Substituting LAX for DFW isn't going to make any material difference in reducing the chances for irrops. I suppose the OP could drive to SFO and start there to remove a connection, but what's to say they don't get stuck in traffic or have car problems and miss that flight?

The OP just got hit with an unfortunate but ultimately unrelated series of events, but luckily it sounded like they were able to roll with it.