Fort Worth Lane Change Crashes Lawyer

Fort Worth Lane Change Crashes Lawyer

Have you been injured in a car accident in Fort Worth because someone made an unsafe lane change? Under Texas law, you have the right to seek compensation from the at-fault driver for the injuries you have sustained.

Stephens Law Firm, PLLC represents injury victims as a Fort Worth, TX lane change crashes lawyer.

You do not have to fight the insurance company alone.

Contact our law office today by calling us at (817) 420-7000 to schedule your free consultation with award-winning trial lawyer Jason Stephens. 

How Stephens Law Firm, PLLC Can Help in a Lane Change Accident Case in Fort Worth

injured

A lane change crash can be a frightening and overwhelming experience that seemingly happens in an instant. You were simply on your way to work or to run errands and now you may be facing an uncertain financial future with mounting medical bills, a painful recovery, and time off work. 

The last thing you should be facing while you recover from your injuries is a stressful and difficult battle with an insurance company.

Insurance carriers are for-profit businesses that use their own lawyers and claims adjusters to minimize claims. This can leave accident victims with lowball settlement offers that don’t even fully compensate them. 

You don’t need to fight the insurance company by yourself. Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is here to help you build your case and fight for what you are owed. 

Jason Stephens has over 25 years of experience as a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer. He is an award-winning trial lawyer who has earned recognition for his excellent track record including a Superb 10.0 AVVO rating and the highest AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Stephens has secured some of the largest verdicts in U.S. history for his clients. 

Stephens will never push you to accept an unfair settlement. He is not afraid to take your case to court and fight for you to secure the full compensation you need to be as whole as possible. 

Contact Stephens Law Firm, PLLC today to schedule your consultation with Jason Stephens to begin building your case.

How Common Are Lane Change Crashes?

Lane changes are one of the most common causes of traffic accidents across the United States. Lane change accidents can happen on rural Texas roads, city streets, and highways and often lead to serious and life-changing injuries.

Texas law requires drivers to exercise caution when changing lanes and remain in the right lane, using the left lane for passing. Despite this, lane-changing accidents are shockingly common. 

While speeding and being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs are the two leading causes of fatal accidents in the United States, failing to stay in the proper lane or unsafe lane change ranks third.

In 2018, failing to stay in the proper lane accounted for 7.2% of fatal accidents in the U.S. That’s over 3,700 people killed because they or someone else did not stay in their lane. 

What Causes Lane Change Accidents? 

Lane change accidents are almost always caused by driver negligence. There are many types of driver behavior that can lead to a dangerous lane change crash in Texas such as: 

  • Attempting to evade or weave through traffic
  • Not using a turn signal before changing lanes
  • Not checking blind spots
  • Distracted driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Driver fatigue
  • Weather conditions
  • Underestimating the speed of another vehicle

In 2020, a study was conducted to investigate the factors that contribute to lane-change crashes. The study found that major contributing factors include: 

  • Driver factors such as years of driving experience
  • Location and surrounding conditions like road surface and light
  • Road features such as the number of lanes and speed limit
Distracted driver ignores passenger's warning

After collecting data from police accident reports and a questionnaire survey among drivers, more than 57% of people who responded to the survey said a distraction caused their unsafe or sudden lane change. This included 21% who said their cell phone was the distraction. 

The study found that drivers whose behavior causes them to suddenly change lanes are 2.53x more likely to be involved in an accident. Drivers who look at side mirrors and out windows before changing lanes are 4.51x and 3.85x less likely to be involved in a crash. 

Common Injuries in a Lane Change Crash

Lane change accidents have the potential to cause serious and life-changing injuries, especially at highway speeds. Common injuries in lane-change crashes include: 

Have you suffered serious injuries due to a negligent driver making an unsafe lane change? Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. 

Who Is Liable for Your Injuries in a Lane Change Accident in Texas?

car accident lane change

Drivers have a duty to pay attention while driving, watch for oncoming vehicles, and use their mirrors and turn signals when changing lanes. While it may seem simple to determine liability in a lane change crash, fault isn’t always easy to assign. Both drivers may share some fault or the at-fault driver may refuse to admit they were negligent. 

Your Fort Worth car accident lawyer will investigate your accident to determine who was responsible for the collision. In most cases, the driver changing lanes is responsible. When a driver does not make a lane change safely, they can be held liable for the accident. 

To make a safe and prudent lane change, a merging driver must give surrounding drivers fair warning, ensure no vehicles are in the way, and make sure there is enough space to safely accommodate the vehicle. 

There are many types of behaviors that can be considered negligent and lead to liability in a crash: 

  • Failing to check mirrors and blind spots
  • Not signaling their intent to merge
  • Not waiting until the lane is clear
  • Merging on top of another car
  • Not leaving enough distance between vehicles

Many lane change accidents involve distraction. A distracted driver who merges into another lane when it’s not safe to do so can be found at fault for the accident. Your injury lawyer will investigate if the driver was distracted with witness statements and the driver’s cell phone records. 

Some lane change crashes happen when two or more drivers are negligent. For example, both vehicles may have been trying to merge at the same time and crashed. In these cases, both drivers may share legal liability for the accident. When neither driver has a right-of-way to merge and the opportunity to safely merge, both can be accountable. 

Just remember that Texas uses modified comparative negligence. This means you cannot recover compensation if you are 51% or more at fault. For every fault that’s assigned to you in the accident, your damages will be directly reduced. 

This is why it’s crucial to work with an experienced lane change accident lawyer in Tarrant County to properly investigate your accident and show how the other party is at fault. 

Damages Available in a Lane Change Accident

When you are hurt in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, Texas law allows you to hold the at-fault party accountable for your damages. You can recover two types of damages in a lane change accident: 

medical bill

When an accident causes serious injury, non-economic damages are often much higher than economic damages. Your personal injury attorney will present evidence to show the extent of the psychological and emotional harm you have suffered to reach a fair settlement.

If the insurance company does not reach a fair agreement, your case will go before a jury who will decide how much to award. 

Statute of Limitations for Filing a Lane Change Injury Claim

When you are injured in a traffic accident, it’s crucial to be aware of the statute of limitations for your case. Under Texas law, you have just two years to file a claim for injuries from a lane change crash. If you do not file a personal injury claim before the statute of limitations expires, you lose your legal right to pursue compensation. 

This does not mean you should wait to file an insurance claim or lawsuit. It’s important to consult with an experienced car accident attorney in Fort Worth as soon as possible to begin gathering evidence. Delays can cause valuable evidence to be lost. 

Contact a Fort Worth, TX Car Wreck Lawyer Today

A lane change accident can be traumatizing and leave you with life-changing injuries. One moment you may be driving down the highway on your way to work and the next you are in an ambulance.

While the last thing you should be worried about is fighting an insurance company to pay for your medical bills and damages, that is often what happens to injury victims. 

You don’t need to fight the insurance company alone. Jason Stephens of Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is here to help with decades of experience as an award-winning trial lawyer. Call today to schedule a free consultation with a Fort Worth lane change accident lawyer to evaluate your case. 

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