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Car Accidents in Houston, TX Flipbook PDF
https://www.dlgtriallaw.com/car-accidents/
Car accidents occur in a moment's notice, yet they can change the course
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H O U S TO N C A R AC C I D E N T AT TO R N E YS
Car Accidents in Houston, TX K N O W YO U R R I G H TS
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Table of Contents
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E
Introduction 3
The Severity of Car Accidents
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Common Types of Traffic Accidents
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Causes of Car Accidents
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Talk to a Truck Accident Attorney
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INTRODUCTION
Car Accidents Can Happen in a Moment’s Notice
C
ar accidents occur in a moment’s notice, yet they can change the course of an accident victim’s life. Even accidents that initially seem minor can result in serious health concerns, if not immediately, weeks or months
after the accident. Those who have been injured in a Texas car accident are entitled to pursue a claim for damages against those responsible for their injuries. However, there are often significant hurdles that must be overcome before obtaining compensation. The attorneys of The de la Garza Law Group have 30 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of accident victims and helping them recover after an accident causes harm.
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701
PEOPLE WERE KILLED AT INTERSECTIONS
PA R T O N E
In 2018, someone was injured in a Texas car accident about every two minutes. Not a single day went by without at least one traffic-related fatality.
The most dangerous intersection in Houston, and all of Texas, is Bissonnet Street and Sam Houston Parkway.
Texas is a large, populous state with an extensive street and highway system. Because of this, there are unfortunately ample opportunities for individuals to be involved in car accidents in Texas. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Houston sees more car accidents than any city in Texas, with 64,126 accidents in 2018. That is 52 percent more than San Antonio, which had the second most crashes in 2018. Houston is also home to the most dangerous intersection in all of Texas.
IN 2018
One person was killed every 2 hours and 25 minutes in a Texas car accident. 4
Economic losses caused by car accidents in Texas are huge. The estimated total economic loss for Texas traffic accidents in 2018 was $38,400,000,000. Distracted driving continues to be a major cause of Texas traffic accidents. Those counties with the most distracted driving accidents are: Bexar County with 22,585, Harris County with 12,027, Tarrant County with 7,112, and Travis County with 5,505 distracted driving accidents. Car accidents are among the most common cause of accidental death in Texas. Each year, over 3,600 people are killed in Texas traffic accidents, and about a third of those deaths were occupants of
Texas car accident statistics:
In total, 3,639 people were killed in Texas car accidents in 2018. This represents a 3.3 percent increase over 2017.
passenger vehicles.
3,600 3,639 FATAL ACCIDENTS
FATALITIES
161
FATALITIES IN WORK ZONES
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PA RT T W O
The impact a car accident can have on a person’s life cannot be overstated The impact that a car accident can have on a person’s life cannot be overstated. Many accident victims suffer serious injuries, requiring weeks or months of medical treatment and physical therapy. Even then,many injured motorists are left with lingering aches and pains that can last a lifetime. During this time, many accident victims are unable to work, making it all but impossible to pay the sizable medical bills that will inevitably start to show up.
Car accidents can also have profound motional impact For some accident victims, the physical wounds are not the worst of the injuries. The emotional effect of a Texas car wreck can be equally as challenging to overcome. At The de la Garza Law Group, we represent clients who have been injured in all types of Texas traffic accidents, including the following.
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Common Types of Traffic Accidents 01
Car Accidents Car accidents are among the most common cause of accidental death in Texas. Each year, over 3,600 people are killed in Texas traffic accidents, and about a third of those deaths were occupants of passenger vehicles. Car accident victims are entitled to file a claim for damages against the party they believe to be at fault for the accident. However, before any recovery is awarded, the accident victim must show that the named defendant violated a duty of care that they owed to the accident victim and that this breach resulted in their injuries.
Almost one-third of all Texas traffic-related fatalities occurred in just five counties:
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Harris County
Bexar County
Dallas County
Tarrant County
Travis County
Motorcycle Accidents Motorcyclists comprise a small fraction of all motorists, however, they are disproportionately injured or killed in Texas traffic accidents. In fact, each year, over 400 motorcyclists are killed in Texas motorcycle accidents and thousands more are seriously injured. Unfortunately, motorcyclists face several unique challenges when pursuing a claim for compensation against the at-fault party. For example, many prospective jurors (and judges) have a bias against motorcyclists based on one or two bad experiences.
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Common Types of Traffic Accidents 03
Truck and Bus Accidents Texas truck accidents are among the most dangerous type of accident due to the sheer size of the vehicles involved. In 2018 alone, 664 people died in Texas truck accidents. One important aspect of trucking accident cases that is often absent in other motor vehicle cases is the determination of who to name as a defendant. Often, there are several potentially liable parties in a Texas truck accident case, including the truck driver, the owner of the truck, the trucking company and potentially the manufacturer of the truck or trailer.
Under Texas state law, accident victim have only two years from the date of the injury to file a claim.
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Uninsured or underinsured drivers Texas state law requires that all motorists have insurance coverage of at least $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident. However, not all drivers obtain the necessary insurance, and even if they do, the bare minimum amount of coverage will not likely fully cover medical expenses and other damages. Motorists who purchased underinsured/uninsured motorist protection can file a claim with their own insurance company to make up for the lack of insurance on the part of the at-fault party.
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PA R T T H R E E
Causes of Texas Car Accidents Each year, over 3,600 people are killed in Texas traffic accidents, and tens of thousands more are seriously injured. The causes of fatal car accidents vary; however, according to statistics assembled by the Texas Department of Transportation, the most frequent causes of fatal Texas car accidents involve the following.
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Causes of accidents Speeding and inattention are the top causes of Texas car accidents • Failure to control speed – 33,157 accidents • Driver inattention – 17,920 accidents
70%
• Driving at an unsafe speed – 15,305 • Failure to drive in a single lane – 11,795 • Wild animal on the road – 8,087 accidents • Faulty evasive action – 7,183 accidents • Unsafe lane changes – 6,541 accidents
In the US, 70 percent of those injured and killed in traffic accidents are located inside the vehicle.
• Failure to yield at a stop sign – 6,074 accidents • Failed to yield when making a left turn – 5,639 accidents • Drunk driving – 4,986 accidents • Drowsy driving – 4,970 accidents
Of course, these are just a few of the most common causes of car accidents in Texas. If you have been injured in a Texas car accident, and believe someone else was at fault, contact an attorney for immediate assistance.
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PA R T F O U R
Talk to a Car Accident Attorney No one anticipates getting into a serious Texas car accident. Yet, each year tens of thousands of Texans are seriously injured or killed in preventable traffic accidents. At The de la Garza Law Group, we pride ourselves in providing accident victims with a unique form of client-centered representation that puts their needs first, last and always.
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YOUR ATTORNEY
Unlike other Texas personal injury firms, we pride ourselves in taking a clientfirst approach to every step of the recovery process. At The de la Garza Law Group, every case is personal. Our attorneys are happy to accommodate you after your accident. We understand we cannot know what is important to you and your family until we take the time to get to know you and how the accident has impacted your life. At The de la Garza Law Group, our team of dedicated Houston car accident lawyers is dedicated to helping clients obtain compensation for their injuries. We understand that your emotional and financial wellbeing are likely in jeopardy after a serious accident and aggressively pursue compensation on your behalf. We offer all clients a free, no-obligation consultation in which we will provide an honest and thorough assessment of your case.
Always a personal touch 12
Some Texas accident lawyers are more interested in taking on as many cases as they can, settling them quickly, and then moving on to the next case. At The de la Garza Law Group, we never use this churn-and-burn strategy because it goes against the very foundation of our firm. We believe that the true measure of success is not just about the amount of money we can recover for our clients and their families, but about the impact we have on our clients’ lives.
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