.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a bike accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

The Food and Drug Administration has recalled over 40 medications for children earlier this week. The list includes Children’s Zyrtec, Benadryl, Motrin, and Tylenol. The FDA said that they are not too concerned with serious side effects occurring from the recall; however, they do recommend that any medication that is on the recalled list be stopped immediately.

The FDA also said that there are generics for almost all of the medications, so children will not have to go without their meds. The issue with the medications is that they may contain too much of an active ingredient, or may not meet quality control standards.

As always, it is important for parents to stay up to date with children’s products that are being recalled. Just last week hundreds of thousands of Graco and Simplicity cribs were recalled for children. It is important when picking out toys or other equipment for your child that you always research toys before you buy.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a personal injury or car accident case, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

With the recent flooding problems in Nashville, Tennessee, and tornadoes already affecting many areas of the country, I thought it would be good to review some basic driving safety tips in the case that you are in the car during a flash flood or tornado.

The following are safety tips from The Weather Channel’s Weather Ready Checklist to help prevent you from being in a car accident:

Flash Floods:
•Turnaround –If you don’t know the depth of water before crossing.
•Abandon stalled vehicles immediately and seek higher ground.

Tornadoes:
•Never try and out drive a Tornado.
•Leave your vehicle, and go to a concrete shelter.
•If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch with your hands shielding your head.
•Be alert for rapidly rising waters in the ditch.
•Do NOT seek refuge in an overpass where winds can be magnified.

The Weather Channel also recommends keeping the following items in your car at all times in case there is an emergency:

•First aid kit
•Fire extinguisher
•Matches
•Compass
•Jumper Cables
•Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack
•Bottled water
•Critical Prescription Medicine
•Blanket/sleeping bag
•Non-perishable, high-energy foods
•Flashlight with extra batteries
•Cell phone charger
•Reflective triangles and brightly-colored cloth

I hope this helps you prevent having a car accident in the situation that you are driving during severe or hazardous weather. This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.

A man in a wheelchair was hit and killed by an SUV on Sunday at the intersection of Pemberton Hill Road and Loop 12. The fatal pedestrian accident occurred around 10:30 p.m. The man was in a motorized wheelchair and thought to be homeless.

The man was pronounced dead at Baylor Medical Center. His name has not been released. The Dallas Police Department said that no charges are expected to be filed.

The SUV was driven by a 21-year-old, whose name has not been released. He did stop after the accident occurred.

It is unfortunate to hear about a disabled man being killed in this kind of accident. Almost 70,000 pedestrian accidents occur in the United States every year. Of these accidents, 73% of them happen in urban downtown areas, like this fatal accident did. The Anderson Law Firm has several resources about pedestrian safety and pedestrian accident prevention.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about your personal injury case, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.