Posted on January 20, 2020 in Uncategorized

Recently, a man in his sixties sustained “potentially serious injuries” when his car flipped over a guardrail on North I-35, landing 20 feet below on the service road. As of this writing, it does not appear that there were any other vehicles involved, but this does not mean that another driver did not play a role. Single-vehicle accidents are common and can be deadly, but this can be somewhat of a misnomer, given that it is possible in some cases to hold another person liable for your injuries.

Causes Differ Wildly

Most of the time, law enforcement will immediately assume that you are responsible for your own single-vehicle crash, with no other causes involved. However, this is not always the case – and even if you do wind up being held liable for part of your own injuries, you are still able to recover as long as your percentage of fault is below 50 percent. For example, if the court finds that you were 30 percent responsible for your own injuries, you would still, in theory, be able to recover up to 70 percent of your damages.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 15, 2020 in Uncategorized

A recent morning gave rise to a serious accident on County Road 110, near Rockride Lane in Williamson County. Law enforcement gave no indication that anyone was injured, but rollover accidents are among the deadliest types, causing disproportionate amounts of fatalities even though this type of crash is relatively uncommon. If you are lucky enough to survive a rollover crash, you likely have serious injuries and medical bills, but you may be able to obtain compensation for what you have been through.

Statistics Show High Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics on rollover accidents are somewhat outdated, but nonetheless very revealing of trends that do not appear to have changed over time. Roughly two percent of all accidents on the road are of the rollover type, but a shocking 35 percent of all passenger vehicle deaths during that time occurred in rollovers. There are different theories as to why, but most boil down to the common-sense fact that more simply happens in most rollovers – all that metal and glass actually overturning, and the physical forces involved, will do more to a human body than most other types of car wrecks.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 13, 2020 in Uncategorized

Recently, a crash on West Military Drive killed a motorcyclist, who simply seemed to drop away from the two friends he had been riding with. One of the other motorcyclists simply noticed the victim disappear, and found his body approximately one half-mile back from where they had stopped. Medical personnel were summoned, but the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. As of this writing, the cause of death was not determined, but motorcycle accidents are more likely to be deadly than standard vehicle crashes, and if you have been involved in one, your injuries are likely to be severe.

Common Causes

Motorcycling is an extremely common hobby in the United States, with Texas being in the top five for the number of motorcycles registered in the state. However, with the increased number of motorcyclists on Texas roads in addition to other traffic, this does mean that more accidents occur. When they do, motorcyclists very often get the proverbial short end of the stick – their relative lack of protection compared to passengers in vehicles means that they die approximately 28 times more often.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 08, 2020 in Uncategorized

A serious accident occurred recently at the intersection of Sassman Road and FM 1625. A tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle collided, sending two people to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt, which was quite lucky as tractor-trailers can cause severe injuries and even fatalities. Truck accidents in the United States kill thousands each year, and if you do make it through one, your medical bills will likely be very high.

Causes and Commonalities

Simply because of their size, tractor-trailers can cause devastation if they are involved in traffic accidents. Tractor-trailers carry immense weight, and if that weight strikes your vehicle, it can lead to injuries from cuts and bruises to traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord issues. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimate almost 4,900 fatal accidents that involved large trucks or buses, and around 116,000 injury crashes.

There are so many different causes for this type of accident, which can make it difficult to determine who should be held liable for your injuries. However, many of the most common causes tend to pinpoint alleged negligence on the part of the truck driver. Examples include speeding or other types of reckless driving, substance use (alcohol or drugs), driving longer than the FMCSA rules recommend (leading to sleep deprivation), or poorly maintained equipment on the truck.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 06, 2020 in Uncategorized

Recently, a man allegedly caused some criminal mischief on a Stone Oak street when he drove the wrong way, intentionally rammed a San Antonio police officer’s vehicle, and crashed in the lot of a car dealership, damaging three new vehicles. The driver was arrested at the Alamo Toyota dealership on Highway 281 and charged with several criminal offenses. If someone drives the wrong way on a public street, however, they can also be held liable under civil law by any person they allegedly injured.

Limited Time To File

It may be seen as common sense that drivers must drive on the right side of the road in the United States, but just in case, the state of Texas has codified that requirement. When someone drives on the other side, they are violating traffic laws in addition to whatever other offenses might occur. Wrong-way accidents are relatively rare, but the injury and fatality rate is much higher than that in most other types of crashes because they almost always involve a high rate of speed. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that approximately 14 percent of all wrong-way driving fatalities occur in Texas.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 30, 2019 in Uncategorized

A tragic accident occurred on Loop 1604 recently, as a man ran into traffic on the road near Culebra Rd., intentionally jumping into the path of an 18-wheeler. While the man was pronounced deceased by emergency medical services, the accident no doubt has had a permanent effect on the truck driver – both because of the obvious human drama and because on some occasions, causing the death of someone on the road can lead to liability in wrongful death, for both the driver and for their employer. While suicides are rare, accidents resulting in death can be more common, and if you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation.

Specific Criteria for Filing

The Texas wrongful death act states that if someone’s death occurred due to the “wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness or default” of another person, that person may be held liable. This can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint, especially in automobile or truck accidents, because there can be a very fine line between pure accident and negligence. However, there are certain requirements that can show that a trucker (and, in some cases, their employer) was negligent enough to cause the victim’s passing.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 23, 2019 in Uncategorized

Recently, a small plane originating from Sugar Land crashed as it was trying to divert to San Antonio International Airport. The craft reported engine issues and attempted to land, but sadly came down mere blocks from the airport’s air space. While as of this writing it does not appear that any legal action might be taken against any parties, it is possible that many different types of lawsuits might come out of a small plane crash, especially one that results in unfortunate fatalities. Having an attorney to protect your interests after such a horrible experience is often a good idea.

Rare But Serious

While small plane accidents such as this are much rarer than the average person tends to think – the data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates less than 10 charter plane accidents in 2016 – the jury is still out on the safety of even smaller private planes. The NTSB groups such flights under ‘general aviation,’ which is a very broad umbrella category, but because of so much data input, the number of accidents recorded in the general aviation category is over 1,000 for 2016. At this juncture, it is difficult to isolate small plane crashes from, say, powered parachutes or balloons.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 18, 2019 in Uncategorized

Texas roads can be dangerous, especially when someone is driving at a high rate of speed. If enough speed and recklessness are present, crashes do happen, and sometimes, they can even be severe enough to cause a vehicle to roll over completely. Rollover accidents are among the most deadly that happen on U.S. roads in any state, and if your rollover crash was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to bring suit against that person to recover for your medical bills.

Statistics and Causes

Rollover crashes account for a disproportionate amount of all traffic fatalities simply because there is usually a disproportionate amount of metal and glass being thrown around, with a person or people inside the vehicle having little chance to escape. This is further compounded by not wearing a seatbelt or other restraint – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that in the most recent available data, only around 2 percent of all accidents were of the rollover type, but nearly 35 percent of all traffic deaths were rollover accident-related. Roughly 70 percent of those deaths were not wearing a seatbelt.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 16, 2019 in Uncategorized

Recently, four people were injured in a serious wreck at 71 and Covered Bridge Drive, closing down Covered Bridge Drive for most of the morning. All of them were taken to nearby hospitals, with one having sustained life-threatening injuries and nature of the other three people’s injuries not specified. While no discussion of liability seems to have occurred in this particular case, it is important to be aware of your options after an accident. Too many people think that they have no case for one reason or another; in reality, you should be aware that there are ways to hold negligent drivers accountable.

Do I Need an Attorney?

If you have been in an auto accident and you or a loved one sustain serious or life-threatening injuries, hiring an attorney can feel like an overwhelming, insurmountable task. However, in reality, an attorney can be of great help with all of the sudden questions that pop up after a serious accident. An attorney can help negotiate with your insurer, search for evidence to support a personal injury claim, and handle the general legal questions while you focus on recovery.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 11, 2019 in Uncategorized

T-boning a police vehicle traveling westbound on West Martin Street. The police officer inside was treated for a head injury at University Hospital, and the driver was taken into custody, facing charges of evading arrest and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. An injured civilian could choose to bring a civil suit against the fleeing driver over any injuries they sustained, though on-duty police may not do the same thing. If you have been in a T-bone collision, your injuries are likely severe.

Causes and Definitions

A T-bone or side-impact collision is when the front end of a car strikes the side of another vehicle, usually causing severe injury to those sitting on that particular side of the second car. There are many different causes of this type of accident – that is, many situations where a side-impact collision will be more likely to happen than, say, a rear or front-end crash. Running a stop sign or a red light like the driver on West Martin Street is one of the most common causes of these types of crashes; traffic will have begun to travel on the green light and a driver with a red light may simply not stop.

Continue Reading ››