Car Accident Lawyers in Dallas - Bailey & Galyen Attorneys at Law

1. DallasCarAccidentAttorneys AltText -Caraccidentlawyersindallas ReliableTexas Automobile AccidentInjury Attorneys Navigatingtheaftermath of acaraccidentcan bedaunting,but with thesupport of experiencedCaraccidentlawyers in Dallas,youcanfindtheclarity,guidance,andresolution you need tomoveforwardconfidently. When youhave suffered any typeofinjuryinanautowreck,youwantexperiencedattorneysto help yougetfulland fair compensation.TheprovenDallas car accidentlawyers atBailey& Galyencanhelp. We bringmorethan 40yearsofexperiencetoeverycase wehandle.Contact us onlineorcallourofficesat844-402-2992 forafree initialconsultation.

2. According totheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA), therearemorethan • 6millionmotor vehicleaccidentsacrosstheUnitedStates every year, withnearly4.5million peopleseekingmedicalcarebecause ofthosewrecks. In2022, officialsreportednearly43,000 deathsinaccidentson America’sroadways. • Not surprisingly, Texas ranks near the top in the total number of accidents and leads the nation in the actual number of motor-vehicle fatalities. Much of that can be attributed to the fact that Texas hasnearly700,000milesofroadway, themostinthenation. • In2022,Dallas Countyofficialsloggednearly55,000motor vehiclecollisions, about10% of the totalnumberofcar accidentsacrosstheLone StarState.Approximatelyfourofeveryten of those accidentsresultedintreatment forinjuries, orin death. • The Common Typesof CarAccidents inDallas • Rear-endcollisions— Themost common type ofmotor vehiclecollision in Texasand nationwide,theseaccidentsoccurwhenamotoristfollowinganother carfailstostopin time andcollideswiththebackofthatvehicle.Commoncauses include distracted driving, excessive speed,aggressivedriving, and drivingunder theinfluenceofalcohol ordrugs. • T-boneorside-impactcrashes—Theseaccidentsoccurwhena motoristcollideswithavehicle travelingin aperpendiculardirection.Theytypically resultfromfailure tostop ataredlight or stopsign,whether due toexcessivespeed, aggressivedriving, distracted driving, or failure to takeweatherconditionsintoaccount. • Head-oncollisions—Thesewrecksoccurwhenmotoriststraveling towardeachothercollide, withone or bothof themotoristscrossingthecenterline.Head-oncrashescanbea consequenceof drunk or impaired driving or failuretokeep aneye onthe road.

3. Left-turnaccidents— Thesecrashesoccurwhen onemotoristis turningleft andanotheris • travelingstraight ahead.Typically, themotoristwhocauses theaccidenthasfailed toyield to theright-of-way of theother driver. • Rollovers—Theseareoftensingle-vehicleaccidents,wherethe driverattempts to negotiatea turnwhile travelingatahighrate ofspeed.Certainvehicles withhighcentersofgravitymaybe more susceptible torollovers. • Blind spotaccidents—Amotoristmaycollidewithanothervehicle travelingin hisor her blind • spot,thespacealongsidethecar on the driver’sside thatcannotbeseen intheside-view mirror. Suchaccidents arecommonlysideswipes,butmaybe farmoreseriousifone ofthe drivers losescontroland veers into thepath ofanothercar. • Hit-and-runaccidents—Themotoristsinvolvedinanytype ofaccidentshouldalwaysstopand waituntil policearrive.When a person causes anaccident,but failstostayon thescene,it is • referred toas a “hitand run”accident.Theinjuredparty may,however,beable torecover somedamagesfromtheirinsuranceprovider. • The Car AccidentLawsinDallasandAcross Texas • Acaraccidentinjuryclaimin Dallasisaform ofpersonal injuryaction. InDallas,inTexas, and across theUnitedStates, thevast majorityofcarormotorvehicleaccidentclaimsare based on alegal theoryof negligence. • Toprove negligencein a courtof law in Texas,aninjured partymustshow, bythe weightofthe evidence,that thedefendant(thepersonfromwhomcompensationis sought)engagedin • sometypeofactivitythatwouldnot be consideredreasonable byan ordinarypersonof average prudence. • Theinjured partymust furthershow that thefailure toactreasonablycaused anaccident, whichresultedin actuallossesfor the defendant. • Texaslaw doesnotidentifyspecificactsbydriversthatareconsideredunreasonable.Instead, thedetermination of whetherthe defendant’sbehaviorviolated the standardofcare is made

4. bythejuryona case-by-casebasis. Jurorsarerequired, however, togiveweight to prior rulings • on thesame typesof legalissues, therebyensuringsomeconsistencyin outcomes. • To establish cause in a personal injury lawsuit, the injury party must prove that the defendant’s carelessness was both the actual and proximate cause of the accident. Actual cause means that theaccidentwouldnothavehappenedbutfor thedefendant’sunreasonablebehavior. • Proximate cause requires that the accident and or injuries must be a reasonably foreseeable result of the defendant’sunreasonablebehavior. • Therequirement ofactuallosses preventsaninjured partyfromrecoveringtwiceforthesame injury. Forexample,medicalexpensescovered byinsurancemaynot berecovered by the injured partyina Dallascaraccidentlawsuit. • What Kind of Compensation Can You Pursue After a Dallas Car Accident? • Damages areconsideredtobeeithercompensatory orpunitive.Compensatorydamagesare tied to specific lossesandare intendedtoreimbursean injuredpartyforactuallosses. Punitive damages areless about thevictimandmoreaboutthe behavior ofthewrongdoer.Astheword implies,theyare primarilyintendedasapunishment orsanction. • Asapracticalmatter, punitive damagesare rarelyawardedincaraccidentorotherpersonal injury lawsuits, typicallyonlyin situationswhere thedefendantactedintentionally, or with reckless disregard for thevalueof humanlife. • Thereare two types of compensatorydamages: economicandnon-economic. • Economic damages—Economicdamagesare thosethat are easy todocumentandcalculate, usually involvingsupportingdocumentation.Examplesof economicdamagesinclude:

5. Lostwagesor income, usually supportedbypay stubsortax returns • Unreimbursedmedicalexpenses,includingphysicaltherapy,medications,rehabilitation,and medicaldevices, commonlyprovenwithmedicalrecordsand billings • Propertylossor damage, calculated bydeterminingthelossinvalue orthecost to replacean item • Wrongfuldeath—When aDallas carcrash leads toan accidental death, survivingfamily membershavea right toseek compensation for: • Loss ofsupportthedecedentwouldhaveprovided • Loss ofguidance,love,counseling, andcompanionship • Loss of servicesthe decedentwouldhaveprovidedaround thehouse • Funeralorburialexpenses • Emotionalor mentaldistress • Non-economic damages—Non-economicdamagesarelesstangible,with little or no documentary evidence,makingtheirvaluedifficultto ascertainwithanycertainty.Non- economicdamages include: • Pain andsuffering—Anyphysicalpain orsufferingasa consequence oftheaccident, as wellas any emotionalor mentalsufferingtied tothewreck • Lossofcompanionshiporconsortium—The inabilitytohave closeorintimaterelationshipswith family membersas a result of theaccident • Lossofenjoymentoflife—Theinability todothethings theinjuredpersoncould dobefore the accident,fromsimple tasks, suchas groomingor moving about, toactivitiesthat brought specialjoyormeaning,includinghobbies, athleticpursuits, andother avocations. • Tolearnmoreabout whatyou canexpectto recoverafter a motorvehicleaccident,contactthe aggressiveDallascaraccidentlawyersatBailey &Galyen.

6. WhatAretheMostCommonCausesof DallasCar Accidents? • ADallascaraccidentmayresult fromone oranumberoffactors, including: • Distracteddriving—The mostcommon cause ofmotor vehicle wrecks,distracteddriving involves a simple failure to pay attention to the road. Drivers may be distracted by a number of activities,includingtheuseof a handheld device,eatingorgrooming behind thewheel,talking toormonitoringpassengers,or focusingonroadsideattractions. • Drivingundertheinfluenceof alcoholor drugs—Aboutone of everythreecaraccidentsin Dallas and nationwideinvolvesthe useofalcohol by oneof thedrivers. • Failuretoobey trafficlaws—Failuretostop ataredlight orstop sign, failure toyield to the right-of-way ofanother driver,failureto use duecaution,illegal lanechanges,excessivespeed, tailgating, illegalturns • Driverfatigue—Fartoo often,drivers stay on theroad fortoolongwithoutabreak orfailto getadequaterest beforedriving.Studiesshow thatfatiguecommonlyaffectsjudgmentand reaction timesbehind thewheel. • The breakdown or malfunctionof motor vehiclecomponents—Faultytires,steering mechanisms,brakes,andother components cancausemotoriststolose controlofavehicle • Roadwaydefects—Potholes,unevenlanes,gravelorwateronthe road,poorlydesignedturns orhighway entrances,brokenor missingroad signs • Aggressivedriving—Tailgating,cutting offotherdrivers,failingtocome toacompletestop at a stopsignorredlight,excessivespeed • What Are the Most Common Typesof Injuries SufferedinCar Accidents? • Amotorvehicleaccident mayleadtoa broadrangeof physicalinjuries,including: • Whiplash— Whiplashoccurswhentheforceof animpactcausesyourheadand neckto violentlysnap back andforth,similartothecrackofawhip.You cansuffer whiplash-type

7. injuries withalmostanylevelofimpact. Inawhiplash-typeinjury,your braintypicallybounces • off theinside of your skull,causing tissuedamage,inflammation, andpotentialinternal bleeding.In addition, the connective tissuein yourneck,shoulders,andupper back can be strainedortorn,leadingtosignificant discomfort. • Traumatic brain injury, including concussions— Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result from any bump or blow to the head in a car accident, and can also be caused by whiplash. The TBI may be mild, commonly referred to as a “concussion,” and may take the form of an open or closedhead injury. • Spinalcordinjury,includingparalysis—Damage toyour spinalcord,including bruisingor severingof nerve connections,canlead tolossofuseof upperorlowerlimbsor yourwhole body. • Soft-tissueinjury,suchaslacerations,abrasions,bruises,sprains,andstrains—Oneofthe mostcommonanddebilitatinginjuriessufferedinacaraccident,softtissueinjurytypically involves damageorinjury tocellsor muscles. • Brokenbones • Amputationorlossof limb • Burninjuries • Jointor connectivetissueinjuries—Injury to tendons, ligaments,muscles,orcartilage • Backandneckinjuries—Discinjury,includingslipped, bulging orherniateddiscs, as wellas sprains, strains, ortearingofmusclesintheneckandlowerback • WhoPaysYourMedical BillsAfter aDallas CarAccident? • Forautoinsurancepurposes, Texasisan “at-fault”state, thoughano-faultprovision can be added toyour policy. Whenyouhavebeen hurt inamotor vehicle accident, youcantypically turntoyourownhealthinsuranceprovider forsomecoverage, thoughitmaybelimited.

8. Tohavemedicalbillspaidthrough anautoinsurancepolicy, youwill typically need tostart by • filingaclaimwith theat-faultparty’s insurer. • Ifthat insurance is insufficient tocoveryourmedicalbills, youmaybeabletoseek some benefits throughyour owncarinsurance policy,providedyou have notdeclinedthePersonal Injury Protection(PIP)thatis commonlyincluded. • Yourautoinsurancepolicymayalsohave uninsuredorunderinsuredmotoristscoverage, providedyou havenot declinedthat coverageinwriting. • How LongDoYouHavetoFileaLawsuitAfteraDallasCarAccident? • InTexas, the statuteoflimitations for personal injuryis twoyearsfromthe dateof the accident orfrom thedateyouactually orshouldreasonably havediscovered your injuries.An experiencedcar accidentlawyer in Dallascanensure thatall documentsarefiledinatimely manner. • WhatShould YouDointheImmediateAftermathofaDallas Car Accident? • Seekmedicalcare—The mostimportantconsiderationafter anytype ofcaraccidentisyour health. Determineifyouareable tomove underyourownpower. Ifyou have neck or back injuries, simply stay put until emergency medical professionals arrive. Be willing to go to the hospitalby ambulance, ifnecessary. Evenifyou canwalkaway fromtheaccident,seek immediatemedicalattentionat a nearbyhospital, urgentcare facility,ortheoffices of your primarycare doctor. • Reporttheaccident—Call911assoon aspossibleandreport the accident.Insurancecarriers oftenrequire a policereport.Inaddition,policeofficers can helpensureyoursafety until emergency respondersarrive.

9. RetainanexperiencedDallascaraccidentlawyer—Thesooner you hireprovencounsel, the • sooner you’ll know thatyourrightsare beingprotected.Yourlawyerwillbeyourliaisonwith insurers,law enforcement,and medicalproviders, ifnecessary • Notifyyour insurancecarrier,andfileaclaimwiththeat-faultparty’s insurer—Eventhough youmay notend up makinga claim againstyourowncarinsurancecarrier,youshouldnotify themas soonas possibleof theaccident.You willneed tofilea claimwith theat-fault party’s insurerif you want them topayanyofyourmedical bills. • Do’sandDon’ts afteraDallasCarAccident • The thingsthatyou doin theimmediateaftermathofamotorvehicleaccidentcan havea significantimpact onyourrecovery. • Do • Seekmedicalattention, whetheronsiteorat a hospital, urgentcarefacility,or doctor’soffice. • Call911toreporttheaccident. • Gather contactinformationfromall partiesandpotentialwitnesses. • Takepictures orvideos ofanythingrelated to theaccident,including damagetovehicles,your injuries, weatherconditions,androadwayirregularities.Thecameraonyour phone issufficient. • Write downanaccount ofwhatyouremember,whileit’sstillfreshinyourmind. • Hire a proven Dallas car accident lawyer. • Don’t • Don’t try tobestrongandpretend that you haven’t been hurt. • Don’twait tohireknowledgeable personalinjurycounsel. • Don’tassume thatanyinsuranceagentwillactinyourbestinterests.

10. Don’t providepoliceorpartieswithanythingotherthanyourname andcontact information. • Don’tgivea statementtoany insurancecompany employee withoutfirst retaining counsel. • Don’tsignanything. • Don’tacceptanyofferfromyour insurance companywithoutconsultingwithyourlawyers. • Don’t usesocialmediaatall, ifpossible,untilyourclaimis resolved. • How Will a Proven Dallas Car Accident Lawyer in Dallas Help Protect YourRights? • The civil justice system can be overwhelming, even when your case seems relatively routine. Don’t ever try to handle your own car accident claim. An experienced car accident lawyer in Dallas will: • Thoroughlyinvestigate yourcases,gatheringandpreserving allrelevantevidence aboutthe causes andextentofyourinjuries • Knowwhat to expectfrominsurancecompanies and defense attorneysandrespond appropriatelyto protect yourrights • Makecertainthatall requireddocumentsareaccuratelyand timelyfiled • Beastrongandeffective advocateforyouinallmeetings,hearings, andproceedings • Helpyouget themedical careyou need, including treatment byspecialists, if necessary • How Much Will You Have to Spend to Recover Compensation After a Dallas Car Accident? • Asageneral rule, caraccidentlawyersin Dallastakecasesonacontingent-fee basis.That meansthat they won’t bill you hourlyfeesbut willtakeapercentageofyourrecovery as compensation foranylegalwork theydoforyou.

11. Youwill typicallyberesponsible,though, forcertain“out-of-pocket”expenses,includingthe costs to fileyourlawsuit, aswellasfees relatedtodepositions andexpert witnesses.The cost tofileyourlawsuitcanvary fromcounty tocountybutisgenerallyaround $350. Manyattorneyswill advancemostcosts andthendeductthemfromyoursettlementorverdict. Pay closeattention to thedetails ofyourfinancialagreement with your attorney. ASummaryofWhatYouNeed toKnowAfteraDallasCarAccident When youhavebeen hurtinamotorvehicleaccidentinTexas,youhavea rightto filea personalinjurylawsuit torecovercompensationfor both economicandnon-economic losses, includingwagesandincome,unreimbursedmedicalexpenses, physicalandemotional painand suffering,lossofcompanionshipor consortium,loss of enjoyment oflife,and damageto or loss of personalproperty. To have medical expenses paid through an auto insurance policy, you must file a claim with the at-fault party’s carrier. If the at-fault party has inadequate insurance, or no insurance at all, you may be able to seek benefits through your own carrier, provided you have not declined PIP and UM/UIMcoverage. To recover full and fair compensation after a motor vehicle wreck, you want a knowledgeable car accident lawyer in Dallas to handle your case. At trial, you must prove by the weight of the evidence that the defendant engaged in unreasonable behavior, causing the accident that led you tosustain actuallosses. Your attorney will handle your claim on a contingency basis, only charging you attorney fees if you recover compensation for your losses. You will, however, be responsible for out-of-pocket costs,such asfiling fees,expert witness fees,andsomecosts relatedto gatheringevidence.

12. Todiscussyourcasewithaproven Dallas caraccidentlawyer,contactBailey &Galyen by email or callourofficesat844-402-2992. FAQs What are thebasic lawsthat govern caraccidentsinDallas,TX? Caraccidentsare governedbytrafficlaws,which areincludedinstate statutes and localcity andcountyordinances,aswellas the legal principleof negligence. Thelaw relating to negligenceis set forthin court opinionswrittenby judges. Whatarecommon causesof caraccidents? Caraccidentsmay becausedbyavarietyoffactors,includingdistracteddriving,impairment fromdrugsofalcohol,driverfatigue,failure toobeytrafficlaws,andaggressivedriving. Whattypesof losses, ordamages, canyoupursue after aDallascaraccident? Youhavetheright torecoverforlostwagesorincome,unreimbursedmedical bills, lossof companionshiporconsortium, lossofenjoymentoflife, physicalormentalpain andsuffering, anddamagetoor lossof personalproperty Whatshouldyoudo in theimmediateaftermathofacaraccidentinDallas? First,get themedicalattentionyouneed. Havesomeonecontact thepoliceas soonaspossible. Hirean experiencedpersonalinjurylawyerin Dallas,sothatyour rightsareimmediately protected.Notifyinsuranceprovidersand fileany necessary claims. Howlongdoyou have to file aDallascaraccidentinjury lawsuit? Youhave twoyears fromthedateoftheaccident orfromyour discoveryofanyinjuriescaused by theaccident. How muchcanyouexpect torecoverin a settlementaftera Dallascar accident? Yourrecoverywill dependonthe extentof your injuries, theevidencesupportingyourclaim, and whetheryoucontributed tocausingtheaccident. How longdoestheinsurancecompany haveto settle a car accidentclaim in Dallas? Under Texaslaw,aninsurerhas35daysfromthe receipt of aclaim toresolvetheclaim.

13. Cananything preventyourinsuranceclaim from beingpaidafteraDallascar accident? Aninsurancecompany may denyyourclaimifyour negligencewasthe primary cause of the accident. Inextremelylimitedcircumstances,aninsurancecompanymaydenya claimifyou hada pre-existingmedicalcondition.Theinsurancecompanymayalso refuseto payyour claim ifit determines that your injurieswere caused by someeventotherthanthecaraccident. Whatcanyoudoif thepersonwhocausedyourinjuriesinaDallascar accident did nothave motor vehicle insurance? Youmay be able torecoverinsurancebenefits through an uninsuredorunderinsuredmotorists claim,provided youhavenotdeclined thatcoverage. Canyoustillfileapersonalinjurylawsuitafteracaraccident,evenifsome or most of yourlosses arecovered byinsurance? Yes, you can file a lawsuit as long as you have actual losses that are not covered by insurance. You cannotrecover twiceforthesameloss. How can aDallascaraccidentlawyerhelpyou? Anexperiencedattorney willcarefullyinvestigate yourclaim, gatheringandpreserving all relevantevidence. Your lawyerwillfileallnecessarydocuments in atimely mannerand beyour voiceinallhearings,meetings,or proceedings. What informationshouldyouprovideto a caraccidentlawyerin Dallas? Youshouldmakefulldisclosureof everythingyouknowabout the accident toyourattorney. Give them any photos or videos you took at the scene, as well as the contact information of any witnesseswhowereat thescene.