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Texas Among Most Dangerous States for Auto Accidents

Texas car accident attorneyTexas is the 4th most dangerous state in America in which to live, according to a recent report by WalletHub. Contributing to these statistics, Texas ranked 43rd out of 50 states in road safety.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 2016 saw an increase of 5.45 percent road deaths from 2015. This accounted for 1.44 deaths per 100 million miles traveled and 13.6 deaths per 100,000 residents.

Out of all crash-related deaths in 2016, 33 percent involved passenger cars, 3o percent involved pickup trucks and SUVs, two percent involved large trucks, 13 percent involved motorcycles, 18 percent involved pedestrians, and two percent involved bicycles.

Texas Negligence Law - Proving Liability after Injury

After a traffic accident, it is important that you take the crucial steps to file a claim. Texas negligence laws allow the plaintiff to pursue damages against one or more defendants. As it pertains to motor-vehicle collisions, proving negligence requires the plaintiff to prove the driver owed a duty of care, breached that duty, that the breach resulted in injury and that the plaintiff suffered damages. The law permits victims who are partially at fault to still collect damages in many cases.

Civ. Pratt. & Rem. § 33.001 is Texas' law on proportionate responsibility. It allows the plaintiff to collect damages as long as the plaintiff's negligence is not greater than the defendant's. In such cases, the plaintiff's award will be reduced by proportion of fault.

UM/UIM Coverage Protects Texas Car Accident Victims

Recently, our auto accident attorneys in Fort Worth reported Texas is now among the Top 10 states for hit-and-run accidents. This is particularly alarming because the WalletHub report ranked Texas one of the worst in the nation when it comes to the number of uninsured motorists on the road. Texas auto insurance law requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $30,000 per person/$60,000 per incident, but many motorists break that law.

When a driver lacks insurance, flees the scene and is never identified, or lacks enough insurance to pay for damages, motorists with uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage may make a claim against their own insurance company. Texas law does not require drivers to carry this coverage, but motorists who decline must reject the coverage in writing. While your auto insurance policy is primarily designed to protect other motorists in the event of a collision, UM/UIM coverage offers you vital protection in the wake of a serious or fatal accident. We strongly recommend carrying as much UM/UIM coverage as you can reasonably afford.

In the event that you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, you should contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney At Law, P.C. and find out how we can help you.

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Coby L. Wooten Attorney at Law, P.C.

1301 Ballinger St. #100
Fort Worth, TX 76102

Toll Free: 877-960-1279
Local: 817-502-9284

Meetings outside of Fort Worth are available by appointment.

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