Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer, one of my greatest hates is reserved for drunk drivers. There is no excuse to drive drunk. Never. Regardless of whether you’re merry, tipsy, buzzed or smashed, there is no distinction. You’re not fit to drive. Period. Plan ahead: either arrange a designated driver for the evening, or make alternative plans to get home, either a cab or a ride from a friend. If you’re going to be drinking you should know that you shouldn’t be driving home. Fatal traffic accidents involving alcohol are far too common in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex as it is. Please don’t add to the death toll.

Watauga police are awaiting the results of a blood-alcohol test performed on suspected drunk driver Billie J. Miller (27) who is responsible for a fatal car wreck which occurred on US 377 early Sunday morning. Miller is expected to have been over the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle when he crashed his pickup truck into a car being driven by Amanda Beasley (25) of Fort Worth. Ms. Beasley was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital where she dies several hours later. Miller was not injured in the collision. He is currently being held in the city and will likely be charged with intoxication manslaughter.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused by a drunk driver, it is important that you consult with a board certified personal injury and wrongful death attorney to be informed of your legal right to seek compensation for your medical bills, loss of income and any pain you have suffered. I have been fighting for the rights of drunk drivers’ victims across North Texas since 1991. I despise drunk drivers and I will fight aggressively to make sure you receive the damages you deserve. Call me today for a free no obligation consultation at 817-294-1900 or toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275)

You read that right. According to a new survey by GMAC Insurance, almost a third of all Texas drivers and one in five Americans would fail if they took a national driving test today. One in three Texans would fail a driver’s test? Crazy—maybe that’s why there are so many car accidents in Fort Worth and Dallas.

Even though I see the stupidity of driver’s every day in my line of work as a Fort Worth car wreck and personal injury lawyer, it’s shocking to me that these numbers are so high. Do you realize that if this study is truly accurate that means 18 percent of people would not meet the basic requirements to get a driver's license?

This news is especially terrifying considering the amount of distracted drivers who cause car wrecks because they text and talk on their cell phones on the roads in Fort Worth and Dallas. Think of just how terrible they are behind the wheel just by messing with their phone and driving. Then add the fact that one in three of them can’t pass a simple driver’s test? It’s almost too scary to think about.

Fortunately, the survey found that Texans weren’t the worst drivers in America at passing the test—that honor goes to the northeast region of the country.

Do you think you can pass the driver’s test? Visit nationaldriverstest.com to find out.

And if you’ve been the unfortunate victim of a car accident in Fort Worth or Dallas caused by a negligent driver, give my law firm a call at 817-294-1900. At the Anderson Law Firm, our accident and injury attorneys handle all kinds of car accident and other injury claims and are ready to set up a free case review with you to go over your legal options.

It’s a good day for America, everybody! The US House of Representatives has introduced a bill designed to prohibit texting while driving nationwide. This is especially good for Texans as it means distracted driving could be outlawed despite Rick Perry’s backwards philosophy. As a Fort Worth accident and injury lawyer, I think this is great news. Car wrecks caused by drivers who were using a handheld cellphone are on the rise and studies have proven the bad habit is just as dangerous as drunk driving.

According to the Transportation department, more than 5,400 fatalities were attributed to traffic collisions where distracted driving was a factor, so it is extremely encouraging to see that some lawmakers are taking the epidemic as seriously as it deserves. The so-called Safe Drivers Act of 2011 will enforce the ban thanks to an inspiring clause which threatens to withhold 25 percent of a state’s federal highway funding if the state does not enforce the law. I think that demonstrates loud and clear just how serious distracted driving is and that it is unfortunately a much-needed law which has the very real potential to save lives.

Mark Anderson is a board certified personal injury and wrongful death attorney who has been helping car crash victims throughout Tarrant County and across the DFW Metroplex since 1991. The Anderson Law Firm is the proud sponsor of Teens Against Distracted Driving (TADD); an organization which educates high school aged student of the dangers of texting while behind the wheel.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, call for a free consultation at 817-294-1900.

Every car crash I’ve seen in the past 20 years as a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer has been preventable. They might be accidents, but someone is always at fault. People don’t intentionally get into a wreck, but through some act of negligence – no matter how small – someone is responsible. The five most common causes of wrecks in Texas include speeding, right-of-way violations, driving while intoxicated, disregarding traffic signals and tailgating. In each and every one of these cases the negligent driver should know better and realize the danger that they pose both to themselves and anyone else who is unfortunate enough to be on the road at the same time as them.

However, a special category of hate is reserved for those idiots who make the incredibly poor decision to get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking. I’d wonder what on Earth they were thinking, but that’s the whole problem: they weren’t thinking at all. Some good news has (finally) come out of the recent Texas legislative session; drivers guilty of intoxication assault now will face harsher punishments. Good enough for them.

The Abdallah Khader Law (House Bill 1109) is named after a five year-old child left severely brain damaged after a repeat drunk driving offender, Stewart Richardson of Arlington, collided with the Khader family’s car. The law means that for certain offenses the prison time will double. The maximum penalty for drivers who have left their victim in a vegetative state will jump up from 10 years imprisonment to 20 years.

This is great news. While, as a personal injury attorney, I am able to help auto accident victims recover the costs of their medical bills and other crash-related costs from the insurance company, I think it is incredibly important that the criminal law system suitably punishes those who caused the wreck in the first place. I hope that these stricter penalties will send a strong message to anyone contemplating making the worst mistake of their life.

It’s just a shame Rick Perry doesn’t see the very real hazard that texting while driving poses also.

A very sad day for the MTV family and “Jackass” lovers everywhere as one of the founding members of the popular stunt show, Ryan Dunn, was killed early this morning in a Pennsylvania car accident.

According to CNN, Dunn and another passenger in his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 were killed in the fiery crash on State Route 322 in West Goshen, Pennsylvania. At this time, authorities say speed may have been a factor in the car accident, although they are still investigating the cause of the wreck at this time.

Unfortunately, there could be another reason Dunn crashed his car. Just hours before the accident, Dunn posted a photo of himself and two friends drinking at a local bar. It’s unclear yet whether alcohol played a role in the car accident, but witnesses at the bar said Dunn seemed to be intoxicated when he left.

Only time will tell if Dunn’s car wreck was caused because he was drunk driving, speeding or if it was just an absolute accident. But what is important to remember from this story is that car accidents can happen to anyone. It’s crazy to think that after all the dangerous acts Dunn attempted on Jackass, that he would lose his life in a car wreck.

Car accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Don’t take your life for granted and always be cautious when you get behind the wheel. Our hearts go out to Ryan’s family. We will surely miss laughing at his insane stunts on Jackass.
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This commentary was provided by Texas Board Certified personal injury attorney, Mark Anderson. If you have been hurt in a car accident in Fort Worth, call our DFW car accident lawyers at 817-294-1900.

As we all know, Governor Rick Perry is growing increasingly out of touch with average Texans’ wants and needs. Another example of this is his veto of House Bill 242 which would prohibit texting while driving. This is despite numerous protests and evidence presented to lawmakers in Austin that distracted driving is an incredibly dangerous epidemic which is rapidly growing out of control.

In his official veto statement Governor Perry states that while “texting while driving is reckless and irresponsible” he believes the proposed law is a step to far as it could be seen as “a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults.” Well, yes, that’s the point of laws isn’t it? Driving while intoxicated is illegal too. Drunk drivers might be in the privacy of their personal vehicles, but while they’re on public highways they are a danger to everyone. I believe that distracted driving should viewed similarly.

The irony of Perry’s statement is that rather that outlawing texting while driving, those who recognize the practice is dangerous should focus instead on educating the public rather than lobbying lawmakers. I think the general public is mostly already aware of how dangerous using the cellphone can be while behind the wheel. In fact, by rejecting this bill, Perry has sent a blatant signal which undermines all those efforts.

What do you think? Let me know on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Coming from a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, this may come as a shock to you but I want to put this piece of advice out there: you don’t need to hire a lawyer for all DFW car accidents. In fact, most car wreck insurance claims can be handled completely on your own. In minor car accidents and fender-benders, it’s perfectly fine to exchange insurance information and go through the claims process without hiring an accident attorney.

But when the car accidents is more serious in nature, say with thousands of dollars in medical bills things get tricky, especially if multiple insurance policies are involved. Oh yes, in Texas you can make a claim against multiple insurance policies if they are available, but you will probably be in need of a Board Certified personal injury attorney to help you.

At the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, we handle claims against multiple insurance policies most commonly in the following scenarios:

• If you were injured at work by someone other than your employer or a colleague
• If you were hurt in a car accident and make a claim against the other driver’s auto liability insurance, but you also have personal injury protection (PIP) and/or uninsured motorist coverage
• Or if you were a passenger of a vehicle involved in a car accident where you can make a claim against the other driver’s insurance, your PIP/uninsured motorist protection and if you could also use the PIP of the driver of the vehicle in

Dealing with multiple insurance policies can become confusing quickly. It’s important that you have an accident attorney on your side that knows how to go after the right policies to ensure that you get fair compensation for your injuries.

If you think multiple insurance policies could come into play in your car accident claim, give the personal injury lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm a call at 817-294-1900. We’ll set up a free case consultation to go over all the facts of your accident and see what we can do to help.

On Wednesday, the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an earlier decision by Austin, Texas US District Judge Lee Yeakel concerning solicitation rules for chiropractors and personal injury lawyers, such as myself. The legal battle goes back to a law which was introduced in September 2009 which made it illegal for medical professionals to contact accident injury victims within the first 30 days following their accident. A Houston-based chiropractor filed a lawsuit to challenge the new regulation and in March 2010 the law was overturned under the ruling that it violated free speech rights. Back then, I said that I thought an appeal by the Texas Attorney General’s office was a necessity. To my mind, this is a reasonable restriction on free speech. Even though the most unethical attorneys and chiropractors engage in such shady habits, they give the wider community of decent professionals a bad reputation. We have all been tarnished by the “ambulance chaser” perception. Now that the earlier decision has been superseded the law is clear: you cannot contact car wreck survivors or relatives of deceased individuals until 30 days after the crash.

I think that is absolutely correct. Injured people need that time to properly recuperate. If you’ve been in a catastrophic accident which has potential life-changing consequences, you need time to get your head straight. The problem is that the law does nothing to prevent the at-fault driver’s insurance company from visiting you in your hospital room and coercing you into signing away your legal rights for a quick $4,000 check when your medical expenses will likely run in excess of $20,000 medical bill (not to mention all those lost wages, a totaled car, etc.) Tighter rules also need to be enforced to protect injured people from these ruthless insurance adjustors who consistently put profits above people.

My hope is that personal injury victims are smart enough to know how to protect themselves. You don’t need to sign anything the insurance adjustor gives you – in fact you’re not obliged to talk to them at all. You can refuse outright if you want. You have no legal right to discuss your case with them whatsoever. Of course, you can hire a PI lawyer to represent you immediately following your accident if you so wish. There are many lawyers situated throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. At the very least, you should get online and do some research into your rights so that you can confront the situation informed. My website is a comprehensive resource for you regardless of whether you’ve been injured in an auto collision, pedestrian accident, animal attack, or any other situation.

Please concentrate on getting well, but don’t be naïve. It’s important that you know your rights. If you decide that you would like to speak to a board certified attorney with 20 years’ experience, then you can give me a call at your convenience. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally in Fort Worth at 817-29-1900 or Dallas 214-327-8000.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I know that traffic wrecks can produce devastating and life-changing injuries. Sometimes they can be deadly. They are always preventable.

There is no more upsetting story than a fatal car crash, particularly when the person who loses their life is a kid. A deadly freeway collision occurred in Plano last night. 9-year-old Marcie Hooton from Carrollton was riding in a car with her mother and sister on State Highway 121 off southbound Sam Rayburn Tollway when they experienced engine trouble. Their stopped car was hit from behind by a tow truck, killing Marcie.

Marcie’s mother and sister were taken to the Medical Center of Plano. Both are expected to survive, both their conditions are described as serious. Frisco Police Sgt. Adam Henderson said it was not likely that charges would be brought against the driver of the tow truck sine he was neither impaired nor distracted at the time of the crash, according to the Dallas Morning News. The cause of the accident in still under investigation at this time.

Based on the initial report it seems spectacularly clear to me that the tow truck driver is clearly at fault for causing the wreck which led to the wrongful death of this young child. You don’t have to be drunk or texting behind the wheel to be a negligent driver. Speeding, failure to observe the road ahead of you, and failure to act to prevent a collision are all negligent actions. In my mind the tow truck driver is certainly the one at fault in this tragic accident.

My thoughts are with the Hooton family and their friends at what must certainly be a most difficult time. I wish Marcie’s mother and sister and full and speedy recovery.


Mark Anderson, Personal Injury Lawyer. Toll free: 800-354-6275. Local: 214-327-8000.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer I’ve seen all sorts of unusual auto accident cases over the past 20 years. A fatal collision which occurred in Grand Prairie last week is proving to be one such case which has no shortage of twists. The wreck occurred on Friday night on I-30 near Highway 161. Gustavo Camacho (31, of Arlington) crashed his truck into the back of a car, starting a multi-vehicle pileup. Shun Jerome Williams (32) was in the car rear-ended by Camacho and was killed in the accident. Several others were injured including members of the Lara family who were riding in the third vehicle.

Camacho was charged with Intoxication Manslaughter and Intoxication Assault. Police report that he was also driving without a valid license and that he had two prior drunk driving convictions. Now it turns out that he might have been in the country illegally. Camacho is currently being held at Dallas County Jail under a federal hold order from customs and immigration officials.

I have helped clients before who have been injured by illegal aliens and who are rightly concerned whether they can still pursue a personal injury claim for compensation even though the negligent driver was not lawfully in the USA. The answer is that if they have an American insurance policy, then of course you can. Insurance providers are not required to obtain proof of citizenship or even legal residency in order to insure someone.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a traffic accident and you believe the at fault driver is in Texas illegally, then it is critical that you contact an experienced car wreck attorney as soon as possible as in these cases time is often of the essence. Call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at 817-294-1900 and I’ll be happy to discuss your personal situation and explain your legal rights.

Speeding led to a fiery car crash on Katy Road in Keller early Sunday morning.

Witnesses heard 40-year-old, Robert Lopez plow through a field and crush through two fences before hitting the foundation of a small house. Police said Lopez was driving more than 90 mph in a 30 mph zone when his Mercedes CLS550.

The car burst into flames on impact with the house. Witnesses freed Lopez from the car, but his injuries were too great. He was pronounced dead at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Luckily, the family inside the home was able to get out unharmed.

Keller police said speed was definitely a factor in the car accident. Katy Road is very narrow due to construction for a Fort Worth sewer line project, but police also think alcohol could have played a part in the accident. Authorities are waiting on toxicology tests to see if any dangerous substances were in Lopez’s system.

What a terrifying ordeal for the family whose home was hit in this car accident. I can’t imagine waking up to find a flaming car in my living room! I’m so happy that the family escaped the fire and that nobody inside was hurt by the car.

We see this way too often in Dallas and Fort Worth—speeding drivers that cause car accidents. Now whether or not Lopez was drinking and driving; only time will tell. But why on earth was he going 90 mph in a 30 mph zone if he wasn’t?

Fortunately in this story, only the driver was injured. In my line of work as a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, it’s usually just the opposite. My clients are usually the ones most hurt after accidents – just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and were hurt in a car accident because of a drunk driver or some other negligence, call the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

When you think of drunk driving accidents happening, you generally think of them happening at night. But even in the light of day, all drivers in the Fort Worth, Dallas area need to be aware of drunk drivers sharing the road.

The terrible actions of a reckless drunk driver took the life of a Granbury man in the middle of the day on Saturday.Rescue workers declared Robert Siever dead at the scene after his Harley-Davidson motorcycle collided with a Honda CRV.The driver of the Honda, Korby Shipley, was arrested on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.

At my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, we’ve represented many victims of drunk driving and the aftermath from their accident is usually devastating. Through the years of representing these clients, I’ve learned that drunk drivers are around us all the time.

Even in the middle of the day we need to drive defensively and stay aware of people driving who look like they’ve been boozing. But sometimes, unfortunately, all the defensive driving in the world isn't going to help. We are often left to suffer the consequences of someone else's reckless decision to drink and drive.

If you’ve been injured because of a drunk driver, you have legal options. To learn more about your legal options after a drunk driving accident, give my law firm a call at 817-294-1900 and set up a free, no obligation case consultation with us.

An 18-wheeler accident is causing traffic delays of over an hour in Dallas today. The accident occurred around 5.30 this morning which has meant a nightmare commute for thousands of motorists. The big rig was headed west on I-30 when the truck overturned. The wreck happened near I-635 in Mesquite, closing the ramp from southbound I-635 for several hours. Currently there is no information regarding the cause of the collision or whether other vehicles were involved. I certainly hope not, because as a Texas personal injury lawyer I know that passengers in car which are involved in large truck accidents often suffer terrible injuries.

The fact that the road is still closed suggests that the police are conducting a thorough investigation of the crash scene and the circumstances leading up to the wreck – as they should. This is particularly important in a commercial trucking accident if anyone has suffered life-threatening injuries as big truck companies are notorious at trying to delay or deny payments to innocent victims injured due to the negligence of a truck driver.

That is why if you or a loved one have been hurt in an 18-wheeler collision it is essential that you consult with a board certified PI and wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible following the accident. At the Anderson Law Firm we have our own in-house investigator who is able to visit the crash scene and gather evidence to support your claim for compensation. Without an attorney on your side, it can be incredibly difficult to recover the damages you deserve to cover your medical bills, loss of income and pain and suffering caused by the truck wreck.

For a no fee, no obligation consultation on your big rig accident injury case, call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at 214-324-800. Alternatively, you can contact me online and my office will get back to you straight away.

A new study on cell phones is making some major buzz in the news today. According to the World Health Organization, radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer.

Of course everyone is up in arms at the idea of cell phones and the big “C” word, but I ask you, aren’t cell phones already killing people?

As a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth, I know that my biggest worry isn’t whether or not a cell phone is going to give me cancer; it’s that I’m going to get in a car accident because of someone TALKING on a cell phone.

I think that distracted drivers, people talking and texting while operating a vehicle, are much more dangerous than radiation from cell phones that could “possibly cause cancer.” Why is it that this issue gets all the buzz when distracted driving has already killed 5,474 people in 2009 alone?

All I’m saying is that we have a lot more pressing cell phone safety issues to worry about than just the possibility of them causing cancer. But, that’s just my two cents.

If you would like to learn more about my law firms distracted driving initiative for teens, please visit my Teens Against Distracted Driving page and get the teen driver in your house to sign up today.