Posted on March 27, 2013 in Uncategorized

According to the San Antonio Express-News, authorities have not yet identified two pedestrians who were fatally injured while walking on an East Side San Antonio street last weekend. The man and woman allegedly were walking in the eastbound lane of East Commerce Street at about 10:30 p.m. when they were struck by a pickup truck. The impact of the crash propelled the man into the opposite lanes of traffic, where he was then struck by a mini-van. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, whereas the woman later died at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Both drivers remained at the scene of the accident, and police do not believe that either driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

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 Posted on March 23, 2013 in Uncategorized

A San Antonio Jefferson High School student “was killed this past weekend after his car was struck by an 18-wheeler on his drive home from the Matador Relays,” according to KGNB.am News. The Relays are a track and field event. The accident happened with the 18-year-old was driving home on Westbound I-10. The high school senior, Alex Omstead, “reportedly crossed the center median, went through the cable barricade, and crossed into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lanes.” Omstead’s car was then struck by an 18-wheeler, killing the teen on impact. Investigators are trying now to figure out why his car was able to cross the barricades, but no further information has yet been released.

According to WritingShares.com, the truck driver is not being charged in the accident, as Olmstead’s car entered the wrong lane of traffic and “there was no time to act to avoid an accident.”

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 Posted on March 21, 2013 in Uncategorized

Stephen Guy Foster, 53, was driving drunk and struck a cyclist on March 3, the San Antonio News Express reported. Foster was driving his pickup when he tried to turn left and did not yield to two cyclists, according to police. His car hit Matthew Shaw, 30, who was not wearing a helmet. Witnesses pulled the seriously injured Shaw from the road and he was quickly taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center to be treated. His condition is now stable, although his injuries are severe.

After the crash, Foster was detained and his blood was drawn after he refused to do a breathalyzer test. He was arrested on an intoxication assault charge, which is a third-degree felony. He told police he was driving down the street when “the next thing he knew, ‘the guy on the bike was right in front of me.’” The victim’s lack of a bike headlight was a contributing factor in the crash, according to the crash report.

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 Posted on March 18, 2013 in Uncategorized

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo three-week festival—which includes bull riding, steer wrestling, and bucking bronco rides—is always looking for ways to improve the safety of both the riders and the animals. According to this article from the Big News Network, participants can expect to have top medical teams available to provide care.

These teams will include doctors, licensed medical therapists, massage therapists, athletic trainers and radiology technicians. Many of the medical personnel are on-hand to provide preventative measures—i.e., wrapping or taping a previous injury or massaging tissue. The riders (who hail from Texas along with other states) also wear helmets. The most common injuries are bruises and strains, but there have been some more serious cases as well. One rider fractured his thumb this year, and another has a fractured rib, but still plans on riding for the championship.

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 Posted on March 15, 2013 in Uncategorized

Oralia Chavira, 65, was struck by a bus last November, severely injuring her legs, according to an article in the San Antonio News Express. Chavira has sued VIA Metropolitan Transit claiming that the driver of the bus, Richard Cardenas, caused the crash. Driver inattention and failure to yield right of way to a pedestrian were factors in the accident, according to a police report.

Chavira was on her way to home from work. A bus was “in a driveway that opens to a pedestrian pick-up area.” Chavira was stepping into the crosswalk and looked down to avoid falling as she stepped off the curb. When she looked up again, the bus was very close to her. Chavira waved to the bus driver but the driver could not see her and ran over her.

The seriously injured Chavira was taken to a hospital where she had to spend 83 days and underwent 11 surgeries. Both of her legs were broken and she permanently lost part of her right heel. Furthermore, she has to undergo further surgeries and has to use a wheelchair to get around. Chavira has spoken to the driver only once, before she was taken to the hospital. He was sorry and said “I really didn’t see you.”

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 Posted on March 12, 2013 in Uncategorized

Last year, Tarrant County Deputy Christopher Dearing was responding to a call about a man who had threatened to kill himself with a knife. While on Silver Creek Azle Road, Dearing pushed his speed to 45 mph and ended up hitting a pickup with a horse trailer attached, causing the truck to overturn in a ditch. The driver of the pickup, Randall Moore, has now accrued over $60,000 worth of medical bills. The Moore family is suing Tarrant County for these and other bills (e.g., the veterinary bills for the three horses in the trailer). Dearing admits that he was driving negligently and caused the crash. He ended up with a broken nose and herniated disks in his neck, and ultimately was given five days leave without pay. However, Moore was treated at an Azle hospital for neck, back, and hip injuries, and later had to undergo surgery. Between the surgery and physical therapy treatments, Moore says he hasn’t been able to work a regular schedule, and most of his extra income is now gone. The Moore’s attorney says in this article from the Forth Worth Star-Telegram that the Moore’s are now suing the county because they stopped paying some of the bills. They had originally tried to reach a settlement before this, and the county states they made a significant offer to try and settle his claims. While Randall Moore suffered the most, physically, from the accident, his wife and two children have also been through a lot. They were driving behind the pickup when it was hit, and still get very emotional when speaking about the crash. The daughter, Kirsten, said after the accident she would have nightmares and wake up screaming. Tammy, Randall’s wife, says she avoids Silver Creek Azle Road now if she can, especially at night. Being involved in a car accident can be very traumatic. If you’ve suffered from a crash, speaking with a personal injury lawyer can help you figure out if you’re entitled to compensation. Our New Braunfels, Texas law firm offers free initial consultations, so contact us today to set up your appointment.

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 Posted on March 09, 2013 in Uncategorized

Tuesday morning, word had gotten around about the horrific car crash involving two teenagers from Antioch, IL that had happened the night before. Social media, in the high school, was buzzing with tributes to the victims, before the police even confirmed their names, Ashley Seay, 17, and Joel Wittkamp, 16. Some of the students even stayed home from school because they were so upset about the devastating news.

On Monday night, Joel was driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer on Wilmot Road with passenger Ashley when the car swerved off the road and went through a yard before hitting a tree, according to local police. The Lake County coroner’s office confirmed that both victims died at the scene. It is believed by authorities that the crash was due to weather conditions. The deputy chief said that he had to drive through rain and snow to get to the scene of the accident. However, toxicology tests are being conducted. But police said there was no indication of drugs or alcohol being a factor.

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 Posted on March 06, 2013 in Uncategorized

The X Games, that are held every winter, focus on action sports, or what some would call extreme sports. This year the Winter X Games were held in Aspen, Colorado. The event features sports such as snowboarding, skiing, and snowmobiling. But after the recent accident with professional snowmobile athlete, Caleb Moore, people are beginning to question whether or not the X Games are ‘too’ extreme. During one of the events,

Moore was attempting to do a back-flip with his snowmobile; however, he could not rotate the machine fast enough. The skis ended up digging into the slope and caused the 450-pound machine to fall on top of Moore. It slammed into his head and chest. Moore was at first diagnosed with a concussion but later, doctors found bleeding around his heart.

The accident has brought a lot of scrutiny to the Games, itself. People are beginning to question whether or not the games should take place, at all. The X Games have recently risen to fame in the last few years, coming align with the Summer and Winter Olympics. Moore’s accident is not the first of this year’s X Games. There have been several others, most of the accidents have been snowmobiling accidents. Moore’s younger brother suffered from a pelvis injury in the same snowmobiling event. There have been a few non-snowmobiling accidents, as well. Freestyle skier, Rose Battersby, was diagnosed with a spinal fracture, and snowboarder Halldor Helgason suffered from a concussion.

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 Posted on March 03, 2013 in Uncategorized

Car accidents are commonplace in Texas, with hundreds of thousands occurring each year. The causes range from speeding, weather, drunk driving, sleepiness, and distractions. The last cause can be limited by a ban on texting while driving but the state of Texas has failed to create a statewide ban. Although Texas does currently outlaw texting by drivers under the age of 18, in school zones, and bus drivers who transport children. Certain cities in Texas have also already banned texting while driving, such as Austin and San Antonio. But when Texas lawmakers brought the bill to be signed into law by Governor Rick Perry, he declined. His office commented that “the key to dissuading drivers from texting while driving is information and education, not government micromanagement.” Texas is one of 11 states left in America that has not instituted a complete ban. There is some basis that texting bans are not effective without corresponding education and information. Since Austin enacted a ban over two years ago, the results have been mixed. In 2010, the overall number of car crashes went down by 3,000. Yet accidents caused by distracted drivers increased by 80. It would also help if law enforcement could make some arrests. The Austin police department has only ticketed 26 distracted drivers Dr. Robert Greenberg, who spoke in support of this bill, said that “as an emergency room physician I’ve been involved in the worst days of most people’s lives. The tragedies are worse when they’re avoidable. Texting while driving is avoidable…We need to pass this legislation.” If you or your family has been affected by the negligence of someone else in a car accident, you should receive compensation for your loss. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Comal County today.

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 Posted on February 28, 2013 in Uncategorized

According to a new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report, people who use cell phones while driving are more likely to engage in other dangerous driving behaviors, as well, such as speeding, texting or sending emails, failing to wear a seatbelt, and driving while drowsy. More specifically, of the respondents who had used a cell phone while driving fairly often or regularly over the last month:

• 65% also reported speeding
• 44% also reported driving while drowsy
• 53% also reported texting or sending an email while driving
• 29% also reported driving without a seatbelt

On the other hand, drivers who did not regularly use a cell phone while driving were much less likely to engage in any other risky driving behaviors.

Furthermore, although 89% of respondents to the AAA survey reported that other drivers who use cell phones are a threat to their safety, 69% of those same respondents admitted to talking on a cell phone while driving within the past month. Likewise, 90% of the survey respondents had the opinion that cell phone usage while driving is a bigger problem today than it was three years ago, yet the respondents themselves still choose to use their own cell phones while driving.

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