Best Car Accident Lawyers Dallas, TX (2024)

• Debbie Dudley Branson
• Frank L. Branson
• Laura Benitez Geisler
• Anne M. Johnson
• Michael P. Lyons
• Clay Miller
• Majed Nachawati
• Tim Newsom
• Todd H. Ramsey
• Jeffrey Rasansky

In Texas, car insurance follows a “fault” system, which means that the driver who causes an accident is responsible for the resulting damages and injuries. In a settlement, insurance companies typically determine fault based on factors such as police reports and vehicle damage, and the at-fault driver and their insurance are responsible for covering the costs.

This system allows anyone injured in an accident to pursue compensation by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance or taking legal action against them for damages.

Car Insurance Requirements in Texas

In most states, drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of car insurance in order to be able to register and drive a car. Texas is no exception.

It’s important to keep in mind that these are the minimum requirements for each type of coverage. Having less coverage than this prevents you from being able to register your car in Texas and could lead to being cited for being underinsured. However, just because your insurance will only pay for $25,000 in property damage doesn’t mean you can’t be held responsible if you cause more than that amount of property damage.

It’s easy to imagine an accident involving just one or two other vehicles where the property damage exceeds $25,000. If you only have the minimum coverage in Texas, the damage beyond $25,000 comes out of your pocket.

Personal Injury Protection in Texas

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is optional in Texas, but insurance companies in the state are required to offer it as an additional option on all policies. PIP will cover medical expenses and lost wages for a driver and their passengers regardless of who was at fault in the accident.

According to the Texas Department for Transportation (TxDOT), the state saw a slight decrease in motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2022. However, deaths and serious injuries still happen, especially during rush hour traffic on Dallas’ highways and busy intersections.

A study conducted by a Texas attorney using TxDOT data from 2012-2015 concluded that some of the most dangerous intersections in Dallas are (accident numbers in brackets):

• Belt Line Rd and Dallas Pkwy (133)
• Lyndon B Johnson Fwy and Skillman St (132)
• S Sherman St and Spring Valley Rd (119)
• Northwest Hwy and Walton Walker Blvd (105)
• Buckner Blvd and Military Pkwy (88)
• Central Texas Expy and Lyndon B Johnson Fwy (78)
• Lyndon B Johnson Fwy and Midway Rd (66)

Finding the right Dallas car accident lawyer takes more than just a quick internet search. Finding an attorney to work with requires asking appropriate questions during the selection process. It’s crucial to remember that you don’t have to settle for the first lawyer you come across as there are many alternatives available. Therefore, take your time and select the one that best suits your needs.

When searching for a car accident lawyer in Dallas, here are the key factors to keep in mind.

Seek Referrals

An excellent place to start when looking for a car accident lawyer is to ask for referrals from friends, family and colleagues. There’s a good chance that you know more than one person who has needed a lawyer in an accident case. When you find someone who has a referral, ask them specifically what they liked about working with the lawyer. This will give you a good idea of what to expect in the interaction. Also, ask about things they didn’t like so that you get a broad picture of the relationship.

If you come up short with referrals, then try searching for a car accident lawyer in Dallas online. For example, search Google and screen lawyers and law firms using reviews. Consider both the overall rating, as well as the number of reviews to get a good read on how satisfied clients are with the lawyers.

Ask About Expertise

Ask the lawyers that you are interviewing what their expertise is. While some lawyers specialize in car accident cases exclusively, others are more generalists who practice personal injury law dealing with other cases such as workers’ compensation. You can work with either, but you do want to make sure that a generalist has worked on a lot of car accident cases and be sure that they know the ins and outs of the insurance game.

What Do They Charge?

Car accident lawyers in Dallas should not be charging you an hourly fee to retain them. Injury attorneys work on contingency, which means they only get paid when you get a settlement. Their pay is a percentage of the settlement, so you want to be sure the fees fall in line with the industry standards of 33% to 40%. Settlement amounts usually factor these fees in so you aren’t losing money by having a lawyer work for you, but if someone is charging more than the standard, this might start to eat into what you take home from a settlement.

Can They Litigate?

Most car accident cases don’t ever see the inside of a courtroom because lawyers negotiate directly with insurance companies to get settlements. However, if your case is one of the 5% that go to trial because of serious injuries, you want to make sure that your lawyer has the experience to litigate the case. Going to court is very different from negotiating with insurance carriers, so you want to find someone who has the experience to fight.

How Organized Are They?

You don’t want details about your case slipping through the cracks and getting forgotten about in negotiations or court proceedings. This means that your attorney needs to be organized. You can get a sense of organization from their office presentation. Everything should be in its place with files put away and not stacked on a desk. Take note of how the receptionist takes phone messages and how information is added to the file. A clean, organized office is a sign of a professional.

Whether you need a lawyer when involved in a crash in Dallas depends on your case. Hiring an attorney can be crucial if you suffer a catastrophic injury or a loved one dies in a crash. Here are some reasons why working with a Dallas car accident lawyer can be an excellent idea:

• Handling Insurers. An attorney can efficiently navigate the claims process and negotiate with an insurance company to aim for maximum compensation.
• Investigation. Your lawyer can hire industry experts to investigate your accident and determine who is responsible. They can also gather evidence to support your claim.
• Legal Representation. While many car accident claims are settled out of court, your case may go to trial. An attorney can protect your rights in the courtroom and strongly argue your case.
• Reassurance. Having a skilled advocate in your corner can be vital when dealing with the aftermath of an accident. You are free to concentrate on your recovery while your lawyer is working on the legal aspects of your case.

Theoretically, you could handle a claim alone if your accident involves only minor injury and car damage. That said, it is always a good idea to consult with a lawyer. Sometimes, an insurance company denies or reduces a valid claim. In this case, having an experienced lawyer can help you receive the insurance settlement you deserve.

Consider also that even minor accidents could result in injuries, such as severe whiplash or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Such injuries may not be immediately apparent and could have long-term consequences on your career and home life. Most car accident lawyers in Dallas offer free consultations where you can learn about your rights and legal options.

After an accident in Dallas, you may face steep expenses for medical treatment and other crash-related costs. However, if another caused the collision, you should not have to pay for their mistake. In Dallas, you could sue for various damages, such as economic, non-economic and punitive.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are intended to reimburse you for financial losses due to a crash caused by another. They can include medical bills, lost income, car damage and others. For example, if you were injured in a car accident and had to undergo surgery, the cost would be considered part of your economic damages. Similarly, if you missed work due to your accident injuries, the income you lost should be included in a settlement.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages can be trickier to calculate than economic losses. They don’t come with set dollar amounts or receipts; they refer to your intangible losses due to an accident. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of quality of life.

For instance, if you were permanently disabled due to a crash, you could recover non-economic damages for the pain and suffering and loss of life enjoyment you’re experiencing as a result of your injury.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or malicious. These damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter others from engaging in similar conduct. For example, if the driver who caused your accident was driving drunk or under the influence of drugs, they may have to pay punitive damages.

Texas has a cap on punitive damages at either the greater of $200,000 or twice your economic damages plus the amount of your non-economic damages up to $750,000. For example, suppose you’re injured in an accident and awarded $1 million in economic and $1.2 million in non-economic damages. In that case, you could receive $2 million in punitive damages for your economic losses plus $750,000 for non-economic. Your total punitive damages would amount to $2.75 million in this example.

Getting sued for a car accident in Dallas can happen to anyone. However, when you receive a summons, don’t ignore it and hope the issue will resolve itself. You only have limited time to respond to a lawsuit, and missing the deadline could result in a default judgment against you. Acting quickly and taking the appropriate steps can protect your rights. Here’s what to do:

• Notify your insurance company. Promptly tell your insurer that someone is suing you. Your insurance company should provide you with instructions and, if required, a defense attorney.
• Collect evidence of the accident. Collect any evidence of the accident, such as photos, police reports and witness accounts. Such evidence can be used to support your case and defend yourself.
• Be careful what you say or post. Don’t talk about the details of your case. Refrain from posting about the accident on social media and avoid saying anything that could be misconstrued as admitting fault for the crash.
• Hire a Dallas car accident lawyer. If you are uninsured or have a conflict of interest with your insurance company, consider hiring your attorney to defend your best interests and work for a favorable outcome on your behalf.

To come up with the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Dallas in 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical analysis considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.

Within the model, we take into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:

• Legal experience
• Special licenses and certifications
• Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
• Legal thought leadership
• Education and employment background
• Scholarly lectures and writings
• Awards and honors

Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.

Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Bear in mind that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds but does not evaluate their personalities or their knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.

One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when going through a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.

• Best Personal Injury Lawyers Dallas, TX
• Best Truck Accident Lawyers Dallas, TX
• Best Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Dallas, TX
• Best Car Accident Lawyers San Antonio, TX
• Best Car Accident Lawyers Fort Worth, TX
• Best Car Accident Lawyers Houston, TX