Car accidents in Farmers Branch happen every day, and the consequences can follow you for months or years. Whether your crash happened on the LBJ Freeway (Interstate 635), the President George Bush Turnpike, or a surface street near Mercer Botanic Gardens or Valley View Lane, you deserve to know your rights under Texas law. At Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, we represent injured people throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Farmers Branch residents who need real answers and real help after a serious collision. Past results do not guarantee the same outcome in your case, as every matter turns on its own facts and applicable law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers Branch sits at the intersection of some of North Texas’s busiest corridors. Interstate 635, the President George Bush Turnpike, and Interstate 35E all converge in and around this city, creating high-volume traffic conditions that put drivers at risk every single day. The city’s proximity to Dallas means commuter traffic floods these roads during peak hours, and the combination of speed, volume, and distraction is a recipe for collisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas-wide data from the Texas Department of Transportation confirms the scale of the problem. In 2024, not a single day passed in Texas without a traffic fatality. Distracted driving contributed to over 80,000 crashes in 2024 alone, and speeding was the leading cause of collisions statewide, with more than 131,000 speed-related crashes recorded that year. Alcohol-impaired driving killed more than 1,000 people in Texas in 2024, accounting for roughly 25% of all traffic deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers Branch roads are not immune to these trends. Crashes on I-635 near Luna Road and multi-vehicle collisions on the President George Bush Turnpike near Valley View Lane have made local headlines in recent years. When you add the steady stream of commercial trucks, delivery vehicles, and rideshare cars moving through the area, the risk to everyday drivers compounds quickly. If you were hurt in one of these crashes, the team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is ready to hear your story. Call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas follows a modified comparative negligence system, officially called proportionate responsibility, and it directly controls how much money you can recover after a crash. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, a claimant cannot recover any damages if their share of fault is greater than 50 percent. This is commonly called the “51% bar rule.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is what that means in practice. Say you were in a rear-end collision near the Brookhaven Country Club area and a jury finds you 20% at fault for not signaling a lane change, while the other driver is 80% at fault for speeding. Your total damages are $100,000. Under Texas law, you recover $80,000, reduced by your 20% share of fault. But if that same jury found you 51% at fault, you would receive nothing, regardless of how serious your injuries are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Insurance companies know this rule well. Their adjusters routinely try to push your perceived fault above that 51% line to reduce or eliminate what they owe you. That is why how fault is framed early in a claim matters so much. Strong evidence, including the police crash report, witness statements, surveillance footage, and accident reconstruction, can be the difference between a fair recovery and no recovery at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.003 requires the trier of fact (a judge or jury) to assign fault in whole-number percentages to every party involved, including any responsible third parties. If a defendant is found more than 50% responsible, Section 33.013 allows that defendant to be held jointly and severally liable for 100% of the damages. This matters especially in cases involving commercial drivers or large companies operating trucks through Farmers Branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The steps you take in the hours and days after a crash have a direct impact on the strength of your claim. Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065 allows you, as a person involved in the accident, to obtain a copy of the official crash report (the CR-3 form) by submitting a written request and paying the required fee to TxDOT. This report is one of the most important pieces of evidence in any car accident case, and you are legally entitled to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Call 911 immediately after any crash that involves injury. Law enforcement will document the scene and prepare the CR-3 report, which captures details like road conditions, witness information, and the officer’s preliminary fault assessment. While this report is not a final legal determination of civil liability, it forms the foundation of your claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek medical attention right away, even if you feel fine. Injuries like traumatic brain injuries and internal damage often have delayed symptoms. A gap in medical treatment gives insurers ammunition to argue your injuries were not caused by the crash. Keep every record, including emergency room visits, follow-up appointments, prescriptions, and physical therapy sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Document everything you can at the scene. Photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. If there are witnesses near the scene, whether near Mercer Botanic Gardens, a shopping center off Marsh Lane, or a surface street in the Brookhaven area, get their contact information before they leave. Evidence disappears fast, and your window to preserve it is narrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n