Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Don’t worry Bieber fans; Justin is going to be fine. The teen sensation was involved in a minor fender bender on Tuesday in San Fernando Valley when a Honda Civic hit his black Ferrari. Nobody was hurt in the accident and Justin’s hair remains intact, as do both cars.

I bet the person driving the Honda was certainly surprised to see Justin Bieber in the driver’s seat; I wonder if they got his autograph after the car accident? I don’t think Justin was texting and driving – he has his own iPhone app just to prevent distracted driving.

Justin, I’m very glad you weren’t hurt – but give my personal injury law firm a call if you’re ever in a car wreck in Texas. I’d be happy to represent you, but only if you promise to give my daughter an autograph first!

A wrong-way car accident took the life of a young mother from Azle on Sunday morning near the Texas Motor Speedway in Interstate 35W. A pickup truck was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes when it hit a Ford passenger van, carrying seven people. After hitting the van, the truck spun around and was broadsided by a Nissan Altima with three people inside.

The passenger in the wrong-way truck, Brandi Blue, died at the scene of the accident. In total, 10 people were injured in the accident although none of their injuries were believed to be life-threatening. The southbound lanes were closed for about six hours on Sunday so Northlake police could investigate the wreck. Still no word on what caused the pickup truck’s driver to go the wrong way.

It seems like the number of wrong-way car accidents in DFW is sadly on the rise. Usually induced by alcohol, these wrecks are almost always serious and fatal accidents. If you see a wrong-way driver, please call the police not only for the driver’s safety but for the safety of all the other drivers behind you. If you drive on the highway late at night, try to stay out of the left lane. Drunk or impaired drivers will drive the wrong way in the left lane thinking it’s a two-lane road.
If you ever are in a car wreck caused by a wrong-way driver and need help figuring out what to do, call my accident and injury law firm in Fort Worth for advice.

If your teenager has just started learning to drive or has achieved their provisional license, you might be looking for the best car to purchase. Although I know most teenager would love a flashy convertible sports car, as a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I would strongly discourage such a vehicle as it could encourage your teen to drive recklessly. Leave it until they are much more experienced; ideally, until they can afford to buy such a car themselves!

When buying your teen a car, the two most important qualities are safety and reliability. Modern cars have all sorts of safety features which typically come as standard. The ones you should look for in particular are antilock brakes, airbags, daytime running lights, adjustable head restraints and electronic stability control. Most teens’ first care will be second hand; but make sure that you check all maintenance and repair histories before purchasing – and that the seller is offering you a good warranty on the vehicle.

It’s also a good idea to buy a vehicle similar in size to the car your teen has become accustomed to driving as a learner. Smaller sedans are usually a good choice as they are fairly study and since they get good gas mileage are more affordable to run. SUVs and pickup trucks are discouraged due to their high propensity to rollover if involved in a wreck. If it is not possible to find a car similar in size, weight and power to the car they learnt to drive in, make sure that you put in additional practice hours before they are allowed to drive unsupervised.

The man responsible for the death of 17-year-old Francisco Reyes has been caught by Irving police. Last week, we wrote about the hunt for the man responsible for this fatal hit-and-run car accident.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 14, Reyes was walking on the Highway 183 south service road when he was hit from behind. From debris left at the scene of the accident, police were able to conclude that it was a 2010 or 2011 Dodge Challenger that killed Reyes and fled.

Police got a tip that a Dodge Challenger matching the vehicles description was in a Denton body shop for repairs. From that tip, authorities were able to arrest 29-year-old John David Wright and charge with a third-degree felony for leaving the scene of the accident.

At the Anderson Law Firm, we are glad to see this investigation come to an end – there are too many criminals responsible for fatal car accidents that never get caught in Texas. We’re happy to see that this man will have to face the music and pay for his actions.

Are trucks in New York too big for their bridges? It seems to be the case in one town in particular where large commercial trucks simply can’t clear the overpass. In the town of Binghamton on Tuesday, a tractor trailer hit a railroad bridge and got jammed underneath it as the truck was simply too tall to pass underneath. It’s the third truck accident in two months at the same bridge.

In the video shot by TV station WBNG, you can see how the bridge crushed all the cars the tractor trailer was carrying. Drivers are warned of the bridges low clearance, but either they aren’t paying attention or just can’t find another route to get where they’re going.

This got me wondering about the bridges in Fort Worth and the rest of DFW. Do we have bridges that eat trucks like this in our area, too? As a personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, this makes me question the bridges structural integrity. It’s been hit so many times; can it support the train that drives over it? Obviously, the truck drivers in Binghamton need to pay more attention to low bridges like this and the city needs to ensure all motorists that the bridge is safe to drive under.

Over the years I’ve heard every excuse possible from distracted drivers who’ve crashed into my personal injury clients. Usually it’s something along the lines of “I had an important work email” or “I didn’t want my friend to think I was rude by not picking up.” My answer to those pleas is that a) no email is more important that the safety of you, your passengers and other road users, and b) I’m sure if you called your friend back later and explained that you’d been driving, there would be no problem.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I firmly believe that there is never an excuse to use your cellphone while driving: not to text, not to call someone, not to email. Fortunately, as the dangers of distracted driving become more prolific, more cities (such as Arlington) are cracking down on drivers who use their cellphone while behind the wheel.

Simultaneously, new technology is helping to put an end to the distracted driving epidemic as well. One new app which could really help those people who don’t want to miss a thing, is Text ’n Drive which was even featured on CNN. It’s a voice-operated app, which means you can use it hands free, and it will read you your emails and your text messages while you’re on the go. Even better, it will send an email or SMS to your contact to let them know you’re driving but that you’ll respond to their message as soon as you’ve reached your destination! How good is that? Not only does it keep you from appearing rude, but it also reminds others that using a cellphone while driving is dangerous. Fantastic!

A family in Dallas has a tree to thank for keeping them safe from a drunk driver. Around 2:30 am on Sunday morning, a speeding car on the 12400 block of Jupiter Road in Dallas ran a red light and lost control. The vehicle crashed through a fence then slid off a tree before hitting the garage of the house.

One of the three men in the car accident, 19-year-old Humberto Najera of Dallas, was killed and another man fled the scene of the wreck on foot before being caught up with by authorities. According to him, the three men had been drinking before the accident.
The homeowners said they were grateful the tree deflected the car into their garage, rather than in the master bedroom where their mother was sleeping. Thankfully, nobody inside the home was hurt.

It seems like these days there’s not much you can do to protect yourself from drunk drivers. Even if you’re at home, some drunk person can crash their car into your house! It’s terrible to see a life end so young because of the dumb decision to drink and drive. Unfortunately, his friends have learned in the worst way that our actions have consequences.

If you have been hurt by a drunk driver in DFW, you can also pursue a civil claim against them your for injuries, besides the criminal case. You can read about this on my accident and injury law firm’s website, or contact me directly at 817-294-1900.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident in Dallas-Fort Worth, chances are that you’ve asked yourself this question. Particularly if the insurance adjuster assigned to your car wreck case was able to help you get your vehicle repaired without much hassle, you might wonder whether it’s even worth paying an attorney to handle your personal injury claim.

The honest truth is that sometimes it might not be worth it. In my 20 years of experience, I’ve found that generally if the total amount of medical expenses and loss of income is less than $5,000, you can probably handle your claim without an attorney and still expect to receive the full and fair settlement you deserve. However, once you start taking into account all past and future doctor bills, hospital visits, lost wages and reduction in quality of life, the dollar amount goes up. The higher the amount of money you think you deserve, the more likely it is that you need a lawyer to fight the insurance company for you.

Not convinced? Then consider this study funded by the United Sates insurance industry that found that personal injury victims who hired a lawyer, netted on average 3½ times more money that people with identical injuries who decided to go it alone. Do the math: even if your lawyer’s fee was a third of the total settlement, that means you’d still come out with more than double if you’d tried to take on the insurance company alone.

For an honest and fair assessment of what your Texas personal injury case is really worth, give me a call toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275). There is no obligation to hire me as your attorney, and there is absolutely no fee unless I win your case.

Truck accidents in Texas usually happen on the ground, but that wasn’t the case today in New York when a Department of Sanitation truck crashed through the third floor of building in Queens.

The driver of the truck was literally left hanging from the third story in the cab of the truck until emergency teams could rescue him 30 minutes later. The driver was taken to a local hospital with neck and back injuries, but no word yet on what caused the wreck.
Crazy to look at huh?

At my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, we hear about the same kinds of car accidents caused by drunk drivers over and over. The worst thing about them is that they are completely preventable!

Early Sunday morning, Michael Garza, stepped out of the Honda he was riding after it crashed into a barrier on Interstate 20 in Grand Prairie. While checking the damage to his car, another vehicle slammed into him and his Honda ending his life.

What caused the car Garza was riding in to hit the barrier? The answer could lie in what the driver, Taja Deweese, was drinking that night. According to police, Deweese hit the barrier near an exit because she was intoxicated.

The driver of the Jeep that hit the Honda was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center with serious injuries. His son who was also a passenger only suffered minor injuries.

In science class, you always hear every action has a reaction. Look at this car wreck for example. One little thing can cause a chain reaction around you. We can’t control the actions of others, but we can control our own. Don’t drink and drive and especially don’t get into a car with someone you know has been drinking – even if you are too incapacitated to drive yourself. We represent far too many clients who have been injured by drunk drivers at my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth. There is always another alternative to drinking and driving – don’t risk it or your life could change forever.

No-one ever wants to be involved in a car crash, let alone seriously injured. Unfortunately, however, serious traffic collisions happen throughout Dallas-Fort Worth on a daily basis. If you or a loved one has been injured in a wreck which wasn’t your fault it is wise to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can explain your rights and responsibilities as a Texas accident victim.

When a new client hires me as their attorney, I handle everything on their behalf. I deal with the insurance company. I can make sure that they get the medical treatment they need. I pay for all case expenses upfront; this includes obtaining medical records, filing the lawsuit, depositions and hiring experts to help explain the evidence. Only when a successful settlement is achieved do I take my payment. My clients do not have to cut me a check every month, or each time I get a bill related to their case. I handle it all, allowing my clients to focus on recovering from their injuries and getting better.

For a free, no obligation consultation on your personal injury claim, call the Anderson Law Firm at either 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000.

I’ve said it hundreds of times before, and it seems that certain idiot drivers are determined for me to say it several hundred more times: don’t drink and drive. There is never an excuse. Since I first started helping personal injury victims throughout Dallas-Fort Worth 20 years ago, alcohol-related traffic accidents have caused far too many pointless injuries and fatalities throughout the metroplex. I have helped many of those people who have been injured by a drunk driver as a Texas car crash lawyer.

Yet people continue to wreck both their lives and the lives of others by making to inexcusable decision to get behind the wheel after having a drink. At approximately 1:45 this morning, for example, a woman suspected of drink-driving drove the wrong way down I-20 in Arlington and sideswiped an 18-wheeler. Both drivers were transported to John Peter Smith Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. As a result of the collision, police were forced to close the westbound lanes of I-20 near Green Oaks Boulevard for several hours, interfering with the morning drive for thousands of commuters.

As if that wasn’t enough, Arlington emergency services were already busy dealing with the aftermath of two other fatal accidents which occurred within the previous few hours:

At 10.30pm yesterday a lone driver was speeding down Eden Road near Kennedale when he lost control of his vehicle and flipped off the road. The deceased was a 30-year-old male. His name has not yet been released by authorities.

Later, at approximately 1.30am, a passenger riding in pickup was ejected and killed after the pickup was struck from behind by a hit and run driver. Police are still searching for the driver responsible for the collision, whom they believe was driving a white Nissan truck. Anyone who may have any information is asked to contact Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5635.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash caused by a negligent motorist, regardless of whether alcohol was a factor, you are invited to call the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at the Anderson Law Firm by calling toll free at 800-354-6275.

If you’ve been injured in a traffic wreck involving an 18-wheeler, you’ve likely suffered some serious injuries. Unfortunately, negligent trucking companies and their insurance providers are notorious for dragging their feet when it comes to actually paying a settlement. However, as a Fort Worth truck accident and injury lawyer with 20 years’ experience, I’m here to tell you that you do have options.

If you don’t have health insurance, then you can use the public health system which is available to you. Alternatively, you can incur the medical bills and pay them once your case has been resolved.

Even if you do have health insurance, you still have to deal with paying deductibles and co-pays which can quickly mount up too. These contribute to one of the lesser-known effects of being in a crash: damage to your credit rating. If you’re not able to make the payments to cover your doctor bills, it can seriously hurt your credit. Unsurprisingly, unpaid medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcy in America.

Fortunately, a board certified attorney is usually able to negotiate with the health care provider to prevent your debt from going to collections. Here at the Anderson Law Firm, we have plenty of experience in fighting the commercial trucking companies as well, to make sure that you get the full and fair compensation that you deserve. Give us a call today for a free consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally at 817-294-1900.

School’s around the corner for kids in Fort Worth and Dallas and for parents that means preparing our children for the new school year. We get them ready with new school supplies and clothes, but if you have a teen driver – you may want to put them through a refresher course on how to be a safe driver. You see, even though teen drivers only represent 7 percent of the licensed population, they are involved in 20 percent of all fatal car accidents.

Car accidents are the leading killer of teenagers in America, and as personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, I can tell you that almost all of these accidents in DFW could have been avoided. If your teen is preparing to drive to school for the first time this year, or even if they drove last year, take the time to go over some basics of the road and set down some ground rules that could potentially save their life.

Teen drivers in Texas have a high rate of car crashes because they simple don’t have that much driving experience. They get distracted easily, have trouble spotting driving risks and fail to choose the appropriate speed. Here are some easy ways to protect your teen driver:

•Limit or restrict completely the number of friends they are allowed to drive: studies show that by just adding 1 teen passenger, the fatal crash risk nearly doubles.
•Limit their driving at night and on the weekends
•Remind them to always where a seatbelt and put down their cell phone: Distracted driving and not wearing a seat belt are some of the leading killers of teens. As a parent you are part of the solution! Lead by example: put your seat belt on and don’t mess with your phone while you drive. Also, don’t add to the problem by calling your teen while you know they’re driving. Set up a plan with your teenager to have them call you as they about to drive to and from places – not while they are in the act.

Car accidents are avoidable when you follow the basic safety rules, even for teens. Use this time to remind your teen about safe driving habits and also what to do if they get in an accident. As always, you’re better safe than sorry.

The DFW arts community is mourning the loss of influential philanthropist, Charles Wyly after a fatal car accident in Aspen, Colorado. Wyly was making a left-hand turn on to Highway 82 when his car was T-boned by Ford SUV. Wyly was rushed to a nearby hospital where he later died due to severe injuries. The driver of the SUV is alright and only sustained moderate injuries. Authorities in Colorado say that they don’t think alcohol or drugs were factors in the car wreck and that both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of impact.

Wyly made his fortune through several business ventures, most notably by founding Michaels arts and craft stores. He was a lover of the arts and was on the board of directors of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation and the Dallas Theater Center. Wyly was a founding father of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Wyly Theater in Dallas, which is home to the Dallas Theatre Center’s resident acting company.

Wyly certainly gave back to the community and it’s sad to see him go in such a tragic car accident. Our condolences are with his family, but we know his spirit will live on in the theaters he helped to create.

- Commentary provided by Mark A. Anderson, Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney in Fort Worth, TX.

“I know it’s not smart,” my client explained “but I don’t do well with stress.”

My client had called to tell me that he had decided to throw in the towel. “I’m willing to accept whatever the insurance adjuster is willing to offer,” he clarified.

He sounded like his mind was made up, but I really hoped that it wasn’t. I understood his concerns, they were perfectly natural. I’d had this exact same conversation with countless other personal injury victims before. Usually I was able to make them understand that deciding to go it alone without a lawyer up against the bullying might of the insurance company is rarely a wise move.

In this particular instance, my client was afraid of the stress of pursuing a claim. Yet he was ironically attempting to handle the claim process alone – without an attorney. I explained to him that many clients actually hired me simply to take the stress off them. When you hire a personal injury attorney, we deal with the stress for you. We’ll file the paper work, negotiate with the insurance adjuster and handle everything. You can just focus on getting better and putting your life back together.

To make matters worse, by deciding to pursue his claim for compensation alone, and by willingly accepting an insufficient low settlement, my client could look forward to plenty of future stress trying to cover the cost of his medical treatment for his injuries. Bare in mind, of course, that unpaid hospital bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in America, and that accident injury victims who hire a lawyer typically recover 3.5 times as much than those who don’t.

Just because Texas law entitles you to full and fair compensation for your injuries, it doesn’t necessarily mean the insurance company will willingly give it to you. Hiring a board certified trial lawyer is the best way to simultaneously reduce your personal stress during the claim process while maximizing the compensation you may receive.

For a free, no obligation consultation on your personal situation, please call me in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.

How many times will drunk drivers cause accidents in Texas? Early this morning, a Mansfield woman with a history of alcohol related arrests, drove her car the wrong way down Interstate 30 eastbound and crashed into an 18-wheeler hauling fuel. After the truck was hit by the drunk driver’s car, it jack-knifed and spilled about 100 gallons of fuel. Thankfully, the truck driver was ok but as for the Mansfield woman, she is in very critical condition at Baylor Medical Center.

This was a messy accident. Emergency crews had to cut into the woman’s car to free her and the highway had to remain closed for several hours, causing havoc right before the morning rush-hour. If you had to drive on I-30 this morning, I’m sure this accident affected your commute. All because of the idiot decisions by one person.

Truckers get a bad rap by a lot of drivers, but it’s not always them who cause 18-wheeler accidents in Texas. Because of their shipment schedules, these hard-working guys are out there driving at all hours of the night. Unfortunately, that’s when a lot of intoxicated drivers are driving too. Even though the investigation is on-going and police haven’t said officially if this young woman was intoxicated, I feel almost certain that she was. I mean come on, how do you not know you’re driving down the wrong side of the highway unless you’re drunk?

Police said this woman has a history of alcohol related arrests – she’s just 25!!! How many times does it take before you get the point!? It’s crazy to me that the state of Texas can’t get a hold on this problem. I try to do everything I can as a Fort Worth drunk driving accident attorney to hold these criminals responsible for their actions. I really do hope this young lady makes a full recovery; she’s just 25 and has the rest of her life to get it together. Maybe this time she can finally learn from her actions and put down the bottle.

It was a ride young Gatlin Jeter will never forget – and it was all caught on camera. Last Saturday, Jeter was on his way to get something for his grandmother when he could not get the cruise control on his Ford F-150 to disengage. Jeter was going 60 mph headed toward what he thought was an imminent car accident.

"I went to slow down, when I hit the breaks, the breaks wouldn't go in. The breaks wouldn't move at all. So at that point I realized that something's wrong. I tried turning the keys. I tried using the gear shift. Nothing worked. Nothing moved,” Jeter said.

He frantically called 911 and told them what was happening. Officer Rocky Carrell got the call and was able to track down the speeding truck in the nick of time. Just a few streets from crowded downtown Huntsville and a busy intersection, Carrell was able to use his police SUV to stop the truck.

I heard this story on the Today show this morning. Terrifying, to say the least. Here’s the video of how the police officer was able to stop the truck:

Is there a product liability issue with the truck’s stuck cruise control? It could’ve been possible if the run-away vehicle wasn’t stopped, although Ford said they can’t comment on the incident and aren’t aware of any safety issues with the truck’s cruise control system.

I’m just glad that everyone was safe and that they driver of this rogue vehicle knew what to do – call the police. On my personal injury blogs, I write about negligent drivers causing car wrecks a lot, but for once I’m able to write about one that was prevented.

We’ve written several times throughout the year our personal injury law firm’s stance on red light cameras at Texas intersections, but now a new study really proves what we thought all along. In the first statewide study of its kind, the Texas Transportation Institute found a 25 percent drop in crashes at intersections with red-light cameras.

Critics of the cameras say they are an unjust way for the city to make money and discount the cameras accuracy; however our Fort Worth car accident attorneys say numbers don’t lie. In the report released Monday, Dallas had a 38 percent drop in red-light crashes at intersections where cameras had been up and running for two years and Fort Worth saw a 24 percent drop in collisions where cameras had been installed for one year.

Sure, nothing is perfect. These cameras can make mistakes, but you can always contest your red-light camera violation. In our opinion, anything that deters red-light violators from cause accidents is a good thing. We are glad to see that this program is working and hope that it continues to deter people from speeding through intersections when they shouldn’t.

Although the Anderson Law Firm doesn’t handle traffic tickets, we can help you in other areas of personal injury law like car accidents, truck wrecks and child injury cases.

We’ve all heard the PSA “Drink, Drive, Go To Jail” from Texas law enforcement agencies, but for people in San Antonio, it’s not just jail time that will get you. Digital billboards in the San Antonio area will now feature the names and photos of suspected drunken drivers who are sought.

It’s a new effort by police and Bexar County authorities to get felony offenders and people sought for charges like intoxication assault or vehicular manslaughter to surrender. The program is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and use of about a dozen electronic billboards has been donated by Clear Channel Outdoor.

What would it take to get these billboards in North Texas? I think this is a great idea, and not just because I work as a personal injury attorney who handles drunk driving accident cases. To me, anyone who would drive drunk and completely disrespect the law should be publicly humiliated. Not only would more of these criminals get caught, but I think it would also deter people from drinking and driving. Whatever works to make our streets safer is ok with me – and I never mind a really funny mug shot either.

What do you think? Would you like to see these types of billboards in Fort Worth? Do you think it would help make people smarter drivers?

As a Fort Worth commercial truck accident lawyer I know that auto collisions involving big rigs are always extremely serious and frequently fatal. A young couple were killed in a deadly 18-wheeler crash in Fort Worth early this morning. Police report that the wreck occurred on westbound I-30 near Las Vegas Trail around 2.30am. The driver of a Suzuki Forenza, identified as Antonio Andrade (22) and an unnamed female passenger (20) died after crashing into the back of a stopped 18-wheeler. The trucker – who has also not yet been identified - was not injured in the wreck.

Early reports suggest that the commercial truck was completely stopped when the car ran into the back of it, although the police investigation is ongoing. Thorough investigations are always essential whenever someone is injured or dies in a collision with a trucking company vehicle. This is because trucking companies and their insurance providers do whatever they can to protect their profits, so they want to avoid paying out claims for compensation in instances when someone was hurt due to their employee’s negligence, if that was the case.

Whenever someone is injured in a commercial truck crash, it is essential that they hire an experienced truck accident injury attorney as soon as possible so that you have someone who understands the legal process making sure that your rights are respected and protected, and to make sure that you get the full and fair damages you might be entitled to. For a free consultation on your Texas truck wreck claim, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

Even though Governor Rick Perry didn’t seem to think that texting and driving was a safety concern in Texas, the city of Arlington does. This Tuesday, the Arlington City Council will discuss a proposal that would ban using a hand-held cell phone to talk, text or send emails while driving in Arlington. Although nothing is not on the agenda to be voted on at this week’s city council meeting, it’s a step in the right direction.

"Ultimately what we are trying to do is create a safer city, an environment where the road is used for driving -- not gaming, texting and looking at videos and messing with the phone,” said District 3 Councilman Robert Rivera, who is a main supporter of the new ordinance.

Every day car accident victims call my personal injury law firm in Fort Worthhttp://www.maafirm.com for help. And every day more and of those car wrecks are caused by distracted drivers. From May 2010 and May 2011, 824 of the 6,094 traffic wrecks reported in Arlington were caused by distracted drivers. These accidents are completely avoidable and I’m glad the city of Arlington is prepared to do something about it.

Texting or talking on your hand-held cell phone is so dangerous. Is it really worth your life or someone else’s to take the call or reply to a text? If you have to get a blue tooth device—they aren’t that expensive and much more comfortable to talk on anyway. If you have teenagers, urge them to put the phone down. There are iPhone apps designed to help them do this or tell them to take my Teens Against Distracted Driving Pledge. It’s just not worth your life to mess on your cell phone.