Austin Car Accident Lawyer

Types of Car Accidents We Handle in Austin

Austin's unique mix of highway traffic, downtown congestion, and suburban expansion creates conditions for various types of collisions. We represent clients injured in:

Rear-End Collisions

Stop-and-go traffic on I-35 during rush hour creates perfect conditions for rear-end impacts. These crashes often occur when distracted drivers fail to notice brake lights ahead, slamming into stopped or slowing vehicles. Common injuries include whiplash, herniated discs, and traumatic brain injuries from the sudden forward-and-backward head motion.

Head-On Collisions

These devastating crashes typically occur when drowsy or intoxicated drivers drift across center lines or enter exit ramps going the wrong direction. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), head-on collisions account for only 2% of all crashes but represent 10% of fatal accidents nationwide.

Side-Impact Accidents (T-Bones)

Austin's many busy intersections, particularly along Lamar Boulevard, Congress Avenue, and South First Street, see frequent T-bone collisions when drivers run red lights or fail to yield during left turns. Passengers seated on the impact side face the highest risk of severe injury.

Multi-Vehicle Pileups

Chain-reaction crashes on MoPac and I-35 can involve dozens of vehicles, especially during sudden rain showers when oil residue makes roads slippery. These complex accidents require thorough investigation to identify all liable parties and available insurance policies.

Single-Vehicle Accidents

Not all single-vehicle crashes result from driver error. Poorly maintained roads, missing guardrails, inadequate signage, or defective vehicle components can cause drivers to lose control. In these cases, government entities or manufacturers may share liability.

Hit and Run Accidents

Texas law requires drivers to stop after accidents, but some flee the scene out of panic or to avoid DUI charges. We work with police investigators and use surveillance footage, witness accounts, and forensic evidence to track down hit-and-run drivers while helping you access your own insurance coverage.

Rollover Accidents

SUVs and trucks have higher centers of gravity, making them more prone to rollovers during sharp turns or on highways. These violent crashes frequently cause ejection, crushing injuries, and multiple fractures.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Austin

Understanding what causes Austin's frequent crashes helps us build stronger cases for our clients. We regularly handle claims involving:

• Distracted driving: Excessive smartphone use in Austin, including texting and scrolling, diverts a driver's focus from the road and remains a primary cause of daily crashes and fatalities.
• Speeding and aggressive driving: Exceeding Austin's high-speed limits drastically reduces the time a driver has to react, significantly increasing the likelihood and severity of collisions.
• Drunk and drugged driving: Despite public awareness, impaired driving continues to be a tragic issue in Texas, where alcohol and drug-related incidents cause approximately one fatality every single day.
• Traffic congestion and road rage: Extreme traffic delays in Austin often escalate driver frustration, leading to aggressive maneuvers like tailgating, brake-checking, and dangerous vehicular interactions.
• Construction zone dangers: Constant infrastructure projects create confusing road conditions with narrow lanes and shifting barriers, making these areas particularly dangerous for inattentive drivers and construction personnel.

Whatever factors contributed to your crash, remember this: you have legal rights. Our attorneys will investigate every aspect of your accident, identify all responsible parties, and build a compelling case for maximum compensation.

Types of Injury Cases We Handle

Vehicle collisions generate tremendous force that human bodies aren't designed to withstand. We've represented Austin clients suffering from:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): Individuals suffering a TBI may experience complex long-term sequelae, including cognitive dysfunction, mood instability, and chronic incapacitating headaches.
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: Damage to the spinal cord during a crash often leads to devastating paralysis, fundamentally altering the victim's life and necessitating millions in ongoing care costs.
• Broken bones and fractures: Fractures sustained in a collision frequently cause lasting impairments, resulting in significant joint pain, loss of function, and reduced capacity for professional duties.
• Internal organ damage: Forceful impacts can cause acute, life-threatening internal bleeding and organ trauma that remains hidden and requires immediate, aggressive surgical intervention.
• Psychological and emotional trauma: Beyond physical wounds, accident survivors often endure recognized psychological damages, such as paralyzing PTSD and persistent anxiety that prevent normal activities like driving.

Whether your injuries seem minor or obviously severe, they deserve proper medical evaluation and legal representation. Don't let insurance companies minimize what you've experienced.

Compensation You Can Recover in a Car Accident Claim

Texas law allows injured victims to seek various types of financial recovery:

• Medical expenses: Every dollar spent on emergency room visits, ambulance transport, hospital stays, surgery, medication, physical therapy, medical devices, and future treatment is recoverable in your claim.
• Lost income and earning capacity: If injuries prevent you from working, you're entitled to compensation for missed paychecks. If permanent disabilities mean you can't return to your previous career or must accept lower-paying work, you can recover the difference in lifetime earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and reduced quality of life have real value under Texas law, even though they don't come with receipts or invoices.
• Property damage: Complete vehicle repair or replacement costs, along with damage to personal items inside your car, such as laptops, phones, work equipment, or children's belongings.
• Rehabilitation and therapy: Ongoing physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, and specialized treatment needed for your recovery.
• Wrongful death damages: When collisions prove fatal, surviving spouses, children, and parents may recover funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and mental anguish.

At Omar Ochoa Law Firm, our car accident lawyers carefully calculate every category of damages you're owed, fighting for maximum compensation while you focus on recovery.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Austin

Your actions in the hours and days following a crash can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation. Follow these steps:

1. Get Medical Attention Immediately

Don't wait to "see if you feel better". Visit an emergency room or urgent care clinic even if your injuries seem minor. Some conditions, such as concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage, don't produce obvious symptoms right away. Early medical records also establish the connection between the crash and your injuries.

2. Call the Police and Get a Report

Texas law requires police notification for crashes involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000. The responding officer will create an official crash report documenting the scene, witness statements, and preliminary fault determination. Obtain the report number before leaving.

3. Document the Scene Thoroughly

Use your phone to photograph all vehicle damage from multiple angles, visible injuries, skid marks, traffic signs, road conditions, and the overall accident scene. Record the other driver's license plate, insurance information, and contact details. Get names and phone numbers from witnesses.

4. Notify Your Insurance Company

Texas requires you to report accidents to your insurer, but be careful about what you say. Provide basic facts, like the date, time, and location, but avoid giving recorded statements or accepting blame until you've consulted an attorney.

5. Refuse Quick Settlement Offers

Insurance adjusters often contact victims within hours or days, offering fast settlements that sound generous but actually fall far short of true claim value. These offers frequently come before you know the full extent of your injuries or future medical needs. Never accept an offer without legal review.

6. Contact an Attorney Immediately

The sooner you call us, the sooner we can start protecting your rights. We'll immediately begin preserving evidence, interviewing witnesses, obtaining police reports, and handling all insurance company communications so you can focus on healing.

7. Keep Detailed Records

Create a file containing all accident-related documents: medical bills, prescription receipts, repair estimates, pay stubs showing missed work, photographs of injuries as they heal, and a journal documenting your pain levels and how injuries affect daily activities.