Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A wrong-way accident on I-30 at Ferguson Road Sunday morning left one person dead and three injured. The Sheriff’s Department said that a woman driving a pickup truck with two passengers was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes and crashed head on with another vehicle.

The female passenger in the front seat, identified as Ana Tello, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup driver and the male passenger who was in the backseat were taken to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas in serious condition. The driver of the Tahoe was taken to a local hospital in good condition.

The names of the injured victims have not been made public, pending notification of family members.

This is a serious accident that could have been prevented, and The Anderson Law Firm sends their sympathy to Ana Tello and the other victims. As drivers, please remember to follow all roadway signs, because the driver would have likely been able to see that she was going the wrong way. The public almost becomes numb to the fact that traffic wrecks happen to other people. But the national statistics show that we are all likely going to become involved in a traffic incident at some time or another—there are over 6 million auto wrecks each year, with almost 3 million resulting personal injuries and approximately 42,000 crash related deaths. Make sure to pay attention while driving to prevent accidents like these.

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 our out contact from online for a free consultation.

A man died Friday afternoon after his motorcycle collided with a Nissan Cube on Blue Mound Road in north Fort Worth. The motorcyclist has been identified as William Copeland, 51, of Haslet.

Police have said the driver of the Cube was pulling away from a stop sign on the northbound access road to U.S. 287 about 2:30 p.m. Friday when the collision occurred. Copeland was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said that after the collision, the motorcycle continued on Blue Mound Road about 120 feet and then burst into flames. The driver of the Cube was not injured.

The Anderson Law Firm sends out condolences to the Copeland family. Hopefully, the police will be able to find out who was at fault in this fatal car crash. It is important for motorcyclists to remember either way that the most common cause of wrecks involving motorcycles is inattention of the other driver. Many times, drivers just don’t see the motorcycle. This accounts for about 70 percent of all wrecks. On the other hand though, motorcyclists need to be extra cautious when riding because they don't have the protection that cars, trucks and other vehicles have while on the road.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth motorcycle and 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. For questions regarding a motorcycle accident or questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact from online for a free consultation.

Two Fort Worth residents were transported to Texas Health Harris Fort Worth hospital on Wednesday after they crashed their Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

According to the Cleburne police the driver lost control in wet sand and gravel. The man claims he lost control of the motorcycle while trying to avoid a pot hole. The accident occurred around 8:45 a.m. near U.S. 67 and Nolan River Road.

Reports indicated that the 46-year-old woman was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Reports are unclear whether the 46-year-old male driver was wearing a helmet. A Harris spokeswoman confirmed that the couple’s injuries were nonlife-threatening. The couple was treated and released by Thursday.

Unfortunately when an accident involving a motorcycle occurs, the results are usually not good for the rider as they just don't have the protection that cars, trucks and other vehicles have. Many of the accidents involving motorcycles result in very serious injuries and even death. Fortunately in this case, the couples’ injuries were not life threatening.

In Texas, 346 motorcycle riders died in 2006 and only one-third of those riders were wearing helmets. The benefits from wearing a helmet are so numerous that there is no reason a rider shouldn’t wear one. Finding the right type of helmet can be hard, but in the end it could save your life.

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.

Last weekend the Republic of Texas Biker Rally took place in Austin, TX. Officials said there were at least two biker deaths over the weekend, and at least three more serious accidents involving motorcycles. Police and Rally officials are not sure if all of the accidents were connected to the event, which draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Police say they do not have the total number of motorcycle wrecks for this past weekend because not all of the officers have turned in reports. In Austin, during the 2009 and 2008 ROT biker rally weekends, there were 22 and 16 motorcycle crashes respectively. 2009 also included one fatality.

ROT 2010 rally weekend already has two fatal motorcycle crashes documented. One fatal crash early Sunday morning killed 36-year-old motorcycle passenger, Barbara Ann Garza. The driver, Daniel Rios Ortega, 28, crashed his bike in Northeast Austin and fled the scene. He was arrested and charged with failure to stop and render aid in the incident.

The second fatality happened in western Travis County early Monday; when El Paso resident, David Torres, 44, crashed into a median.

My condolences go out to the families of the two victims, Barbara Ann Graza and David Torres. Crashes like this can be prevented by paying more attention to the road. By being aware and by adhering to road safety rules many accidents can be avoided. These rules really need to be followed when attending biker rallies like this on. A motorcycle rider is 37 times more likely to die in a crash than automobile driver. So please pay attention while driving and follow the road safety rules, doing so can save lives.

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 been involved in a motorcycle accident and have questions please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

In the south side of Fort Worth, a fatal wreck on Interstate 35 W backed up traffic for miles.

The accident happened on Wednesday night around 8:20 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Garden Acres Boulevard.

At least one person is believed to be dead. There has been no further information on how many other vehicles were involved.

Southbound traffic on I-35W was still being shuffled to service roads more than two hours after the crash.

So far there is no evidence to explain why and how this crash occurred, but hopefully after a thorough investigation those questions will be answered. Through reconstruction of the accident, police may be able to tell what happened. Our sincere condolences go out to the victim’s family.

National statistics show that we are all likely going to become involved in a traffic incident at some time or another—there are over 6 million auto wrecks each year, with almost 3 million resulting personal injuries and approximately 42,000 crash related deaths. 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 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.

Loya Insurance is one of two large auto insurers that had a complaint record well above the state average in 2009, according to a new listing of “justified” complaints handled by the state Insurance Department.

One driver, Larry Randall, was sideswiped in May 2009, and the driver who was at fault had an insurance policy with Loya Insurance.

““They tried to ignore me from day one, and then they finally sent me a check covering a fraction of my claim. When’s the last time you heard of major damage to the side of a car being fixed for $300?” Randall said, noting he has not cashed the company’s check.

An analysis of the Insurance Department figures by The Dallas Morning News showed that 10 of the 25 largest auto insurers in the state, which are those with more than 100,000 policies, had below average customer service records.

Loya, one of the top companies at the top of the list, is now being investigated by the Insurance Department for violations of state regulations. Loya Insurance is countering back though, arguing that their company serves a unique customer base, typically lower-income drivers who have trouble obtaining insurance.

The Insurance Department Agency is limited in how it can respond to consumer complaints because the department cannot force a company to pay a disputed claim if there is no violation of the law. The agency can also not determine who was at fault in the specific accident. However, the customer complaints do help the Insurance Department Agency with identifying issue of concerns that would otherwise be neglected.

You cannot trust insurance companies—don’t be fooled. The truth is all they really want is for you to sign up with them and make your premium payments on time. When it actually comes time to paying money out on a claim, you can forget all of those friendly slogans. These self-proclaimed “good neighbors” can quickly become your worst nightmare. These insurance companies will not pay you a single dime more than they want to and they don’t pay until it benefits them. They are not looking out for the policyholder’s best interest; they are looking out for their best interest.

Because it’s an adversarial process, the at-fault person’s insurance company has no duty to treat you fairly. So what should a person do if they are injured in an accident? They should at least speak to a Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney about their case. Not all cases need lawyers, but we think all serious injury cases sure do, and the victims need a good lawyer who will fight for their needs so they get proper compensation.

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 or questions about an insurance claim, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Jadarion Montez Taylor, a Texas truck driver, died in Converse, Louisiana early Saturday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

According to the Times of Shreveport, the native of Longview, Texas entered a slight left hand curve in the highway, ran off the road to the right and began traveling in the ditch. Montez, 26, was ejected from his diesel fuel 2010 International truck when it flipped several times.

The crash was reported about 7:40 a.m. Saturday morning. The tragedy forced closure of one of the lanes of the highway for several hours as cleanup crews tried to clean the spilled diesel fuel. Taylor was hauling 5,000 gallons of fuel.

I am very saddened to hear of this tragic crash. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Jadarion Montez Taylor. In wrecks involving 18-wheelers, 44% of people injured in a truck accident suffer incapacitating injuries. Tragically, approximately 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 truck accident. This is an absolutely staggering number, and is exponentially higher than all other types of motor vehicle injury statistics. Fortunately, in this case, there were no other cars involved in this accident.

Information and commentary are 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 about a truck accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A new traffic signal at Interstate 35W and the Basswood Boulevard overpass is confusing motorists, some of whom wonder why lights are pointing in both directions of a frontage road that they think is one-way. Apparently there is a not very well-marked stretch of two-way frontage road at that intersection. This could potentially cause serious car accidents.

Texas Transportation Department officials, who installed the signals late last month, said that they will take a look at the intersection to see whether there are safety concerns. They have received no complaints, and no major accidents because of the configuration have been reported, although drivers who use the area regularly see the danger.

Many northbound motorists, preparing to enter I-35W, mistakenly use the southbound side of the two-way frontage road, not realizing they're on the wrong side of the road. This is probably because the only warning of this two way frontage road is an orange highway sign on the frontage road north of Basswood about 30 feet after the two-way traffic begins.

Hopefully, the Texas Transportation Department can fix this minor problem before it becomes a major problem. Luckily, there have been no major accidents, but it is still something that needs to be fixed, especially if it’s confusing motorists. Drivers could potentially get distracted by the idea of a two-way frontage road, which could indirectly cause an accident. The most common cause of car accidents is not paying attention. And the problem here is that drivers might be paying attention, and that could get them further confused because the roadway signs are confusing.

Information and commentary is provided by the 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.

Two children were hurt in a wreck involving ejected people on U.S. 287 Thursday morning in northwest Fort Worth. The children went to Cook’s Children Medical Center and two adults were also taken to other area hospitals.

Police and ambulance crews responded at about 8:35 a.m. to the wreck in the 12100 block of U.S. 287. The area is a short distance northwest of the highway's intersection with Blue Mound Road. There have been no further reports about the extent of injuries.

It is important to remember that most of these motor vehicle accidents happen because a driver make reckless mistakes, like not paying attention. I also hope that everyone was wearing a seatbelt, because that could make the injuries far less severe. Among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants, more than half (55%) of those killed in 2008 were unrestrained. I hope everyone involved in this accident is okay, and I hope that they can figure out what the cause was.

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 concerning a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Late Thursday, in Pleasant Grove, TX three children were hospitalized after a hit-and-run.
The children were riding in a white Plymouth minivan. The minivan was traveling south on Masters Drive a little after 11p.m. when a silver Lincoln Navigator ran a stop sign at Muskogee Drive and hit them.

The driver on the minivan was unharmed, but four members of his family were taken to various hospitals. The victims include: his wife, an 8-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl. His youngest daughter, 3-years-old, suffered the most serious injuries out of the group and was taken to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. None of their injuries are thought to be life threatening.

The driver of the Lincoln Navigator fled the scene after the accident. He still remains at large. Police later found the vehicle abandoned in a backyard of a house nearby. Anyone with information can call Dallas Police at 214-670-5817

Hit-and-runs are one of the worst types of accidents to hear about. In this case, a driver of a sports utility vehicle made a mistake by running a stop sign. Mistakes happen, but running away from accident you caused, especially when there are multiple children involved, is despicable. Hopefully the police will be able to track down this reckless driver and bring him to justice.

Most motor vehicle accidents, including this one, happen because driver's make reckless mistakes, like running a stop sign. 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. If you have any information about this accident please call the Dallas Police at 214-670-5817. Making a mistake is one thing, running from it is another.

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 hit-and-run accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Early Thursday a Dallas teen drove the wrong way on Airport Freeway and collided with a vehicle. The teen is suspected of drunken driving. After the crash the teen fled on foot before he was caught by the Irving police.

Irving patrol officers responded to the accident around 2:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Texas 183. Witnesses informed police that the 2002 Land Rover was heading east in westbound lanes when the collision happened.

The 16-year-old was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas due to minor injuries. The driver of the other automobile was also taken to Parkland with foot and arm injuries. The current condition of the victim are unavailable.

It’s hard to hear about a 16-year-old boy being suspected of drunk driving. Not only has he just gotten his license, but he is also 5 years shy of legally being able to drink alcohol. Luckily no one was seriously hurt in this unfortunate crash. Hopefully this crash will be a teaching tool for all young drivers on Texas roads.

Drunk Driving is a factor in over 45% of the car accidents that occur on Texas roads. To help ensure your safety on the road, The Anderson Law Firm has traffic safety and preventative tips to make sure you are not a victim of a drunk driving accident.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Drunk Driving 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 drunk driving accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Under a measure approved by a Senate Committee Wednesday, States would be rewarded for cracking down on distracted drivers.

The bill will now head to full Senate. If passed the bill would create a $94 million program to give out grants to states that prohibit texting and talking on the phone while driving.

This measure is different from competing bill because it would not punish states for failing to enact distracted driving laws.

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson agrees that distracted driving poses a serious threat to all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on the road. Hutchinson favors this new piece of legislation over the competing bill because it respects state rights.

This bill would set a high standard for receiving federal dollars. States would have pass a laws against texting and using phones while driving. The federal dollars would come from surplus cash flow in another highway bill.

Under the bill, law enforcement can pull over drivers for not following the measures. A corresponding house bill has not made it out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee subpanel

After reading in the paper yesterday that Arlington stopped a bill that would prohibit texting while behind the wheel, I find this national news very uplifting. The nation is seeing distracted driving as a problem and is finely taking a stand against it. The giving of federal dollars is a great way to get states to create these laws.

One question I’ve heard is: Is the spending of federal dollars on this program really worth it? Twenty-eight states plus the District of Columbia have laws against texting while driving. Seven States and D.C. also prohibit using phones on the road. Clearly States have already seen the importance of prohibiting distracted driving, is the money worth it? Whatever happens, money or no money, it’s great to see the nation take a stand and something as dangerous as distracted driving. The teens of Fort Worth took take a stand in my Teens Against Distracted Driving program, it will be interesting to see what the Capital does.

Information and Commentary are 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 car accidents or distracted driving please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Yesterday the Arlington City Council shut down the proposal that would have banned texting while driving.

Robert Rivera, The Southeast Arlington representative, recommended the ban. Rivera states that reports show that texting while driving is more dangerous that drunken driving. Unfortunately most of the Council refused to discuss it.

Other Texas Cities, such as Austin and Galveston, have banned texting while driving. Even though the motion came to a halt, Rivera insists that just having the conversation was beneficial. It has heightened awareness even if Arlington doesn’t move forward with the ordinance.

If you support this ban, Rivera encourages all residents to contact their council representatives.
Arlington recently prohibited drivers from talking on cell phones in active school areas. That was a step in the right direction. I hope Arlington can go back and look over the ban to try and get it to pass. It is great to see councilmen like Rivera try and take a stand against distracted driving. Through my program, Teens Against Distracted Driving, I was able to see just how many teens were willing to take a stand against texting and driving and I hope Arlington City Council can represent their wants. Great job Rivera, at least there is more awareness now, and hopefully in the near future the idea will be revisited.

Information and commentary are 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 car accidents or distracted driving please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Police say that wearing seat belts may have prevented serious injury in a van wreck involving children. The Children’s Academy Daycare van was on Highway 360 Monday morning when the brakes locked.

The van tumbled down an embankment on Highway 360 and hit a sign. The six kids and the driver suffered cuts and bruises and were taken to the hospital to be checked out, but wearing a seat belt likely protected them from any severe injury.

These are the blogs I love writing about because it shows the good that can happen when you follow the rules of the road. Wearing a seat belt is important, especially since, among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants, more than half of those killed in 2008 were unrestrained. Putting on a safety belt is a simple action that could save your life, so suck it up and buckle up. You won’t regret it.

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.

The ever-present ankle monitors will make people and violators think twice about drinking and driving. The SCRAM committee- Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor- has been used in Texas since 2003, and it measures alcohol consumption by reading vapors given off in perspiration. And since you can never take it off, it’s a constant reminder that you are not supposed to be consuming alcohol.

The bracelets cost almost $400 a month, not including the counseling fees, court costs fees, and fines that have to be paid after a DWI conviction. Many people simply cannot afford the bracelet. However, judges agree that it is the most efficient method, but sometimes judges will also make the convicted put an interlock device on their car to prevent drinking and driving and sometimes even order the use of a drug that will make the person sick if he or she drinks alcohol.

I agree that more needs to be done to both educate and prevent drinking and driving in Texas. While the ankle monitor is a step in the right direction, it is not the final solution. People need to learn to be more responsible when consuming alcoholic beverages, especially if they are not of the drinking age and considering driving. There are approximately 12,000 fatalities annually due to drunk driving in the United States. Those 12,000 deaths could have easily been prevented. Drinking and driving will get you a DWI, but even worse you could injure or kill someone else or yourself.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Drunk Driving 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 drunk driving accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

With the enactment of the new booster seat law, many low-income parents are worried about how they can afford booster seats in their cars for kids up to 8 years old. These booster seats will help prevent injury in the case of a car accident. For parents who can't afford a booster seat, the Texas Department of Health Services gives away free car seats to low-income families through its Safe Riders program.

In the past four months, Safe Riders has given away 540 booster seats and 2,613 car seats to parents across the state. The program has distributed an additional 5,000 car seats to be given out at events around the state.

This is such a great way to ensure that all kids ride safe while in a motor vehicle. It would be hard for all families to obey the law, because some families are unable to purchase a car or booster seat with the income they make. It is estimated that approximately 47 percent of the fatally injured children in the 0 through 9 years old are generally unrestrained. I think it is a great program that is watching out for the safety of children from all types of families, which is always important. Not only will these families follow the law, they will help protect their kids from serious injury.

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.