Posted on May 07, 2021 in Uncategorized

Drunk driving is a serious problem in Texas. Not only does Texas have the largest number of fatal accidents involving alcohol intoxication, but alcohol also accounts for an outsized percentage of fatal accidents in Texas compared to most other states. All drunk drivers can be a severe danger to themselves and others on the road, but intoxicated truck drivers are capable of causing especially dangerous accidents and severe injuries.

Deterrents Against Truck Driver Intoxication

Commercial truck drivers are subject to strict laws and regulations regarding alcohol and drug use, both at a federal level and within the state of Texas. For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires trucking companies to administer drug and alcohol tests for their drivers under a variety of circumstances, including before hiring, after an accident, and when there is reasonable suspicion of intoxication.

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 Posted on May 03, 2021 in Uncategorized

Last week, two people traveling through a roadwork area on I-10 in South Texas were killed after a construction crane malfunctioned and a part landed on their vehicle. The unusual circumstances of this tragic car accident raise questions regarding an injury victim’s options for recovering compensation when an accident is caused by something other than another driver. In a complicated case such as this one, working with an experienced personal injury attorney is especially important.

Determining the Cause of a Construction Accident

When an accident resulting in injuries occurs in or around a construction site, there is a wide range of possible causes. Even if you know that a particular piece of equipment is responsible for the injuries, it is still important to determine the specific chain of events that led to the accident in order to make a strong case for compensation from the appropriate party. If you have been injured, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible to begin investigating the situation, including by visiting the scene of the accident, interviewing witnesses, and requesting records from construction companies and contractors who may have been involved.

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 Posted on April 28, 2021 in Uncategorized

Texas motorcyclists face a high risk of severe injuries due to the negligence of other drivers. However, unlike in many car accidents, the force of the initial collision with another vehicle is often not the source of the worst injuries in a motorcycle crash. Rather, those injuries frequently come from a motorcyclist’s impact with the road surface or another stationary object after being thrown from their vehicle. If you have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, a personal injury attorney can help you recover compensation.

What Causes Motorcyclist Injuries in Texas?

Unlike occupants of passenger vehicles who are often contained by safety measures including seat belts, airbags, and the vehicle frame, motorcyclists have very little to keep them protected and secured to their vehicle in the event of a collision. As such, when a motorcycle is struck by another vehicle, the rider is almost always flung from the motorcycle, often leading to a high-speed impact with an object like a median or barrier, a utility pole, or the road itself. Motorcyclists who are ejected from their vehicle may also be at risk of further injury from passing traffic that may not be able to react in time to avoid them.

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 Posted on April 26, 2021 in Uncategorized

Fatal car accidents are an unfortunate reality in Texas, resulting in 3,610 deaths in 2019 alone. When a person dies in a car crash because of another driver’s negligence, the family members left behind by the deceased can choose to pursue a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver to recover compensation. However, there are plenty of cases in which the at-fault driver dies in the accident or afterward. If you have been injured in an accident with another driver who is no longer living, you may be wondering what this means for your personal injury case.

Recovering Compensation From a Deceased Defendant

Fortunately, the death of the negligent party in a car crash does not make it impossible for other injury victims to obtain compensation for their damages. According to Texas law, a personal injury or wrongful death claim can be initiated against a deceased person’s estate if there would have been grounds for a claim against the person while they were living. This applies to cases in which the defendant dies before the claim is filed, as well as cases in which the defendant dies while the claim is pending, whether due to complications from the accident or any other reason.

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 Posted on April 21, 2021 in Uncategorized

Big-rig trucks are designed to carry large amounts of heavy cargo over long distances, and this understandably means that they must be large and sturdy themselves. However, it also means that when a truck loses control, it can cause substantial damage to the surrounding area. Other occupants of nearby vehicles may be at risk of injury not only in a direct collision with a semi-truck, but also due to the collateral damage that a truck leaves in its wake. Whatever the specific source of their injuries, an accident victim may have a case for compensation if a truck driver’s negligence was the inciting cause.

Common Side Effects of Truck Wrecks

A recent accident on I-35 illustrates the variety and extent of the damages that a big-rig truck can cause. In this case, a hydraulic truck bed activated while the vehicle was in motion, causing the trailer to rise and impact power lines and fiber optic cables above the road. As a result, the truck overturned and a multi-vehicle accident ensued, stalling traffic for several hours. The downed power lines also started a fire and caused major power outages in the area.

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 Posted on April 19, 2021 in Uncategorized

Each year in Texas, around 2,500 bicyclists are involved in accidents with motor vehicles. Hundreds of these crashes result in serious injuries, with many proving to be fatal. Just this month in Bexar County, a bicyclist was fatally injured by a driver who police say was traveling at a high speed, and who has since been charged with intoxication manslaughter. If you or a loved one is injured in a bike crash, you should understand your rights to recover compensation.

What Causes Texas Bike Accidents?

In many cases, an accident involving a car and a bicycle is the fault of the driver of the motor vehicle, due to their negligence in upholding a duty of care to others on the road. Driver negligence in a bike accident can take many different forms, including:

• Failing to yield the right of way – According to Texas law, bicyclists have the same rights and obligations as drivers of motor vehicles. As such, the rules regarding right of way are the same for bicycles and cars alike. When a driver fails to appropriately yield the right of way to a bicyclist at an intersection, a collision can occur.

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 Posted on April 14, 2021 in Uncategorized

If you are injured in a car crash with a drunk driver, you may assume that the driver bears full responsibility for their intoxication and the resulting damages. However, according to Texas law, bars, restaurants, and other businesses that serve alcoholic beverages have a responsibility to do so safely. Under certain circumstances, if a business fails to uphold this responsibility, they can be found partially liable in a personal injury case involving a driver that the business served.

Texas Dram Shop Laws

Legal statutes addressing a business’s liability for damages related to alcohol intoxication are commonly referred to as “dram shop” laws. In Texas, such laws apply in two kinds of circumstances. The first is when an individual or business with an alcohol license or permit overserves a customer. In order for the business to be liable in this case, there must be evidence that the server knew that the person being served was already intoxicated to the point of posing a danger to self and others and that alcohol intoxication was the cause of the damages for which compensation is being sought.

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 Posted on April 12, 2021 in Uncategorized

According to recent statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration, Texas leads the United States in railroad crossing collisions, with more than 180 in 2020. From those collisions, 67 people suffered injuries and 11 people were killed. Train crashes continue to be a regular occurrence, with a collision in March between a MetroRail train and a passenger car in Austin serving as just one prominent example. Injury victims in train-vehicle collisions may suffer severe damages, and they are often eligible for compensation through a personal injury claim.

Texas Train Accident Negligence

Train accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, with some of the most common cases involving a train derailing due to operator error or obstructions or defects on the railroad tracks. In such cases, injured train passengers often have a claim for compensation from a negligent operator or the company responsible for employing the operator or maintaining the train or tracks.

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 Posted on April 07, 2021 in Uncategorized

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash, your mobility may never be the same as it was before the accident. However, medical technology is constantly evolving to better meet the needs of injury victims. In fact, a Texas teenager who was paralyzed in an accident in February has been able to regain substantial mobility thanks to treatment at San Antonio’s University Hospital and a robotic device called an Exoskeleton. Such technology may be able to help you or your loved one as well, and a personal injury claim against an at-fault driver can help you cover any associated expenses.

Advances in Technology for Spinal Cord Injury Victims

Damage to a person’s spinal cord can cause partial or total paralysis from the waist down. Unfortunately, there are no reliable means of repairing spinal cord damage and reversing these effects. Rather, treatment and rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries typically focus on helping a person maintain as much mobility as possible within the limitations of the injury.

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 Posted on April 05, 2021 in Uncategorized

Within the past several days, there have been several serious car accidents in the San Antonio area involving drivers pulling out into the path of oncoming traffic. Such situations often result in T-bone collisions that can have severe consequences, including catastrophic injury and death, depending on the speed at which the vehicles were traveling and other factors. It can also be complicated to determine who is at fault for a crash of this nature, which can complicate personal injury claims.

Where Do These Accidents Occur?

A vehicle pulling out into traffic can happen under a variety of circumstances. It could occur at an intersection with a traffic light, for example, when a driver attempts a right turn on a red light while traffic is approaching from their left, or when a driver fails to acknowledge a red light at all. However, these accidents tend to be more common at intersections that are not so well regulated. One common example is an intersection at which drivers in one direction have a stop sign, but traffic in the other direction is not required to stop. Accidents are also common at intersections where there is no traffic sign or signal at all, such as a driveway, alley, or parking lot exit that intersects with a busy road. In some cases, visual obstructions like buildings or landscaping can make it difficult for a driver to see oncoming traffic, thereby contributing to a crash.

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