Author: Terry Hyatt


Auto accidents can have serious consequences, including life-changing injuries, loss of work capacity, loss of income, and overwhelming hospital and doctor bills. Collisions, more times than not will occur suddenly and without warning. While in your routine, you become the victim of someone’s carelessness. Your life is turned upside down. Activities, routines, and responsibilities that you used to do, you cannot do at all or as well.

Be Prepared! Auto insurance companies typically instruct their policy holders to be prepared for the possibility of an accident.

Insurance Company recommendations list:

  • Protective bag for document cards
  • Your insurance card
  • Vehicle registration
  • Index card with list of emergency contacts, (this can also be stored on cell phone under “ICE” for “In Case of Emergency.”
  • Index card with list of medications, allergies, or special conditions
  • Notepad and pen (smart phones have an application to take notes as well)
  • First-aid supplies or kit
  • Flashlights
  • Blankets
  • Flares
  • Jumper cables
  • Towel rags or paper towels
  • Trash bags
  • Disposable camera (or can use your cell phone if it has one.)
  • Information to gather from the accident:
  • Other driver’s name and contact information
  • Other driver’s insurance company name, policy number, and phone number
  • Other driver’s vehicle information including make, model, year, and license number
  • Description of damage to vehicles involved
  • Photos of vehicle (full view, damage, and license plate)
  • Witness names and contact information
  • Statements of the other driver and witnesses, especially if volunteered descriptions on how the collision occurred

Seek Medical Attention First:

Questions emerge about what to do first. If you are hurt, we recommend that you go to a medical physician for evaluation and care (either through an emergency room or personal physician).

This is probably your first collision, and your first concern might be about medical expenses and your loss of wages or work income. However, in Texas, negligent drivers may also be liable for additional damages including disfigurement, loss of consortium, loss of household services, physical impairment, and physical pain and mental anguish. Additional questions concerning your personal injury include how will the extent of your damages be determined, what potential defendants are liable and what liability insurance companies have a duty to cover the damages. Our Law Office offers a free initial attorney consultation to answer these questions. If you retain our firm, you will have the benefit of two attorneys on your case, and will be able reach either one for questions or counsel. We have helped persons of all ages, from infant to elderly, who have experienced serious injuries or wrongful death of loved ones.

Protect Yourself and Your Rights:

Challenges after an auto collision concern dealing with insurance companies, handling extensive paperwork and trying to get a fair settlement for your losses. Most individuals are not equipped to deal with these details, and can easily be taken advantage of by insurance companies who want to give you as little as possible. Remember, the insurance companies have experienced auto accident attorneys working for them. That’s why professional legal help is your best protection.

Expertise on Your Side:

To help with your serious or catastrophic injuries from a motor vehicle collision, you need to work with a law firm that specializes in personal injury law and that knows how to get you the full value or maximum compensation available. During this time, your attorney should treat you with compassion and understanding. The team at our firm in Dallas is experienced in the investigation, preparation and trial of a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death claims arising out of driver negligence leading to serious and fatal car accidents.

We are Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Trial lawyers who represent victims of the following types of accidents:

  • Car accident
  • Truck wreck
  • Motorcycle crash
  • Bus wreck
  • Bicycle collision
  • Pedestrian accident

Damages that an auto accident victim and the victim’s family are entitled to recover may include: hospital and medical expenses; past and future lost earnings; past and future permanent physical disability, such as loss of hearing or sight, limp or abnormal gait, scars, loss of a limb; emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety; grief and emotional suffering caused by the death of a loved one; loss of love and companionship caused by the injury or death of a loved one; past and future physical pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of life.

As your dedicated legal team, we would fight for maximum recovery after a serious or fatal car accident, and invite you to contact us for a free consultation. There will be no attorneys’ fees for you to pay unless we obtain financial compensation for you.

Our firm has obtained million-dollar and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. They are known for their strength and determination and know how to fight for their clients.

His firm has assisted Texas accident victims recover money for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages. Whether you have suffered a back or neck injury requiring surgery, fractures, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death of a family member or other serious harm, we will work hard to help you put the pieces of your life back together.

Opposition on Their Side:

When you have a claim for your injuries from an auto or truck accident, you are typically battling the liability insurance company. The liability insurance company and their adjusters and attorneys will go through your case to build a way to limit their liability or avoid it altogether. You need to make sure that you have an experienced Dallas car accident lawyer on your side, who will protect your rights and diligently prosecute your case. We have been battling large corporations and insurance companies for 35 years. The firm has the experience that can help you recover the damages necessary to fully compensate you for your injuries or loss.

For motor vehicle liability policies renewed or issued on or after January 1, 2011, the Texas Legislature increased the liability coverage required for Texas motorists to $30,000 for bodily injury or death for one person and $60,000 for two or more person subject the $30,000 limit for one person.

The reality is that those who are seriously injured incur far greater in damages than $30,000, especially with healthcare cost inflation increasing annually by double digits. Most motorists opt for the least amount of coverage with the motive for the cheapest price. However, approximately one in five owners go without insurance in Texas, while in Dallas, the Texas Department of Insurance shows that one in four auto owners go without any insurance to cover personal injuries.

When dealing with an uninsured negligent driver or with damages that exceed the negligent driver’s liability coverage, your uninsured motorists (UIM) coverage comes into play. UIM coverage is insurance that Texas requires insurance carriers to provide (unless you reject it) for a premium to the limit that you carry in liability coverage. The purpose is to deal with the lack of financial responsibility of drivers to cover catastrophic personal injuries and losses from a auto collision. UIM covers the same elements of damages that the negligent motorist would be liable (except punitive or exemplary). Although you pay the premiums for UIM coverage, your carrier has the same defenses (and incentives) to avoid paying your claim, which is why you need an experienced legal team like our firm.

A business auto policy for liability or UIM may come into play as well depending whether you or the negligent driver was driving a covered vehicle. Our attorneys will search for additional coverage for you. We know how to explore auto defect and dangerous roadway design issues and take a comprehensive approach to getting you the help you need.

On an important side note, another personal coverage benefit (if you didn’t reject it in writing) that you may have purchased is personal injury protection (PIP), which is essentially no-fault insurance to cover out-of-pocket expenses including medical expenses and lost wages. This usually can be claimed and paid to the insured with proof of expenses such as a hospital or doctor bill or lost time from work.


This area of negligence or personal injury law includes bodily injury from a dangerous condition or activity on the premises. This law usually favors the property owner and requires that the injured person prove that the property owner either created or caused the dangerous event or condition, or knew about it before the injury event took place and did not take any action to correct or make safe the dangerous condition or warn the injured person of it.

Home owners, renters, and businesses usually have liability insurance that will pay for the defense of the property owner or business against personal injury or negligence claims and the insurance coverage or benefits that would pay for the injuries or damages in question. To help with your serious or catastrophic injuries from a dangerous property condition or activity on the property, you need to work with a law firm that specializes in personal injury law and that knows what types of insurance coverage apply and how to get you the full value or maximum compensation available. During this time, your attorney should treat you with compassion and understanding. The team at our firm. in Dallas is experienced in the investigation, preparation and trial of a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death claims arising out of property owner negligence leading to serious and fatal accidents.

We are Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Trial lawyers who represents victims of premise liability or property owner negligence.

Premises liability cases can involve any kind of dangerous conditions or activities that pose an unreasonable risk of harm; however, the more common types of liability cases arise from:

  • Unsafe Walkway or Surface Resulting in a Slip or Trip and Fall
  • Inadequate Security
  • Dog Bite
  • Recreational Vehicle not Required for Licensure (including ATVs, three and four wheelers, golf carts, go-carts, mini-bikes, and pocket bikes)
  • Drowning or Diving Injuries in Swimming Pools
  • Burns
  • Unsafe or Malfunctioning Fixture or Machine
  • Unsafe parental supervision including
  • Failing to control a child’s bullying tendencies
  • Serving alcohol and or drugs to minors
  • Physical or sexual abuse

Texas law places a heavy burden on the injured person to show that the property owner or his/her agent caused or created the dangerous condition or failed to warn the injured person of it. In consulting with a personal injury attorney, it is important for the injured person to provide:

  • The names of any witnesses;
  • Photographs of the site of the dangerous condition;
  • Any statements made by the witnesses or property owner/agent, including:
  • What the dangerous condition or substance was; and
  • How long it had been there.

Our firm has evaluated countless premises liability cases and has helped many persons who were injured as the result of a wide variety of dangerous conditions/activities over the years.

Damages that a premise liability victim and the victim’s family are entitled to recover may include: hospital and medical expenses; past and future lost earnings; past and future permanent physical disability, such as loss of hearing or sight, limp or abnormal gait, scars, loss of a limb; emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety; grief and emotional suffering caused by the death of a loved one; loss of love and companionship caused by the injury or death of a loved one; past and future physical pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of life.

As your dedicated legal team, we would fight for maximum recovery after a serious or fatal accident arising from a negligent business or residential property owner, and invite you to contact us for a free consultation. There will be no attorneys’ fees for you to pay unless we obtain financial compensation for you.

We have obtained million-dollar and multi-million dollar settlements and recoveries for their clients. They are known for their strength and determination and know how to fight for their clients.

Our firm has assisted Texas accident victims recover money for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages. Whether you have suffered a back or neck injury requiring surgery, fractures, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death of a family member or other serious harm, we will work hard to help you put the pieces of your life back together.


Our Dallas Law Offices specializes in complex personal injury and wrongful death litigation. We are board certified attorneys with over 30 years of experience specializing in personal injury trial law throughout Texas. The Firm carries the highest “AV Rating” for legal ability in Martindale-Hubbell, determined by their peers. Our firm frequently receives referrals from former clients and referring attorneys who were satisfied with their results.

  • We have 30 years of experience in Wrongful Death,
  • Auto/Trucking Accidents, Premises Liability, & Medical Malpractice.

What Does it mean to be a Board Certifed Attorney?

In Texas, a Board Certified Attorney is an attorney who has demonstrated special competence in a particular field in which the Texas Board of Legal Specialization has certified their competence beyond a general license to practice law. In order to qualify for certification in Personal Injury Trial Law, the Board requires, among other things, that the attorney have experience handling a wide variety of personal injury trial law matters, has been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges, and has passed a day-long additional written examination. Our attorneys have been Board Certified since 1983, and has served as  preparers and graders of the Personal Injury Trial Law Exam for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.