Posted on September 22, 2013 in Uncategorized

Distracted driving has become a serious issue in our country, and the Lonestar State is not exempt. Here in Texas, in 2011, cell phone usage was the contributing factor in 3,147 auto accidents- including 40 fatal ones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers are 23 times more likely to crash when text messaging behind the wheel (2009). Recently, Texas drivers have had to begin to adhere to a few new laws, one of which is related to distracted driving. Previously, Texas law mandated that cell phone use behind the wheel was prohibited in active school zones, unless the vehicle is stopped or if a hands-free device is being used. After the recent modification, cell phone use behind the wheel is now banned on all school property, which includes parking lots and drop off lanes. Violations of these new guidelines could cost you a fine of up to $200. As in in the past, stopped vehicles and those drivers using hands-free devices are exempt. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that this new measure will cut back on distracted student driving. Craig Miller, Dallas school district police chief, has stated, “Anything that focuses people’s attention is a good thing.” Lawmakers are attempting to eliminate distracted driving on a national scale as well. Congress recently made grants available to those states that were enacting laws that allow police to stop drivers for texting while driving. This was an unprecedented act, and 38 states jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, the way that Congress chose to define terms such as “driving” and “texting”, only seven states were awarded the grants. The states that did not qualify for the grants have laws that ban texting on cellphones and not all texting-capable devices, do not ban texting while a driver is stopped, or because their definition of texting does not apply to surfing the Web behind the wheel. Only Arkansas, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Guam were awarded the grants. Efforts are constantly being made to ban distracted driving throughout the country. If you have been involved in a car accident due to a distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Do not hesitate to contact an experienced Texas personal injury attorney to assist you.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 18, 2013 in Uncategorized

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained following a minor to severe car accident. If you’ve been injured in accident and think the driver may have faulted you, the most important first step is to contact a dedicated Texas personal injury attorney immediately. The sooner you have the assistance of a qualified professional on your side, the easier your case will be. Regardless, whiplash, or even a suspected case of it, is worthy of a second look. According to a Hillsboro, Texas chiropractic clinic, the term whiplash was “coined by Dr. Harold Crowe back in 1928.” This may be surprising, considering the speed at which vehicles could travel in 1928, but it goes to show that it’s not an injury reserved for only the most severe of car accidents. Whiplash, as defined by Dr. Crowe, is used to refer to “the hyperextension/hyper flexion injury of the neck, and the resulting symptoms of his injury—sustained from a motor vehicle accident.” Symptoms of whiplash, according to Hillsboro Chiropractors, include (but are not limited to):

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 15, 2013 in Uncategorized

Two students sustained minor injuries after a crash involving a CISD school bus along FM 306 in mid-September, according to KGNB.am Radio News online. “The bus had just finished dropping off students at the entrance to the Wingate Mobile Home Park, in the 300 block of FM 306, around 5pm when the bus was struck by another vehicle,” reports KBNB. Only minor damage to the bus was reported, but two students complained of injuries. “Both were examined on-site and neither was transported to the hospital,” according to KGNB. However, following the incident, several students immediately called their parents to have them pick them up, which could have added to the congestion already in the area from the stopped school bus. The Mustang that collided with the bus also sustained little to no damage, and after an inspection by CISD Superintendent Andrew Kim, the school bus returned to its normal afternoon route.

The passengers and driver of the Mustang responsible for hitting the bus were lucky. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “an average of 24 school-age children die in school transportation-related traffic crashes each year.” Only 11 of these are children who were in school buses at the time of crash, and the number includes children who were in a school bus for extracurricular activities—those that sometimes go into the night and incur a greater risk of the driver being unfit. The remaining 13 students killed in school transportation-related accidents each year are pedestrians.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 11, 2013 in Uncategorized

If you’re out on the road, being able to spot a dangerous driver quickly can make the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, drunk drivers are a leading cause of accidents around the country, injuring and killing many people every day. A drunk driver has difficulty seeing the road, accurately judging distances, and making safe decisions about proceeding. Especially if the driver is moving at an excessive speed or driving down the wrong side of a road, driving drunk can seriously endanger other drivers and passengers on the road. If you can spot the behavior early on, you might be able to help prevent an accident and save yourself from an emotional personal injury lawsuit. There are several key signs that you are driving behind or near an intoxicated driver.

• A driver who is accelerating or decelerating quickly and randomly can be a clue that you’re behind someone who is drunk (or extremely tired). Either way, moving out of their way and reporting the behavior quickly can save lives.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 07, 2013 in Uncategorized

In a tragic accident that was reported by Fox News, a woman died as a result of her injuries after she fell from a roller coaster that she was riding at the Six Flags Over Texas, located in Arlington. The spokesperson for the park did confirm reports of a death but would not confirm how the woman died. Witnesses state that they saw the woman being strapped into the ride and that the restrained seemed to snap into place just as it should have. Another witness said that the woman asked a park employee to check her harness before the ride took off. The witness heard the harness click once when the others clicked at least three times. This particular roller coaster is known as being the tallest hybrid roller coaster in the world. Witnesses said that as the roller came down on its first drop, that is when the woman tumbled from her seat. Firemen had to use a ladder truck to access the platform where the victim’s body landed. Witnesses state that the medical staff employed by the park as well as local area paramedics responded to the incident immediately. There was no delay in attention to the situation. However, there has not yet been an official finding that it was indeed the harness that malfunctioned in this incident. If you have been hurt in a public place because of the negligence of the staff or the malfunction of equipment, you may be able to sue for damages. It will be up to your Texas accident attorney to prove that someone was negligent in some manner to cause a loss of life or injury such as in the above tragic story.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 04, 2013 in Uncategorized

According to the Southeast Texas Record, Inocencia Alanis is alleging that sustained injuries that have resulted in her suffering multiple injuries including immobility. She is alleging that these injuries happened because of the negligence of employees of the Regent Care Center in League City. At the time of her injury, her arm was in a sling and the staff attempted to move her into a bed without properly placing her injured arm on top of her body. This action in turn caused her arm to roll off the employee’s shoulder. It was later determined that she suffered a fractured humerus. She was then transferred to a nearby medical center where she underwent testing to determine the full extent of her injuries. It was also determined that she suffered compression fractures in her spine. Her suit alleges that because of her injuries, she is experiencing back pain that is so severe, that she is rendered her immobile. It is virtually impossible for her to walk or even move because of the extreme pain that she is experiencing. In her suit, she is alleging that the facility is negligent in failing to train its employees in the proper procedure of moving patients, failing to transfer her in such a way that is mindful of her current injury and not causing further injury, and failing to follow the doctor’s orders when it came to her care. She is seeking monetary damages in an unspecified amount and she has requested to have a jury trial in the matter. If you have been hurt as a result of the negligent actions of medical staff at an office or facility, contact an experienced Texas accident attorney. Your attorney will assess your case to see if you have a basis to ask for monetary award as well as the payment of medical bills.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 31, 2013 in Uncategorized

With technology intertwined in everyday life, it is easy for someone to become distracted while driving. For so many Texas drivers, answering the phone or reading a text while driving is common. However slight, distractions of any kind can cause someone to be injured in a car accident. In a bold campaign to make people aware of the dangers of texting while driving, director Werner Herzog made a short film for AT&T, as reported by NBCnews.com. The article warns its audience that the short film called “It can wait” is not easy to watch, as it is an honest discussion between victims and perpetrators.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 22, 2013 in Uncategorized

Ronald Christopher Snider, 35, was arrested and, after being taken to Christus New Braunfels Hospital to have blood drawn, was brought to the Comal County Jail on felony charges involving a DWI accident, according to KGNB News. The incident occurred after New Braunfels police officers were called to deal with a major accident with injuries on Gruene Road, according to KGNB. “When officers arrived,” the radio station reports on its website, “witnesses pointed out that one of the vehicles, a pickup truck, was trying to leave the scene. After quickly pulling the truck over, officers found that the driver at the time of the crash was now in the passenger seat and they believed he showed signs of intoxication.”

Under Texas state law, a person has the right to refuse any breathalyzer or sobriety tests at the scene of an accident, and Snider did just this. Yet also under Texas state law is the No Refusal policy, which allows officers to obtain and follow through with a blood search warrant—why Sider was take to Christus New Braunfels Hospital. Officers “also discovered a 40-caliber handgun inside the truck.” In addition to a Class A misdemeanor charge of DWI (with an open container), Snider also faces a Class A misdemeanor charge of “Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon,” according to KGNB, and “because of the injuries sustained by the passengers of the other vehicle involved in the accident) he was also charged with 2 state jail felony charges of causing an accident involving injury.”

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 18, 2013 in Uncategorized

It is a very sad time for the students of Texas A&M and the family of Polo Manukainiu, according to a report by My San Antonio. The 19-year-old football player was killed, along with two others, in a one-car crash in New Mexico.

There were five people in the SUV at the time of the accident. Law enforcement officials report that the 18-year-old driver was not intoxicated but they have not ruled out that he may have been speeding. He was also the only one in the vehicle that was wearing a seatbelt. The SUV was reportedly traveling on U.S. 550 going south near the area of Cuba, New Mexico when the truck drifted off the road. The driver allegedly over-corrected and the SUV flipped several times. Manukainiu and a 13 year old passenger were ejected from the vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Another passenger also died at the scene. The driver and his father were taken to a nearby hospital having suffered only minor physical injuries.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 14, 2013 in Uncategorized

According to DFW CBS, a horrific crash has left Somerville County reeling. Reports state that the crash involved two vehicles and had fatal consequences.

The crash took place on U.S. Hwy 67 between a Kia Sedona van that had a family inside that were on their way to a family reunion. The second vehicle is a white Pontiac that was heading east bound with a family and their children. It has not been reported how the two vehicles met in the head on collision.

The family in the Kia, Mark Burns, age 57, wife, Darla Burns, age 53, and his mother, Wanda Burns, age 90, were all pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Abel Perez, his 2 children, and a 19-year-old passenger in the other vehicle were taken to nearby hospitals; their conditions are not known at this time. Perez’s wife, 47-year-old Lydia, was killed in the accident.

Continue Reading ››