Compassionate Vehicle Accident Lawyers in Texas
Dedicated legal advocacy for Texans injured in life-changing vehicle accidents
On a daily basis, people take one of the biggest risks to personal safety by driving and riding in cars. Although fewer people are commuting to work than ever before, it isn’t helping the odds of a serious collision. According to TXDOT, the fatality rate increased by 18.94% in 2020 compared to 2019. Safety advocates link distracted driving and lax enforcement of seatbelt, speeding, and driving-while-intoxicated regulations to these troubling statistics.
Accident fatality rate increases aren’t just limited to roadways, watercraft accidents are also on the rise. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), there was a 40% increase in boating accidentsin the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same time period in 2020. When tragedy strikes, you can trust the knowledgeable team at Slack Davis Sanger to hold the liable party accountable.
"One of our daughters was seriously injured in a car accident. Mike Guajardo handled her personal injury case and did a tremendous job. Mike navigated us through the legal landscape which allowed my wife and I to focus on our daughters medical challenges and recovery. He was always available when we had questions and explained everything thoroughly. Mike negotiated with several auto and health insurance companies on our behalf and got great results for our daughter. Mike was professional, easy to work with and negotiated hard for our daughter. I would highly recommend Mike and his firm.” - 
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What types of vehicle accidents do your lawyers handle?
Slack Davis Sanger works with a highly knowledgeable team of attorneys representing victims in the following types of vehicle accident cases:
Car, Motorcycle, and Truck Accidents and Crashes
According to TXDOT, over 205,000 Texans were injured in automotive collisions in 2020, with over 12,000 people seriously injured. Not a single day went by in 2020 without death on a Texas roadway. A significant percentage of crashes that resulted in serious injury involved a large commercial truck or tractor-trailer.
The skilled attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger have successfully represented countless Texas accident victims and their families in cases involving personal injury or wrongful death.
Semi-Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents and Crashes
The combination of a semi-trailer and a semi-truck is often referred to as an 18-wheeler. The origin of this term is based on the fact that these large trucks balance significant loads between 18 tires. 18-wheelers tend to be more unstable and have a higher risk of overturning, jackknifing, and veering into another lane than the average car.
Furthermore, the almost three million semi-trucks that are registered in the United States deliver about 68 percent of all consumer goods on our highways and other roadways. One of these tractor-trailers can hold up to 80,000 pounds of building components, agricultural products, and hazardous materials.
In 2021, truck tractors attached to a semi-trailer were involved in 76 percent of fatal large truck accidents. The most deadly crashes involving these large vehicles were rollovers.<
To complicate matters, 18-wheelers require a much longer stopping distance when fully loaded—sometimes as much as 20 to 40 percent farther than standard vehicles. These details resulted in a 13 percent increase in fatal crashes from 2010 to 2016 involving large trucks. When tragedy strikes, count on the knowledgeable semi-truck accident lawyers at Slack Davis Sanger to navigate complex highway safety laws to help you.
Other Commercial Vehicle Accidents and Crashes
Deadly or life-altering crashes can occur when an individual is in an accident with a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or commercial motor carrier. These types of accidents might involve a large van transporting employees to a job site, a hotel shuttle, a company vehicle, a delivery truck, or even a tow truck.
Texas is one of 10 states that, combined, represented more than half of all fatal CMV crashes in the U.S. between 2014 and 2016.
Under significant pressure to meet high quotas and tight deadlines, CMV drivers often fail to comply with company safety regulations, which can result in deadly consequences. Drivers of passenger cars involved in accidents with CMVs often sustain injuries that can be truly life-changing.
The attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger are well-versed in the complicated web of federal motor carrier safety regulations and related state statutes that govern these vehicles. Our attorneys know details like driver training requirements, hours of service limits, drug and alcohol testing, and insurance requirements. With this industry-specific knowledge, we can help you pursue justice in your case.
Boating Accidents and Crashes
Here in Texas, our temperate weather and access to many bodies of water, make watersports a worthwhile year-round endeavor.
At Slack Davis Sanger, we understand that a day on the water can turn deadly in a matter of seconds. With more and more boaters on the water, the incidence of injury and fatalities is increasing. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWL), in 2019 there were 4,168 recreational boating accidents. Of the over 4,000 accidents, there were 613 deaths, 2,559 injuries, and more than $55 million dollars worth of property damage.
At Slack Davis Sanger, our attorneys are experienced boaters and skilled litigators who know how to represent victims of a catastrophic injury as a result of a boating or watercraft accident.
What are the different types of car crashes?
Our accident lawyers handle all types of serious and fatal injuries—no matter the cause or the type of accident. We specialize in catastrophic injury including:
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How long does it take to get an accident report in Texas?
Roadway and Highway Accident Reports
When you’ve been hurt in a vehicle accident, obtaining an accident report can help you better understand all of the details.
Accident reports outline the events that took place leading up to and during a collision. In the state of Texas, if law enforcement arrived at the scene of an accident, an officer must submit a police report within 10 days. However, it can take up to three weeks before that report is available. Accident reports are confidential but can be obtained via request through the Crash Records Information System for a fee.
Boating Accident Reports
Boating accident reports differ from vehicle accident reports in a few key ways. If you are involved in a catastrophic boating accident and/or the watercraft sustained significant damage, boating accident reports are required. For instance, if the accident resulted in traumatic injuries, watercraft damage over $2,000, or a person disappeared or died during the incident, then a report is necessary.
The report must be filed with the TPWD by the vessel operator. Timing on when to file can vary. For most boating-related accidents, the vessel operator has 10 days to file a report. If there were fatalities as a result of the accident, the report must be filed within 48 hours.
Additionally, boating accident reports are strictly confidential, cannot be accessed or requested, and are not permissible in a court of law. The attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger are skilled at showing how boating accidents occur and who is at fault. They can offer practical guidance in your boating accident case and help you hold the liable parties accountable.
How can a Vehicle Accident attorney help me?
Slack Davis Sanger’s expertise in complex regulations related to various types of vehicle accidents makes us the right choice in securing compensation for your injuries. We take care of collecting evidence and proving negligence and liability. We prepare every case as if it is going to trial and work to achieve the maximum value for your claim. Additionally, we take over communication with at-fault driver’s insurance companies, handling the insurance adjuster and any negotiation process to give you back valuable time to concentrate on the healing process.
The attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger have over 200 years of combined knowledge of helping clients who were injured in tragic accidents. The firm has been recognized as U.S. News Best Law Firms of 2023, achieving Metropolitan first-tier ranking in Dallas/Fort Worth for personal injury litigation. Our attorneys are highly respected and skilled and have been listed as Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers Mike Slack (2003-present), Ladd Sanger (2008-present), Paula Sweeney (2001-present), John Jose (2003 - present) and Best Lawyers in America® BL Rankings Mike Slack (1999-present), Ladd Sanger (2009-present), Paula Sweeney (1995-present), John Jose (2005 - present). You can trust the expert team at Slack Davis Sanger to help you chart the best path forward in your vehicle accident case.