The ultimate guide to fatal accidents in Texas

Fatal accidents can occur in a variety of situations following unexpected or unforeseen events, such as a motor vehicle accident, a workplace accident or a personal injury accident. If the accident is caused by the negligence of another person or party, you may be entitled to claim compensation in Texas.

Accidentes fatales

What is a fatal accident?

A fatal accident occurs when someone is seriously injured and killed as a result of the negligence of another person or organization following an unexpected or unforeseen event.

Following a fatal accident, a personal injury compensation claim can be made for physical and emotional damages, as well as for property damage.

Types of fatal accidents in the U.S.

According to information available from the National Center for Health Statistics, the CDC and other sources, the three leading causes of unintentional fatal injuries include:

Motor vehicle accidents,
Unintentional poisoning and
Falls

Motor vehicle accidents

While Americans drove less in 2020 due to the pandemic, NHTSA data shows that approximately 38,680 people died in traffic crashes, the highest projected number of fatalities since 2007.

This represents an increase of approximately 7.2% compared to the 36,096 deaths reported in 2019.

These are some of the most common causes of fatal motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.:

Driving under the influence of alcohol: Every day, about 28 people in the U.S. die in drunk driving (DUI) crashes, which is equivalent to one person every 52 minutes. (Source: NHTSA).
Drowsy driving: 2.1% of all car accident fatalities in 2018 were due to a drowsy driver behind the wheel. (Source: GHSA).
Excessive speed: Nearly 9,400 fatalities in 2018 occurred as a result of breaking the speed limit. (Source: NHTSA).

Adverse weather conditions: 21% of car accidents are the result of weather conditions such as heavy rain, fog and crosswinds, among others. (Source: FHWA).

Slips and falls

Injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents result in about 9 million emergency room visits each year.
Slip and fall injuries are particularly harmful to older adults.

Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What to do if you or a loved one are in a car accident

a) If you or a loved one are involved in a car accident and are injured, or have no visible physical injuries, follow these simple steps:

Get checked by a medical professional. Even if you don’t feel like you suffered a serious injury, a medical professional may be able to diagnose and treat any injuries that you aren’t fully aware of yet. It sometimes happens that after an accident, people have no visible physical injuries, yet the injury is internal. For this reason, it’s important that you’re seen by a doctor to examine your health.
Your doctor may also refer you to specialists (such as physical or occupational therapists) who can help you recover from physical, mental or emotional injuries caused by the accident.
Gather evidence at the scene of the accident. This evidence can help identify the party (or parties) responsible for the accident and can help identify the extent of the damage. Take photos or videos of the accident scene. Get the names and contact information of all witnesses to the accident.
During the weeks following the accident, keep a written record of all events related to the accident, including information about doctor’s appointments, conversations about the accident investigation, time lost from work and lost wages. In addition, be sure to keep all documents received from doctors, hospitals, etc., regarding the accident. You should also keep all your medical bills and any other bills related to the accident in a safe place.
If police officers responded to the scene of your accident, they will file a police report. When a traffic accident occurs, the police go to the scene of the accident to report it. You are entitled to receive a copy of this report and should do so as soon as possible by contacting the corresponding police station.

b) If a loved one dies in a fatal accident caused by someone else’s negligence, follow these steps to help you find out if you can claim compensation:

Contact a wrongful death lawyer. At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, our personal injury lawyers can help you get compensation. Schedule your free consultation today!
In Texas, when someone dies due to negligence, a personal injury claim can be filed in the same way the deceased person could have done if he or she were still alive. Wrongful death damages may include the pain and suffering the person experienced prior to his or her death, medical bills related to the accident, lost wages and property damage. Any settlement or award goes to the deceased’s estate and is distributed to his/her heirs.
Depending on the circumstances, a wrongful death settlement or award can range from thousands to millions of dollars. Every case is different.
To find out if you have a wrongful death case, schedule a free case evaluation with an attorney at George Salinas Injury Lawyers. At your free initial consultation, we’ll listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and give you a straightforward evaluation of your potential claim. Even if you are unsure whether you have a viable claim, you have nothing to lose by contacting our personal injury attorneys.

Our wrongful death lawyers and personal injury lawyers will fight by your side. They work tirelessly to give legal advice to people who have been injured or lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence.

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