Proven Lewisville Car Accident Attorneys Ready To Assist You
Common Types of Car Accidents in Lewisville
At the Hartley Law Firm, our Lewisville car accident lawyers represent clients injured in all types of motor vehicle collisions, including the following:
Rear-End Accidents
Approximately seven percent of all traffic accidents are rear-ended collisions. Most rear-end accidents are due to the negligence of the following driver. Rear-end accidents typically occur when the following driver is not paying attention to the road, is following too closely, or tries to quickly pass a slowing motorist. In some situations, however, the lead driver is responsible—for example, if the lead driver suddenly applies the brakes for no reason or fails to use their turn signal.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous types of Lewisville car accidents. They are also the second most common type of accident, making up about ten percent of all collisions. Often, head-on collisions are the result of distracted or drowsy drivers who drift out of their lane and into oncoming traffic. Drunk driving is also a common cause of head-on collisions.
Self-Driving Car Accidents
Automated driving technology has come a long way in the past decade. However, the technology is far from perfect. Self-driving cars provide motorists with a false sense of security, which can lead to their over-reliance on technology. Additionally, programming or equipment errors in self-driving cars can cause these vehicles to perform erratically, potentially leading to a serious accident.
Government Vehicle Accidents
Accidents involving government entities are especially complex due to the concept of sovereign immunity. Sovereign immunity prevents accident victims from suing the government in some situations. However, under the Texas Tort Claims Act, car accident victims can pursue a personal injury claim against the government when the accident was due to a negligent government employee. However, these cases require accident victims to follow strict procedural requirements.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 49% of all fatal Texas car accidents involved single-vehicle accidents. It is important for accident victims and their families to understand that there may still be an opportunity to pursue a claim following a single-vehicle accident. For example, a single-vehicle accident may be the result of an equipment error, poorly maintained road, or an improperly marked construction zone.
Roll-Over Accidents
According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, roll-over accidents make up only three percent of the total number of motor vehicle accidents. However, these collisions are responsible for about 20% of all fatal traffic accidents. Certain vehicles, such as SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks, are more likely to roll over in the event of an accident.
At the Hartley Law Firm, our Lewisville car accident attorneys have extensive experience handling motor vehicle accidents. Attorney Austin Hartley can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, so you can focus on your recovery and getting your life back to normal.
Causes of Lewisville Car Accidents
Car accidents are often the result of a driver failing to follow the basic rules of driving. While there are many potential causes of a Lewisville car accident, some of the most common causes include the following.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving occurs when a motorist engages in any activity that removes their attention from the road—even for a split second. Texting, talking on the phone, scrolling social media, eating, talking to passengers, and daydreaming are all forms of distracted driving. Distracted driving is more common than ever, given the prevalence of cell phones. However, proving that another driver was distracted is not always easy. Your legal practitioner may need to obtain cell phone records or locate and interview witnesses to show that another driver was distracted.
Impaired Driving
Car accidents related to drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs are entirely preventable. Given the wide availability of Uber and Lyft, there is never a reason to get behind the wheel when you are unsafe to drive. However, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 125 Lewisville DUI accidents in 2020 alone. If you suffered injuries in a Lewisville drunk driving accident, the at-fault driver can—and should—be held accountable for their actions through a personal injury lawsuit.
Speeding
Today more than ever, people are busy. Whether it’s working two jobs, splitting time between families, or dropping children off at multiple schools, many drivers feel rushed. Too often, however, motorists ignore the dangers and decide to speed. Speeding is a leading cause of Lewisville car accidents and is responsible for over 50,000 Texas car accidents each year. If you were hurt in an accident caused by a speeding driver, contact a Lewisville car accident attorney to discuss your options.
What If I Was Partially at Fault in a Lewisville Car Crash?
While some accidents only involve the negligence of one driver, it is common for drivers to share responsibility for an accident. Texas lawmakers understand this and allow for injury victims to pursue a claim against other at-fault drivers, provided the injury victim is not more than 50% responsible for the accident.
However, under the Texas modified comparative fault law, any fault attributed to you will reduce your total recovery amount by your percentage of fault. For example, assume that a jury decides your total damages amount to $200,000. However, the jury also finds you are 30% responsible for the accident. Under state law, you will receive 70% of the $200,000 in total damages, or $140,000. While this is still a large amount of money, it is important to work with a lawyer who can effectively advocate on your behalf, preventing the other side from unfairly blaming you for the accident.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lewisville Car Accident Lawsuit?
Under Texas law, an accident victim must file a personal injury claim within two years. In most cases, the two-year period starts from the date of the accident. However, minors injured in a Lewisville car accident have until they are 20 to bring a claim.
While it may seem like two years is a long time to file your claim, the time passes quickly. The sooner you contact a Lewisville car accident lawyer, the sooner they can get started working on your case. This is important because as time goes on, evidence that can help you prove your case may become harder to locate. For example, physical evidence may be destroyed, and witnesses may not clearly recall the events leading up to the accident.
Reach Out to the Hartley Law Firm to Discuss Your Car Accident Claim
At the Hartley Law Firm, Lewisville car accident lawyer Austin Hartley has extensive experience bringing claims on behalf of accident victims. He understands how to effectively prepare a claim and negotiate with the insurance company to maximize any settlement offer. However, as an experienced litigator, Austin is also ready to scrap negotiations and take a case to trial when it’s clear the insurance company doesn’t see an accident for what it is.
Our experienced legal team also handles other types of injury cases, including:
- Trucking Accidents
- Property Liability
- Lyft and Uber Accidents
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Wrongful Death Claim
- Sexual Violence
- Construction Site Accidents
We also handle wrongful death claims, nursing home neglect, and medical negligence cases. To learn more and to schedule a free consultation with our Lewisville car accident attorneys, call us. You can also connect with our lawyers through our online form. Calling is free, and we take personal injury cases on a contingency basis. This means we won’t charge you for our services unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
