Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

There have been a number of vehicle collisions on Texas roadways of late. One of the services of this website is to keep Texas families informed about these accidents and any related information of significance that may help them to avoid a similar fate.

*According to news reports, a Texas man took to the road against the advice of his family doctor and caused an accident that left one mother dead in a head-on collision. The man reportedly has epilepsy - a condition that can incapacitate a driver at a moment's notice and leave a vehicle virtually without a motorist necessary for safety.

Witnesses believe they were watching the man in the throes of a seizure even in the aftermath of the accident - and family members of the woman killed were devastated to learn of the event. The man is currently being held in a local jail pending criminal negligence charges.

*Recently a spate of back-to-back accidents on Houston roadways ended in the death of another individual. It began as a minor fender-bender on a busy highway. As police were conducting an investigation an SUV happened upon the scene and was unable to stop before hitting one of the cars involved in the original accident.

Even as ambulances arrived to transport individuals to local hospitals for minor injuries - yet another sports car traveling at a high rate of speed also hit two vehicles. There was one fatality reported and the driver of the sports car was being held - suspected of intoxicated driving.

As everyone driving in Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio knows we have major traffic congestion problems across the more populated areas of Texas.

While Texas has struggled with our state budget, one of the areas that is being left behind is necessary road construction to reduce traffic problems in our state. Our road construction budget really needs to triple to keep up with the population growth in Texas.

Keeping up with necessary road construction in Texas will reduce the number of wrongful death accidents in Texas.

Continue reading "Recent Texas Accidents" »

The simplest, most passive safety device ever invented for travel is the seat belt. Claims of hundreds of thousands of lives saved with their use do not seem to be out of the realm of possibility - so vital are they to preventing an individual from becoming a human projectile in a crash.

Yet, this morning's news includes that of the death of two individuals (not even having reached the age of 'consent') who were thrown from the back of a car when the driver lost control after speeding down the highway (middle of the night scenario).

Now even while government figures state that seat belt use is nearly universal across the country - they fail to mention that nearly 65% of traffic fatalities happen to people who are NOT wearing their seat belt.

In other words, even though it's a law that all vehicle occupants must wear their seat belt - a fair number of Americans simply ignore this requirement. One has to question why. Is there a death wish? Or, as is so often true with younger people, do they really think they are immune to death?

According to some statistics, the cost of medical care for persons who are injured in automobile accidents who were not wearing seatbelts is twice as high as those who otherwise suffer physical trauma of some sort. Their injuries are more severe as well and their recovery time is twice as long.

I can only remind people to make safe choices when you get in your vehicle - and train your children from a young age to do the same. It doesn't always mean they'll make the right choice when left to their own devices...but it may help.

And, for heaven's sake, buckle up.

Continue reading "Seat Belts Save Lives" »

Semi-truck accidents are some of the worst on the roads. Statistics about 18 wheelers and collisions confirm this.

*In a single year recently there were nearly half-a-million semi-truck accidents across the United States that resulted in over 5000 deaths. This translates to a semi-truck accident fatality every 16 minutes somewhere in the country.

*Two-thirds of semi-truck accidents occur with rigs that are hauling a single trailer - the rest are collisions with rigs that have multiple trailers.

*Texas leads the nation in semi-truck accidents and deaths. Other states with high rates of semi-truck accidents include California, Florida and Pennsylvania.

*The majority of semi-truck accidents occur on dry pavement, during daylight hours and on 2- lane, rural roads.

*Semi-trucks logged close to a half billion miles on American roadways in a recent year. This number is expected to increase as the trucking industry is one of the few industries that are expected to grow in the next decade.

*In an accident between a semi-truck and passenger vehicle - 98% of the fatalities are to persons in the car.

*The trucking industry raked in well over half a billion dollars in revenue last year alone. Some of that money is used to employ lobbyists who keep the pressure on Washington to avoid adding more rules and regulations to their business. Unfortunately, we need the regulations to protect our families.

Stay informed.

Continue reading "Regulations Needed to Prevent Truck Accidents" »

Semi-truck accidents have been the cause of a number of fatalities around the country in the last week.

In one accident a young woman was killed when a semi-truck driver clipped her compact vehicle as he tried to change lanes. This caused the young woman to lose control of her small car sending it careening into the concrete median and back into traffic where it was then struck by a second semi-truck. The young woman died at the scene.

In a northern state a young woman was struck by a semi-truck when biking to the university campus. At this point there have been no charges filed. According to reports, witnesses state that both the bike and truck were traveling in the same direction when the truck turned right and she drove into it. What is currently in question is who had the right-of-way at the time of the accident.

In another case a semi-truck driver smashed head on into a smaller truck - killing the driver of the pick-up instantly. It was an evening accident and the semi hit the other vehicle with such force that it went airborne for fifty feet before landing on its side.

Finally, a trucker was alleged to be traveling at an excessive speed - when the driver lost control careening into the median and throwing the driver from the rig. He died at the scene.

Semi-truck accidents cause thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries annually. Property and personal damage and insurance pay-outs run into the millions of dollars.

But the real cost cannot be measured in dollars and cents.

Continue reading "Recent 18 Wheeler Accidents" »

Traffic accidents happen every day in Texas and sometimes the consequences are pretty severe. From passenger cars to pick up trucks and 18-wheelers each can be deadly and also difficult for a victim to handle on their own.

Most people are not exposed to the litigation process until they are seriously injured in an accident due to the fault of another. If you find yourself in a situation where a lawsuit is required is best to have a skilled advocate on your side. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of lawyers in Texas who handles personal injury cases.

The question is how to best select a Texas personal injury lawyer? What do you look for and how you choose? The Internet has literally hundreds of websites of personal injury lawyers all advertising for your business. These tips may help the search process the more fruitful for you.

If you're searching the Internet choose words that are very selective for what you're looking and also in the area where the accident occurred. So if you are in a truck accident in Houston, Texas you might Google "Houston in truck accident lawyer" or "personal injury attorney in Houston".

Once you have narrowed down the selection to those specific lawyers who are serving the area where lawsuit may be filed the next step is to find the best lawyer you can.

Here are some guidelines or suggestions for selecting a lawyer:
• Choose a lawyer who has experience with the type of case you have.
• Choose a lawyer who has a track record of success and who is well thought of by his or her peers.
• Choose a lawyer who you get along with and who is willing to take the time to listen to your concerns.

Do not settle for second best on a serious injury case. An experienced and successful attorney can make quite a difference in a personal injury case.

Car accidents occur at the rate of one every few minutes somewhere in the United States. All too often they result in injury and death to the driver and his or her passengers.

Perhaps the saddest thing about this problem is that in many cases it could have been avoided with a little caution and defensive driving - or by making better choices. For instance, had one of the persons not driven after drinking alcohol - or had simply been paying attention to the road instead of driving distractedly. Consider the following incidents.

In another state the highway patrol called an accident - in which a mother and three of her children were killed instantly on their way to school - 'horrific'. Her compact car was hit head-on by a box truck.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is pending.

Four teens returning from their spring-break trip were killed instantly when a truck driver crossed the line and hit their vehicle head on. It was found that the truck driver was legally intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Two young men decided that a morning drag race between traffic lights on their way to school would be a 'lark'. Both drivers were killed when they lost control of their vehicles. One wound up crashing into a light pole and the other hit the vehicle of a compact car driven by a woman on her way to work. She sadly lost her life as well.

Many accidents can be avoided by defensive driving, please teach your children how to drive friendly!

Continue reading "Drive Defensively to Avoid Accidents" »

Accidents are as common as a cold in Houston. Consider the following accident reports from Houston roadways that were filed over a single 12 hour period.

At seven minutes before 1 a.m. our first accident was reported southbound on Calder. Two lanes were affected. At nearly the same time on the South Loop and the 45 Gulf. All were injury free and quickly cleared.

By 2 a.m. another accident was reported on North 45 - and quickly cleared. Two twenty and another wreck happened on the South Loop. All was quiet until shortly before 4 a.m. when three accidents occurred in quick succession around the city - one on the North Loop, one on the Sam Houston and the third on 45. Again - no injuries reported.

Finally, another accident happened at 4:30 a.m. and then all was quiet til about 8 when a wreck was reported on the 290.

O.K. - so then everyone straightened up and drove right until nearly 11 a.m. when an accident occurred on 59 and then another on Sam Houston at 12:15 p.m. One more right before 1 p.m. on the 225 rounds out the accident roster to an even dozen - and thankfully not a serious injury among them.

Statistics show that there are over a million accidents every year in the U.S. With the types of numbers we put up in half a day it's easy to believe those figures.

Continue reading "12 Car Accidents in 12 Hours in Houston" »

A complicated reported tale - with all the makings of a wrongful death suit - occurred this morning between two women in what appears to be an incidence of 'road rage' turned deadly.

Of course, the story varies according to whose side of the issue is being told. The reports thus far include that there were two women involved, there was a claim of road rage in which one woman cut the other woman off while driving and the second woman attempted to exact retribution through the use of her vehicle by following the first and using her SUV as a weapon (of sorts).

Too, both women stopped and -purportedly - one pulled a knife while the other pulled out a gun and shot her to death before fleeing the scene.

The shooter claims she acted in self-defense. The dead woman is the mother of five - who, according to her children - was a wonderful mother who worked seven days a week to keep their family going.

It may be days or weeks before a decision is made whether or not to charge the shooter - after all, she made claims of self-defense stating that the dead woman pulled out a knife and she feared for her life.

A grand jury will likely ultimately decide the truth of these claims but her story is bolstered by the fact that a knife was found at the scene.

However, even if the woman is not charged with homicide it is possible the family will seek some sort of damages in a civil suit - for they undoubtedly feel wronged in this death.

Never get in altercations from driving, just let it go and get on with your journey safely.

Continue reading "Road Rage Turned Deadly" »

A quick perusal of the morning news reveals the normal mayhem on Houston roadways. A story that originally appeared several days ago revealed that not one person - but an entire family was struck by a vehicle upon exiting one of Texas's favorite pastimes - the rodeo.

As they were walking to their car a drunk driver exiting the parking lot at a high rate of speed traveled up onto the barricaded walkway and struck the family. The driver fled but was captured a short distance away.

The family only received minor injuries - but when a drunk driver is involved in an accident the potential is always there for severe injuries and fatalities. Research shows that intoxicated drivers are less cautious, more cavalier, more likely to take risks and less able to control the vehicle. All of these seem to be at play in this incident. Drunk driving accidents claim hundreds of Texans each year.

In another accident story a flatbed trailer parked and unmoving was struck by a subcompact car. The driver was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries. While there are no other facts available concerning this incident several questions immediately come to mind.

First, where was the flatbed parked - in a lot or along the side of a public roadway? Was it in the middle of a designated traffic way or out of the way where a driver would not be likely to strike it unless he or she was intoxicated, impaired, drowsy or distracted?

Did the truck driver follow the safety regulations in parking his truck? Or did the trucker improperly park the big rig?

Of course the answers to these queries will be revealed in the days to come but both stories serve as a reminder that you must always take your own safety (and that of your family) into consideration as you go about your daily business.

Continue reading "Safety is our Responsibility " »

In a lengthy news story that played over and over this past weekend - the anchors of a national television news show went into some great length about the often overlooked but nevertheless grave dangers of driving drowsy. Many very serious car accidents are caused by sleep deprived drivers.

They began by informing the listener that a large number of Americans fail to get their proper rest - often due to stress and anxiety. This lack of sleep then impacts a person's ability to function the next day in all aspects of their life - including driving.

Statistics show up to 60% of American drivers admits to having 'driven drowsy' at one time or another in their lives - and one-third of these offer that they have actually fallen asleep behind the wheel. Unfortunately there are even more alarming statistics than this.
According to the NHTSA it is a fair estimate that perhaps one hundred thousand car and truck accidents can be traced ro 'drowsy driving' and over fifteen hundred wrongful deaths are the aftermath of this plague.

Additionally, conservative estimates of injuries run to over fifty thousand.

Unfortunately, these numbers are really not much more than speculation as there is no way to actually 'test' for drowsy driving the way one might for intoxicated driving. In addition, it is often the opinion of the attending officer as to whether or not the accident occurred due to driver fatigue - and the training to spot this problem varies in municipalities across the country.

Certainly, the perpetrator of the crash would be disinclined to admit guilt so that avenue for determining accurate data on drowsy driving is all but closed to researchers.
Is the best we can hope for that drivers act responsibly and opt not to get behind the wheel of their car when they are too tired to drive?

Continue reading "Sleep Deprived Drivers are Dangerous" »

For the last 3 months the country has endured one of the worst winter seasons on record. It seemed that the entire country was pounded with snow, ice and sleet and as a 'people' we crawled to cross the February finish line with hopes that spring was soon to follow.

Now it seems that flooding threats have replaced the previous problematic precipitation challenges which prompt me to offer specific advice about what to do if you are in a dangerous flooding or high water situation.

Today's roadways (in Houston and elsewhere) are a labyrinth of under and over passes that criss-cross a city and may not have been designed with the forethought required to take into consideration the occasional deluge that may lead to rising or high water and flooding.

Flood waters have the capability of sweeping a several ton car into a current and carrying it for long distances - causing the vehicle to take on water or even sink with time and endangering the lives of the driver and passenger (s). It is best to consider the following information well in advance of mounting rising waters.

Experts advise that if you come to a pool of standing water check to see if it has reached the height of or surpassed the level of a curb. If so, then back up (if you can safely), and find an alternate route or simply wait at a safe distance away for the water to subside.

Driving into high waters is not only risky for all in the vehicle but, additionally, the water may cause damage to the electrical and other systems. Too, water damage is often extensive and costly to repair.

The fact is that an automobile may begin to float in only 2 feet of water - and a lack of prudence may lead to you becoming the main character in a dramatic rescue video.

Never attempt to drive through standing water.

Continue reading "Exercise Caution with Water on Roadways" »

A recent article concerning the deadliness of semi-truck accidents prompts me to relate the unbiased findings and opinions of the author - and offer them as support of my regular mantra on the topic. Let me preface this entry by noting that - overall -today's vehicles are designed to endure a head-on crash at 35 miles per hour with minimal damage to the driver and passenger(s).

Automobile engineers are perennially and deliberately striving to create an even more secure driving and riding experience. While we applaud the vehicle manufacturers for this, it cannot be denied that they have a long way to go before they eliminate the average 40,000 deaths that occur annually from car and truck crashes on American roadways.

One of the most commonly fatal types of semi-truck accidents occurs when a vehicle crashes into the back of the rig and 'rides under'. Most often in these cases the top half of the car is instantly sheared off and anyone in the vehicle is killed instantly - a gruesome fact I have seen to many times in my Texas personal injury paractice - but the truth nevertheless. In fact, statistics find that over 400 deaths and 5,000 injuries can be attributed to 'underride' accidents.

Because this type of accident contributes to the annual Texas wrongful death rate in no small measure, more and more legislators are considering answering the call for semi-trucks to install 'underride guards' which are optimally designed to prevent cars from driving under a semi-truck in the case of a rear end collision.

More specifically - the government is calling for stronger requirements than what are currently in place.

Why? Because even with the current use of underride guards crash tests with 'dummies' have results that researchers have stated 'are difficult to watch - because the effects - if translated to real human beings - would still result in decapitation and catastrophic injuries.

Note to the federal government and the semi-truck industry - if you're going to do something - do it right. Create and install underride guards that actually prevent injuries and deaths.

Continue reading "Under Ride Truck Accidents" »

Most of the major trucking companies have a legal team in place at all time. The reason for this is if an injury or fatality accident occurs involving one of their trucks and/or drivers there is sure to be a lawsuit filed and a ready-made legal team is able to react more quickly to spin the 'facts' of the case in their favor.

The families of the accident victims should prepare to do the same and hire a real truck accident attorney to ensure their interests are protected.

What types of information would each side seek? To begin with any official records of the accident including the police report and the documents related to the reconstruction of the accident. In addition, each side would want the names of any witnesses and their home addresses so that they could interview them again.

Too, insurance companies would have to be drawn in with discussions of benefits and other concerns such as long term care. And, of course, battle lines would be drawn for what could turn into a court case in which the trucking company will work very hard to win and avoid paying accident victims any money for the injury and or death of a victim.

In many instances of accidents between an 18-wheeler and an automobile - the fault is with the motor carrier, driver or mechanics. The reason is that a rig is much larger and able to inflict greater damage than a car. It is harder to gain speed or slow down a speeding semi-truck than it is with a car.

In short, although they serve an important purpose - they also pose a greater danger to the driving public.

Continue reading "Insurance Company Truck Accident Teams" »

A major pickup truck and dump truck accident was reported Tuesday morning outside of Porter, Texas. The crash was early in the morning on the US 59 northbound feeder road and involved a pickup truck with four occupants and a 72-year-old professional driver in the dump truck.

According to reports, all four occupants of the pickup truck for transport to the hospital with one being flown by life flight in critical condition. Reports further indicate, that it took almost 45 min. for firefighters to free the driver of the pickup truck from under the dump truck.

In addition to the injuries sustained by the pickup occupants as well as the dump truck driver the commercial vehicle apparently stole a large amount of fuel and required a hazardous material group to clean up the feeder road.

Gasoline and diesel spills can be particularly dangerous, as the roadway becomes not only a fire hazard but can actually be as slick as ice for unsuspecting motorists who would hit a patch of a fuel spill. Fuel spills if not address quickly can lead to other accidents and even wrongful death.

Reports seem to indicate that the 18-wheeler driver turned in front of the pickup truck causing the truck to run into the fuel tank area of the dump truck.

Let us hope that the occupants of the pickup truck recover quickly.

This accident also serves to highlight the blind spots that many 18-wheelers have and how it can lead to a serious truck accident.

Continue reading "Major Dump Truck Accident in Porter" »

With more drivers and their trucks and cars taking to the roads it should come as no surprise that the number of multi-vehicle collisions are beginning to occur at record rates. However, it is not simply this increase for which we can attribute the phenomenon - certainly there are other factors at play as well. In fact, the same reasons for single car accidents are often the impetus for multi-vehicle collisions as well. Consider the following accidents.

Several nights ago in a neighboring state, police responded to a fifteen car pile-up on a city freeway. The cause should come as no surprise - wet roads iced over and spots of black ice dotted the roads catching drivers unaware. Fortunately there were no severe injuries but lots of damage. The weather is often the culprit of single and multi-vehicle collisions.

A man headed the wrong way on the interstate took out four cars and killed two people last year. You don't have to be genius to figure out that the guy was intoxicated. Drunk drivers cause single and multi-vehicle collisions and wrongful death accidents every day.

The same is true for distracted drivers. A woman was applying her make-up in an effort to make up for lost time (having left for work late that morning). She failed to notice traffic stopped in front of her and plowed into the back of a vehicle with such force that vehicle was shoved into several others. All told, six vehicles were involved and catastrophic injuries occurred.

As you can see - the reasons for single and multi-vehicle collisions are very similar.

Continue reading "Multiple Vehicle Accidents" »