Who is to blame in semi-truck accidents?

Determining the fault in semi-truck accidents is not always easy. If bad weather is a factor in the accident, or other factors are involved, it can be difficult to prove who was responsible for the accident. In other types of semi-truck accidents, such as a truck fault accident is easy to determine. If you are involved in a semi-truck accident and need help determining who is at fault, collecting evidence and consulting a lawyer is the first step that should be taken. Taking photos of the crash site, gathering information from the other drivers involved, seeking immediate medical attention, and filing a police report are ways you can gather supporting evidence from a semi-truck accident. Your compassionate trucking accident lawyer can use this evidence to analyze your case and determine whether you are eligible to recover compensation for damages caused by the accident.

What to do After a Semi-Truck Accident to Prove the Fault of a Driver

Following the steps below after a semi-truck accident can give you evidence that will help ensure the fault of the truck driver.

Report an accident

Report the accident immediately after the semi-truck accident. Don’t forget to report the accident to your insurance company. Law enforcement is the first to investigate the accident. The police officer, after reviewing the accident site, taking witnesses’ statements, and evaluating the accident scenario, issues a report explaining how the accident happened. His report may or may not contain a statement of error. A citation may be issued to the driver for excessive speed or failure to yield, etc. Although the officer’s statement and citation are not proof of someone’s guilt, they can be used to support a case of negligence or liability in court cases.

Seek medical attention

Your health is of utmost importance, so if you are injured, seek immediate treatment. Also, be sure to keep a record of all your medical bills so that you can use them as documentation for your insurance and that you get appropriate compensation. However, insurance companies send adjusters to review all details of the accident, inspect the vehicles involved, and interview witnesses. An independent investigation is carried out to determine the fault in the accident.

Talk to the police

After the accident, when the police reach the spot, they ask many questions to file the report. You will need this report to get proper compensation. The report is crucial evidence to show that the driver is guilty or not. So be sure to answer all questions honestly, but don’t say anything that could potentially point the blame on you.

Keep necessary documents ready

Collect the required documents as possible to prove the person responsible for the incident guilty. Take pictures of the placement of vehicles and damage to your car. These will be helpful to determine whose fault it is. You must also obtain the license plate numbers and vehicle identification numbers of the trucks involved in the accident, as well as the contact and insurance information of the people involved.

These are some points that will help in proving that you are not at fault. In other words, it will be easier for you to prove that the party in front is responsible for the accident. If you or your loved one is injured in a semi-truck accident and want the right compensation for that, then contact us. We have a team of experienced semi-truck accident attorneys who have good knowledge in this field. Being a reliable name, we make sure our clients never face any kind of issue. For your help, we will do all the things that are required for your case. To get the correct suggestion contact us at 214-321-4105.

The post How To Find the Driver at Fault for a Semi Truck Accident first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

Being a truck driver requires you to follow a complex set of state and federal rules and regulations that govern all aspects of your operation. The main goal of the laws is to ensure the safe operation of trucks to prevent catastrophic injuries. If you violate the laws, you may be fined or ordered to remove the truck or truck drivers from the road for repeated violations. If someone gets injured due to your negligence, you may have to pay compensation for that. Sometimes it takes many years to prove oneself innocent. Therefore it is very important to have correct information about semi-truck laws.

Semi-Truck Law

To ensure public safety and to protect other people on the road from accidents, the government has made various rules. Some of the most important rules for truck drivers include:

Testing for drugs and alcohol

No driver may operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Under the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991, all transportation workers must submit to drug and alcohol testing in an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related truck accidents. If the driver refuses the test, he or she will face immediate removal from any transportation-related activities required by federal law.

Restrictions regarding hours of service

One of the major causes of truck accidents is fatigue. Therefore, to deal with accidents, the driver should take regular breaks and allow a fixed time between shifts. Commercial motor vehicle operators must comply with the duty hours or hours of service as per regulations.

A commercial truck driver carrying any property may drive only 11 hours each day, after a minimum of 10 hours of duty. If a truck carries passengers, the driver may drive only for 10-hour shifts after at least 8 hours of duty. Finally, drivers are only allowed to log 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. All truck drivers must have 7 to 8 days off and at least 34 hours off before commencing the stretch.

Commercial truck maintenance

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recognizes that a lack of proper maintenance can lead to dangerous truck accidents. As a result, all commercial vehicles operating on public roads must follow a regular maintenance schedule. All trucks and their components shall at all times be in good operating condition in accordance with federal law. Truck owners and operators must complete certain system checks at least once every 90 days, and motor carriers must record all maintenance activities on the books, which they must submit upon request to a law enforcement officer.

Using a mobile device

Using a phone while driving can be dangerous for you and your passengers. Therefore, it has been banned in Texas. In September of 2017, Texas became one of the last states in the country to pass a statewide texting ban. Any person can text, email, use the navigation system for any purpose, or use any form of texting while driving.

The laws and regulations for commercial drivers and especially semi-truck drivers are very complex. It is important to be aware of the laws set by each state because semi-truck drivers often cross state borders. If you live in Texas then you should have complete knowledge about passenger laws for semi-trucks, semi-truck length laws, etc. If you or your loved one is involved in a semi-truck accident and you want proper assistance then contact us for a free consultation.

The post Texas Semi Truck Laws first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

If you are involved in a car accident, there are certain things you can do to protect yourself and your interests. The following is a list of the things you should do if you are in an car accident:

Make Sure you are Okay: Health and safety always come first. It is important to determine if you’re able to move without causing further injury to yourself. If not, remain where you are until emergency units arrive to help you.

Call 911: Whether or not there are serious injuries, it is a good idea to call the police. You may need a police report to file a claim with your insurance company, even if the claim is just for vehicle damage. The vehicles involved in the accident should remain where they are, unless they interfere with traffic.

Get the Other Driver’s Information: Make sure you write down the names and contact information of the other party (including passengers) who were involved in the accident.

Do Not Admit Guilt or Apologize: To protect yourself, it’s important that you should never admit or accept fault during an accident or afterward. You should remain silent even if you think you caused the accident, because there may be other factors beyond your control that contributed to it.

Take Photos and Write Notes for Your Insurance Claim: Document as many details as you can with your phone or a notepad. Take plenty of photos and video at the scene to support your documentation and if you have visible injuries, take pictures of them as well.

Seek Medical Attention: Often, injuries caused by car accidents are not immediately apparent. It is still vital that you undergo a complete medical checkup even if you do not feel any pain.

Keep A File: Keep all your accident-related documents and information together, and if you have been injured, keep all medical reports to serve as evidence in future lawsuits.

Protect Your Rights: Perhaps the most important thing you should do after an accident is to consult an experienced accident lawyer. Your Lawyer can protect your rights and avoid destroying valuable evidence and will provide you with clear information about your rights and build a strong case for your recovery.

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident, report your claim online or call us to schedule a FREE consultation with a Garland Car Accident Attorney at 214-321-4105.

The post Helpful Tips If You’re in a Car Accident first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

But sometimes, the responsible party proves you wrong. So you need to be aware. You have to collect important clues to prove yourself innocent.

Get the license number and address: When you are a victim of an accident, you should get all the information about the driver responsible for that. When you are injured, make sure you have that person’s driving license number. Through this, you will be able to reach it easily.

View Insurance Verification Card: The identification of the responsible person is essential. If you don’t have any information about the culprit, you cannot claim compensation. So refer to their insurance verification card. If the address on the card is different from the person’s driving license number, verify which their correct place of residence is. If the name on the insurance card is different from that of the Id card, verify who owns the car and who owns the policy.

Note the plate number: To catch the culprit, it is necessary to have evidence. Otherwise, the police will take time to investigate the case. This will make you wait longer for compensation. If you are a car accident victim, do not forget to note down the plate number. With the help of this, the police can easily reach the person responsible for the incident.

Get information about the people in the car: You will need witnesses to prove your innocence. Therefore, get information about the people present at the time of the accident. This ensures that you can call anyone to testify if needed.

Due to the lack of information, you are unable to file a complaint against the driver. If you don’t have any evidence of the accident, you can’t file a lawsuit against the driver. If you or your loved one is injured in a car accident file a personal injury claim and get proper compensation. To get a free consultation, call our Auto Accident Attorney today.

The post Get the Other Party’s Address and Contact Information at the Scene first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

Motorcycle Law in Texas

Many rules have been made for motorcyclists in Texas, which are mandatory to follow, otherwise, strict action can be taken against them. If you also have a motorcycle then you should be aware of the following laws.

It is mandatory for all riders under the age of 21 to wear a helmet. Motorcyclists 21 years of age or older are not legally obligated to wear a helmet, as long as they have completed a motorcycle safety course or have purchased an appropriate health insurance plan that covers motorcycle accidents.
Lane sharing (when a motorcyclist drives between lanes to cross slow or stopped vehicles) is prohibited.
Motorcyclists must carry the following minimum liability coverage: $30,000 bodily injury coverage for each person injured in the accident, a total of $60,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 property damage coverage per accident. This coverage is known as “30/60/25 coverage”.

Tips to Prevent Motorcycle Accident

The best way to avoid a motorcycle accident is to pay serious attention to safety. Many motorcycle accidents can be avoided with constant vigilance and education about the safest way to ride.

Wear a helmet for your safety: Wearing a motorcycle helmet significantly reduces the incidence of head injuries in accidents. Always make sure your helmet meets Department of Transportation standards. And keep in mind that in many states it is illegal to ride without a helmet.

Get a motorcycle license: Most states require bikers to obtain a special motorcycle license to ride on the roads. Typically, riders must pass a knowledge test and a skills test. Some states require bikers to take motorcycle safety courses. When it comes to safety, going through these hoops pays off.

Don’t drink and ride: About half of all accidents involving the same motorcycle are due to overspeeding or alcohol consumption – usually, these go hand in hand. Drinking alcohol and riding a motorcycle is not only against the law but is also extremely dangerous.

Get professional training: Motorcycle riders who are self-taught or taught by friends account for more than 90 percent of bikers involved in motorcycle accidents. Getting professional training in riding a motorcycle can save your life.

Wear protective clothing: Protect yourself by wearing goggles or sunglasses, a jacket, full-toed gloves, long pants, and boots. Your clothing should be made of an abrasion-resistant material such as leather and fit close to the body. Loose clothing can spoil your vision. Choose bright colors so other drivers can see you.

These are a few tips that can prevent you from personal injury. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another, contact our office to receive free consultation.

The post The Basics About Motorcycle Accidents first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

If you are involved in a car accident, there are certain things you can do to prove yourself and your interests. To prove fault after a car accident, you should follow the given procedure:

File a police report: The investigation is very important before convicting anyone, so get an FIR registered. Since any insurance company doesn’t want to be responsible for the cost of an accident, a police report will be reviewed in depth by each party as a neutral resource. The police should also ask anyone witnessing the accident to give a statement for the report, as the neutral side’s view may be to your advantage.

Inspect driving conditions at the time of the incident: Usually, to prevent an accident, there are signs of the speed limit, stop sign, school zone, “no turn” etc. So be sure to follow them. If the car was turning at the time of the accident, but their turn signal was not on at the time of the incident, it proves that the signal was not flashing at the time of impact may be sufficient to establish a fault in a case.

Collect evidence: Be sure to take photographs of each vehicle involved in the accident and if possible remember where they were located at the time of the accident. If an outside witness witnessed the accident, take their statement and contact information as you may need them later. Their version of events can help determine which party was really at fault.

Don’t admit fault at the scene: When you are exchanging insurance information or filing accident reports with the local police department, be sure to provide the facts you remember. If you feel that you have any contribution to the incident, then do not give any kind of testimony because there is no evidence that proves you are a culprit. If you accept your mistake then you will be responsible for the accident. So avoid accepting the mistake on the spot.

Get legal advice: If you are unsure about how to prove your innocence, then you should consult an experienced car accident lawyer. Evaluate the evidence that is collected by you and find out whether this evidence is sufficient for a personal injury claim.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a road traffic accident, and you want to prove that you are innocent, contact us to schedule a FREE consultation at 214-321-4105.

The post How to Prove Fault After a Car Accident first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

Usually, in the case of a car accident, the person covering the cost of the accident is most to blame for the accident. If you are partially guilty, you should limit your talk to anyone other than your attorney. Otherwise, your words can be used as evidence to point the blame on you. So it is important to keep your words to a minimum and choose them carefully. If you are involved in an accident, it does not mean that whatever happened is only because of your negligence or you know everything about it. There are certain factors that may be noticed only by the negligent party or witness. Without investigation, complete information about any accident cannot be known. In this situation, you can also give a wrong statement which can be used against you.

In any case, insurance companies are unlikely to believe your words so quickly. They always attempt to have the case against you to avoid paying anything. Therefore, saying anything without thinking might harm you. Personal injuries usually come with large hospital bills, so you will need proper compensation. It is possible to become nervous or tired after having an accident and not be able to think clearly.If you say “I’m sorry that happened,” then turning it over to the court may suggest possible guilt and thus possible fault for the accident. Your statement can be reviewed in many different ways by the people reviewing it, so be careful what you say, how you say it and who you say it to.

If you are involved in a car accident and want a car insurance claim, you need to hire a reputed lawyer. Having good years of experience, they will easily handle the situation. However, to get the claim amount, cooperate with the lawyer and always speak the truth. If you hide something or lie, you will never be able to reach the maximum compensation that you are entitled to. So always speak the truth and yes as much as is necessary. To get the right amount of compensation, you can contact The Beltz Law Firm and get a free consultation.

We have a team of experts that have good years of experience in this field. Being a reliable name, we make sure our clients never face any kind of issue. If you are innocent, we will do all the things that are required for your case. To get the correct suggestion contact us at 214-321-4105

The post Be Careful What You Say After a Car Accident in Garland first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

Car accident victims want to be fairly compensated for their expenses and damages, but it is difficult to assess the value of a claim unless you understand what damages are worth in today’s judicial “market” (aka: what juries are awarding at trial).

In its beginning stages, a car accident case is difficult to value because there are many variables that impose problems in calculating a potential recovery amount. However, as the case progresses, an understanding of the scope of damages can be assessed to determine a value. Sometimes, that figure can be significant, while other times, it can be less than expected.

While other accident firms may “encourage” their clients to quickly file a lawsuit, we prefer to settle a case for a fair amount without the burden, expense and time it takes to get a case in front of a jury. This is done because our focus is your recovery and well-being. A trial is hard on everyone, including the plaintiffs, so this is not a preferred initial option in a personal injury case. However, if needed, we will always be prepared to present your case to a jury.

If you have been injured in a car accident, The Beltz Law Firm can review your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim, as well as be realistic and manage expectations.

To schedule a FREE consultation, call our office at 214-321-4105. Additionally, you may visit the personal injury section of our website to learn more and/or contact someone from our office.

The post Garland Car Accident Compensation: Helpful Info first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

214-321-4105

If you have been involved in a car accident in Garland, Texas, it is very important to know that documentation will be critical in the event you need to take legal action.

Accidents that lead to injuries can result in lost wages, pain and suffering, medical costs that are not covered by insurance, inconvenience, missed time with family members and financial distress. For this reason, it may be necessary to be properly compensated for your injuries.

When involved in a car accident, if you are physically able, make sure you document as much as possible at the scene. This includes gathering statements from witnesses, their contact information, photos and video of all vehicles involved in the accident, and documentation of any medical care received at the scene or in a hospital or physician’s office.

For your convenience, we now provide an Auto Accident App for existing and/or potential clients. To download our FREE Accident App, click here. This helpful App will assist you in properly documenting your injuries and all things related to your accident. These items will be very important down the road.

Our law firm handles all aspects of traffic-related injuries, including simple guidance and consultation to negotiating fair settlements with insurance companies to preparing for jury trials.

Accident Attorney in Garland

If you have been injured in a car accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact one of our experienced accident attorneys to discuss your rights as an accident victim.

Our office is experienced in all aspects related to personal injuries claims and personal injury litigation.

The post Why Documentation Is Important In Garland Car Accidents first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.

*****Download our new accident app for iphone and android phones. Search for Beltz Law Accident App.****** 

214-321-4105

Over the years, our firm has handled many auto accidents in Garland and throughout the Dallas metroplex. Each case is unique and presents obstacles that must be overcome in order to resolve the matter successfully. One hurdle we often face concerns the necessity of prolonged medical treatment. Wrongfully injured persons rarely can control or predict the extent of their injuries. Usually, the treating doctor formulates a plan to help resolve the client’s issues based on numerous factors. However, the course of treatment is not always static and can change at a moment’s notice. Therefore, the auto accident claim must be willing to adapt as necessary.

Sometimes, we are faced with the possibility that the necessary medical treatment will not be covered by the expected policy limits. In other words, the “pie” is not big enough to accommodate all medical treatments available. That can be a dilemma when a person is in pain or suffering and needs the proper medical care but the other party’s insurance coverage is not sufficient to cover all contingencies.

Fortunately, there are options if the client is well insured. Most “full coverage” policies include uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage for situations just like the ones listed above. Additionally, many policies include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) which can help relieve some of the financial burden. These additional policy coverages are not always available; however, even if they are included, may present their own issues when trying to get the injured client the best medical care available. Future blogs will address some of these issues in more detail.

Although we have not encountered every possible scenario, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your case with you in detail at your convenience. Contact us to set your appointment.

To discuss your injuries for FREE with a licensed attorney, please refer to the following:

Accident Attorney in Garland

The post Medical Treatment v. Policy Limits: Another Hurdle in the Personal Injury Race first appeared on Accident Attorney Garland | Personal Injury Lawyer.