A T-Bone Car Accident?  What You Should Do Next

A T-bone car accident typically happens at an intersection.  One driver fails to yield to the cross traffic, and the two collide.  Depending on speeds, they can be dangerous or deadly – passengers can suffer as well as drivers of the vehicle that is hit on the side.

The Car Crash Captain helps victims of T-bone car accidents.  To ensure you’re taken care of in the right way – maximizing your compensation – make sure you follow the proper steps after the wreck.

Safety First – Clear the Area and Call Authorities

If possible, move the vehicles off the roadway.  Often, however, they’ll be so smashed up they’re not able to be moved.  If that’s the case, then get yourself to a safe area.  As you check yourself for injuries, call 911 and have them send police and paramedics.

Many modern vehicles have crash detection and can automatically call for aid.  Even if your injuries are severe, help is on the way (check to see if your phone has automatic emergency response as well).

Seek Medical Attention – Even if you Don’t Feel Injured

When the paramedics arrive, make sure they check you out.  Don’t diminish the extent of your injuries because you feel fine (and don’t say that you feel fine either).  Adrenaline can mask the pain, and you want a record of being treated for anything that happened.

If you don’t have serious injuries, follow-up at the hospital after the situation with the wreck has been dealt with.  The actual hospital will be able to do much more extensive tests to see if anything is wrong.

Give a Police Report – The Official Report Helps a Lot

When the police arrive (if you’re in the hospital they may follow-up with you there), give them a report based on the facts.  Make sure you get the officer’s name and badge number so you can easily acquire the report later.

While telling the facts, don’t admit any fault.  Even if it’s not pertinent to this actual crash, don’t say anything like, “I may have been going a few miles an hour over the speed limit.”  Any admission could be twisted and used against you in a settlement.

Gather Evidence – If Possible Get What You Can

If you’re not seriously injured and being rushed off to the hospital, make sure you get as much evidence as possible at the scene.  Take photos of the vehicles, the area, road conditions, skid marks, where the traffic lights and signs are and more.

Making a video with your phone can help you record information quickly, like names and contact information of witnesses.  Exchange insurance information with the other driver, but be careful not to admit any fault.

Call Herbert Law Group – Let’s Get it Started Right

Keep this number in your glove box – attach it to your insurance card: 214-414-3808.  If you’re in a wreck, whether it’s a T-bone car accident or anything else, you’ll immediately have the direct line to Herbert Law Group.

We’ll go over what happened, and get the ball rolling to have you as a client.

Call Your Insurance – Tell them You’re Working with Us

Let your insurance know what happened, but again, don’t admit any fault.  Stick to the facts of what happened, and explain that you’re working with Herbert Law Group as your car wreck lawyer.

We’ll handle things from here.  All questions from the insurance companies can come through us, and we’ll help to investigate the crash, deal with insurance settlements, and fight for the maximum compensation for you.

The Herbert Law Group Difference

Our goal is to ensure you find justice.  Insurance companies are notorious for low-balling settlement offers, or outright denying claims.  Often, they do this by twisting your words to “show” that you admitted fault for the wreck.

Keep your interactions with them to a minimum, and we’ll handle the hard stuff as you heal from your injuries.

If you’ve been injured in a T-bone car accident, then call 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site.  We’ll be in touch for your free consultation to help you receive the compensation you deserve.

After a Car Crash that Causes Facial Injuries

Car wrecks that cause injuries are generally quite traumatic.  If you’re lucky, you heal without any lasting physical effects of those injuries – but remembering that traumatic experience will stick with you forever.  For many others, however, the injuries never really heal completely, and some cause serious issues down the road.

If your injuries include damage to your face, compensation may be a little more complicated than an insurance settlement offers.  Facial injuries range from superficial to disabling, and every one of them has a variety of factors that come into play.  The Car Crash Captain dips into this topic on what happens and what you can expect.

What Facial Injuries Commonly Occur?

Injuries to the face aren’t usually on the list of injuries when we think of car wrecks.  We think of the “bigger” injuries like TBI, broken bones, or lacerations.  But we forget that the face is a delicate part of the body, injuries encompass a wide range.

Facial Fractures – Your face is made up of 14 bones.  The most common to break are noses, jaws, cheeks, and orbital bones (around the eyes).

Soft Tissues – Cuts, burns, and scrapes can damage your face.  Sometimes they’re major and cut deep, but even those that seem minor can end up scarring and leaving a permanent mark.

Dental Injuries – Broken teeth, fractured jaws, damaged soft tissue, and jaw alignment issues can all pop up if injured.

Eye Trauma – Your eyes are extremely delicate, even the smallest scratches can cause permanent loss of vision.  Bone damage, vision problems, detached retina, loss or reduction of eyesight are all common.

Essentially if it’s on your face, part of your face, or otherwise includes facets of your face, it can be injured and would be considered a facial injury.

Common Causes of Facial Injuries

One of the ways to seek compensation is to know fully what actually happened.  For example, a few years ago, there were Takata airbag issues where the airbag would explode open with such force, that the occupant would be injured by the device that was supposed to save them.

Other factors include:

• Broken Glass
• Dash or Steering Wheel
• Frame Protrusions
• Chemical Burns
• Secondary Damage (objects inside the vehicle hitting the face)

Most modern vehicles are designed to minimize these events, but there are times when safety devices don’t work properly, or they’re not used.  Buckling up, keeping items secured, and otherwise minimizing the potential secondary damage work well, but if you’re hit hard enough that might not matter.

Compensation Available after Facial Injuries

Like other injuries there are two forms of compensation you will almost always receive without too many questions.  Payment for your medical bills, and payment for lost wages.  These are easy to calculate, quick to rack up, and the insurance companies have a hard time fighting against them when they’re literally on the receipts in front of you.

However, what those insurance companies want to minimize, is the pain and suffering you go through as a result of the facial injury.

It’s certainly easy to see that if you are a model, and now you have scarring on your face, your career is interrupted.  But what about the rest of us who don’t model?  No big deal… right?  Not exactly.  Even a small scar draws unwanted attention.  You may minimize how much you go out anymore, avoid people, try to cover it and hide.  Soon your mental health takes a toll, and your overall quality of life is ruined.

That’s a small scar.  What if you lose an eye?  Or both eyes?  What if you can’t chew and eat normally ever again?  What if your nose is crushed and can’t be reconstructed so you can only breathe through your mouth?  What if your spouse leaves you because they no longer find you attractive?

All of these factors reduce your quality of life and can cause big issues later on.  Financial compensation won’t fix the problem, but it can make life easier to deal with when you have to learn to love living in a whole new way.

Herbert Law Group Helps Maximize Your Settlement

That’s why you need car crash experts like the lawyers at Herbert Law Group.  With years of experience, hours and hours of cases, and Zach Herbert joining the ranks of the top 2% of all personal injury lawyers in Texas, Herbert Law Group knows how to maximize your case, so you can live life to the fullest regardless of what happened.

First, we just need to have a quick conversation with you.  We’ll find out what happened, how we can help, and make a plan to go forward from there.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out our contact form and we’ll reach out to you.

Is a Police Report Required?

If you’re involved in a car accident, there’s a lot you have to keep straight.  In the thick of it all, you and the other party might not want to file a police report.  It might mean, after all, that you’re stuck waiting for the police to get there, assess the situation, and it will just slow everything down.  Today, the Car Crash Captain looks at if that police report is necessary, and why you should get one.

When is a Police Report Required in Texas?

There are two, three if you are particular, times when you are required to have a police report after a car accident here in Texas.

Property Damage – Every wreck involves property damage.  A police report, however, is necessary if that wreck results in over $1,000 worth of property damage.  In this day and age, you’re quite unlikely to have an accident that results in less than a grand in damages.

Injury – If there are any injuries in the wreck, you have to call the police.  We say “if you are particular” because if someone died in the wreck, then you also have to call the police, but it’s hard to have a death occur if there aren’t any injuries.

Essentially, every wreck should involve at least contacting the authorities.  Even if you swap information with the other driver, agree on who is at fault, and then both of you leave, you could actually face criminal charges for hit-and-run.

When Can you Skip the Police Report?

That begs the question of when can you skip the police report?  Let’s say you hit a patch of gravel, skid into the curb, and dent the rim on your car. Maybe $800 worth of damage and no injuries – you can skip the report there.  If you slide into the back of someone’s giant truck that has a big metal bumper on it, and the hood of your 1997 Honda Civic now has a big scrape in it, you probably don’t need a police report.

You still might want one.

Should you Ever Skip the Police Report?

If you’re filing an insurance claim, the police report carries a lot of weight to it.  Even if you agree with the other party as to who is at fault, it’s your word against their word.  When it comes time to settle the claim, they can retract and say they never admitted fault.  Now you’re in for a longer battle to get your rig fixed.

A police report means that you don’t have to go through that long battle.

The bottom line – if there’s more than one party involved (see above for that slide on some gravel and bust up your rim scenario above for a single party accident example), then you should contact the police.

Herbert Law Group Takes Away Your Stress

We work with people who have been injured in wrecks, or the families of those who have been killed.  Without injuries, it’s a stressful time, but there’s not a lot that a lawyer can do to maximize your settlement claim.

If you were injured, though, then your one and only goal should be to heal from those injuries.  Stress from dealing with insurance companies only creates more issues and prolongs your healing process.  Let us do the stressful stuff, you do the healing stuff.

Let’s talk about what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll have a free conversation to determine our course of action.

Proving Distraction can Help Your Claim

Whenever you’re the victim of a wreck, the other insurance company is going to do everything they can to show you were at least partially at fault.  When they can raise those suspicions, they can start to minimize the amount they’re paying out in claims.  Proving the other driver was distracted is one of the ways to help solidify your case, and maximize your compensation.

The Car Crash Captain lays it all out on what you can do at the time of the crash, and how your legal representation can use that information to ensure your settlement will fully cover your claim.

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is anything that takes your focus off the road (we cover a handful of the different distractions in one of our previous posts).  These distractions lead to hundreds of thousands of wrecks each year across the country, and result in nearly 10 fatal accidents every single day.  They are some of the most preventable injuries and deaths, if people would just focus on the road and not on something else.

Here are 6 of the many ways to prove the other driver was distracted at the time of the wreck.

• Get a Police Report – The official police report will hold a lot of weight.  If it includes a line about how the at-fault driver was distracted, then it’s going to be hard for the other party to argue they were not actually distracted.
• Track Down Witnesses – Witnesses can help support your case.  Some of those witnesses may have been in the vehicle with the other driver.  If they mention how the driver was on the phone, engaged in conversation, adjusting the radio, or anything else that distracted them, then you have testimony to distracted driving.
• Cell Phone Records – If it comes down to it, your lawyer at Herbert Law Group can get cell phone records.  If those records show text messages or phone calls at the time of the wreck, it’s likely that the driver was using the phone at the time of the wreck.
• Photo and Video Evidence – There are more than 7,200 cameras that monitor the Dallas, Texas area.  Some of them might capture your wreck with photo or video evidence.  Depending on the location, the camera may be able to see what was happening inside the at-fault driver’s vehicle.
• Social Media Activity – If the other driver was distracted by posting or commenting on social media, the time stamp on that activity will coincide with the time of the wreck.
• Accident Reconstruction – Your car wreck lawyer should be well versed in accident reconstruction.  This is where they take all the evidence into account, and show what exactly happened before, during, and after the crash.

There are other ways to help show that the offending party was distracted at the time of the wreck, however, if you can use some of these methods, then liability will most likely fall completely on the other driver.

Herbert Law Group is on Your Side

The best part about proving distraction is that you don’t have to go through the trouble of tracking down all of this information.

Herbert Law Group is here to ensure you find justice.  That means we’ll work hard to prove the other driver was distracted, and maximize the settlement you receive from the insurance company.  Instead of spending your time fighting with adjusters, you spend your time healing while we fight for you.

Let’s talk about what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form, and we’ll have a free conversation to determine how we can help.

Distracted Driving is Deadly – Don’t Risk It

In 2022 distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,308 people.  That’s about 7.7% of traffic fatalities and comes to about 9 people who die, needlessly, every single day.

Many of those who perished were teenagers, still learning how to drive, still navigating life, and still discovering who they were.  Today, the Car Crash Captain is looking at some of the ways you can encourage your young driver to stay focused on the road, and not focused on the distractions.

What is Distracted Driving?

Most often we associate distracted driving as messing around on a phone, sending messages, while trying to drive.  That’s one of the biggest distractions, but this actually encompasses anything that takes your eyes off the road.  From phones, to the radio, to reading a newspaper, to eating or drinking, or even chatting with other people in the car.

How Can We Encourage Teens to Drive Distraction Free?

When it comes down to it, we hope they make the right choice.  We can encourage them to do the right thing, and once they’re out the door the knowledge we have imparted will echo in their ears.

Talk to Them – First and foremost, let them know the real dangers of distracted driving.  They might shrug it off at first claiming they never use their phone while driving.  But they should know that there are other distractions.  Emphasize the fact that it won’t take long to get to their destination, so just keep focused on the road until arrival.

Show Them – Set a good example.  If you’re using your phone, then trying to tell them not to use their phones, it’s going to be an uphill battle.  When you’re driving together, show that you focus ONLY on the road, and you don’t even mess with the radio unless you’re at a complete stop.

Encourage Them – When you see them do the right thing, send praises their way.  If their phone rings while driving, and they ignore it, tell them you’re proud of them.  You can even go as far as setting a reward system.  If they don’t pick up their phone while driving, or otherwise stay focused on the road, treat them to ice cream, or a dinner out.

Punish Them – Rewards and encouragement work well, but so do punishments.  Be firm with consequences.  If they’re ignoring safety, take away the phone, restrict their driving privileges, cut out other privileges.  They will certainly hate you for now, but over time, they’ll realize that you are hoping for their safety.

There are a number of apps that help reduce the use of phones while driving – the iPhone actually has a built in Do-Not-Disturb feature that automatically turns on if it detects movement at speeds similar to driving.  You can even create your own “best practices” like putting the phone in the glove box while driving, or not allowing the teen to drive with passengers in the vehicle until they have a year of experience.

Herbert Law Group is Your Source for Justice

Suppose you, or your teen, are following all the safe driving protocols, and another distracted driver hits you.  What do you do?

If you’re injured, do you hope that the insurance company is going to help pay for everything, and you will have no issues collecting a settlement?  Or do you think you’ll end up fighting with them for months as they hem and haw over what actually happened?

If this is the case, you need Herbert Law Group.  We know how to deal with insurance companies, and we’re ready to go to court to fight for your justice.  You don’t have to worry about a thing, we’ll handle the troublesome insurance companies so you receive a settlement that’s in your best interest.

Let’s get started with a free phone conversation.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.

Reckless Driving Leads to Big Problems

When you hit the road, you’re expected to drive in a safe and predictable manner.  Most traffic infractions have specific definitions.  If you exceed the speed limit, run a stop sign or red light, change lanes without signaling; these are all pretty straightforward.  Reckless driving, on the other hand, doesn’t have such a clear cut definition.  There’s not really one infraction on its own that constitutes reckless driving, and can often be left open to interpretation by the officer writing you the ticket.  The Car Crash Captain looks into it to see what we should know about reckless driving, and how to operate safely on Texas roads.

What is the Definition of Reckless Driving?

Texas law, section 545.401 defines reckless driving like this: A person commits an offense if the person drives a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.

Because motor vehicle laws are tied to the infraction, reckless driving is a bit of a catch-all for someone who’s breaking multiple laws.  For example, a motorist runs a stop sign, speeds, and swerves between lanes could be written up for each of those, but without fully seeing and being able to tally each infraction it’s easier to write a ticket under reckless driving.

Reckless driving is a misdemeanor, but it can be elevated to a felony in certain situations.

What are the Consequences of Reckless Driving?

There are a lot of rumors out there about how reckless driving affects you and your insurance rates.  Some saying it’s just as bad as getting a DUI.  Let’s set that straight:

Most of the time, reckless driving is a lesser offense than DUI.

Because reckless has such a wide range of actions that lead up to it, it can end up being worse if it leads to something more.

Someone who is driving recklessly and is pulled over, might get off with a traffic ticket and a mandatory court date.  Someone else who is driving recklessly and tries to elude the police, may end up being taken into custody.

The big difference is someone who is willfully trying to escape, versus, let’s say a teenage driving making foolish decisions.

A driver who crashes because of their reckless driving will have more consequences than one who doesn’t; a crash that kills someone will result in even more severe penalties.

Texas law allows a person convicted of reckless driving to be fined up to $200, and put in jail for up to 30 day.

The bottom line is that be safe, don’t make stupid decisions; you don’t want a reckless driving ticket on your record.

How Reckless Driving Leads to Wrecks

The big problem is that most people are at least decent drivers.  Naturally, everyone thinks they are great drivers, but for the vast majority of those on the road, they’re pretty much just average.

It’s the handful of people who make bad decisions that cause problems for those who are just going about their business.

Most wrecks are caused by reckless drivers (not to be confused with wreckless drivers which would be drivers who don’t get in wrecks) – from not paying attention, to speeding, to running lights or signs, to driving under the influence (driving while intoxicated is considered to be a reckless act).

You can be the innocent victim of someone else acting as a bad driver.

Herbert Law Group Helps Accident Victims

If you’re injured in a wreck because someone else made bad choices, then we should talk.

You have rights as a victim, and most insurance companies aren’t going to respect your rights.  Your settlement offers will likely be too low, your healing process will be dragged on, and in the end you lose out.

But when you have a Texas car wreck lawyer from Herbert Law Group on your side, you can find justice.

Let’s chat about what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll have a free conversation to determine how we can help.

Don’t Shoot Yourself in the Foot, Know Before You Wreck

When you get into a car accident, there’s sort of a dance to follow.  Insurance companies are looking for anything they can to deny your claim, so knowing what to do beforehand is important so you don’t forget immediately following a wreck.  In fact, you might even put a note in your glove box next to your insurance card that says,

“Got in a wreck?  Call Herbert Law Group – 214-414-3808”

In the meantime, here are five tips from the Car Crash Captain on how you can help ensure your claim goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Don’t Delay Medical Treatment – If you’re injured, you need to get treated.  If you’re not injured, you don’t get treated.  If you don’t go to the hospital and receive treatment for an injury sustained in the wreck, it looks like you weren’t injured in the wreck.  Even if you think the injuries are minor, irrational, non-existent, or otherwise not that important, still go to the hospital so you can get checked out.  There are often times when adrenaline is flowing that you don’t feel the injury until later.  Starting that documentation is essential.
2. Don’t Admit Fault at the Scene – If you’re a genuinely kind person, you probably want to make sure the other person doesn’t feel bad after the wreck.  Even something like, “Don’t worry about it.” Or, “It’s okay.” Or, “I didn’t see you there!”  Can be interpreted as though you’re taking liability for the wreck.  Instead, just stick to the facts, especially when you’re going on the record (with police or anyone else recording a conversation of what happened).
3. Don’t Forget to Gather Evidence – There are times when you’re too injured to gather evidence, if that’s the case hopefully someone else is helping you out.  If you aren’t debilitated, though, it’s imperative to take plenty of photos, videos (even “reconstruct” what happened verbally and video where the vehicles were coming from), get witness statements, make sure you have access to police reports, and anything else you can gather.  If witnesses are present get contact information, not just their statement.
4. Don’t Speak to the Insurance Company – Insurance companies are in the business of making money.  They don’t make money if they pay out large claims.  That means they will do whatever they can to minimize your claim, or even deny it completely.  You will have to speak to them a little, but here’s an important sentence to remember, “I’m working with Herbert Law Group, all questions can be addressed to them.”
5. Don’t Accept the First Settlement Offer – The first settlement offer is going to be the lowest amount the insurance company will think they can get away with.  Their goal is to settle quickly, clear it off the books, and move on.  They know that if you accept the settlement, then you can’t come back later if it’s not enough.  When you work with an attorney from Herbert Law Group, you’ll get expert guidance on what your claim is actually worth.

DO Talk to Herbert Law Group

Not following the above advice leads to the five most common mistakes that can hurt your car accident claim.  Do you know what will help it?  Yep, you guessed it, working with an expert car wreck lawyer in Texas like Herbert Law Group.

Let’s talk about what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.  After our free initial conversation, we can figure out how we can help and what the next steps are.

Your Stereo Could Lead to a Wreck

Have you ever been looking for an address, and you reach out to turn down the radio?  It’s not just an old person thing – there’s actually some science behind why we would instinctively minimize the noise as we’re trying to focus on something else.

If we turn off the music when we’re looking for an address, imagine how much more distracted we are when we crank up the tunes while driving.  Today, the Car Crash Captain looks into how loud music causes car crashes.

Turning up the Tunes Means Distracted Driving

Just the act of listening may not fall into the exact category of “distracted driving” as most people think of distracted as texting while driving.  But if you’re focusing on adjusting the radio, your eyes are off the road; you’re distracted from what’s going on.

The implications, however, go further than merely being distracted from seeing the road.

• Concentration is Diminished – When your favorite song comes on, what do you do?  You belt out the lyrics of course!  When you’re concentrating on the song, even if your eyes are on the road, your brain is being pulled in multiple directions.  Even if you see an impending danger, it takes you a bit longer to process it as you are focusing on what the music is doing.
• Reaction Time is Delayed – Driving while tired leads to delayed reaction time.  Driving impaired leads to delayed reaction time.  Driving while listening to loud music… also leads to a delayed reaction time.  A study done in the early 2000’s shows that your reaction time can be delayed by as much as 20% when listening to loud music.  That reduction in reaction is more than enough to cause a fatal crash.
• Hearing is Impaired – Of course if the music is loud, you’re not going to be able to hear much else.  Does it really matter, though?  If you’re about to hit someone and they honk, you can’t hear their horn.  If you’re driving and an emergency vehicle is coming up blasting their siren, you might not be able to get out of the way quickly.
• Mind is Elsewhere – When you hear your favorite comfort song, what do you do?  Often you close your eyes, sway with the music, maybe sing along a bit.  Of course, you can’t do two of those three actions while you’re driving.  Even closing your eyes to enjoy the melody for a second or two is enough to miss a major action on the roadway.

Your Music Can Distract Other Drivers

Texas law says your music shouldn’t be too loud.  How loud is too loud?  If you’re driving, and your music can be heard from more than 50 feet away, that music is too loud.  Not only is that dangerous because of the reasons we just listed, it’s also dangerous to other drivers.

Have you ever pulled up to a stop and felt your vehicle vibrate with the bass coming from someone else’s vehicle?  It’s often disconcerting and annoying, and you can’t wait to get away from them.  Now, however, your focus is off the road.  You’re trying to locate which vehicle is the loud one, determine which direction they’re heading, figure out if you need to speed up or slow down to get away from them.  This all takes your concentration off of what you should be doing: driving.

If you have your music cranked up loudly, you’re distracting other drivers who may be following the law – that distraction could cause them to crash.

Herbert Law Group is on Your Side

Insurance companies want to pay out the smallest claim settlement possible.  They have a lot of tactics to “encourage” you to settle quickly so you aren’t able to fully see what the financial implications of the wreck actually are.

We are experienced in dealing with insurance companies.  We know what your wreck is “worth” and we’ll fight for you to get what you actually need to heal from injuries sustained in a car wreck.

Let’s talk about what happened.  A free phone call lets us know exactly how we can help you, and we can get things started on the recovery process.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.

The Most Common Eye Injuries after a Wreck

If you think about the injuries you might sustain after being involved in a car wreck, you probably don’t consider the eyes.  However, eye injuries are some of the most common – even when other major injuries aren’t present, the eyes can suffer.

The Car Crash Captain takes a look (pun intended) at what can happen to the eyes and how serious the issues can be following a serious car accident.

Types of Eye Injuries from a Wreck

Thinking about the eyes, we must consider the entire area.  Eye injuries aren’t just the eyeball itself, but the entire area, including the skin and bone surrounding the eyeball.

Bleeding in the Eye – The eyeball is actually hollow and filled with fluid.  When damage occurs inside the eye, it can fill with blood and impair vision.  Hyphema, when blood enters the anterior chamber (outside), can be visible as the whites of the eye turn red.  Vitreous hemorrhage, however, is bleeding in the space between the retina and the lens and can cause blurred vision, flashes of light, or floaters.

Retinal Detachment – The retina is at the back of the eye and captures the light coming in.  It’s responsible for converting light into images the brain can interpret.  Detachment causes flashes of light, floaters, blurred vision, shadows, and more.  A severe blow, such as striking the headrest, can cause detachment.

Black Eye – A black eye is an injury to the skin and tissue around the eyeball.  It’s a bruise in that general area.  Airbags or debris flying throughout the vehicle can cause them, and while they’re not dangerous by themselves, they could indicate more serious issues in the eye or brain.

Orbital Fracture – The eye sockets are surrounded by the orbital bones.  Due to their density and shape, they’re quite strong, and a break means you’ve hit your head hard on something during the wreck.  The fractures are difficult to repair, and often come with underlying eye and brain injuries as well.

Chemical Burns – The eyes are sensitive, and any leaking fluids inside the vehicle can cause burns to them.  Some chemicals can quickly do permanent damage that may lead to blindness.

Lacerations – Debris, including broken glass, can cut the human body.  Due to the delicate nature of the eyeball, this debris can easily lacerate the eye.  Eyelids help to protect the sensitive eyeball underneath, but they’re not overly strong and sharp objects can penetrate the eyelids.

Nerve Damage – Behind the eye are a set of optic nerves run the signals from the retina to the brain.  An injury inside the head, near the brain, can put pressure and strain on the optic nerves.  If they’re damaged, the eye might be working properly, but the brain is unable to receive the signal.

Why You Need Herbert Law Group When Injured

Eye injuries are serious business.  Often the damage doesn’t get detected right away, since the injury can be on the inside and not visible to someone inspecting the body.  If you’ve settled with the insurance company immediately following your wreck, you might not be fully taken care of for these injuries that arise later.

You need Herbert Law Group on your side.  We know how to deal with the insurance companies, we understand what situations could arise later in life, and we know that your compensation now needs to last until all complications are fully resolved.

Let’s talk about what happened, and come up with a plan of how we can help.  Call our offices at 214-414-2808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll be in touch with you for a free conversation.

Don’t Wait Until There’s a Wreck

Distracted driving is a big problem.  A study done by Car and Driver Magazine showed that texting or reading emails while driving actually delayed reaction times much longer than driving while intoxicated.  While drunk driving still claims more lives than distracted driving, driving while focused on anything except the road is still deadly.  Today, the Car Crash Captain is going to lay out some of the telltale signs of a distracted driver – remember, not all distractions come from a phone.

What are Distracted Drivers Doing?

The majority of distracted drivers are fiddling with their phones.  They’re texting, sending emails, Snapchatting, Tweeting, Instagraming, or a host of other things that one does with their cell phone instead of paying attention to their driving.  But it’s not just fiddling with the phone, distractions include:

• Doing make-up or grooming
• Talking or arguing with passengers
• Messing with the radio or GPS
• Eating and drinking
• Tending to children
• Picking up things that have been dropped
• Anything that takes your focus off the road

These distractions may vary in how distracting they are, but the bottom line is when your entire focus isn’t on the road, you’re setting yourself up for a crash.

How to Spot Distracted Drivers

To spot those distracted drivers out there, watch for anything that doesn’t seem like smooth and consistent driving.

Delayed Reaction at Lights – At a red light people think it’s a great time to reply to a text.  But most light cycles only last 30-60 seconds and when it changes to green people are expected to go immediately.

Weaving and Drifting – When the focus isn’t on the road, vehicles tend to “wander” around the lane.  If you see a car swerving, they’re likely distracted or impaired.

Frequent Speed Changes – Speeding up quickly, slowing down below the speed limit, or varying often along the drive is a sign the driver isn’t paying attention.

Visibly Moving Around – There’s little reason another driver should be making large movements while driving.  If you can see them moving and reaching, they’re not focusing on the road as much as they should.

Near Misses – Hard braking when coming to a stop, nearly side-swiping another rig, wide (or close cut) turns, can all be signs that the driver isn’t watching what they’re doing.

Looking Down – It’s not hard to spot someone that’s constantly looking at their lap while sending a text.  They think they’re being sneaky, but they might as well hold the phone up high and at least get a peripheral view of the road.

No Turn Signals – Drivers that are distracted forget the basics of safe driving; including using their signals.

Anything Else “Off” – It’s easy to see a good driver.  They brake consistently with room to spare, they speed up steadily, they maintain their speed, signal, and don’t come close to hitting things.  If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.

What Happens if You See a Distracted Driver?

Distracted driving doesn’t mean on the phone.  Impaired driving doesn’t mean drunk.  Neither are safe, and you don’t want to be driving near someone that’s distracted, impaired, or even having a medical issue that causes them to lose control.

If you notice the telltale signs of someone not driving safely, keep your distance.  If something happens, you don’t want to be close to them.  Get in the other lane so if they slam on their brakes, you’re not right behind them.  Drive safely, don’t forget your basic driving skills while wondering why they forgot theirs.  Finally, don’t road rage.  Getting angry, honking, tailgating, or trying to get them to stop being distracted will only distract them further.

If things seem bad, or if you suspect impairment, contact law enforcement. Get a plate number, location, and vehicle description and call it in.  You could be preventing a fatal accident by speaking up.

How does Herbert Law Group Help with Distracted Driving Accidents?

If you don’t catch the signs, or you just don’t see the distracted driver before they slam into you, you need a car wreck lawyer on your side.

Herbert Law Group helps to protect the innocent victims of distracted driving accidents.  We’ll fight for you, so you receive compensation that covers your injuries and losses now, and anything that comes up later in life.

Let’s talk about what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll contact you about your free consultation.