The moments leading up to fatal car accidents in Houston are crucial to helping investigators and your Houston car accident attorney understand the causes of a crash. The Farah Law team’s relentless focus on uncovering evidence and investigating fatal car accidents in Texas and New Mexico can help you begin to recover from the loss of a loved one financially. Below, we look at how fatal car accidents are investigated and the complex steps required to secure compensation for the deceased’s survivors.
Securing a Fatal Crash Scene Before Investigating
The first priority before an investigation begins is addressing the welfare of all the drivers in a motor vehicle accident. Ensuring emergency medical care is critical. Once a fatal accident scene is secure and no other life-threatening medical emergencies exist, Texas law enforcement within the jurisdiction will begin their investigation.
It’s vital to secure a deadly crash scene by limiting outside disturbances and intrusions. This helps preserve essential evidence that can show what happened, who is at fault, and how the investigation should proceed.
Observations at Deadly Car Crashes
Law enforcement must take in specific details at the accident scene, noting any factors they believe contribute to the cause of a fatal car accident. Because the accident scene can change quickly, a heightened response is necessary. Taking in the details surrounding fatal car accidents is crucial, particularly in car crashes where fire or flammables can destroy evidence or weather patterns shift from the time of the accident.
Officers investigating a crash will note the date, time, and location of an accident, in addition to the following:
- Weather factors, such as fog, rain, ice, or water puddles
- Skid marks and the positions vehicles come to rest in
- Traffic signs or lights and speed limits in the accident zone
- Pre-existing damage and current damage to vehicles
- The presence of traffic or security cameras
- The presence of alcohol or drugs when reasonable suspicion exists of their contribution to the crash
A primary goal of law enforcement when observing fatal car crashes in Texas or New Mexico is to search for evidence of a crime contributing to an accident, such as in drinking and driving incidents. They may also issue citations. In determining fault, the insurance companies and a Houston car accident attorney will give significant consideration to law enforcement’s opinion of the cause of the accident.
Texas Crash Report Documents
Officers will record their observations at an accident scene in a detailed Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report. This in-depth record of the observations of the accident scene will play a crucial role for insurance companies in determining liability and in any legal actions that follow.
A Houston wrongful death lawyer at Farah Law can assist with gathering essential evidence, including the Texas crash report, to help determine liability, dispute inaccurate report findings, and assist with building a comprehensive Texas wrongful death claim and survival action, depending on when death occurs following the accident.
Essential Documentation in Crash Reports
Collecting photographs, measurements, and crash debris will also become part of accident documents. Interviews with other passengers in the accident and witness testimony can provide evidence support, particularly when the suspected cause of an accident is a manufacturing defect or design defect in a vehicle. Complex defective product claims require the guidance of an experienced Houston defective product lawyer to investigate.
Medical reports may become a part of fatal car accident investigations when the suspicion of substance use exists. Prescription and non-prescription drugs, alcohol, or illegal drugs all can impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. Accident documentation is part of criminal and civil actions, which are separate legal proceedings.
A car accident attorney in Houston at Farah Law can file any legal paperwork for the subpoena of documentation supporting a civil action allowing you to seek compensation for a loved one’s loss or the deceased's estate.
Accident Reconstruction
The events leading up to an accident are not always evident. Even in accidents appearing self-explanatory, challenging the assignment of responsibility for the accident may be necessary, particularly when a loved one suffering fatal injuries is unjustly assigned a more significant portion of fault than they deserve.
Tragically, your loved one cannot defend against the insurance company’s accident assessment and determination of liability. The personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Farah Law recognize the significance of relentless representation to protect your right to recovery after a life-changing loss.
Your Houston car accident attorney and the insurance company will perform independent investigations. The insurance company will try to reduce their driver’s fault and how much they must pay for your damages. Your lawyer presents the results of their investigation to force insurance companies to pay what they owe for a wrongful death.
Accident Reconstruction Data
An accident reconstructionist is a trained professional who insurance companies and accident attorneys may hire to investigate the accident by reconstructing to facilitate a fatal accident investigation in Houston, helping to determine fault. A reconstructionist may use the following methods to develop their analysis:
- Physics: The damage and injuries resulting from a car accident will likely increase with speed. Skidmark measurements, the observation of crumple zones designed to absorb impact, and the extent of bodily injury may demonstrate a driver’s failure to follow the speed limit.
- Occupant kinematics: Measuring the motion of the occupants of a vehicle in an accident can determine whether the injuries sustained are consistent with the type of injuries the accident is likely to produce.
- Measuring devices: Simple tools such as a tape measure or measuring wheel may be used during reconstruction. However, more complex cases may require laser instruments, electronic distance meters, or drones to provide accurate measurements of fatal accidents in Texas.
- Black box data: Many vehicles now have the technology to record a driver’s actions seconds before an accident. The data can provide crucial information about a driver’s speed, steering, seat belt use, braking, and other actions moments before an accident.
- Automobile condition: The extent of damage can help construct the story of an accident. Inspecting the automobile’s condition may uncover signs of defective parts or damage resulting from defective parts, such as a faulty braking system.
The Role of an Experienced Houston Car Accident Attorney in a Fatal Accident
Without the intervention of a Houston car accident attorney working on your behalf, you could lose much of the information in a fatal accident investigation in the time you need to grieve your loss. As time passes, the evidence supporting your claim becomes more challenging to collect, and sometimes it can become unretrievable.
Under Texas’ statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims, you have only two years to seek compensation through the courts. Otherwise, your valuable evidence could disappear along with your chance to hold the at-fault parties accountable for their negligence. Instead, speak with a qualified car accident attorney to get your case started right away.
Farah Law Is Ready to Help You Overcome Your Grief and Loss
The Farah Law team can provide an extensive investigation into a fatal accident in Texas or New Mexico to help you seek compensation for the tremendous loss your family suffers. Our Houston personal injury and wrongful death attorneys understand that acting in the moments and days following a fatal accident to preserve evidence contributes to a thorough investigation.
We offer free case evaluations, and you never pay fees unless we secure a favorable settlement or verdict. Farah Law is the team you deserve when compassion and relentless representation matter. Contact us today.
