Common Types of Car Accidents in Dallas

The city of Dallas, Texas, is a bustling metropolis and a major transportation hub in the southern United States. As a result, the city sees its fair share of Texas traffic accidents.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 31,976 crashes throughout Dallas in one recent year alone. Of all the wrecks that occurred that year, 205 crashes⁠ in Dallas resulted in fatalities, representing more than 10 percent of all fatal accidents throughout the state.

If you were involved in a Dallas traffic accident, you may be suffering from painful injuries, missing time at work, and wondering how you’ll take care of your ever-growing pile of medical bills. The car accident lawyers at The Wilhite Law Firm, can work with you to fight for fair compensation for your losses. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options in a free initial consultation.

What Are the Common Types of Car Accidents in Dallas?

At The Wilhite Law Firm, we work with clients who have been injured in all types of auto accidents. The most common types of Dallas car accidents we see in the cases we handle include:

• Rear-end collisions – A rear-end collision occurs when the front end of one vehicle crashes into the rear end of the vehicle ahead of it. Many rear-end collisions are the result of drivers following too closely, making unsafe lane changes, or failing to brake in time due to distraction, intoxication, fatigue, or inexperience.
• Sideswipe accidents – A sideswipe accident occurs when the side of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle traveling next to it. Sideswipe crashes can happen when drivers fail to check their blind spots before changing lanes or accidentally drift into neighboring lanes.
• T-bone accidents – A T-bone accident occurs when the front end of one vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle, with the resulting wreckage forming the shape of a “T.” Many T-bone crashes occur at intersections when negligent drivers fail to yield the right of way, run red lights, or ignore other traffic signs.
• Left-turn accidents – A left-turn accident occurs when a driver making a left-hand turn collides with another vehicle traveling straight or turning onto the same street. Negligent drivers cause left-turn accidents when they execute turns without properly signaling their intent, judging the timing of the turn, or yielding the right of way.
• Head-on collisions – A head-on collision occurs when the front end of one vehicle collides with the front end of another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Head-on crashes can happen as a result of negligent drivers drifting into lanes of oncoming traffic, making unsafe passing maneuvers, or running red lights or stop signs.
• Rollover accidents – Rollover accidents are especially dangerous wrecks that involve vehicles tipping over onto one side, flipping over until they are upside down, or even rolling over multiple times. Rollover accidents are more common among taller vehicles and can occur when drivers take turns too quickly, brake too suddenly, or otherwise lose control of their vehicles.
• Multi-vehicle accidents and pileups – When accidents occur in dense traffic, multiple vehicles can crash into one another in quick succession and create devastating pileups.
• Uber and Lyft accidents – Accidents involving Uber and Lyft drivers are becoming more prevalent as rideshare services become increasingly popular in Dallas and other American cities.
• Uninsured motorist accidents – Texas law requires drivers to be able to cover the damages in accidents they cause. This is usually done by carrying the minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage. Unfortunately, not all drivers meet this requirement, and victims may need to turn to their own uninsured motorist coverage to recover fair compensation.
• Hit-and-run accidents – Hit-and-run accidents occur when drivers illegally flee the scene of a crash that resulted in property damage, injury, or death. Hit-and-run accident victims may be able to claim benefits from uninsured motorist (UM) policies if the driver is not found.
• Accidents involving public transport – Public transportation accidents involving large buses and other passenger transport vehicles can leave occupants of smaller vehicles with severe and potentially life-altering injuries.
• Commercial vehicle accidents – When semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other large commercial vehicles collide with smaller passenger vehicles, the resulting vehicle damage and injuries are often catastrophic.

How Our Law Firm Investigates Crashes

At The Wilhite Law Firm, we can get to work on your case immediately to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash and uncover the following types of evidence:

• Police accident reports – If law enforcement officers responded to the scene of the accident, they will have created an official police report that may contain useful evidence, such as citations issued for traffic violations, toxicology test results, and determinations of fault.
• Photos and video footage – Photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and bodily injuries can illustrate the effects of the crash, while video footage from dashboard or traffic cameras can show how the collision occurred.
• Eyewitness testimony – Statements from eyewitnesses who saw the crash can provide useful supporting information to validate your claim.
• Expert witness testimony – Lawyers often work with expert witnesses, including accident reconstruction specialists who can use evidence such as skid marks and vehicle damage patterns to create reconstructive diagrams showing how an accident occurred.
• Vehicle maintenance records – Attorneys can review vehicle maintenance records to determine whether vehicles involved in the wreck were inspected, maintained, or repaired regularly and up-to-date with all manufacturer recalls.
• Bills, receipts, and pay stubs – Your medical bills, repair invoices, pay stubs, and other receipts or proof of accident-related expenses can be used as evidence of the financial losses you have suffered as a result of the wreck.
• Cellphone and call records – A lawyer can request access to driver’s cellphone records, which can demonstrate whether the driver was calling or texting when the crash occurred, and 9-1-1 call records, which can show what was said to emergency operators in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

Tips for Protecting Your Rights After a Crash

After a Dallas car accident, you can take the following steps to protect your rights and establish a strong foundation for your accident claim:

• Seek medical attention promptly – You should seek immediate medical care so a doctor can determine the extent of your injuries, provide necessary treatment, and document your condition in your medical records.
• Follow your doctor’s orders – Follow all of your doctor’s treatment recommendations and attend all follow-up appointments to help accelerate your recovery and demonstrate that you are taking your health seriously.
• Gather as much evidence as possible – Save all evidence related to the accident, such as driver insurance and contact information, names and statements from eyewitnesses, photos of the accident scene, and a written record of how you remember the accident.
• Keep track of bills and other documents – Keep track of your medical bills, vehicle repair invoices, pay stubs, and other documents that can demonstrate the extent of your accident-related financial losses.
• Decline to provide recorded statements – If the other party’s insurance company or attorney asks you to provide a recorded or written statement, politely decline. Your lawyer can communicate with these parties on your behalf so you can avoid mistakes that could hurt your claim for compensation.
• Avoid social media activity – Avoid posting or sharing content on your social media pages while your accident claim is pending, and reject friend or follower requests from any users you don’t know personally.
• Contact a knowledgeable attorney – The sooner you contact a car accident attorney, the better. When you have a lawyer on your side from day one, they can support you through every stage of your case and respond to changes and challenges in real-time.

Our Lawyers Are Here to Help

The Texas personal injury attorneys of The Wilhite Law Firm can help you with your Dallas car accident case by:

• Evaluating your situation to determine whether you have a case, explaining your legal options, and providing clear legal advice about possible next steps
• Conducting an independent investigation of the collision to determine who was at fault, uncover evidence, and estimate the potential value of your claim
• Working with expert witnesses such as accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals who can provide useful testimony about the crash and our injuries
• Communicating with at-fault parties, insurance companies, and other attorneys on your behalf
• Managing important documents and deadlines on your behalf to ensure your claim paperwork is error-free and everything gets filed by the relevant deadlines
• Negotiating forcefully on your behalf during settlement talks to maximize the amount of compensation
• Representing you in court if you are forced to take your case to trial to demand fair compensation from insurance companies that refuse to agree to reasonable settlements

Contact Our Dallas Attorneys to Address Any Type of Car Accident Claim

At The Wilhite Law Firm, our trusted team understands that even “minor” car accidents can be life-changing. We’re here to make sure you don’t have to go through this difficult time alone. Contact us today for a free initial case evaluation to learn more about everything our  personal injury lawyers can do for you.