Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Now that the cooler weather is upon us, the Dallas Cowboys are starting to play better and the Texas Rangers are in the World Series, tailgating is once again incredibly popular across in and around Arlington.

Unfortunately, another kind of tailgating – a much more dangerous kind – is also happening. Tailgating is the name given to the practice of driving dangerously close to another vehicle. As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer I’ve handled a number of cases where a car wreck was caused by a tailgater. Sometimes they are motorcyclists, sometimes they are 18 wheeler truck drivers – but they are all extremely serious.

As stressful and annoying as it is to find another car riding your tail, it’s important to remember not to respond angrily. Do not “brake check” them as you’re almost certainly going to cause a potentially fatal accident. Whether they are deliberately tailgating or not, the best course of action is to just try to get out of their way. Let them pass you and get out of your way. Get yourself out of danger.

If you have been in a collision caused by an aggressive driver, then it’s important that you hire a board certified personal injury attorney as soon as possible who can build a case against this dangerous driver to make sure their insurance company pays you the full and fair compensation you deserve to cover any medical expenses you’ve incurred as well as recover any property damage costs. To talk to a lawyer today call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I know that traffic accidents are extremely common in the North Texas area, which is why we must always take every precaution possible whenever we get out on the road. Particularly if you are traveling with passengers – and the passengers are children – it is critical that you do everything you can to ensure you arrive at your destination without getting in a wreck and without anyone being injured.

Unfortunately, in the 20 plus years I’ve been working on car crash cases in DFW, I’ve seen a number of collisions involving daycare vans. Vans are notoriously dangerous because they are extremely likely to rollover if they are involved in an accident. Eight percent of all 15-seater van fatalities are a direct result of the van rolling over after impact.

Passenger vans are so dangerous, in fact, that Texas schools are banned from using them, however, there are no restrictions on other organizations such as churches and daycares from using them. If organizations transporting your child do choose to use a van, they have an obligation to ensure every safety precaution is taken, otherwise their negligence could result in a very serious child injury.

Given that 50 percent of all rollover van accidents (according to the NHTSA) occur when the van is loaded to capacity, this means that a daycare van transporting more children than the van is built for is directly jeopardizing the safety of all those children. The following video from China is a direct example of what not to do:



If you or a loved one have been injured in a Texas auto collision, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

If you occasionally drive outside of Dallas-Fort Worth down to either Austin or San Antonio, you’ll know what a nightmare it can be on I-35; particularly when the interstate shrinks to just two lanes in each direction between Waco and Hillsborough. I’ve spent many hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic in that area and it is incredibly frustrating. Usually, there isn’t even a collision which has caused the congestion; more often than not it’s one semi truck trying to pass a tractor trailer.

Yesterday morning, however, it was a crash which brought I-35 to a standstill near Waco. Predictably, it was an 18-wheeler truck which was responsible. Police say that the truck, which was carrying a tank-like container was too big to pass beneath an underpass, so the trucker performed an emergency stop. Unfortunately, several other motorists following behind him were unable to brake in time and the result was a ten vehicle pile-up including two trucks and eight other cars and pick-ups.

Texas state troopers are still investigating the accident and in particular are focusing on the tanker truck which caused the wreck and whether its oversize load was illegal. As a Texas personal injury lawyer, I know that overloaded or improperly secured cargo has been responsible for many auto accidents over the years. This is negligence on behalf of the trucker and the motor carrier company they work for. If it is determined that their negligence was responsible for Tuesday’s crash, then they are certainly liable to pay compensation to those who suffered personal injury or property damage in the wreck.

I offer a complimentary copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case to all Texas accident victims and their loved ones, because I know that the days following a crash are often very confusing and it’s important that you understand your rights – particularly if you have been hospitalized. To request your free copy, please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

Yesterday, I reported on the Grand Prairie car wreck which claimed the life of one teenage passenger (Carlos Marquez Jr., 15, of Arlington) and injured another three. I am greatly saddened to hear that the driver of the car, Kimberly Pimentel, 17, of Grand Prairie was also pronounced dead yesterday afternoon at Methodist Dallas Medical Center where she had been receiving treatment for her critical injuries.

My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of those involved in the crash. My thoughts are with you at this incredibly difficult time.

The two other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the collision have been identified as Isaiah Rodriguez, 16, of Arlington and Flordeluna Flores, 15, of Grand Prairie. Both remain hospitalized at this time. I wish them a full recovery.

The four friends were all students at Timberview High School in Mansfield. Friends and relatives said that they had performed together in a school play. Police investigating the crash scene believe that Pimentel lost control of her vehicle while passing another motorist on Highway 360, crashing into the median and a tree. The police have ruled out alcohol as a factor in this tragic collision.

A Grand Prairie car wreck claimed the life of one teenager and left three others injured this weekend. The accident took place at approximately 11:30pm on Saturday night on South Texas 360 near New York Avenue. The four Mansfield Timberview High School students were riding in a Lexus driven by Kimberly Pimental, 17, of Grand Prairie. Police believe that Pimental lost control of her car as she attempted to pass a slower vehicle, ultimately crashing into the median and colliding with a tree.

Carlos Marquez Jr., 15, of Arlington, was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Another passenger, Isaiah Rodriguez, 16, of Arlington, was ejected from the car and is currently being treated for critical injuries at John Pere Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Pimental is also believed to be in critical condition and is currently receiving treatment at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The third passenger, Flordeluna Flores, 15, of Grand Prairie, is believed to be in a stable condition.

Police have made it clear that they have no reason to suspect that alcohol was a factor in this tragic accident.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer, I wish to express my most sincere sympathies to the loved ones of Mr. Carlos Marquez Jr. I am very sorry for your loss. I would also like to let the families and friends of the three children still in hospital know that our thoughts are with you. We wish you all a speedy and full recovery.

I know that the students and faculty at Mansfield Timberview High School will be devastated by this terrible news. Last week the school’s head football coach, Cody McCarthy, 29, died of an apparent heart attack. Grief counselors will be at the school today to help the high school community in this awful period of mourning.

Ever heard that rear-end accidents are always the fault of the driver hitting the other car? Yeah, we’ve hear that too and although that is the case 95 percent of the time, there are also those incidents where the car accident isn’t the fault of the behind driver. In Texas there isn’t automatic fault in rear-end accidents.

To explain this a little more, we filmed a video with our personal injury firm’s founding attorney, Mark Anderson. Watch the video and see if you understand how fault is determined in rear-end car accidents.

There has been an absolutely shocking heartbreaking story floating around the web and major news stations about a little girl who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in China. Today, the sad news broke that the 2-year-old Chinese girl has died.

Last week, video surfaced of the little girl lying on the street after getting hit by two cars. The child was ignored by pedestrians and other cars for several minutes until somebody finally stopped for help. The video is difficult to watch and simply too graphic to put on this blog. Rightfully so, these images have sparked a debate about the morality of the Chinese people and human compassion in general.

In Texas, we hear about hit and run accidents all the time in the news and even after more than 20 years of working as a personal injury lawyer, these wrecks get me every time. Why don’t people just stop and help? Even if the fault is yours, the punishment is nothing compared to what you’ll face if you flee the scene and get caught later.

Hopefully, we have more Good Samaritans in America that would never let something like this happen to an innocent little girl.

Following in the footsteps of Fort Worth and Arlington, the city of Dallas is now considering ways to improve the downtown area for pedestrians and cyclists in addition to cars, trucks and motorcycles. There are no solid plans so far, however, and early ideas have included a variety of different approaches. One council member suggested the extreme (and ultimately unhelpful) idea of shutting Main Street to motor vehicles entirely to create a single pedestrian zone, while others favor the more useful and cost-effective idea of creating new special-use lanes throughout the city as part of scheduled repaving construction.

The proposals are the result of Dallas receiving an $800,000 grant intended to be used to improve city roads to make them safer for bicycle riders and pedestrians.

As a Dallas County personal injury lawyer, I think this is a great idea. Having dedicated bicycle lanes can really make a difference to cyclist safety – particularly in busy urban areas such as downtown Dallas. Pedestrian safety is also of major concern in DFW, especially since the recent spate of hit-and-run accidents which have occurred in the downtown area.

I look forward to learning how Dallas council decides to use the grant money to make the city streets safer for all road users. In the meantime, it’s important that both pedestrians and cyclists realize that if they are ever injured in any kind of traffic accident, they do have a legal right to compensation, just like any other motorist. If you or a loved one has been injured, call me today and I’ll send you a free copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case. Call me locally at 214-327-8000 or toll free at 800-354-6275.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a hit-and-run driver crashed head-on into a Dallas police officer at the intersection of Inwood Drive and Forest Lane. The police officer, Sr. Cpl. Charles Fleming, was in his squad car heading west on Forest Lane when the suspect ran through a red light and hit him.

The police car was crushed in the front but the suspect’s car, a solid blue pickup truck made in the late 90s, was also severely damaged. The police officer was taken to Baylor Hospital but has already been released and is recovering after this hit-and-run car accident.

Dallas police now need our help in locating the hit-and-run driver. Police said they are looking for a black male that is about 50 years old and driving a blue pickup truck. If you know anything about this car wreck, police are urging you to call DPD at 214-670-5817.

Teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Car accidents have long-time been one of the leading causes of teen deaths in America, but this new study found that three common mistakes - failure to reduce speed, , failure to yield and inattention– made up for 57 percent of all crashes where teens were partially responsible and within their first month of driving
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Researchers conducting the study found that specific types of accidents sometimes occurred at high rates at first for new drivers and declined particularly quickly with experience, like crashes involving left hand turns. In a related AAA Foundation study, in-vehicle cameras were used in cars with teens learning to drive with parents and then the first 6 months of licensed driving without parents in the car. The research found that teens drove much different than when their parents were in the car and the number of close-call car accidents went up significantly.

At my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, we’ve represented so many teens that have been hurt in car wrecks and so many adults who have been injured by teen drivers. When letting your teen drive on their own, don’t push them right into the deep in. Give them increased driving freedom only when they’ve proved they can be a safe driver over a specific amount of time. Just putting extra attention into monitoring when, where and with who your teen driver is riding around with can significantly decrease their risk of a car wreck.

As a Weatherford personal injury lawyer, it never ceases to amaze me how often celebrities, athletes and other public figures are busted for drunk driving. I’m sure they realize how dangerous it is, so do they think that just because they’re rich and famous the law doesn’t apply to them? The latest person of interest to be arrested for driving while intoxicated is Walmart Heiress Alice Walton, 62, Parker County.

According to the Texas Highway Patrol, Walton was pulled over on I-20 in a construction zone near South Main Street in Weatherford shortly after 10pm last night. She was initially stopped for a traffic violation but when the arresting officer suspected that she might be over the legal alcohol limit, he administered a field sobriety test. She failed.

This is not the first time that Walton has been in trouble for her hazardous driving. In April 1989, she killed a pedestrian, Oleta Hardin, 50, although no charges were ultimately filed. In 1998, she was again driving under the influence of alcohol when she crashed her car into a gas meter. She is alleged to have told the responding officer, “I’m Alice Walton, bitch!” She got off with a fine.

Seeing people like this – regardless of who they are - who have repeatedly gotten behind the wheel when they know full well they are not capable of safely operating a vehicle should be penalized to the fullest extent of the law possible. Walton has already gotten off easy on two prior dangerous driving incidents, this is strike three. It should not be tolerated.

There is never any excuse for drunk driving. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you want to put your own life at risk, fine. But by getting in the driving seat after drinking you are jeopardizing other people’s safety too. That is inexcusable. Whenever someone hires me as their attorney after being injured by a drunk driver I do not hesitate to pursue their claim for compensation as aggressively possible. Drunk drivers need to be taught a lesson.

Speed and alcohol don’t go together and unfortunately one group of friends is learning that in the worst way possible. According to police in Garland, an accident involving an SUV carrying five passengers was caused due to a combination of alcohol and car speed. Just before dawn on Wednesday morning, the SUV crashed head-on to a utility pole on the LBJ Freeway (I-635).

A woman died in the wreck and police said the four other passengers were rushed to either Parkland Hospital or Baylor Medical Center. The male driver of the SUV is in critical condition – all of the riders in the car were in their 20s.

It’s like oil and water – drinking and driving just don’t mix. This is such a tragedy for such a young group of friends. Sometimes young people believe they are invincible and drunk driving accidents like this prove that it could happen to you. Please don’t drink and drive – one doesn’t suit the other.

The Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth is a personal injury law firm that holds drunk drivers accountable. If you have been hurt because of a drunk driver, contact one of our accident attorneys today and learn what your legal options are.

Three of the victims of yesterday’s fatal car wreck in Arlington have been identified as twin brothers Michael and Stephen Eckles, 21 (one of whom was driving), and Danielle Ruthstrom, 19. It is believed all three attended Seguin High School in Arlington. Two other victims who are still in critical condition at JPS Hospital in Fort Worth have not yet been publically identified.

Police still do not know what exactly caused the car in which the group was riding to go off the road and crash into a tree, splitting it in half before becoming engulfed in flames. There was speculation that alcohol was a factor as a liquor bottle was found at the accident scene, although a close friend of the Eckles brothers whose home they had left just prior to the collision reported that he noticed nothing unusual about either of them.

The deadly accident happened at approximately 3:00 am yesterday morning at the intersection of Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard and Yaupon Drive, close to Ferguson Junior High School.

I wish to offer my most heartfelt condolences to the families of Michael, Stephen and Danielle. I cannot even imagine the grief you must be experiencing right now. What happened with a tragedy. On behalf of everyone here at the Anderson Law Firm, and I’m sure across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I want you to know that our thoughts are with you.

To the loved ones of those still in hospital: I wish your children as full and speedy recovery as possible. Our thoughts are with you also.

It’s only Monday morning, and already a disastrous single-car accident which occurred in Arlington in the early hours has cost three people their lives and left another two hospitalized in critical condition. At approximately 3:00am this morning, an Arlington patrol officer witnessed a flash of light on Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard between Cravens Park Drive and Yaupon Drive. A Honda Accord carrying four passengers in addition to the driver crashed into a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

According to the police, the driver and a passenger identified as his brother were pronounced deceased at the wreck scene. A third person, a female, died shortly thereafter at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Another two individuals, both passengers in the car, remain in critical condition and are being treated for serious injuries. No names of the accident victims have been released, although police have confirmed the ages of all five individuals range from 17 to 21.

At this stage, a police investigation has not determined what caused the driver of the Honda to lose control, although it is believed that speeding was a factor. Given the rain we’ve had over the weekend after a month-long drought, the roads around DFW are particularly slippery right now, causing hazards for all motorists. Police also reported that a liquor bottle was recovered from the destroyed vehicle, and have noted that alcohol could possibly have been a factor although they cannot confirm whether the driver had indeed been drinking.

Regardless of the causes of this crash, the fact that it is a tragedy is undeniable. I would like to offer my most sincere and heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those whose lives were lost in the accident. I am very sorry for your loss. I would also like to offer my thoughts and hopes for a full recovery to those who remain under the doctors’ care.

Driving on I-35 might not be as bad as you expect this weekend as TxDOT and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation announced they will suspend work on most I-35 projects from early Friday morning until late Monday evening due to traffic expected for the Red River Rivalry game between Texas and OU. Between Oklahoma City and Austin, there will be no lane closures during peak travel periods.

Even though the absence of active construction will speed up traffic, it won’t stop it completely. The transportation agencies in both states are reminding motorists to be patient, expect delays, don't drink and drive, use their seat belt, and don't text while driving. Drivers can expect a traffic tie-up on I-35 in Temple at Crest Drive just north of Waco and southbound in Hillsboro and Belton where lanes go from three to two lanes.

By staying alert and patient and you can avoid a car accident while driving on I-35 this weekend. May the best team win!

- The Anderson Law Firm represents car accident clients all over Dallas and Fort Worth. If you need legal advice after your car wreck, contact our personal injury attorneys today.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth auto wreck personal injury lawyer, I have long campaigned North Texas motorists to switch off their cellphone before getting behind the wheel of their car, truck or motorcycle. Distracted driving is a potentially fatal hazard. If you’re not paying attention to the road ahead – to driving safely – then you are risking your own life, the life of your passengers and anyone else who is unfortunate enough to be on the road near you at that time.

Think about how long it takes you to look down and read or send a text message. Now think about what potential danger you might miss or fail to notice in time: the 18 wheeler ahead of you breaking, for example; or a child running across the street. If you’re not paying attention, the results can be devastating. I know because I’ve helped the personal victims of people injured in such accidents, and the relatives of those who’ve lost someone to a distracted driving wrongful death collision too.

A new study by the Texas Transport Institute (TTI) has found that distracted driving is even more dangerous than previously thought. In fact, a distracted driver’s response time is double the reaction time of a focused, concentrated driver; taking up to five seconds longer. To put this in context, at 30 mph a vehicle will travel 220 feet in five seconds. At 60 mph, it will travel 440 feet. That means a huge risk for a major crash.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 5,500 people were killed in wrecks attributed to a distracted driver. A further half a million were injured. Remember too, that a large proportion of distracted driving victims are actually the distracted drivers themselves.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in accident caused by a distracted driver, it’s important that you consult with an experienced trial attorney to make sure you are fully aware of your legal responsibilities and your right to compensation to cover any medical expenses or other costs which you have incurred following your run-in with the negligent driver. For a free, no obligation consultation, please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or call locally at 817-294-1900.

An 18-wheeler carrying a full load of caught fire Sunday night around 11 p.m. in Terrell, TX.
The semi-truck carrying about 48,000 bottles of wine was headed from California to Georgia on Interstate 20 when the driver realized his tractor was on fire. Luckily, the trucker was able to get out of the truck safely. The fire consumed the cab of the truck, the trailer and a half-acre grass around it. The truck was virtually melted before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. All eastbound lanes of I-20 were close for a couple hours due to the truck accident.

Trucks all driving all around us in Dallas and Fort Worth are carrying flammable materials just like this one in Terrell. Thankfully, this accident ended without anyone getting hurt, but rarely is that the case in most 18-wheeler accidents. If you have been hurt in a truck wreck in DFW and need to explore your legal options, contact the Fort Worth semi-truck accident lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm today.