Hit-and-run accidents are endemic to Dallas. Dallas County records among the highest rates of hit-and-run crashes in Texas — driven by large numbers of uninsured drivers, fleeing criminal suspects, and drunk drivers trying to avoid arrest. When the at-fault driver cannot be identified or carries no insurance, the injured person’s own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage becomes the primary source of recovery. A Dallas hit and run accident lawyer at McFarlane Law pursues UM claims against Texas carriers, fights bad-faith denials, and pursues fleeing drivers in civil court when they are identified.
Why Dallas Has So Many Hit-and-Run Crashes
Several factors make Dallas County one of the worst hit-and-run markets in Texas. Texas has one of the highest uninsured-motorist rates in the country (estimated 14–16%, higher in urban Dallas). Drivers without insurance, on suspended licenses, with outstanding warrants, or under the influence have strong incentives to flee. Dallas’s extensive road network provides easy escape routes. Even with witness accounts or surveillance footage, catching fleeing drivers quickly is not guaranteed, and a significant share of Dallas hit-and-runs are never prosecuted.
Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage
Texas auto insurance policies must offer UM/UIM coverage, and rejection must be in writing. Most Texas drivers carry at least some UM coverage. When a Dallas hit-and-run driver is unidentified or uninsured, the injured party files a first-party UM claim against their own carrier. UM coverage pays the full spectrum of personal-injury damages up to policy limits. Texas’s UM statute (Insurance Code Chapter 1952) and Brainard v. Trinity require the insured to either obtain a judgment against the uninsured motorist OR get carrier consent before settling — a procedural trap that catches unrepresented claimants regularly. McFarlane Law handles Dallas UM claims correctly from day one.
Stacking, Bad Faith, and Carrier Delay Tactics
Texas generally does not allow stacking of UM policies across vehicles, but each household policy covering the injured person potentially provides separate limits. Texas also has some of the strongest bad-faith laws in the country (Insurance Code Chapters 541 and 542), with available attorney fees, 18% interest penalties under the prompt-payment statute, and exemplary damages for carriers that handle claims in bad faith. McFarlane Law aggressively pursues carriers that delay, lowball, or deny Dallas UM claims.
When the Fleeing Driver Is Caught
Sometimes Dallas hit-and-run drivers are identified through surveillance video, witness accounts, or police investigation. McFarlane Law pursues the civil case against them directly — including gross-negligence claims supporting exemplary damages (fleeing an injury-involving crash is a Texas felony and strongly supports gross-negligence findings). We coordinate with the Dallas County District Attorney’s victim services division to protect our clients’ civil interests during criminal prosecution. A conviction frequently creates collateral estoppel on civil liability, accelerating the civil recovery.
Related Practice Areas
Related Dallas subpages: Dallas car accident lawyer, Dallas drunk driving accident lawyer, Dallas pedestrian accident lawyer. Hub: Dallas personal injury lawyer.
Talk to a Dallas Injury Lawyer Today
If a Dallas hit-and-run driver hurt you or killed a loved one, your own UM coverage is your primary recovery source. (512) 222-4900 / (432) 803-5000. Free consult.
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Deep Experience in Dallas and Dallas County Courts
McFarlane Law has tried and settled cases across Dallas County, Collin County, Tarrant County, Denton County, and Rockwall County. Our attorneys know the Dallas Civil District Courts at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, understand the DFW jury pools, and have worked with Dallas-area medical providers — Baylor Scott & White, UT Southwestern, Methodist Health System, Parkland — accident reconstructionists, and life-care planners on every case type covered in this silo. Dallas is the fastest-growing major metro in the country, with a distinctive mix of commercial trucking along I-35 and I-30, construction on billions of dollars in ongoing development, and high-volume everyday motor vehicle traffic on the LBJ Freeway, Central Expressway, and Dallas North Tollway. When we represent a Dallas client, we do it with the same preparation, resources, and courtroom depth we bring to every Texas personal injury case. Call (512) 222-4900 or (432) 803-5000 for a free consultation.
