What you need to know about Texas Truck accidents

1. Personal Injury Law

2. An accident that happened just 2 and a half miles south of Grand Falls, Texas left three
people dead and three hospitalized. The fatalities and injuries are the result of a two
vehicle accident that happened on state Highway 18, according to the records of the
Texas Department of Public Safety.
Based on available police reports, Rebecca Leigh Dugas was driving her late-model
Toyota vehicle northbound on the highway when she crashed into the automobile of
Jennifer Limon who was driving a 2010 Toyota in southbound traffic.
It appears that as Rebecca Leigh Dugas was trying to negotiate a turn, she over-
corrected and lost control of her vehicle. Her vehicle started to skid sideways and she
went from being in northbound traffic to sliding into the southbound lanes. Limon tried
to avoid colliding with Dugas’s vehicle and took evasive action, which eventually led her
to drive into a ditch. Rebecca Leigh Dugas collided with the 2010 Toyota Corolla of
Limon from the front.

3. Dugas was rushed to the Medical Center Hospital in Odessa where she was in
critical condition. In her vehicle there was also 41-year-old Bradley Eric Evans and
one-year-old Jordyan Dugas. Jordyan was taken to the University Hospital in
Lubbock where he remains in critical condition. Bradley Eric Evans was taken to
the Ward Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The driver of the Corolla, Jennifer Limon, was taken to the Ward Memorial
Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival. Three-year-old Janiyah, was
rushed to the UMC, but her father later informed the media that she also died. The
only survivor in that vehicle was nine-month old Jett Liam Limon who is currently
in critical condition at UMC. There has been a nationwide outpouring of
condolences for all of the families involved in this tragic accident.

4. Every year, there are thousands of automobile accidents on Texas roads. Thankfully, the vast
majority of them end up in only minor property damage and minor injuries. The Texas
Department of Motor Vehicles encourages drivers to take certain steps after an accident.
• First, make sure that everyone is safe in your car as well as in the other vehicles involved in the
accident.
• Next, administer first aid or request the assistance of first responders.
• Once it is determined that everyone is safe, exchange names, phone numbers, driver’s license
information, and insurance information as well as a complete vehicle description of all of the
vehicles that are involved.
• Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all witnesses of the accident.
• Take note of weather conditions and other contributing factors at the time of the accident.

5. The Texas Department of Transportation provides a driver’s crash report that must
be submitted within 10 days of an accident if the accident was not investigated by
law enforcement officials and it resulted in injury or death of a person or it resulted
in the destruction or damage of property in excess of $1,000. The CR–2 should be
submitted by the driver involved in the crash, unless they are unable to fill out the
form, in which case a person may be designated to fill out the report on their behalf.
An explanation of why the driver could not fill out the form themselves will be
included along with the form.

6. Determining fault is more complicated than deciding which automobile hit the
other. In most cases, insurers will look at the police reports provided to see if the
officer mentions negligence or if they gave a citation to one or both drivers.
Citations do not necessarily prove fault, but they can be used in conjunction with
other pieces of evidence to identify who was at fault.
The statements of reliable eyewitnesses can help determine the series of events that
led to an automobile accident. Additionally, seeing if either driver violated the state
vehicle code can help insurance companies determine who was at fault. At the end
of the day, in most cases determining fault is subjective to the opinion of the
investigator.

7. There are two circumstances where a driver is almost always at fault. One is in the
event of a rear end crash. Even if the automobile in front of them stops abruptly, the
person who hits the car in front of them is at fault because they did not adhere to
the safe driving distance stipulated by Texas law. Of course, if the vehicle that was
rear ended did not have functioning brake lights, then they may share a portion of
the responsibility.
A second instance where a driver may be found at fault is if they attempt to make a
left turn that results in a crash. In most cases the driver who made the left turn
was doing something unsafe, therefore making the accident their fault. An
exception to this is if the vehicle they ran into did something that violated the law,
such as speeding or running a red light.

8. In Texas, a driver who causes an automobile accident that results in the death of
passengers and their vehicle, pedestrians walking on the street, or occupants of
other vehicles may be charged with vehicular manslaughter or vehicular homicide.
These charges are appropriate for drivers who cause an accident while under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, who were driving at excessive speeds or in a careless
way, or who were driving without their license or otherwise driving in an illegal
manner. Vehicular manslaughter can result in fines and prison sentences.
Thankfully, in the vast majority of cases, when a person goes out and drives on
Texas roads, they are able to return home without incident. That being said, when
an accident does occur on Texas roads, it is imperative that drivers understand the
steps that they need to take in order to properly report the accident to law
enforcement officials and to their insurance company. Understanding car accident
law in Texas can take some of the stress and frustration out of an automobile
accident.