Reckless Driving And Speeding

Almost everyone has driven a little faster than the posted speed limit at one time or another. Usually there are few consequences for such actions, except possible speeding tickets. Occasionally, however, a driver may be distracted or hurrying to reach his or her destination and will end up losing control of the vehicle and crashing into another vehicle or object. Accidents caused by speeding drivers are one of the most common car accident causes.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident that was caused by another driver’s excessive speed, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and damages to your vehicle.

Accident Injuries Caused By Speeding Drivers
Various types of speeding accidents occur. For example, take the case of a car traveling under the posted speed limit but because of the weather or road conditions, the car loses traction and crashes anyway. If law enforcement officers determine that the driver should have been more careful, they may cite the driver for speeding or reckless driving.

Driving safely is especially important when road construction and maintenance crews are at work. Reduced speed limit signs are posted, but often drivers do not slow down. Sometimes workers are struck. Many Dallas road workers are injured or killed each year by drivers who speed through construction sites.

Standards regarding speed limits in differing contexts are set by the United States Department of Transportation. You may not drive faster than the speed a reasonable person would in a similar situation. Some examples of situations when reduced speed might be appropriate:

  • Wet roadways due to rain, snow or ice
  • Reduced visibility due to fog or smoke
  • Uneven roads
  • Construction zones
  • Curves and intersections
  • Gravel roads

Heavy traffic including high pedestrian or pedal cyclist activity
The consequences of speeding grow progressively more serious as the activity increases. For example, driving five miles per hour over the speed limit puts you at less of a risk of serious injury than traveling at 25 miles per hour over the speed limit.

This is why law enforcement officers may add a charge related to distracted driving to a speeding citation or when determining fault in a car crash. Excessive speeding is reckless and is considered negligent in most circumstances.

What Are My Options After An Accident?
Speeding often plays a role in other common car accident causes like drunk driving. When this occurs, the consequences can be deadly. Too many lives are lost each year to accidents in which speeding was a factor. Responsible drivers should always make sure that they are not traveling faster than road or weather conditions safely allow. Slowing down can save lives.

If you or a loved one is a victim of an accident caused by speeding, you may have questions about how to get compensation for medical or repair bills. An experienced Dallas car accident attorney will be glad to speak with you about your case.

Back Injuries

These types of injuries are some of the most common types of car accident injuries. An injury to the back is painful and disruptive. Normal body movement at the time of the accident can leave a motorist in pain or even paralyzed. Get a Dallas lawyer familiar with these types of injuries on your side. You could be entitled to a financial settlement.

Back Injuries And Back Pain
The spinal column is made up of 33 bones held together by a tissue that spans the skull to the pelvis. Damage to any of these 33 bones causes a wide assortment of injuries. The two main types of back injuries are:

Spondylolisthesis: This type of injury is a lower back injury. These lower back injuries can cause extreme pain and often lead to difficulty working, driving, sitting or standing.
Cervical radiculopathy: This type of injury includes most injuries that affect the cervical vertebrae, which are in the upper back and neck. Injuries to this part of the back can lead to pain, numbness or loss of movement in a person’s extremities.
Your back can be injured in other ways too; these are just the most common injuries that cause severe pain. Regardless of the type of back injury, they are typically diagnosed using x-rays, MRI scans and CT scans. As with neck injuries, back injuries often require expensive and lengthy medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Injuries to the back can lead to the following disruptive and painful side effects:

  • Lower back pain
  • Numbness or tingling in the back or extremities
  • Lack of mobility in the arms and legs
  • Paralysis
  • Inability to perform normal tasks
  • Muscle soreness or weakness

These side effects can reach into every part of a person’s life, just like the side effects of a head injury. Side effects may leave a victim in pain, wheelchair bound or unable to work. The emotional and financial expense of injuries like these can leave a family devastated. Does this sound like your situation? Before you give up hope, seek the opinion of an attorney. You may have a solid case to collect a financial settlement.

An Attorney Will Work For You
If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident, you likely feel confused, overwhelmed and concerned about your future. By hiring an attorney to handle you and your family’s legal concerns, you can focus on your recovery.

While monetary recompense cannot undo the damage that has been done, it can help cover the inevitable costs that follow a serious accident. A Dallas attorney experienced in these types of cases will pursue every legal avenue on your behalf. While there is never any specific guarantee of a settlement amount, a lawyer will seek every penny you are entitled to under the law so you can focus on rebuilding your life.

Have you or a loved one suffered a back injury? Do you have concerns about the medical bills that are accumulating? If you answered yes to these questions, or if you were involved in an accident that was not your fault, you should seek legal assistance. You deserve the best possible recovery chances; so do not delay in calling.

Cell Phones While Driving

It seems like everyone has a cell phone. It wasn’t that long ago when cell phones were a rarity. However, today, cell phones are extremely common and unfortunately, are a cause of accidents. Have you been injured in a car accident that was caused by a negligent driver? Cell phone car accidents can have very serious repercussions, but you do not have to suffer alone. Call a Dallas car accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident.

What’s A Cell Phone Car Accident?
When you think about car accidents caused by cell phones, you may think about texting and driving. While this does contribute to many accidents, it is not the only way in which a cell phone can contribute to an accident. Some other ways include:

  • Dialing a number while driving
  • Entering an address into a phone’s GPS system
  • Surfing Facebook or doing social media while driving
  • Texting and driving
  • Talking on the phone and not paying attention
  • Glancing at a smart phone map while driving

These are just some of the ways in which a cell phone can lead to distracted or negligent driving. Cell phones, particularly smart phones, have many useful purposes for drivers. However, the risks and dangers may outweigh the benefits of these pieces of modern technology. A Dallas car accident attorney may be able to help you seek financial compensation if you have been injured in a car accident caused by a mobile device.

An iPhone itself is not dangerous. However, using a cell phone while driving a vehicle can cause some of the following reckless behaviors:

  • Distracted driving
  • Multitasking
  • Failure to check for blind spots when changing lanes
  • Speeding
  • Turning without properly signaling
  • Abrupt stops or turns

Any of these behaviors cause serious accidents that leave other motorists injured or dead. It has been reported that distracted driving causes one in four accidents in Texas. Cell phone use is the front-runner cause of distracted driving.

Texas Laws Regarding Cell Phone Use
Currently, Texas has no statewide law that prohibits the use of cell phones while driving. However, there are several things that you should know about cell phones while driving in Texas:

  • No driver with a learning permit license is allowed to use a cell phone while driving.
  • Drivers under 19 are prohibited from using any kind of wireless device while driving.
  • School bus drivers are not allowed to use cell phones.
  • Cell phones are not allowed in school zones.
  • There are several counties that have their own prohibitions on cell phone use while driving.

If you or your family was involved in an accident and you know the driver was ignoring the law, you may be eligible for a monetary settlement. Cell phone car accidents can have very serious physical, monetary and emotional consequences. You do not have to face the situation alone because a Dallas car accident attorney is waiting to help you.

Drugs Driving Accidents

Drugs are a controversial issue for many Texans. Regardless of the politics, everyone agrees that getting behind the wheel while using drugs is dangerous for all motorists. Because high drivers are impaired, much in the same way as drunk drivers, accidents caused by drugs may be criminally prosecuted and victims may be eligible for financial compensation. If you have been injured by a high driver, a common accident cause, call a Dallas car accident attorney as soon as possible.

How Do Drugs Cause Accidents And Why Are They So Serious?
Driving under the influence of drugs is known as drugged driving and it can have serious effects. Some facts about drugged driving are listed below:

  • Any substance that affects the brain can impair driving, including over-the-counter medications.
  • Drugged drivers typically have a slower reaction time and do not make very wise driving decisions.
  • Drugged drivers may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs can make a driver prone to speeding or reckless behavior.

These are just some of the effects of drugged driving. Unlike blood alcohol content (BAC) levels with drunk driving, there is no agreed upon level to determine how drugged a driver may be to drive safely. Drugged driving is a serious issue that is very difficult to monitor. However, police always have the right to arrest a driver who displays signs of impaired behavior at the time of an accident or traffic stop.

Impaired Driving And Your Accident
If you were in an accident that was caused by drugs, you may have a hard time deciding what you should do next. A Dallas car accident attorney can examine the evidence from your case and determine what subsequent steps you should take. If you were injured or if you lost a loved one in a car accident because of drugged driving, you should consider a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. The first step in this process is a phone call to an attorney.

The following facts may affect your drugged driving case:

  • Younger drivers are more prone to driving while under the influence of drugs.
  • Drivers who are drugged may be under the influence of alcohol as well.
  • There are many prescribed medications and substances that can influence driving in the same way as illegal drugs.
  • While it may be hard for police officers to test for drugs while in the field, medical facilities can test for drug use.

Were you injured in a car accident? Do you suspect that drugs may have caused it? While there are never any 100 percent guarantees, an attorney could be a great resource in securing a financial settlement. Drugged driving is a crime and is dangerous. If you are a victim, do not suffer alone. Call an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.