Dedicated Plano Car Accident Attorneys Ready To Fight For You
To help you deal with these expenses, you can pursue a Plano, TX car accident lawsuit against the at-fault motorist. Depending on the nature of the accident and the extent of your damages, you could recover for your medical expenses and lost wages, as well as compensation for your pain and suffering. At the Hartley Law Firm, our dedicated Plano car accident lawyers are here to help you through the process. Attorney Austin Hartley is an experienced personal injury legal practitioner who not only cares deeply for his clients but also understands the complex laws governing these claims. When you bring Austin onto your team, he will take every step to make sure that you recover the damages you need to fairly compensate you for your injuries, so you can begin to move on with your life.
Plano Car Accidents
Located in Collin County, TX, Plano sees a significant amount of traffic every day. Local statistics show that there are between 3,500 and 4,400 car accidents per year in Plano, TX and according to City Data, most of them happen during daylight and clear weather conditions.
Most often, car accidents are preventable. Drivers are responsible for using reasonable care when on the road. However, too often, motorists overlook their duties and engage in dangerous driving behaviors that put others on the road at risk. Some of the more common causes of Plano, TX car accidents include:
- Speeding or aggressive driving,
- Distracted driving,
- Drunk or drugged driving,
- Drowsy driving, and
- Failure to follow traffic signs and other rules of the road.
At the Hartley Law Firm, we represent clients who were seriously injured in all types of car accidents. If you’ve been injured in an accident, our Plano car accident lawyers can help guide you through the process, fighting to get you the money you need to cover your accident-related expenses.
Types of Plano Car Accidents
There are countless ways for you to end up on the wrong end of a car accident. You must consider many factors when evaluating the compensation you should receive from an at-fault motorist, including the specific type of collision and the type of vehicle involved.
Rear-End Vehicle Collisions
Rear-end crashes are by far the most common type of car accident nationwide. These can be fender benders where dents are virtually undetectable, but they can also be incredibly serious and involve life-changing injuries. There are many ways rear-end collisions can occur, but distracted driving and following too close are common factors in these accidents.
T-Bone Collisions
When the front of one car impacts the side of another car, it creates a T-shape, resulting in a T-bone collision. Traffic violations such as running a red light or a stop sign or turning left in front of traffic may result in this type of car accident. These can be especially dangerous to passengers because the vehicle door provides little protection when impacted.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions happen when a vehicle leaves its lane and enters the lane of oncoming traffic. Frontal impact car accidents are especially dangerous and result in more deaths than other types of accidents. Both vehicles are often driving at fairly high speeds in rural areas where medians do not separate traffic.
Self-Driving Car Accidents
Self-driving car injuries are usually less severe, despite a higher accident rate. Carinsurance.net states that there are 9.1 self-driving car accidents per million miles driven, while the same rate is 4.1 crashes per million miles for regular vehicles. There are also multiple different types of self-driving vehicles.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents have become more common in the last several decades due to the changing composition of vehicles being manufactured. Light-weight sport utility vehicles and trucks are more prone to roll because of their higher center of gravity.
Government Vehicle Accidents
If you are in a collision with a government vehicle, it is even more important to seek legal counsel. The rules for an accident with a government vehicle are a little different from those for an accident with a civilian vehicle. You have s180 days from the date of the incident to place the governmental entity on notice of your claim. Additionally, complex immunity issues exist when dealing with a municipality or governmental entity. Whether it is a mail truck, an ambulance, or a department vehicle, you are now dealing with more than your insurance company. You likely also have a shorter time to place the government on notice of your claim.
How to Obtain Your Accident Report Police Record
The Plano, Texas police department has an online process for obtaining your vehicle accident report. This report is important to have for insurance purposes and to provide to your Plano car accident lawyer. This report will include all pertinent information about the accident. It is important to obtain this document early so you can check for inaccuracies. Your Plano car accident lawyer may be able to have the original report corrected or request a supplemental report if you catch mistakes early.
Plano Car Accident Statute of Limitations
The Texas statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit is two years from the date the accident occurred. This is the amount of time you have to make a claim for personal injuries or property damage. It is important to find an experienced Plano car accident attorney soon after your accident to receive the compensation you deserve in a timely manner and while all evidence is fresh and an independent investigation can be conducted.
Bringing a Plano Car Accident Claim
A car accident lawsuit is a type of personal injury claim, brought under the theory of negligence. Thus, to succeed in a Plano car accident claim, you must prove that the other driver violated a duty of care they owed to you and that their breach of that duty resulted in your injuries.
However, proving that another driver was negligent is not always enough. Under the Texas modified comparative negligence law, only accident victims who are not more than 50% at fault can recover for their injuries. Thus, if you shared responsibility for an accident, you run the risk of the other driver claiming you cannot recover. If you are found to be less than 50% responsible, the court will reduce your damages award by your percentage of fault.
At-fault motorists and their insurance companies regularly rely on the doctrine of modified comparative negligence to deny accident victims’ claims or offer accident victims reduced settlement offers that may not fairly compensate them for their injuries. However, insurance companies often do so without a basis, knowing that you may not have the knowledge, time, or ability to challenge their assessment of the accident. By working with an experienced Plano car accident attorney, you can rest assured that your legal practitioner will not let the insurance company take advantage of you.
At the Hartley Law Firm, our knowledgeable and compassionate Plano, TX car accident attorneys understand how the insurance industry works and put that knowledge into each of our client’s cases. We know the insurance companies’ tactics and are ready to stand up for your rights to ensure that you recover the compensation you are entitled to.
Contact the Plano Car Accident Attorneys at the Hartley Law Firm to Schedule a Free Consultation
At Hartley Law Firm, we accept injury cases involving:
If you recently suffered injuries in a car accident due to another motorist’s negligence, contact the Plano, TX car accident lawyers at the Hartley Law Firm for immediate assistance. We are available to discuss your case 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So when you are ready to speak with a Plano car accident attorneys, give us a call to schedule a free consultation. We handle cases on a contingency basis, meaning we will not charge you any fees for our representation unless we can help you recover compensation for your injuries. To learn more, give us a call or contact us through our online form.
