Rear-End Collision Lawyer Fort Worth, Texas
When you have been harmed in a rear-end collision, you need to speak with an experienced rear-end collision lawyer right away. Contact us online or call to schedule your free consultation.
A rear-end collision lawyer in Fort Worth, Texas will help with your claim. In this video, Parker Law Firm Founder Brad Parker discusses how the firm’s personal injury trial lawyers work on a contingency fee basis and what that means.
Injured in Rear-End Collision in Fort Worth?
Our Fort Worth rear-end collision lawyers understand that there are few wrecks as shocking as being struck from behind. It is likely that the victim of such an accident didn’t ever see the other car coming. Drivers are typically focused on what is ahead of them when they are suddenly jolted forward, which can result in serious injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in such an accident in Fort Worth, then it is crucial that you contact the rear-end collision lawyers at Parker Law Firm.
Rear-ending a moving vehicle is generally less forceful than hitting one that is stopped, but it is no less dangerous. In these circumstances, both cars can lose control and endanger those around them. When a car hits a stationary one of the same size and build, the impact force is roughly half of what it would be crashing into an immovable structure. For instance, if someone crashes into a stopped car at 60 mph, it’s as if they’re plowing into a block of concrete at 30 mph. This force is much greater when rear-ending larger vehicles like trucks.
Common Causes for Rear-End Collisions
While automated safety systems have reduced the risk of rear-end collisions, they still happen all the time. In fact, they are the most common type of accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says rear-end accidents constitute up to 30% of all car crashes. Common causes include:
- Distracted driving, including texting, passengers or pets in the car, or external distractions, such as construction zones or a previous crash on the shoulder of the roadway.
- Aggressive driving
- Stopping short due to panic or to avoid hitting something
- Tailgating
- Weather conditions like rain or snow
- Poor visibility or poor road conditions
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Fatigued driving, which can alter a driver’s ability to judge distance between cars
- Speeding, which makes it harder to stop.
- Failure of the lead car’s driver to use turn signals
- Parking lots or garages where vehicles make frequent or sudden stops.
A Rear-End Collision Lawyer can Help you Determine Who is at Fault
It is common belief that the back driver is always at fault in a rear-end collision. Rear-end collisions typically take place when one car is stopped with another vehicle approaching from behind, such as at:
- Stop signs
- Traffic lights
- Roundabouts
- Yield signs
- Congested traffic areas
In these accidents, it is usually the driver’s fault who rear-ended the vehicle in front of them. However, there are other situations in which the front vehicle driver is at fault. This often happens when a driver pulls out of a parking lot onto a road. The vehicle entering the street from a private drive or parking lot must yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic. Rear-end collisions that occur in traffic or at high speeds can create a chain-reaction accident. The car from the rear hits the vehicle in front, then hits the car ahead of them. It can be challenging to determine who was the source of the accident in a pile-up and may require the assistance of highly qualified and experience rear-end collision lawyers.
What is an Unavoidable Rear-End Collision?
An unavoidable accident is an event that occurs but is not caused by the negligence of any party involved. An example of this might be a deer darting into the road causing a driver to slam on the brakes, which then causes the vehicle traveling behind them to crash into the back of their car. If the driver of the vehicle that rear-ends the driver sues, the front driver will likely claim the accident was an “unavoidable accident.” If the jury agrees, then the other driver cannot make any recovery against the driver that slammed on his or her brakes to avoid hitting the deer.
What is Texas Comparative Responsibility for Rear-End Collisions ?
Texas juries consider and compares the responsibility of all drivers involved in rendering a verdict as to who bears fault. In other words, more than one person, including you the victim, can be found negligent in a rear-end collision. If they find more than one person’s negligence contributed to an accident, then they are asked to apportion the liability by assigning a percentage to each. If the percentage assigned to you exceeds 50%, you recover nothing. If your percentage is under 50%, you can recover only the percent for which the other persons are responsible.
Thus, if the jury finds your negligence was 30 percent of the cause of the rear-end collision and the other driver’s negligence was 70 percent of the cause, and awards you $10,000.00, you would only recover $7,000 due to your comparative negligence. But, if they find you 55 percent and the other driver 45 percent, you recover nothing.
How to Prevent Rear-End Collisions
While it is difficult to avoid a rear-end collision in many cases, there are important steps drivers can take to avoid being rear-ended, as well as to avoid rear-ending someone else.
- Regularly maintain your vehicle. Make sure your brakes, brake lights, and turn signals are working properly. Tires should have the proper thread depth of at least 4/32 of an inch, and windshields should be clean with windshield wipers working properly. Also make sure mirrors are adjusted appropriately for the person driving.
- Don’t ever drive when fatigued or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Avoid unnecessary distractions such as cell phones, eating, and other things that can draw your attention away from the task of driving.
- When someone is following too closely and it is safe to do so, pull into another lane to allow them to pass by you.
- Do not tailgate. The National Safety Council recommends allowing at least four seconds between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you during regular daytime driving conditions. You should also allow extra distance if you are traveling behind a vehicle that makes frequent stops such as a bus or garbage truck.
- Ease into braking rather than stopping suddenly.
- Keep a proper distance between your car and the car in front of you when stopped at intersections. This allows space for the lead car to roll backward if it is stopped on a hill, or for you to maneuver around the vehicle in front of you if it stalls at the light.
- Pay attention to the brake lights of the vehicle ahead of you and anticipate potential situations that may cause the traffic in front of you to suddenly stop.
- Don’t forget to signal when changing lanes or turning, and plan when making a turn by being in the appropriate lane well in advance of the turn. Some rear-end collisions are caused by cutting off another driver, so avoid making sudden lane changes.
What a Rear-End Collision Lawyer Can Do for You
If an insurance company is offering you a settlement that is less than you deserve or denying your claim completely, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you fight back. Insurance companies have incentive to find ways to avoid paying settlements, and they are known to take those advantages if they can find them. At the Parker Law Firm, our Fort Worth car accident attorneys hold insurance companies to their duty to protect you in your time of need.
It is essential that you retain the representation of an attorney who can aggressively pursue the highest level of compensation for your case. When you work with our firm, we take the time to get to know you and help determine who is responsible for your injuries. Our car accident attorneys defend the rights of injured Texans statewide, and we always aggressively pursue the highest level of compensation available for each client.
Have You Been Injured in Rear-End Collision?
If you have been injured in a vehicle that has been rear-ended in Fort Worth, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Fort Worth office to schedule your free consultation.
I was injured in a car accident in Frisco and Parker Law Firm took great care of me! They were proactive in their communication and always so pleasant to speak with. I knew I could trust them throughout the whole process and really appreciate how they went above and beyond for me.