Posted on March 10, 2021 in Uncategorized

It can be difficult to understand what would lead a driver to travel the wrong way on a divided highway, but unfortunately, it does happen on a regular basis. Just recently, law enforcement reported a suspected wrong-way driving crash resulting in at least one fatality on I-35 in Austin, and hundreds of people die in wrong-way car crashes each year throughout the U.S. Understanding the causes of wrong-way driving accidents may help you avoid them or know how best to pursue compensation if you or a loved one is injured in such a crash.

Common Factors in Wrong-Way Collisions

In recent years, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published a special report on wrong-way driving crashes in the U.S. after conducting several investigations and extensive data analysis. Through their research, they identified a few common factors that contribute to fatal accidents involving wrong-way drivers on the highway, including:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 08, 2021 in Uncategorized

UPDATE: This blog was originally published on June 22, 2020. Since then, subsequent executive orders have definitively extended the tolling of the statute of limitations for civil cases to September 15, 2020, and granted judges the discretion to extend the deadline for filing through April 1, 2021. As the people of Texas cope with the unusual nature of court cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bettersworth Law Firm will help you determine whether a personal injury lawsuit is possible for injuries you have sustained either recently or in the past few years.

On March 13, 2020, on the heels of Gov. Abbott’s declaration of disaster for the state of Texas, the state Supreme Court authored an emergency order tolling (pausing) all “service and filing deadlines” in civil cases until June 1. This means that any deadline for filing a lawsuit or serving process on a party to a lawsuit is extended until June 1 – usually a good thing for those contemplating filing suit – but there has been some confusion about just how far the order extends. If you are in a position to file a civil lawsuit, you need to be aware of what your position will likely be now that the statute of limitations is no longer being paused.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 08, 2021 in Uncategorized

In early February, a driver fled the scene after a series of collisions near I-35 and New Braunfels Avenue in San Antonio, leaving his vehicle behind. The first crash involved two other moving vehicles, and the driver then collided with multiple parked cars before removing his car keys and leaving on foot. This chain of events raises questions regarding what victims can do when they suffer injuries and property damage in a hit-and-run accident, especially one involving more than one victim.

Police Can Often Locate Hit-and-Run Drivers

While it is certainly more difficult to identify and locate a driver who flees the scene after a car accident, it is by no means impossible. Law enforcement officers responding to the accident are often able to use evidence from the scene of the crash to establish a trail that leads to the suspect. For example, if the driver’s vehicle is left behind as in the aforementioned case, officers can check the license plate and vehicle registration information to determine to whom the vehicle belongs. Even if the driver leaves with the vehicle, the police may be able to obtain footage from local security or traffic cameras, as well as testimony from witnesses who saw the driver leave. If the police are able to locate the driver, injury victims may have a more clear course of action for recovering compensation.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 26, 2021 in Uncategorized

In a recent Texas car accident, the driver of a passenger vehicle collided with an ambulance operated by the San Antonio Fire Department, resulting in injuries to the patient who was being transported. Accidents involving ambulances and other emergency vehicles are somewhat frequent, and they can result in serious injuries to both occupants of the emergency vehicle and the other vehicles involved. It is often possible for injury victims to recover compensation for damages, but these cases can be especially complicated.

The Complexities of Liability in an Emergency Vehicle Accident

The process of obtaining compensation for injuries in an emergency vehicle crash can vary substantially depending on who is responsible for the accident. If the occupant of an ambulance is injured and the driver of another vehicle is found to be at fault, the personal injury claim may proceed similarly to how it would in an accident between passenger vehicles. It will be important for the victim to have evidence of the other driver’s negligence, perhaps due to a failure to yield to the emergency vehicle, or other unsafe behavior such as speeding, drunk driving, or distracted driving.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 24, 2021 in Uncategorized

Drivers in South Central Texas rarely have to contend with severe winter weather conditions, but this can mean that when such conditions do arrive, they can be all the more dangerous. In recent days, as a rare winter storm has brought about the accumulation of ice and snow, police departments in New Braunfels, San Antonio, and the surrounding areas have received more than 100 reports of car accidents related to the weather, and several of them have been fatal. During this difficult time, it is important for Texas residents to be aware that they can pursue compensation for car accident injuries through a personal injury claim, even when the weather is a contributing factor in the accident.

How Can Texas Drivers Stay Safe in Winter Weather?

Generally, the best way to avoid an accident in winter weather is to avoid driving entirely while conditions are dangerous, as many Texas officials are currently recommending. You should consider delaying any unnecessary trips outside of your home until the severe weather abates and the roads are cleared. However, if it is absolutely necessary to drive, you should take special care to drive safely.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 19, 2021 in Uncategorized

The trucking industry is responsible for transporting all manner of cargo throughout the U.S., and in some cases, the type of cargo a truck is carrying can have unique implications if the truck is in an accident. In recent weeks, San Antonio has seen multiple truck accidents involving unusual cargo, including a fatal crash in which molasses was spilled onto the road on Loop 1604, and another accident on I-35 involving a truck carrying beehives in which a swarm of bees was released and had to be contained by pest control.

However, some truck accidents stand out because the truck is carrying particularly hazardous cargo, which can contribute directly to the severity of the crash and the resulting injuries. If you have been injured in a crash with a truck carrying hazardous materials, it is important to work with an attorney who understands trucking regulations and can help you achieve the most possible compensation.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 17, 2021 in Uncategorized

On February 11, 2021, Texas experienced one of the largest vehicle pileups on record in the United States, with more than 130 total vehicles involved in the accident on I-35W in Fort Worth. The pileup, which occurred during the morning hours when many drivers were on their way to work, has resulted in at least six fatalities and over 60 people requiring treatment for injuries. The initial cause of the accident is still under investigation, but icy road conditions are suspected to be a contributing factor.

While collisions of this magnitude are fairly rare, multi-vehicle pileups are not an uncommon occurrence, especially on busy interstate highways and during times of low visibility and dangerous weather conditions. If you are injured in such a crash, it can be complicated to determine who is at fault and how you might be able to recover compensation. Fortunately, an experienced personal injury attorney can help.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 12, 2021 in Uncategorized

Earlier this month, a driver was killed on Highway 71 in South Austin after colliding at a high speed with a semi-truck that was parked on the side of the road. In the crash, which happened at around 2 a.m., the driver’s vehicle ignited on impact and slid underneath the truck’s trailer. The accident is still under investigation, but the unusual combination of circumstances is a reminder of the many dangers that can lead to serious injuries and fatalities in South Central Texas car crashes, especially those involving collisions between passenger vehicles and large trucks.

Severe Injuries Are Common in Texas Truck Wrecks

Among the many factors that may contribute to the severity and outcome of a crash such as this include:

• Weight and size disparities between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, compared to an average weight of 4,000 pounds for a passenger vehicle. As such, the occupants of passenger vehicles often suffer the most severe injuries in a collision. The large size of a semi-truck also presents the risk of another vehicle sliding underneath. While most trucks are equipped with a rear underride bar to reduce this risk, and federal regulations may soon require annual inspections of underride bars to ensure they are functional, they are not always fully effective.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 10, 2021 in Uncategorized

Already this year, the San Antonio area has seen multiple car accidents resulting from police chases. These events can encourage fleeing drivers to travel at high speeds, make unsafe maneuvers, and otherwise violate traffic laws that aim to promote safety on the roads. Unfortunately, when a crash does happen, it is often innocent bystanders who are injured. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash related to a police chase, an attorney can help you pursue compensation.

National Statistics for Police Chase Accidents

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics has closely examined police vehicle pursuits and their effects in recent years, most recently publishing a special report in 2017. Over the 20-year time period covered by the report, researchers found an average of 355 annual fatalities due to police chases. While occupants of the vehicle being pursued accounted for the majority of these fatalities, 33 percent of those who lost their lives were uninvolved bystanders. The report also found a similar percentage for bystander injuries.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 05, 2021 in Uncategorized

A tragic car accident on I-37 near Mathis claimed the lives of six people, two of whom were from the San Antonio area, all between the ages of 18 and 24. The crash was a head-on collision between two vehicles carrying multiple passengers, and one of the vehicles was traveling in the wrong direction on the highway. In addition to those who lost their lives, three more people involved in the crash were hospitalized with injuries.

This accident is especially severe in its impact on the victims and their families, and it is a reminder that life can be fragile for anyone on the road, and that unsafe driving needs to be addressed. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits cannot erase death, but they can provide compensation to help ease the victims’ suffering.

Head-On Collisions Are Often Fatal

Head-on crashes represent a relatively small portion of all car accidents—less than 10 percent according to most recent estimates. However, the National Safety Council estimates that head-on collisions were responsible for almost 30 percent of fatalities resulting from multi-vehicle accidents in 2018. These crashes tend to happen at high speed, and the force of the direct, head-to-head impact often causes severe injuries to the brain, spinal cord, extremities, and internal organs.

Continue Reading ››