Recent Blog Posts
Officer Who Caused Fatal Crash was Under the Influence of Drugs
The Bexar County Medical Examiner confirmed that a Nixon police officer was under the influence of a drug cocktail when he strayed across the double-yellow line and crashed head-on into an oncoming pickup truck. Now, the Nixon Police Department may be faced with a negligence lawsuit.
The wreck took place in April 2015, just west of Jourdanton on Highway 97. 51-year-old Officer Mike Villarreal, of San Antonio, was killed almost instantly. His passenger, an unnamed juvenile detainee, and the driver of the Ford F-150 were both seriously injured and airlifted to San Antonio University Hospital.
An autopsy revealed traces of methamphetamine and naproxen, a powerful over-the-counter painkiller, in his bloodstream. As no narcotics were recovered from the wreckage, investigators speculate that Officer Villarreal may have been under the influence for his entire shift.
Who Is Responsible for a Dangerous Highway Turnaround?
A man and woman were nearly killed in a Northwest Side car crash, and investigators are pointing to a dangerous turnaround lane. Is the state responsible for the couples’ damages?
The incident occurred near the intersection of Huebner and Interstate 10, when a man picked his girlfriend up after work one night. The driver said he never even knew he was in a highway turnaround lane, because the sign was bent backwards in a previous crash and the area is almost completely unlit. Their vehicle skidded off the road and into the ditch, and both vehicle occupants sustained serious injuries. One first responder stated that the turnaround is an accident scene “weekly and almost daily.”
A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation remarked that a new highway sign had been ordered, but delivery can take up to six weeks. Meanwhile, city crews plan to replace the temporary lights with permanent poles in the coming weeks or months.
Another Big Win for Defective Products Victims
A Delaware woman recently won a $100 million jury verdict, after her lawyers convinced a jury that Boston Scientific’s faulty pelvic mesh implant was responsible for her injuries. The case may cause other medical device manufacturers to settle defective product cases more quickly.
Pelvic mesh implants were once hailed as a cure for incontinence in females. But the devices can deteriorate over time, leading to a host of medical problems, including severe pain during sexual intercourse. These problems can trigger a series of expensive corrective surgical procedures. The month before the verdict was announced, Boston Scientific agreed to pay $119 million to settle some 3,000 similar claims, including a $35 million verdict from a Dallas County jury. Last year, another Texas woman won $73 million in a case stemming from a defective Boston Scientific pelvic swing, a similar device.
Boston Scientific and two other pelvic mesh manufacturers are actively settling individual cases before the juries hear about the severe injuries these victims suffered.
Runaway Tractor Trailer Near Highland Park
An operator who lost control of his vehicle careened into the center barrier before flipping over and slamming into another car.
The crash took place near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Hackberry. Police state that the force of the collision launched the second car into the air. They speculated that the injuries would have been much worse had the support beams on the side of the interstate not caught the vehicle before it hit the ground.
As it was, a woman inside the car shattered the bones in her foot, but doctors are optimistic that she will be able to walk again.
Damages Available in Large Truck Accidents
These types of collisions are very common in the San Antonio area, because there are so many complicated freeway interchanges that drivers who are just passing through may not know how to navigate. And with the average large truck weighing well over 80,000 pounds, there is very little margin for error. These massive vehicles are nearly impossible to stop or slow down quickly, even if an experienced driver is behind the wheel.
Serious High Speed Wreck in West San Antonio
A conflux of factors, including aggressive driving, were to blame for an early morning car crash at Lackland Air Force Base that killed one person and seriously injured two others.
The collision took place on Military between Selfridge and Luke, not far from the Parade Grounds. According to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, two vehicles were southbound on Military when one driver lost control, struck a curb and then a fence. When the vehicle flipped, all three occupants were ejected. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where two remain; a third victim, a 32-year-old man, was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Although there were no witnesses, as the crash took place about 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, officials speculate that a combination of excessive speed, alcohol, and road rage may have caused the collision. Two people were taken into custody facing unspecified charges.
Road Rage
Whose Fault Is It?
A pair of pileup accidents that involved several big rigs, a number of passenger cars, and a garbage truck occurred almost simultaneously on Interstate 10. The drivers involved may wind up pointing fingers at one another in court.
The first crash occurred on westbound Interstate 10 near Fair Oaks. A man driving a Corvette in an aggressive fashion slammed into the back of an SUV, which then toppled into the median. That SUV then collided with a garbage truck on the service road. Meanwhile, the Corvette skidded out of control and landed across the highway.
A few moments later, perhaps because the drivers were distracted by the chain-reaction crash on the main highway, three large trucks collided into one another on the service road. Some injured victims were transported to local hospitals, but all were expected to survive.
Serious Wreck Raises Liability Questions
Recently, two people were hospitalized in a near-fatal rear-end collision on Highway 281. Although these matters may seem like open-and-shut cases, there are several defenses that insurance companies can use to either reduce the amount of damages that victims can receive, or perhaps even deny them compensation altogether.
Police state that the crash occurred near Redland Road, not far from Hollywood Park. According to witnesses, one driver was weaving in and out of traffic. After the crash, both people were transported to area hospitals with serious injuries.
One motorist was charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
Possible Defenses
Although liability is fairly certain in this collision, other such instances are not nearly as clear cut.
Texas courts recognize the last clear chance doctrine, meaning that, in some cases, responsibility for a rear-end crash can be flipped. If Driver A hits Driver B from behind, Driver A is not legally responsible, if:
Plane Crash Kills Four Near San Antonio
A family of four was killed in an airplane crash north of San Antonio. Who is legally responsible for this tragedy, and what theories of liability may apply?
According to the Department of Public Safety, the single-engine craft went down shortly after it took off from Krestel Airpark in Spring Branch. Witnesses state that the plane nose-dived into a parking lot just east of Highway 281 and about a half-mile from the runway. When deputies from the Comal County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, the plane was fully engulfed in flames. They later identified the victims as an area man and his wife, along with their 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration are also participating in the investigation.
Fireball Collision on I-10 in San Antonio
A major northeast side truck crash resulted in a huge fireball that killed two people and seriously injured one other person. What can an attorney do to preserve crucial evidence in these situations?
Authorities are unsure why a truck driver lost control of the rig, but while it was in motion, the truck slammed into a concrete flyover pillar and burst into flame. Two people inside the cab were killed almost instantly; a third occupant was pulled from the truck and airlifted to a nearby hospital with severe burns. None of the victims’ names were released, and no other vehicles were involved.
The collision occurred on eastbound Loop 410 near Cherry Ridge.
Evidence in a Large Truck Crash
If either of these three victims pursues a negligence suit, the cause of this accident must be determined. There may have been driver error – the operator may have been distracted or going too fast around a curve. Or, there may have been a mechanical failure in the brakes, steering, accelerator, or other vital component.
Does the System Take Care of Injured Workers?
On average, according to a recent government report, companies pay only about 20 percent of the lost wages and medical bills that injured workers incur.
Texas is one of only two states where employers can opt out of the no-fault insurance system. Although not carrying workers’ compensation leaves companies open to negligence lawsuits, many firms are willing to take the risk. As a result, the workers’ compensation system is dangerously underfunded. At the same time, states have dramatically scaled back on benefits. According to the study, one worker had to go to the first-aid clinic 94 times before the company finally approved a doctor visit.
Overall, fewer than 40 percent of injured workers receive any benefits at all. The reasons for the statistics vary. Many times, however, the insurance adjuster denies reasonable claims, blaming them on a preexisting injury. As a result, a workplace injury is financially crippling for many families. In the decade after the accident, injured workers see their earnings fall by an average of $31,000.
Hire a Firm that
Works for You.
Award-Winning
James Bettersworth has been recognized as an Elite Lawyer since 2019.
25+ Years of Experience
Our firm knows how to win complex personal injury cases for our clients.
Hands-On Legal Process
We are always attentive to our clients' needs and available to answer their questions.
Call 830-606-0404 or contact us below
telephone
830-606-0404fax
830-626-1414follow us
From our office in New Braunfels, we serve clients throughout South Central Texas, including New Braunfels, San Antonio, Seguin, Bulverde, Kyle, Garden Ridge, Spring Branch, Comal County, San Marcos, Buda, Gonzalez, Karnes City, Karnes County, Converse, Selma, Universal City, Kerrville, Canyon Lake, Hays County, Schertz, Marion, and Guadalupe County.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
110 West Faust Street, New Braunfels, TX 78130
830-606-0404
