As the largest city in Hidalgo County, McAllen saw a total of 2,746 automobile accidents in 2019, including seven fatalities around the Valley. In all of Hidalgo County, there were more than 15,000 (15,305) car wrecks last year.
There are a number of dangerous spots where accidents happen in McAllen. In town, I-2 and N. Bicentennial Blvd near the La Plaza Mall and by the airport on south 10th Street and Business 83 (I-2) are dangerous locations.
In addition, Interstate 2 (I-2) runs through McAllen from Taylor Road to Sugar Road, and US Highway 83 is the main east–west thoroughfare. State Highway 107 runs east through McAllen into downtown Edinburg. These are heavily traveled roads, and accidents frequently occur on them, as well as at the interchanges on I-2 and I-69C and Business Route of US 281(N. Cage Blvd) and I-69C/US 281.
Here are the most frequent causes of road accidents in McAllen.
This is regularly one of the leading causes of car accidents, and it’s only become a bigger issue due to smartphones.
This can include things like braking sharply, accelerating abruptly, racing, driving erratically, moving between lanes suddenly and without signaling, making illegal U-turns, and driving toward oncoming traffic.
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a major factor in McAllen car accidents.
Many folks speed because they’re running late for work or they have some other perceived emergency.
You can’t always avoid driving in bad weather like a snow or rain storm. Bad weather can drastically alter road conditions by reducing traction, increasing slipping and stopping distance, reducing visibility, and hiding debris and other dangers. Just because you’re careful when driving doesn’t mean all the other drivers around McAllen are doing the same.
No matter if it looks like a minor issue, document the accident with the police. Know that the damage to today’s vehicles isn’t always easy to see without a mechanic’s investigation. Even if you aren’t injured, you’ll be shaken and upset, so have a police officer fill out a detailed accident, which will serve as evidence in an insurance settlement and/or lawsuit to recover damages.
You may think you’re uninjured from the car crash, but see a doctor and get a full medical evaluation as soon as possible. Explain to your doctor that you were in a car accident so that he or she can properly document the case. Remember that serious injuries may not be immediately apparent, and symptoms may not develop for days or weeks. Monitor how you feel in the ensuing days and see the doctor if your condition gets worse.
Use your cellphone to take pictures of the accident and of any visible injuries suffered by you or your passengers. Exchange driver’s license data, insurance information, and contact info with the other parties, but do not talk about who may be at fault.
Get in touch with your insurance company to tell them that you’ve been in an auto accident. Keep a record of your discussions with the insurance company, and if the other driver’s insurance company asks to take your statement or accept a settlement offer, decline and refer him or her to your Dallas car accident lawyer.
The medical expenses that you can claim include the cost of ambulance transportation, emergency room services, surgical services, hospitalization, prescriptions given to you in the hospital and for you when you go home, diagnostic testing and lab work, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and follow-up treatments.
Another part of the damages in an auto accident settlement or a lawsuit is the amount of work that you miss because you are too injured to work, as well as missed work time due to injury-related medical appointments and treatments.
If your car has damage caused by someone else in the accident, that person’s auto property damage coverage will pay toward the cost of repairing or replacing your car. Depending on your own insurance coverage and that of the other parties who are found to be responsible, you may have other sources that will help you recover these costs.
This includes expenses such as a car rental, the cost of transportation to and from medical appointments, the cost of hiring a helper to perform household chores that you’re no longer able to do.
If you’re injured, your attorney can claim non-economic damages. These are damages that impact your emotional well being, your relationships with others, and your ability to enjoy the activities in which you participated prior to the accident. Non-economic damages include things like pain and suffering, embarrassment and humiliation, the loss of the ability to enjoy the pleasures of life, and disfigurement.
It’s fairly rare, but an injured party in an auto accident may also be awarded exemplary damages if the injuries were the result of the willful act or omission or gross negligence of the at-fault motorist.
Negotiating a settlement in an automobile accident case in McAllen can be a complex and lengthy process. There are many factors that determine a good settlement. Exactly how motivated a party is to settle and the amount of the offer after a car crash are two major components of a settlement.
There are many other factors in the case, such as the severity of your injuries; your medical expenses; your loss of past income and of future wages; the limits of insurance coverages; and the type and availability of documentation and evidence.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an auto accident, you need to contact the Mario Davila Law Firm in McAllen.
You should speak with a McAllen car crash attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case. For a free assessment, contact us now.
Our car accident attorney Mario Davila in McAllen is also pleased to serve residents in the surrounding area, including Pharr, San Juan, Mission, Alamo, Hidalgo, Edinburg, Donna, Weslaco, Mercedes, Harlingen, Raymondville, San Benito, Harlingen, and Brownsville.
In Texas, an injured party in a car crash has just two years to file a personal injury action from the date of the crash.
We can help you in case of an accident. Personal injury attorney Mario Davila has been fighting for the rights of our community in Texas for the past 20 years. No matter your immigration status, you can make a claim.
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