I-35 West Pileup Accident in Fortworth Texas – Car Accident Lawyer
On the morning of Thursday, February 11, 2021, the country woke up to news of a horrible pileup accident on a Fort Worth, Texas highway. The incident occurred at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Interstate 35W. The incident was originally projected to have involved anywhere from 75 to 100 vehicles over about a mile-long stretch of the interstate – however, that number has increased to at least 133 vehicles. The incident has been attributed to the dangerous weather conditions reported in the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin areas, which included freezing rain as well as ice on roads. According to officials, six people were killed and at least 36 others were taken to local hospitals after the incident.
According to a spokesman for the local fire department, they were searching vehicle by vehicle to identify trapped vehicles who needed to be extricated from the crushed vehicles.
Because of the freezing weather conditions, people affected by the crash who were luckily uninjured were actually put in buses provided by the fire department to keep them warm and prevent possible development of hypothermia.
There is no doubt that weather was a factor in the accident; however, the negligence of those behind the wheel could also have contributed to the severity of the incident. Additionally, the negligence of the city transportation agency that failed to take measures knowing that their was a risk for dangerous conditions could also have contributed to the severity of the incident.
Although the incident was unfortunate for all parties involved, it is important to note that the dangerous weather conditions along with the negligence of certain parties or entities could have contributed to the severity of the situation. In auto accidents, if the negligence of a driver directly contributed to the harm that other drivers suffered, victims could sue the liable party.
If you are interested in learning more about your right to sue after being involved in an accident like the one described above, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience. At Downtown L.A. Law Group, our auto accident lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to sue and recover the compensation that you are owed. If you are ready to learn more about your right to sue, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm immediately.
Understanding Negligence in Auto AccidentsThere is no doubt that certain weather conditions that contribute to horrifying incidents with multiple casualties and even more injuries. However, if drivers exercise caution and follow certain recommendations, they can drive safely in even roads affected by dangerous conditions. Some examples of what drivers should do to remain safe in dangerous weather conditions (specifically those resulting in icy roads) include the following:
- Ensuring that you have the right tires (winter tires)
- Carrying chains to use if roads become slick
- Slowing down
- Accelerating and applying brakes slowly
- Increasing following distance to 600 feet or more
- Looking for signs of ice on the roads or on the vehicle (always remain vigilant)
- Never using cruise control on icy roads or roads that could suddenly become icy
- Never slamming on the brakes (doing so could lead to skidding)
If there are icy road conditions, drivers must undoubtedly follow the recommendations listed above to stay safe in addition to following all normal traffic rules and regulations. Drivers owe all other parties on the road a duty of care; if they fail to exercise their duty of care, they can contribute to incidents which could harm innocent parties on the road. If the negligent actions of drivers directly contribute to incidents, drivers could be liable for any resulting harm.
Just like drivers owe a duty of care to other parties on the road, city agencies (specifically transportation agencies) also owe everyone of the road a duty of care. In winter conditions, these transportation agencies must ensure that they counteract the hazardous conditions – by plowing roads if they are snowy or salting/sanding roads if they are icy, for instance. These departments typically pre-treat roads and then spot-treat as necessary. In the incident discussed above, it is unclear whether the stretch of the road where the incident occurred had been salted prior to the incident. When city transportation agencies fail to keep roads safe for drivers, they could potentially be liable for resulting harm.
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As explained above, the negligent actions of drivers as well as transportation agencies can directly contribute to vehicular accidents, like the pileup that occurred in Fort Worth, Texas. If affected parties could prove that the negligent actions of a driver or entity directly led to the incident, affected parties and their families could sue. You could pursue an injury claim or a wrongful death claim (depending on the specific situation). If you are interested in learning more about your right to sue, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm immediately.
You Could Be CompensatedIf you sue and reach a successful claim outcome, you could be eligible to recover monetary compensation for the harm resulting from the incident. Although every claim is different, some of the categories of compensation that you could be eligible to receive could include the following:
- Medical costs
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial damages
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
- Legal expenses
Would you like to learn more about your right to recover monetary compensation for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered in a multi-vehicle collision, like the pileup accident discussed above? If so, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm immediately. Our auto accident lawyers have seen all sort of cases – they are ready to effectively handle your lawsuit and help you recover the highest amount of compensation available.
What Should You Do?After any sort of accident, there are a number of things that affected parties should do to prepare to take legal action against the liable party. What should you do after your accident? Consider some of the recommendations listed below:
- Photograph your injuries
- Seek medical care immediately
- Photograph all property damage
- Photograph the scene of the accident
- Gather all relevant insurance information
- File an accident report with the local authorities
- Speak to witnesses and collect their contact information
- Gather any video footage that captured the incident
- Collect all medical records
- Collect all records of property damage
- Collect all records of lost income
- Seek legal assistance with an experienced multi-car accident lawyer immediately
Without a doubt, you could have the right to sue. However, you could lose your right to sue if you fail to file your claim within the appropriate length of time. All claims are subject to a statute of limitations – a statute of limitations determines the total length of time that claimants have to sue. If claimants fail to file their claims on time, they could lose their right to sue for the harm suffered entirely. What statute of limitations? In general, injury claims – including car accident claims – are subject to a two-year statute of limitations; however, it is possible for exceptions to apply, which could toll or pause the applicable deadline. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the total length of time to pursue your accident claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm immediately.
Contact Downtown L.A. Law Group TodayAre you in need of a lawyer after being involved in an incident involving multiple vehicles? Whether you were involved in a pileup accident caused by dangerous weather conditions, the negligence of drivers, or the negligence of city transportation agencies, you might have grounds to sue. If you are interested in discussing your claim with the experts at our firm, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and aggressively fight for your right to recover the highest amount of compensation available. If you are interested in discussing your claim with our experts, contact us today.
At our firm, we offer free legal services which allow us to remain accessible to all affected parties. Our free legal services include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. You can trust that our lawyers will provide you with the information that you need to pursue your claim. If you are ready to benefit from our free legal services and discuss your claim with our experts, contact us today.
Our firm offers a Zero-Fee guarantee, meaning that our clients will not be required to pay any upfront legal fees to benefit from our legal services. Additionally, our firm is based on contingency; therefore, our clients will not be required to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome. If you do not win, you will not be required to pay any legal expenses.
If you are ready to discuss your claim with our experts, contact Downtown L.A. Law Group today.
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