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Plano Personal Injury Lawyers

Collin County reported 67 fatal crashes and 73 traffic deaths in 2024, along with another 319 wrecks that left people seriously injured, according to the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS). The county logged 15,348 reportable crashes overall, fewer than its larger urban neighbors but more than enough to put thousands of people in emergency rooms across the year.

Plano is the largest city in Collin County and one of the largest cities in Texas. It is also one of the most affluent. The North American headquarters of Toyota Motor North America sits at Legacy West, alongside major operations for Frito-Lay, JCPenney, Pizza Hut, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and Capital One. Add four major highways that all run through Plano (US 75, the Sam Rayburn Tollway, the President George Bush Turnpike, and the Dallas North Tollway), a heavy commuter flow into and out of the corporate corridor, and a population approaching 300,000 residents, and the result is a city where the wrong wreck can quickly become a complicated case.

You shouldn’t have to take an insurance company’s first offer just because medical bills are piling up. You deserve an attorney who knows Collin County, knows the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building in McKinney, and isn’t afraid to push back when an insurer won’t pay what your case is worth.

At DJC Law, our Plano personal injury lawyers help accident victims and their families recover after serious injuries. If you were hurt in a wreck on US 75 or the Sam Rayburn Tollway, hit by a commercial truck on the President George Bush Turnpike, struck while crossing Preston Road or Park Boulevard, injured at work, or harmed in any other accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help.

We work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Hablamos español.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law lets people who’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct seek financial compensation for their losses. These are civil claims, separate from any criminal charges. They hold the responsible party accountable and help injured victims recover the money they need for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Most personal injury cases come down to negligence. To win a negligence claim, you have to prove four things: that the defendant owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, that the breach caused your injuries, and that you suffered actual damages.

That sounds simple enough on paper. In practice, insurance companies spend a lot of time and money working to deny, delay, and minimize claims. In Plano, you may also be dealing with a Fortune 500 corporate defendant, a national trucking carrier moving freight along the US 75 corridor, a tollway concessionaire, or a property management firm with its own in-house legal department. Each comes with its own defense team. An experienced personal injury attorney can level the conversation and improve your chances of a fair recovery.

Why Choose DJC Law

Not every personal injury firm is the same. Here’s what sets DJC Law apart.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

We take personal injury cases on contingency. There are no upfront fees, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Our payment comes out of your settlement or verdict, so we only get paid when you do.

Personal Attention From Your Attorney

You won’t get handed off to a paralegal or left wondering what’s going on with your case. Our attorneys stay involved at every stage. We return calls. When you have a question, you’ll get an answer from the lawyer actually handling your case.

Bilingual Representation

Plano is one of the most internationally diverse cities in Texas, with about 29% of residents born outside the United States and large Hispanic, Asian-American, and immigrant communities. Your attorney should never be a barrier to understanding your own case. Our team works in English and Spanish, so you can ask questions and make decisions in the language you’re most comfortable with.

Experience With Corporate and Commercial Defendants

Plano hosts more Fortune 500 corporate headquarters than nearly any other Texas suburb. The defendant on the other side of your case may be a national bank, a regional trucking fleet, a global automaker, a national restaurant chain, or a property management firm with its own in-house legal department. We handle cases against large corporate defendants and their insurance carriers, and we’re comfortable building cases that involve multiple potentially responsible parties (driver, employer, broker, shipper, contractor, manufacturer) rather than settling for the first or easiest target.

Trial-Ready Representation

Insurance companies and corporate defendants pay attention to which firms actually take cases to court. When they know we’re prepared to try a case, they’re a lot more willing to settle for a fair number. If they aren’t willing, we’re ready to put your case in front of a Collin County jury.

Local Knowledge, Local Commitment

We know the Collin County District Courts at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building in McKinney, the federal courts in the Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas (which holds court in both Sherman and Plano), the judges who hear these cases, and the roads where these crashes keep happening. From Legacy West out to Park Boulevard, from the US 75 corridor to the Dallas North Tollway, we work cases here regularly.

Personal Injury in Plano: By the Numbers

Plano has more than 290,000 residents inside city limits and is one of the dozen largest cities in Texas. Collin County, where most of Plano sits, has crossed 1.25 million residents and continues to grow rapidly. According to the Texas Department of Transportation and other public sources:

    • Collin County reported 67 fatal crashes and 73 traffic fatalities in 2024, along with 319 suspected serious injury crashes that left 375 people seriously hurt.
    • The county logged 15,348 reportable crashes overall in 2024, with another 1,841 minor injury wrecks and 1,847 possible-injury crashes mixed into that total.
    • Collin County added more than 46,000 new residents between mid-2023 and mid-2024, the largest single-year increase in Texas. Population growth puts pressure on every corridor that was built decades ago for a much smaller suburban population.
    • Plano is the corporate base for the North American headquarters of Toyota Motor North America, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, and Pizza Hut, along with major regional operations for JPMorgan Chase, State Farm, Bank of America, Liberty Mutual, Capital One, and Raytheon. Around 157,000 people are employed in Plano, with professional, scientific, and technical services as the largest sector.
    • About 29% of Plano residents were born outside the United States, well above the national average. Asian-American residents make up roughly 24% of the city’s population, with significant Korean, Chinese, Indian, and Vietnamese communities. Hispanic residents make up about 17%.
    • Plano’s median household income of about $112,000 is among the highest of any major city in Texas, and median property values are significantly above the state average.
    • Collin County is home to the only Level I trauma center between Dallas and the Oklahoma border: Medical City Plano, a 603-bed HCA Healthcare hospital that earned its Level I designation in 2017. It is also the location of Collin County’s only American Burn Association-verified Burn and Reconstructive Center.

Dangerous Roads and Locations in Plano

If your wreck happened on one of these corridors, you’re not alone. They show up in TxDOT crash data, Plano Police Department reports, and the city’s traffic safety reviews year after year:

    • U.S. 75 (Central Expressway): The major north-south spine through Plano, connecting Richardson and Dallas to the south with McKinney and Sherman to the north. Heavy commuter traffic, dense trucking through the corporate corridor, and ongoing construction zones produce hundreds of crashes a year. Speed enforcement has been a recurring issue on Central, with NBC 5 Investigates documenting drivers exceeding 100 miles per hour on stretches near the Dallas-Plano border before TxDOT lowered the limit. The U.S. 75 / President George Bush Turnpike interchange and the U.S. 75 / Plano Parkway exit are recurring hot spots.
    • Sam Rayburn Tollway (SH 121): The east-west tollway across northern Plano, connecting the city to Frisco and DFW International Airport. Heavy commuter traffic during peak hours, frequent lane changes near major interchanges, and the speed differential between toll lanes and frontage roads produce a steady volume of wrecks.
    • President George Bush Turnpike (SH 190): The east-west tollway across southern Plano, connecting Garland and Richardson to Carrollton and beyond. The Bush Turnpike has produced a long list of fatal and wrong-way crashes over the years, particularly at the U.S. 75 interchange and the Coit Road interchange. Plano police previously identified Coit Road and the President George Bush Turnpike service road as one of the most dangerous intersections in the city.
    • Dallas North Tollway: The major north-south tollway on the western side of Plano, connecting downtown Dallas with Frisco and the corporate corridor along Legacy Drive. Plano police have flagged Legacy Drive and the Dallas North Tollway service road as one of the city’s most dangerous intersections.
    • Preston Road: The major north-south arterial running through the heart of Plano. Park Boulevard and Preston Road has shown up in city traffic safety reports with hundreds of crashes in a single year. The corridor mixes commuter traffic, retail traffic from major shopping centers, and pedestrian activity around schools and apartments.
    • Coit Road: A long north-south corridor running parallel to U.S. 75, connecting Plano to Frisco and Allen. The Coit Road / Spring Creek Parkway intersection and the Coit Road / President George Bush Turnpike service road have both been flagged as crash hotspots.
    • Legacy Drive: The east-west arterial running through the corporate office corridor between Preston Road and the Dallas North Tollway. Heavy executive and employee commuter traffic during peak hours, ongoing construction at Legacy West, and frequent rideshare drop-offs create regular friction points.
    • Spring Creek Parkway, Park Boulevard, Plano Parkway, and 15th Street: Major east-west arterials that move large volumes of local traffic between US 75 and the Dallas North Tollway. All show up regularly in Plano Police Department crash reports.
    • Legacy West, The Shops at Legacy, and downtown Plano: The mixed-use entertainment, retail, and dining districts produce regular rideshare, pedestrian, and parking-garage incidents, especially during major events at venues like Toyota Music Factory in Irving and the corporate campus visitor flows.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Our Plano personal injury attorneys take on a wide range of cases. If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, we can help.

Car accidents are the single most common cause of serious injury in Plano. Distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, and fatigue cause thousands of crashes in Collin County every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identifies all four as leading contributors to fatal crashes nationwide. [internal-link: car-accidents]

Truck accidents involving 18-wheelers, tanker trucks, and other commercial vehicles are a regular part of our practice in Collin County. The DFW Metroplex is one of the largest logistics and distribution hubs in the country, and the U.S. 75, Sam Rayburn Tollway, and George Bush Turnpike corridors carry significant freight volume. These cases are governed in part by federal regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including hours-of-service rules, drug and alcohol testing, hazmat handling rules, and maintenance standards. There are usually multiple parties who can be held liable, including the driver, the motor carrier, brokers, shippers, and maintenance providers. [internal-link: truck-accidents]

Motorcycle accidents tend to leave riders with severe injuries because they don’t have the protection of an enclosed vehicle. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has long reported that motorcyclists are killed at far higher rates than passenger-vehicle occupants per mile traveled. Insurance companies often try to use that risk against riders, and we push back hard. [internal-link: motorcycle-accidents]

Pedestrian accidents are a serious concern in Plano, particularly on wide arterials like Preston Road and Park Boulevard, where high-speed traffic meets retail, residential, and school crossings. Drivers have a duty to watch for pedestrians, and we hold them responsible when they don’t. [internal-link: pedestrian-accidents]

Bicycle accidents can cause serious harm to cyclists who share the road with much larger vehicles. We represent injured cyclists and pursue full compensation under Texas law. [internal-link: bicycle-accidents]

Bus accidents, including crashes involving DART buses, school buses, charter buses, and tour operators, come with their own complications. Public transit cases can run into governmental immunity issues and shorter notice deadlines, and bus operators are held to a higher common-carrier duty of care. [internal-link: bus-accidents]

Rideshare accidents involving Uber, Lyft, and other transportation network companies are common around Legacy West, the Shops at Legacy, downtown Plano, and the corporate corridor along Legacy Drive. These cases can involve overlapping insurance coverage that depends on whether the driver was logged into the app, en route to a passenger, or actively transporting one. We help injured riders, drivers, and third parties figure out which policy applies and pursue full recovery. [internal-link: rideshare-accidents]

Premises liability cases come up when a dangerous condition on someone else’s property causes an injury. That includes slip and falls at retail stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, and gas stations, plus inadequate security at bars, clubs, and parking garages, and swimming pool incidents at apartment complexes. Plano’s dense retail base, the major mall properties at Legacy West and The Shops at Willow Bend, and the city’s significant multifamily inventory all generate steady premises liability claims. Texas premises liability law is governed in part by Chapter 95 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code for certain property owners, along with case law that draws distinctions between invitees, licensees, and trespassers. [internal-link: premises-liability]

Construction and workplace accidents happen across Plano’s ongoing build-out at Legacy West and the surrounding corporate campuses, the long-running TxDOT and NTTA projects on US 75, the Dallas North Tollway, and the Sam Rayburn Tollway, and the steady stream of warehouse and data center construction across Collin County. Many of these cases involve violations of OSHA workplace safety standards, third-party contractor liability under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 95, and equipment manufacturer claims. [internal-link: construction-accidents]

Dog bites can cause serious physical injuries and lasting emotional trauma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, with hundreds of thousands needing emergency care. We help victims pursue full compensation under Texas dog bite law. [internal-link: dog-bites]

Product liability cases involve injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. That includes vehicle defects (which can sometimes be tracked through NHTSA’s recall database), defective industrial equipment, and dangerous consumer goods regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. [internal-link: product-liability]

Wrongful death claims allow surviving family members to seek compensation when a loved one is killed because of another party’s negligence or misconduct. These claims are governed by Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. [internal-link: wrongful-death]

If your situation isn’t on this list, call us anyway. Personal injury law covers a lot of ground, and we’d rather hear about your case and tell you straight whether we can help.

Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases

Accidents can cause anything from temporary pain to permanent disability. We represent clients who have suffered:

    • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
    • Broken bones and fractures
    • Back, neck, and whiplash injuries
    • Herniated discs and soft tissue damage
    • Internal organ damage
    • Burns and scarring
    • Amputation and loss of limbs
    • Knee, shoulder, and joint injuries
    • Cuts, lacerations, and disfigurement
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological injuries

Some injuries are obvious right away. Others, like concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage, can take days or even weeks to fully show up. That’s why getting medical attention as soon as possible after an accident matters. It protects your health, and it documents your injuries early. Medical City Plano is the largest hospital in Collin County, with 603 beds, a Level I trauma center designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services, the only American Burn Association-verified Burn and Reconstructive Center in Collin County, a Comprehensive (Level I) Stroke Center, a Level IV NICU, and Level IV Maternal Care. Other major hospitals serving Plano include Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Plano, and Children’s Health Specialty Center 2 Plano.

Compensation Available in a Texas Personal Injury Case

Texas law lets injured victims recover both economic and non-economic damages. Depending on the case, punitive damages may also be available.

Economic Damages

These are the financial losses you can document with bills, pay stubs, and receipts:

    • Medical expenses: Past and future treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, medication, rehab, and home care
    • Lost wages: Income you couldn’t earn while recovering
    • Loss of earning capacity: Reduced ability to earn in the future because of permanent impairments
    • Property damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other damaged belongings
    • Out-of-pocket expenses: Transportation to medical appointments, home modifications, and other accident-related costs

Non-Economic Damages

These are losses that don’t come with a receipt but are just as real:

    • Pain and suffering: Physical pain caused by your injuries and their treatment
    • Mental anguish: Emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma
    • Disfigurement: Permanent scarring or physical changes to your appearance
    • Loss of enjoyment of life: Inability to take part in activities and hobbies you used to enjoy
    • Loss of consortium: The impact your injuries have had on your relationship with your spouse
    • Physical impairment: Limitations on your physical abilities and daily activities

In cases that involve gross negligence or intentional misconduct, you may also be entitled to exemplary (punitive) damages under Chapter 41 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. These are meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct. Texas caps them in most cases at the greater of (1) two times economic damages plus non-economic damages up to $750,000, or (2) $200,000.

How Texas Negligence Law Works

Understanding the basics of Texas negligence law helps you understand your case. Here are the key ideas.

Proving Negligence

To win a personal injury case, you have to prove four things:

Duty of care. The defendant had a legal obligation to act reasonably to avoid causing harm. Drivers have to operate their vehicles safely. Property owners have to keep their property in safe condition. Manufacturers have to produce safe products.

Breach of duty. The defendant didn’t live up to that duty. Running a red light, texting while driving (which is prohibited statewide under Texas Transportation Code § 545.4251), or ignoring a known hazard are all examples of a breach.

Causation. The breach actually caused your injuries. There has to be a clear connection between what the defendant did wrong and the harm you suffered.

Damages. You suffered real losses as a result. That can mean medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other categories of harm.

Modified Comparative Negligence (the 51% Bar Rule)

Texas follows what’s called “modified comparative negligence,” set out in Chapter 33 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. In plain terms, you can still recover compensation if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as your share of responsibility is 50% or less.

If you’re found partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you’re 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you’d recover $80,000.

If you’re found more than 50% responsible, you don’t recover anything. That’s why insurance companies work so hard to push fault onto victims. Even a few percentage points can knock you across that 51% line. Our attorneys fight to keep that from happening.

The Personal Injury Claims Process

Every case is a little different, but most personal injury claims follow a similar path.

Investigation and evidence gathering. We dig into how the accident happened. That includes police reports (Plano Police Department crash reports can be requested through the Records Office at the Plano Police headquarters at 909 East 14th Street, by phone, or directly from the TxDOT C.R.I.S. portal), medical records, witness statements, photographs, and any other evidence that supports your claim. Crashes on the toll roads (Sam Rayburn, Bush Turnpike, Dallas North Tollway) often involve North Texas Tollway Authority camera footage, which can be lost in days if no one preserves it.

Medical treatment documentation. We work to make sure your injuries are fully documented by medical professionals. Solid documentation is what proves the value of your damages later.

Demand and negotiation. Once we know the full extent of your damages, we send a demand to the insurance company and negotiate for fair compensation.

Filing a lawsuit. If the insurer won’t make a fair offer, we file suit. Most personal injury cases involving Collin County residents are filed in the Collin County District Courts at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, 2100 Bloomdale Road, McKinney, TX 75071. The Collin County District Clerk’s Office (Mike Gould) handles civil filings, with eFiling through the statewide eFileTexas system. Federal cases involving Collin County residents are filed in the Sherman Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The Sherman Division actually holds court in two locations, with one courthouse in Sherman and a second federal courthouse in Plano itself, which makes federal litigation more accessible for Plano residents than it is for many other suburban communities.

Discovery. Both sides exchange information, take depositions, and gather more evidence under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure or the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, depending on the court.

Mediation or settlement. A lot of cases settle during litigation, often through mediation. Mediation is a structured negotiation with a neutral third party who helps both sides find common ground.

Trial. If the case doesn’t settle, we present it to a jury and ask for the verdict your case deserves.

Through all of this, we keep you in the loop. You’ll always know what’s happening and what your options are.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

After an accident, you’ll probably hear from an insurance adjuster who sounds friendly and concerned. Don’t read too much into the tone. The adjuster’s job is to keep their company from paying any more than it has to. The Texas Department of Insurance publishes consumer guides and complaint procedures if you ever feel an insurer is treating you unfairly.

Common insurance company tactics include:

    • Asking for a recorded statement they can later use against you
    • Requesting broad medical authorizations so they can dig for pre-existing conditions
    • Pushing a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries
    • Disputing how serious your injuries are or claiming they aren’t related to the accident
    • Dragging things out, hoping you’ll accept less out of financial pressure
    • Trying to shift fault onto you to push you over the 51% comparative fault bar

Before you talk to any insurance company, talk to an attorney first. Once we’re involved, we handle communications with insurers for you. Trucking companies, rideshare carriers, hotel chains, and other large defendants all have dedicated claims handlers and rapid-response teams that show up at the scene of major incidents to start collecting statements and lining up favorable witnesses. The same advice applies. Plano is also home to the regional offices of multiple major insurers (State Farm, Liberty Mutual), which means the insurance side of your case is often handled by experienced local adjusters with significant resources.

Statute of Limitations: How Long You Have to File

Texas sets strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Miss that deadline and you usually lose your right to recover, period.

Some situations have different deadlines.

Claims against government entities, like the City of Plano, Collin County, the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), DART, the Texas Department of Transportation, or any school district, typically require formal written notice within six months or less under the Texas Tort Claims Act. The City of Plano charter requires notice even sooner in some cases.

Medical malpractice claims have additional procedural rules under Chapter 74 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, including a 60-day pre-suit notice requirement and an expert report requirement.

Claims involving minors may have extended deadlines under Texas tolling rules.

Don’t sit on your case waiting to see if your injuries get better. Even if you’re not ready to file a lawsuit, talking to a lawyer early makes sure you understand your deadlines.

Steps to Take After an Accident in Plano

If you’ve been hurt in any kind of accident, the steps you take afterward can protect both your health and your legal rights.

    1. Get medical attention right away. Call 911 if anyone is seriously hurt. Medical City Plano is the only Level I trauma center in Collin County, and it also houses Collin County’s only ABA-verified Burn and Reconstructive Center. Other hospitals serving Plano include Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Plano, and the Children’s Health Specialty Center 2 Plano.
    2. Report the accident. If the crash happened inside Plano city limits, call 911 to get an officer to the scene. The Plano Police Department non-emergency line is (972) 424-5678. Crashes in unincorporated parts of Collin County are handled by the Collin County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Jim Skinner at 4300 Community Avenue, McKinney, (972) 547-5100. Crashes on US 75, the Sam Rayburn Tollway, the Dallas North Tollway, and the President George Bush Turnpike are sometimes worked by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Wrecks in adjacent jurisdictions (Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson, Dallas, Carrollton) are handled by those agencies.
    3. Document everything. Take photos of the accident scene, your injuries, property damage, road conditions, and traffic signs. Note the time of day, the weather, and the direction you were traveling.
    4. Get witness information. Collect names, phone numbers, and email addresses from anyone who saw what happened. With Plano’s heavy mix of corporate commuter and out-of-state business travel, witnesses may be from out of state, so get their contact information before they leave.
    5. Request your crash report. Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports (Form CR-3) are usually available 7 to 14 days after the wreck through the TxDOT C.R.I.S. public portal for $6 (or $8 certified). Plano Police Department reports can also be requested through the city’s open records process at 909 East 14th Street, Plano, TX 75074.
    6. Keep records. Save all medical bills, prescription receipts, mileage logs to and from appointments, and pay stubs that show the work you missed.
    7. For trucking and commercial cases, act fast. These defendants typically have rapid-response teams that arrive at the scene within hours. Evidence like driver logs, ECM (engine control module) data, surveillance footage, and maintenance records can be lost or overwritten in days. A spoliation letter from your lawyer puts the company on notice to preserve that evidence. NTTA toll camera footage on the Sam Rayburn, Bush, or Dallas North Tollways is also subject to retention limits.
    8. Don’t give a recorded statement. If the other driver’s insurance company asks for one, politely say no until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
    9. Don’t sign anything. Insurance companies sometimes hand over releases or settlements that look routine but quietly waive your rights. Have a lawyer look at it first.
    10. Call a personal injury attorney. The sooner you have legal representation, the better protected your case is.

How Our Plano Personal Injury Lawyers Help

Trying to handle a personal injury claim while you’re still recovering from a serious injury is exhausting. Our team takes the legal work off your plate so you can focus on getting better.

We investigate the accident, gather the evidence we need to prove liability and damages, and handle every conversation with the insurance companies. When a case calls for it, we bring in medical experts, accident reconstructionists, biomechanical engineers, vocational economists, and life-care planners to help build it.

We also calculate the full value of your losses, including future expenses and the kinds of non-economic damages that are easy to undercount. Then we negotiate hard for fair compensation. We also prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, because the cases that look ready for trial almost always settle for more.

If the insurance company won’t pay what your case is worth, we go to court.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plano Personal Injury Cases

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Plano?

Nothing upfront. We work on contingency, which means we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Our fee comes as a percentage of your settlement or verdict. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. The consultation is free.

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas?

Generally two years from the date of injury under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. Claims against the City of Plano, Collin County, the North Texas Tollway Authority, DART, or other government entities have notice deadlines as short as six months under the Texas Tort Claims Act, sometimes shorter under city charter. Don’t assume your deadline based on the general rule. Have an attorney confirm it.

My wreck happened on a toll road like the Sam Rayburn Tollway, the Dallas North Tollway, or the President George Bush Turnpike. Does that change anything?

It can. Toll roads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), a public agency, which means certain types of claims (especially those alleging unsafe road design or maintenance) may run into governmental immunity issues. NTTA also operates an extensive network of toll cameras and incident response. Footage from those cameras can be valuable evidence but is subject to retention limits. We move quickly to preserve it. Toll road wrecks also tend to involve higher speeds and more out-of-area drivers than ordinary surface street crashes, which has its own implications for how the case gets investigated and tried.

My crash happened in Plano but the at-fault driver lives in Dallas County (or Frisco, or McKinney, or Allen). Where do I file?

Generally either Collin County (where the wreck happened) or the county where the at-fault driver lives will be a proper venue under Texas’s general venue statute. The choice can matter, because Collin County juries and Dallas County juries don’t always look at the same case the same way. Cases against drivers in Frisco, McKinney, and Allen typically stay in Collin County. We talk through venue strategy early in the case.

I was hit by an 18-wheeler on US 75 or the Sam Rayburn Tollway. What’s different about a truck case?

A lot. Commercial trucks are governed by federal regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that don’t apply to passenger vehicles, including hours-of-service rules, driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing, and equipment inspection requirements. There are also typically multiple potentially responsible parties, including the driver, the trucking company, the freight broker, the shipper, and any maintenance contractor. Liability and insurance coverage in a truck case are usually much larger than in a typical car wreck, and the trucking company will have a defense team on the scene fast. We move just as fast to preserve evidence like ECM downloads, driver logs, dispatch records, and dashcam footage.

I was hurt in a workplace accident at Toyota, JCPenney, or another corporate campus in Plano. Can I still sue?

It depends on your relationship to the employer. If you were a direct employee and your employer carries Texas workers’ compensation insurance, your remedy against your employer is generally limited to the workers’ comp system. But Texas allows third-party liability claims against parties other than your employer, including equipment manufacturers, contractors working alongside you, premises owners under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 95, or negligent drivers in the parking garage. We help injured workers identify every recovery avenue that’s actually available to them.

I was hit by an Uber or Lyft driver near Legacy West or downtown Plano. Whose insurance covers me?

It depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the wreck. If the rideshare app was off, the driver’s personal auto policy applies (and rideshare drivers often have policies that exclude coverage when driving for hire, which can leave a gap). If the app was on but the driver hadn’t accepted a ride, Uber and Lyft typically provide limited contingent coverage. If the driver had accepted a ride or had a passenger in the car, the rideshare company’s $1 million liability policy usually applies. We work through the layers and identify all available coverage.

Is Texas a no-fault state for car accidents?

No. Texas is an at-fault (or “tort”) state. The driver who caused the wreck, and that driver’s insurance company, is responsible for the damages. That’s different from no-fault states, where each driver typically files with their own insurer regardless of who caused the wreck. In Texas, fault investigation and the police crash report often shape the outcome of your case.

What is the minimum auto insurance required in Texas?

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, drivers have to carry at least 30/60/25 liability coverage. That’s $30,000 per injured person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. These minimums often aren’t enough to cover serious injuries from a freeway or tollway wreck, which is why uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matters so much.

How long will my case take?

It depends. Some cases settle within months. Others take a year or more, especially if litigation is needed. Cases with disputed liability, severe injuries, or commercial defendants generally take longer. We work to resolve your case as quickly as we reasonably can without rushing it past a fair result.

What if I was partially at fault for my accident?

You can still recover compensation as long as your share of fault is 50% or less. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Should I accept the insurance company’s settlement offer?

Not without talking to an attorney first. Initial offers are almost always far below what your case is worth. Once you sign a release, you can’t reopen the claim, even if your injuries turn out to be more serious than you thought. Have a lawyer review any offer before you sign anything.

How much is my case worth?

Every case is different. Value depends on the severity of your injuries, your past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, the strength of the evidence, and the available insurance coverage. We can give you a more accurate range after we review the specifics of your case in a free consultation.

Are personal injury settlements taxable in Texas?

According to IRS Publication 4345, the part of a personal injury settlement that compensates you for physical injuries or physical sickness is generally not taxable. Portions allocated to lost wages, interest, or punitive damages can be taxable. Texas itself has no state income tax, but you should always confirm tax treatment with a CPA.

What if the other driver doesn’t have insurance?

You may still have options. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply. Other parties, like an employer if the at-fault driver was on the job, may share liability. We look at every angle for compensation, including stacking applicable policies where Texas law allows.

Where do I get my Plano accident report?

You can request your crash report online through the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System or in person from the Plano Police Department at 909 East 14th Street, Plano, TX 75074. Standard reports cost $6, with $8 for certified copies. If we represent you, we’ll handle getting the report as part of our investigation.

Helpful Plano and Texas Resources

If you’ve been hurt in an accident in Plano, these public resources may be useful:

    • Plano Police Department. Emergencies 911, non-emergency (972) 424-5678, Tip Line (972) 941-2148. 909 East 14th Street, Plano, TX 75074.
    • Medical City Plano. Collin County’s only Level I trauma center and only ABA-verified Burn and Reconstructive Center.

Contact Our Plano Personal Injury Attorneys Today

If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to take on the insurance companies on your own. The Plano personal injury lawyers at DJC Law have the experience and the resources to go to bat for you.

Reach out for a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, walk you through your options, and help you figure out what to do next. There’s no obligation, and you don’t pay us anything unless we win. Hablamos español.

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