Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Certainly everyone has heard the term 'data recorder' in reference to aircraft. They are electronic devices designed to either record instructions relayed to the electronic systems of the plane. There are also cockpit voice recorders that tape all conversations in the cockpit between crewmembers as well as other conversations and sounds. These recorders are invaluable if the need arises to reconstruct an accident.

More and more, today's automobiles and trucks are also coming equipped with an Event Data Recorder, which is designed to serve a purpose similar to that in a plane. In other words in the case of a vehicle collision the 'black box' can inform the accident reconstructionist of such valuable information as the speed at which the car or semi truck was traveling, whether or not the brakes were applied and the degree at which the accelerator was being pressed down.

In addition, it will indicate if seat belts were in use and if any warning lights were displayed.

The EDR (Event Data Recorder) may be engaged when air bags are deployed in the vehicle (but not always) and they provide the accident reconstructionist with over half a dozen pages of relevant information related to the crash. This data is retrieved by trained professionals and used in conjunction with other crash information to provide a complete picture of the car or truck accident.

While these data recorders will not prevent a wreck - the information it provides can be referenced for the future development of safety features that may prove valuable in years to come. Additionally, the data can be used in a lawsuit to determine speed, braking and other factors a jury may consider in finding fault for causing an accident.

Continue reading "Box Boxes and Accidents" »

At least four different vehicles were involved in a fatal crash on Houston Highway 59 not far from Interstate 45 turnoff.

An 18-wheeler struck a tan sedan and caused significant damage and probably the fatality. Officers are still investigating the cause of the fatal truck accident and no preliminary conclusions are available at this time.

Reports indicate that rescue workers had to cut the passengers out of the car. Whenever a fatal truck accident occurs in Texas, the DPS typically sends an experienced accident reconstructionist to fully reenact the wreck.

Many times, the reconstruction takes 2-3 weeks before the official report is published. In this truck accident reports give us no clue as to responsibility for the death.

Trucking companies use quick response teams to get to the scene and witnesses as soon as possible and usually, within hours of a fatal wreck.

If you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, call an experienced and reputable truck accident lawyer as soon as you can after the accident.

Continue reading "Fatal truck accident Houston" »

This is a question that many people asked themselves after they have been injured in an auto or truck accident. Particularly when an adjuster calls and indicates it looks like the accident was their insured's fault and that compensation should be forthcoming.

The reality of the situation is that the adjuster is paid to pay as little as they possibly can for the claim. If the adjuster pays $.20 on the dollar, he or she may very well earn a bonus for the quarter.

Many people call the law firm after such assurances by an adjuster only to learn that what the adjuster had in mind for reasonable compensation was really a joke. It is then, often six months to a year later that the people first realize they need a reputable personal injury lawyer.

Unfortunately, the longer the victim waits to seek professional help on his truck accident case, the more damage done to the insurance claim.

Critical evidence that was available early on is often now gone. Witnesses have been interviewed with leading questions designed to shift responsibility from the truck driver to the victim. Crash data often is lost in the shuffle. Trucking companies only have to keep select documents so long.

Continue reading "Why hire a truck accident lawyer?" »

New and sometimes old technology can be used to effectively reduce or prevent truck accidents. Most effective for the reduction of truck wrecks from driver fatigue is GPS, which can be used by the trucking company to monitor hours of service, the speed of the vehicle and can be used to verify the logbooks that truck drivers must maintain.

Some 18-wheelers GPS devises are enhanced with "black box" technology or crash data recorder, which records accident events and gives a very clear picture of the rig in the minutes before the accident. Information such as speed, braking, rpm, and other material accident information are recorded automatically when an "event" triggers the recorder.

New passenger cars such as GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota come with crash data recorders which are very similar to data recorders on airplanes.

In semi trucks it is the engine manufacturers who have data recorders standard with their engines. One of the earlier manufacturers to incorporate black box event records was Caterpillar who since 1994 had crash data available. Cummins another large maker of diesel motors started event data in 2002. Mack had crash data available since 1998, and other semi truck motor makers have varying data available.

Prior to the crash data being incorporated into the tractor trailer motor after market suppliers provided event recorders which have been used for many years by better trucking companies.

Not only does the event recorder help answer questions about what caused the truck accident, it coupled with GPS devises can help a trucking company comply with applicable regulations to help insure a safe fleet.

Continue reading "Using technology to prevent truck accidents" »

An 18-wheeler fought a Ford Mustang and the Mustang lost. About 7:30 this morning a big truck crashed with a passenger car on Westmoreland Road exit in Dallas.

The driver of the car died at the scene and his passenger was taken by ambulance to Methodist medical center for care. The passenger's medical condition was unknown at this time.

Investigators will conduct a reconstruction of the fatal truck accident in an effort to determine the cause of the truck accident.

Typically, in fatal accidents with tractor-trailers the DPS will assign a reconstruction expert to document the scene and reenact or reconstruct what happened using computer models, which have been found accurate in accident reconstruction.

Two popular computer programs used by expert witnesses who testify concerning the cause of the wreck and the actions of the participants are EDSMAC and EDCRASH both such programs have been used for many years by engineers hired by truck accident attorneys to simulate a truck accidents.

It is noteworthy to mention that many larger insurance companies for trucking companies have quick response teams on retainer who generally are on the scene within hours of the truck wreck.

A Texas man was killed after his semi truck slammed into an overpass on US highway 50 outside of Hutchinson Kansas. The one truck accident happened about 12:30 on Thursday.

For unknown reasons the semi crashed in to a concrete column of the overpass killing the man. It took over an hour for rescue workers to get the man out of the truck.

The semi truck accident is still under investigation by the Kansas highway patrol. The Kansas Highway Patrol's Critical Accident Response team was dispatched to the accident site and was still on the scene 6 hours after the wreck. The Kansas Department of Transportation was also called to the scene.

The semi truck was from a Texas trucking company.

Continue reading "Texas trucker killed in tractor trailer accident" »