Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Not all vehicle collisions - and by that I mean automobile and semi-truck accidents - result in fatalities or wrongful death cases. Much more often there are victims that sustain injuries ranging from mild to catastrophic. Certainly we cannot review them in total in a single article so let us look at fracture related injuries for this electronic entry.

*The term 'broken bone' is a misnomer and not a medical term at all. When there is a break in a bone physicians refer to it as a bone fracture. Common types of fractures include the:

'closed' fracture in which there is a break in the bone but it does puncture through the skin

'open or compound' fractures in which the hematoma (or blood vessels, tissue and or an internal organ) is visible. There is a greater risk for infection with these types of fractures.

'complete' fractures in which the bone fragments are completely separated

''incomplete' fractures in which the bone fragments may remain partially joined
'oblique' fracture or a fracture diagonal to a bone's long axis which is opposite to a 'linear' fracture that runs parallel to the long axis of the bone.

There are addition types of fractures as well - such as ones in which the bone is broken into multiple pieces, ones in which the bone is twisted and ones in which the pieces of bone are actually driven into each other.

The human body - and its bones - are not designed to withstand the impact of a vehicle collision of any type. When one factors in the weight and size of a semi-truck (particularly in relation to an automobile) it is clear that those who are traveling in the smaller vehicle are bound to bear the physical brunt of the accident.

Fractured bones are just one type of injury that is quite common in a semi-truck accident.

It is important to note that emergency rooms frequently take xrays after a automobile accident but many times spinal cord issues do not involve fractures and more specialized tests such as an MRI or CT scan may be necessary.

Continue reading "Fractures From Semi Truck or Auto Accidents" »

As promised I will devote this blog to further consideration of a website started by the family of a young man killed in a semi-truck accident nearly a decade ago.

The website - Road Safe America - is filled with timely and valuable information related to all aspects of safe driving. The goal is to keep the public informed and educated about topics of importance to drivers of all ages.

The co-founder of this site is the parent of the young man who lost his life so tragically. In a show of authentic magnanimity and altruism - the family advocates for increased safety standards for semi-trucks among other things.

For instance, the family makes an impassioned and thoughtful plea for the creation of a national clearing house that tracks the identification of truck drivers who have tested positive for drugs and/or alcohol.

This information would be made available to potential employers as a proactive means of lowering the incidences of semi-truck accidents. Additionally, accident victims and their legal representatives would also be able to access this data in the case of a lawsuit against the driver and/or his company.

Other issues under consideration on the website include a call for decreased speed limits for all types of trucks and increased intervention on behalf of the federal government in a variety of regulatory matters related to the trucking industry in general.

In my daily interactions with families who have lost loved ones or suffered debilitating injuries due to semi-truck accidents I recognize that 'there but for the grace of God go any of us'. I salute anyone who joins in the fight to make semi-truck driving safer for anyone - particularly in the face of personal tragedy.

Continue reading "The Fight to Prevent Semi Truck Accidents" »

With the passage of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) has come an unanticipated series of complications and problems related to the trucking industry - particularly concerning Mexican truck drivers on U.S. roadways.

According to one federal report - in a recent year more than 5 million trucks crossed the Mexican border into the United States. All indications are that this number is expected to grow exponentially in the next decade. The original NAFTA agreement called for trucks from Mexico to have the right to travel only into bordering states - and this authority was to be reciprocated to U.S. drivers in the coming years - an event that was postponed on several occasions.

Meanwhile - concerned citizens banded together to lobby Washington D.C. - demanding they reconsider the permission to access American roads by Mexican drivers for numerous safety reasons.

First, they point to the fact that average age of a Mexican semi or other commercial vehicle is often a decade older than their American counterparts. In addition, they are much more poorly maintained - and the trucking regulations in Mexico are much more lax than here in the states (and even our expectations are low).

Litigation tied up the courts for years - until a limited pilot program was put into place only several years ago. At this point the jury is still out on the effectiveness and value of allowing Mexican drivers to work within our borders.

This issue is of paramount importance to the citizens of Texas as we are the front line for Mexican drivers in the U.S.

Preventing even one Texas truck accident can save lives.

Continue reading "Mexican Trucks and NAFTA" »

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.

I use this blog to relate accident information as a means of informing readers of the many ways in which one could find themselves involved in a vehicle collision right here on Houston roadways. Consider the following recent semi-truck accident reports.

*A couple found themselves trapped in their car when it drove underneath a semi-truck as it entered the highway from an on-ramp. The accident occurred in the wee hours in the morning and on freezing roads. The best advice is to avoid driving in poor weather - and remember that middle-of-the-night driving can be MORE dangerous than any other time.

*A semi-truck driver (literally) plowed into the back of a sedan causing serious injury to the driver of the vehicle. The semi-truck driver was ticketed for speeding which did little to improve the physical condition of the injured party who spent several weeks in the hospital and went home in a wheelchair.

The best advice is to drive defensively and check your rear-view mirrors occasionally for cars and trucks that may be getting to close to your vehicle. If it appears that someone is moving up on you from behind too fast - take measures to get out of the way.

*A pedestrian was struck by a semi-truck as he stepped into a crosswalk with the 'walk' arrow blinking. The semi-truck was making a right hand turn and failed to see the individual crossing the street. Thankfully the truck was traveling very slowly - but the pedestrian suffered broken bones and contusions. The semi-truck driver was cited but the pedestrian spent several months in recovery.

Continue reading "Recent Houston Truck Accidents" »