Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

If you’ve read any of my personal injury attorney blogs, you’re probably wondering why, after numerous warnings against distracted driving, I’m suddenly telling you to keep your smart phone handy… After all, a lot of Tarrant County car accidents are the result people texting when they should be paying attention to the road. Using a cellphone while operating a vehicle is extremely dangerous and something I will always advise strongly against.

However, modern technology does have its benefits - and the tools available on your iPhone can be extremely valuable in the event you are unfortunate enough to be in a traffic collision on Fort Worth roads. It is important that you document the accident as thoroughly as possible. Obviously you need to get the information of other drivers involved in the wreck – specifically their names, contact details and insurance information – but it is also advantageous to collect the details of any witnesses. Since people not actually involved in the crash are unlikely to hang around very long, it’s important you get their details quickly before they leave. With modern handsets you’re able to record audio which can make the whole process much more convenient when in this situation. Other details we recommend recording include the street names, weather, time of day the collision occurred, lighting and the type of cars involved.

Camera phones are especially useful when documenting an auto accident as a lot of the information we recommend you collect can be recorded in a photograph. As an experienced car crash lawyer I cannot understate the importance of photos as evidence in the event you make an insurance claim – or if your case becomes a lawsuit. In addition taking photos showing the scene of the wreck in perfect detail, it is also very important that you take photos showing the damage to your vehicle. We recommend that you take photos both up close and from a distance as the use of multiple angles often gives a much more accurate picture of the damage that has occurred. Remember that if we work on your personal injury claim, we will also help you retrieve any money you’re claiming on your property damage claim at no extra cost.

The Anderson Law Firm is located in downtown Ft. Worth and offers free, no obligation consolations to individuals hurt in vehicle accidents. We are paid only when your case is closed and only if we win. Call us toll free on 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900 to discuss your crash or to set up an appointment.

You’ve probably noticed that the average price for gas around Fort Worth and Dallas has jumped up over the past few days. The average price across the metroplex is currently $3.06 a gallon – the highest it’s been since 2008 when prices actually rose to as much as $4.00. We Northern Texans depends on our cars to get everywhere so when gas prices increase it really affects our bank balance. Fortunately there are three simple ways you can increase your vehicle’s miles per gallon while also embracing safer driving habits and reducing your risk of an collision:

Accelerate Smoothly
There’s no need to race the car next to you at the red light. We all want to get where we’re getting as quickly as possible, but trying to whip in front of other drivers, cutting them off can be extremely dangerous. In city driving, nearly 50% of the energy needed to power your car goes into acceleration. You can cut your fuel costs and be much safer if you instead accelerate slowly and smoothly, getting into a high gear as quickly as possible.

Avoid Aggressive Driving
Just as accelerating rapidly increases fuel consumption, so too does hard breaking. If you an aggressive driver you probably spend a lot of time changing lanes, racing past other traffic and then breaking hard as you approach a slower car or buildup up ahead. You know you’re just asking to be in a wreck. If you stop driving like a bat out of hell then you could actually improve your car’s fuel consumption by up to 40%.

Obey The Speed Limit
It’s there for a reason. So you don’t lose control of your vehicle and injury someone, or so you don’t crash into the truck in front of you and kill yourself. Auto accidents can be deadly. If you slow down you greatly improve the safety of you and everyone else in your car. Also, check out this graph to show how your MPG varies depending on your speed – notice how quickly it drops off after 60 mph?

Mark Anderson is a personal injury lawyer who has served victims of traffic wrecks across Tarrant County and the surrounding area. For a free consultation on your case call toll free on 800-354-MARK (6275).

Arlington City Council met last night to discuss the introduction and enforcement of tighter distracted driving restrictions which could seriously reduce the number of auto accidents on DFW roadways. As a Tarrant County Car Accident Lawyer, I have long been a proponent of reducing cell phone usage while behind the wheel of a car as I know that texting while driving is far more dangerous even than drunk driving. In my line of work I have dealt with many personal injury or wrongful death cases which were a result of someone using a cellphone while driving.

Although no final decision has been reached, it appears that tighter descriptions of some description will be introduced in the near future. Lawmakers are currently considering just how effective they want their new prohibition to be, and they have been looking at cities such as Austin and San Antonio who have already banned texting, e-mailing and playing games while driving. They are also considering following El Paso’s example where any non-hands-free usage is completely outlawed.

I hope that when this proposal becomes a reality, it will take as hard a line as possible. No one wants to be in a traffic collision and wreck their vehicle – and putting away your cell phone is one of the easiest things you can do to avoid putting yourself in that situation. There are numerous reports and stories which prove just how dangerous distracted driving is. I hope that many of you saw the special episode of Extreme Home Makeover a few weeks ago which told the story of Alex Brown, a Texas teenager who was killed as a direct result of the fact she was texting while driving. If it takes stricter laws in order to get more people to quit this dangerous habit, then I fully support them. It’s just not worth it.

Mark Anderson is a board certified attorney specializing in car accident injury and wrongful death cases. For a no-charge consolation on your case, please call 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000.

Tragedy struck Quitman High School Thursday afternoon when a teacher driving a group of students lost control of the vehicle injuring three students and killing one. The group was on their way to a Future Farmers of America conference in San Antonio when the SUV slipped off the rural road. Investigators said Debra Holcombe, the teacher driving the car, overcorrected the steering wheel, which caused the car to flip several times. Quitman High School student, Skylar Carpenter, was ejected from the back seat and died at the scene. Police said it appeared she had not been wearing a seatbelt.

A fun weekend shattered in just a few moments. This car accident is an absolute tragedy for everyone involved. I cannot imagine the pain and grief felt by involved and my sympathies are truly with them. In my line of work, I deal with death and destruction daily, but it’s always especially gut wrenching when it involves a young person.

Wear your seat belt and make sure those in your car are wearing theirs. Life is so fleeting. This weekend my prayers are with Skylar’s family and Mrs. Holcombe.

The Obama administration has announced its findings following a 10 month investigation into safety concerns related to unintended acceleration in Toyota cars and trucks and found no electronic flaws which could have caused the reported safety issues. The government reported that the problems were due solely to the already widely publicized issues of sticky accelerator pedals and gas pedals which got caught up in floor mats. Reports suggest the investigation led by the Transportation Department was extremely thorough, yet I can’t help but feel somewhat skeptical - maybe it’s the personal injury lawyer in me. Call me cynical, but given that the investigation was conducted by the same organization which approved the vehicles as safe to be on our roads in the first place, it’s not likely they would turn around and admit they made a mistake in the first place, is it?

That said, I do think that Toyota did the right thing by orchestrating the mass recall after these defects first came to light (since 2009 they have recalled more than 12 million vehicles worldwide), but I am sure these recalls were at the urging of the government. The bottom line is that this should never have happened in the first place and I for one do not think they should be let off the hook so easily. Let’s not forget that despite the government’s findings, there is still a pending lawsuit which claims Toyota ignored the acceleration problems and failed to install a brake override system which could have prevented countless accidents. Real answers come from these lawsuits—not from a government which is charged with safety standards. I don’t trust federal government investigations. Way too ineffective.

We are an automobile nation and here in Dallas-Fort Worth we know that far too many traffic wrecks occur on a daily basis as it is. We buy our vehicles trusting in the automaker that they have done their job correctly and that our new car works and that it is safe. Unrelated to this investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering new regulations designed to improve safety across the board. Their proposals include requiring brake override systems on all vehicles, standardizing keyless ignition systems and mandating event data recorders akin to aircraft black boxes on all new vehicles.

If you have been injured as a result of an auto collision it is advisable that you contact an experienced Car Accident and Wrongful Death Attorney. The Anderson Law Firm offers a no fee consultation on your case and can be contacted 24/7 on 1-800-354-MARK.

This Valentine’s Day, I want you to Buckle Up For Love and keep your most precious cargo safe. Being a car accident attorney and a devoted father, it breaks my heart to see kids injured or even killed in car wrecks because they weren’t properly secured. That’s why I want to remind parents about the child car seat and booster seat laws in Texas.

• From birth to at least 1-year-old or and at least 20 pounds, in the back seat in a rear-facing chair.
• From age 1 and 20 pounds to age 4 and 40 pounds, in the back seat in a forward-facing seat.
• From age 4 to age 8, in a back-seat booster chair.
• At age 8 and over 4-foot-9, all children age 12 and under should ride in the backseat with a seat belt.

For you and your kids, I’ve made some Valentines that work as a reminder to Buckle Up For Love. Print these out and the next time you go for a ride give everyone in the car a "buckle-up heart" to wear (that is of course, if they're buckled up).

Yesterday afternoon, an SUV rear-ended a school bus on Fort Worth Highway in Weatherford, Texas. By all accounts the wreck was certainly dramatic. The driver of the car, Becky Clark, had to be rescued from her vehicle which was wedged beneath the back of the bus. She was rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital in Ft. Worth and is currently reported to be in fair condition. Two students were injured as they exited the bus and were taken to Weatherford Regional Medical Clinic as a precaution but have since been released to their parents and were fortunately well enough to attend school today. The 47 other students from Boase Ikard Elementary School aboard the bus reported no injuries.

A press release from Weatherford ISD stated that the school bus was propelled forwards 15-20 feet due to the impact of the collision. Immediately following the crash, the driver of the bus thought she saw smoke and ordered an emergency evacuation of the bus. Weatherford ISD Superintendant, Dr. Deborah Cron, has applauded the quick thinking and responsible actions of the Durham School Services’ bus driver and I would absolutely have to echo her praise.

As a father, hearing news of an accident involving kids or a school bus always makes my heart leap up into my throat. We should all be thankful that none of the children on the bus were seriously harmed. I also hope that Ms. Clark makes a full and speedy recovery. Although the cause of the crash is not yet known, it should certainly give us all cause to pause for thought and remember the importance of basic safe driving practices such as focusing our attention on the road ahead and being aware of our surroundings.

Remember as well that it is illegal to pass a school bus which stops to pick up or drop off passengers. This law applies to drivers approaching from either direction. You must wait for the bus to pull off again unless the driver signals it is okay to pass or turns off his stop signals.

Information and commentary provided by Mark Anderson, Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer.

Red light cameras are on my brain again but this time for a different
reason. Although I've made up my mind on how I feel about red light
cameras, a lot of people seem the think they cause more problems than
they're worth.

Opponents of red light cameras say the cameras could actually increase
the risk of rear-end accidents because of people slamming on their
breaks to avoid getting caught.

But even if you're for or against red light cameras, smartphone and GPS
apps are helping us all learn exactly where the cameras are.
Applications like Trapster for smartphones and Phantom Alert for
traditional GPS devices will actually beep when you're approaching a red
light camera.

Now, I'm not saying this to encourage you to disobey traffic laws or to
check your phone at each intersection. Working as a car accident
attorney in DFW for 20 years I've seen enough destruction caused by
distracted driving. But through the years I've also seen the devastating
accidents caused by red light runners. So if a little beeping app on
your phone will keep you from doing it, then.I think that's a good
thing.

Shortly after 1am on January 1st, 2011 a Tacoma truck ran a red light at the intersection of Hurst Boulevard and Precinct Line Road in Hurst, crashing into a Ford Mustang in the intersection. The unlucky driver of that car, Brook Johnson, 23, from Euless, died on Friday at Lifecare Hospital in Fort Worth as a result of injuries sustained in the wreck.

The driver of the Tacoma, Miguel Moreno, 35, was arrested shortly after the collision occurred, on suspicion of intoxication assault. He was not seriously injured as a result of the accident which he was responsible for.

The Star Telegram devoted maybe 2 inches to this story today. It’s a tragic coda to an awful event which occurred a little over a month ago. It’s an event which could have easily been avoided, and yet it is just one of literally hundreds which occurred across the DFW area and throughout Texas over the New Year period. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that fatal incidents involving intoxicated drivers increase from an average of 36 fatalities a day nationwide, to 54 per day through the end of December into early January each year.

I’m a personal injury and wrongful death attorney, so I see these drunk driver cases a lot – and they anger me every single time. We all know that it is illegal to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle drunk, we know the dangers and yet people still do it every single day. Why? Just over an hour after celebrating the new year Mr. Moreno made the wrong decision to get into the driver’s seat and as a result he cost someone else their life. He now faces the more serious charge of intoxication manslaughter. If convicted, he will face a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of between 2 to 20 years. I don’t like to wish anybody ill will, but he deserves to be punished for his criminal actions - as do all motorists found guilty of such atrocities.

During this Sunday's Super Bowl it is estimated that across the country over 8 million pounds of guacamole and 14,500 tons of chips will be eaten, and the latest estimates suggest more that 325 million gallons of beer will be drunk. Of course, the Super Bowl weekend is all about doing things big – and no one does it bigger than Texas - but there is one more stat that deserves recognition: More drivers are involved in alcohol-related accidents on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year (except St. Patrick's Day).

Given that Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas are Ground Zero for this year's festivities it seems particularly prudent that we are mindful of the dangers of drink driving. Over the past 20 years I have encountered many stories of injuries sustained in car wrecks caused by drunk drivers. It is infuriating to me that people understand the dangers of getting behind the wheel after having too much to drink, and yet still people do it every day.

You may have seen the news story earlier in the week about new automobile technology which can detect whether the driver of the vehicle has been drinking and if so will stop the engine from starting. Known as the Driver Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety, the technology currently uses two approaches to detect whether a driver's blood alcohol level exceeds the legal limit of .08 – by analyzing the driver's breath or by sensing through the skin on their fingers. Both methods eliminate the need for drivers to take any extra steps, and those who are sober would not be delayed in getting on the road say the researchers behind the project.

Having seen first hand how easily multiple lives can be ruined by drinking and driving, I applaud any forward thinking such as this that can help curve the number of unfit motorists on our roadways but I have to wonder at a society that realizes the danger we pose to both ourselves and others by attempting to drive when inebriated and yet people still do it. This weekend there will be a lot of people drinking all over the metroplex. So I want to ask each and everyone of you to make a deal with me: Don't Drink and Drive. If that means appointing a designated driver, then great. If it means having to take a cab home, do that. This weekend DFW will be home to the biggest party on Earth. Don't be the one to ruin it.

The Anderson Law Firm may be reached at 817-294-1900 or Toll Free at 800-354-MARK. If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver contact us for a free no obligation consultation on your case.

According to a news report earlier this week, McKinney City Council will likely reject a proposed auto accident response fee when it comes to vote. The idea is to charge a fee to those at fault in a car wreck, motorcycle crash or truck collision for the services they use: police, fire crew, tow trucks, etc. Under the proposal, negligent drivers responsible for a crash would be charged $215 for a wreck that caused an injury and $110 for one that did not. As a Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer with 20 years experience in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I am definitely opposed to the idea.

I believe that there are some essential services which individuals should not be made to pay for. Whatever is next? Charging people who call the fire service because their home is burning down? It's a bad government decision to try and make money however they can by capitalizing on other's misfortunes. If anything the money should go to the victims of the traffic accidents to assist in paying for their medical bills and vehicle repairs.

Fortunately, it seems that most members of McKinney City Council have seen sense and even spoken out about their intent to vote against the proposal. “I’m afraid the times are too tough and the PR too bad for the amount of money we’d get out of it,” Mayor Pro Tem Pete Huff said. “I think people are sensitive to what appears to be government trying to squeeze out every dollar they can.”

This information and commentary is provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Lawyer Mark Anderson. Contact Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case or call locally at 817-294-1900 or Toll Free at 800-354-MARK.

Like most people living in and around Dallas-Fort Worth, I was glued to the local news this morning as we woke up to a icy glaze over all our city as much of North Texas was plunged into travel chaos. A huge storm made its way across the metroplex overnight bringing with it rain, sleet, snow and a windchill factor of zero. Yes, zero. As a Personal Injury Attorney with 20 years experience helping victims of auto accidents, I am acutely aware of how dangerous our roadways can be at the best of times, so I am particularly concerned about the safety of everyone who must venture out and about today.

As tends to happen when we are hit by these extremely adverse weather conditions, much of DFW was brought to a standstill. By 5am all the main school districts announced they would be closed for the day, DFW airport has announced 300 flights have been canceled and DART announced the temporary closure of its light-rail system. So far the Trinity Railway Express is continuing to run, but commuters are warned to expect severe delays. As if that wasn't enough, more that 1000 people are suffering power outages as a direct result of the storm. Fort Worth water mains appear to be unaffected by the weather but that might change if the frigid temperatures remain throughout the rest of the week.

Fortunately, Super Bowl planners were wise enough to take every eventuality into consideration and have pledged to keep major roads open for the weeklong festivities. Over 800 employees of Texas Department of Transportation and North Texas Tollway Authority have been tasked with paroling the Metroplex and aggressively treating freeways and streets with de-icing material. Many workers have actually been brought in from other areas for the purpose of supporting TxDOT's contingency plan. "We have enough material to get us through a several-day event, and we can get more if needed," said Brian Barth, deputy engineer for TxDOT's Fort Worth district.

The general consensus is that if you can avoid traveling out today, then stay at home and enjoy the warm and dry. But if you absolutely must get on the roads, please be careful. For the latest updates on road conditions I suggest you consult TxDOT's Road Conditions website. Be safe out there!