Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog

Currently, winter weather in Fort Worth is very nice and allows us to go on a run or walk outside. Sometimes when I am jogging around the neighborhood, I see dogs that looks like they are going to chase or possibly bite me and it scares the daylight out of me. Many people have experienced the same sensation, but experts say that more people are experiencing the real thing: a dog attack, resulting in injuries. According to a government report based upon information from the Nationwide Department Sample for 2008 and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 1993-2008, the reports of dog attacks are increasing.

In 1993, there were 5,100 reported cases of dog bites that resulted in hospitalization. That number has increased dramatically since then with 9,500 reported cases of severe injuries in 2008.

The study looked at what related factors could be causing an unusual spike in the number of cases. What was interesting, and somewhat alarming, was that the increase was not related to an increase in dog ownership or population growth. In fact, the instances of dog bites far exceeded what it should have been in relation to population growth.

When one hears the term dog bite they might not take it seriously, but they can be extremely serious. Dogs are surprisingly very strong and can easily overcome a smaller or typically weaker person. Young children under the age of 5 and elder citizens over the age of 65 are most at risk for serious dog bites, according to the study. Serious injuries come with serious costs, and the average medical bill for the reported dog bites was $18,200 per person.

Ways To Prevent A Dog Attack

One time I was jogging and a big dog started chasing me, I bent over, picked up a rock and acted like I was going to throw it at the dog. By doing that it allowed some room in between me and the dog, ultimately we both went our separate ways. Another recommendation I have is to carry an old golf club or sticks, if you are going on a walk. It will scare the attacking dog and keep yourself from getting bit.

I Was Bit By A Dog, What Does The Law Say?
Texas Law has a one bite rule, it states that to prevail on a dog bite claim you have to be able to prove that the owner new or should have known the dangers of the dog and prove it. Typically, when we represent a client for their dog attack case we can find that if a dog has attacked once he has probably attacked before. Many times , we investigate by talking to neighbors who are aware with the dangerous nature of the dogs.

Information and commentary provided by Tarrant County Dog Bite Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be contacted in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900. If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

A much-loved teacher at Denton’s Wilson Elementary School was killed in a car accident in Northeast Denton Monday, three days after her retirement. Debra Davis, 58, died late Monday morning at a Fort Worth hospital after she was involved in a collision at the corner of Mingo Road and Nottingham Drive in northeast Denton, less than a mile from her home. Yesterday a pickup truck collided with Davis’ four-door car in the intersection just before 10 a.m. Someone didn’t stop for the light they’re doing a detailed investigation now that will determine who was at fault.

Other details of the accident were not immediately available. The Denton Police Department believed that the driver of the pickup truck wasn’t seriously injured and that neither vehicle had passengers. There is no evidence that alcohol was a factor. Davis retired Friday after more than a quarter-century with the school district, mostly as a third- and fourth-grade teacher.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Mrs. Davis’ friends and family. I am sure that she has been a role model to many kids and changed their lives for the better. She will certainly be truly missed.

Information and commentary provided by DFW Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto collision, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

Springridge Elementary sixth grade student, Matthias Berhanu, 12, died after an accident during a school trip last week according to the Richardson Independent School District. Berhanu was at Sky Ranch, an outdoor learning camp in Van, Texas, when he was struck by falling tree according to RISD. Fortunately, no one else was injured.
Berhanu was taken to Children's Medical Center in Dallas by helicopter. His family told the school district he died Friday night. Parents of Springridge students were informed of the death Saturday. Because of this wrongful death, counselors were at the school Thursday and Friday last week and will be back at the school when classes resume January 5.

As a father myself, I cannot imagine losing a child, especially a week before Christmas. Berhanu’s parents are undoubtedly going through a tough period in their life. It sounds to me that Berhanu was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The questions that come to my mind are what caused the tree to fall, was Sky Ranch aware of the tree’s condition and what can Sky Ranch do to ensure this doesn’t happen again?

Information and commentary provided by DFW Wrongful Child Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be contacted throughout Texas at 800-354-MARK. If you or a loved one has been injured from the negligence of another, please fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

Click Here For More Tips on:
Helping Children Cope With Death
What’s My Case Worth?
I Need A Child Injury Attorney

Another tragedy has struck Trimble Tech High School in Fort Worth. On Sunday, 16-year Andres Macias was killed in a car wreck on East Loop 820 in Fort Worth. According to Fort Worth police reports, the vehicle he was driving went out of control and rode over on northbound East Loop 820. He was thrown from the car. The wreck occurred near the Craig Street overpass.

This is not the first tragedy to strike Trimble Tech this year. Earlier this month, Eric Trevino, also 16 years old, was killed in a crash on 8th Avenue. That wreck occurred during his lunch hour at Tech. Police have suspected speeding in that accident, although that allegation is contested by Trevino's family. Additionally, on April 29 of this year, Trimble Tech senior Christopher Fonseca drowned at Benbrook Lake.

My thoughts and prayers go out the friends and family of Mr. Macias. I don't know what caused his automobile accident, but hopefully an investigation will reveal the cause which might bring closure to the family. I know this is a tough time not only for Mr. Macias' family, but also all of the students at Trimble Tech. This has been an extremely tough year for the kids at that school.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Auto Accident Lawyer Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached 817 294 1900. If you or a loved one has been injured in a , please fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

Yesterday Toyota announced another recall on 2011 Model Year Sienna minivans that could affect many Tarrant County residents. The 94,126 vehicles that are in question were built between December 22, 2009 and November 4, 2010. The condition could cause brake lights to remain on or they could become partially engaged due to contact from the bracket, ultimately reducing braking effectiveness.
No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved in this recall, and Toyota said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition. The stop lamp switch bracket is welded on to the left side of the brake pedal support assembly. The stop lamp switch provides a signal that indicates the brake pedal has been depressed and illuminates the brake lights.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive an interim notification advising them of this recall by first class mail in the near future, along with instructions for what to do if they experience this condition and how to minimize the possibility of inadvertently contacting the stop lamp switch bracket while operating the parking brake. The automaker will also post this information on its website. Owners will receive a second notice by first class mail in early 2011, once replacement parts become available, and asked to make an appointment with a Toyota dealer to have the remedy performed at no charge.

I am glad that Toyota dealers will replace the brake pedal support assembly, which includes the stop lamp switch bracket, with a new one that has been redesigned to take into account the proximity of the component to the parking brake pedal. I drive a Toyota sports utility vehicle and am disappointed with Toyota and all of their problems. Toyota has had many problems this year with previous recalls. I am seriously concerned about the products Toyota puts on the road.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached at 817-294-1900. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of someone else, please call or fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

When you are making the commute to work in Fort Worth, you always will see 18-whelers.These "big rig" trucks are considered to be any vehicle that weighs over 10,000 pounds. Since these tractor trailers are so big it takes them longer to brake and stop, they have wider turns, they have larger blind spots compared to cars and have higher percentages of having a rollover. These large trucks account for 3 percent of vehicles on the road, but account for an astonishing 25 percent of all automotive accident fatalities. In my nineteen years of representing people who have been injured by a semi-trucks I have seen how bad these wrecks can be.

There are a couple of things you can do to help avoid a collision with a big truck:

Ø Stay out of an 18-wheelers blind spot. A good indication to know you are visible to the tractor trailer is being able to see the driver from the truck’s side mirrors.

Ø Always maintain a safe distance from the rear of the truck and drive carefully during poor weather conditions. When it rains big-rig truck tires throw up more water, making it harder to see.

Ø Allow extra room for the truck to turn

Ø When passing, make sure you can see both of of the other cars headlights in your rear view mirrorbefore changing into their lane

Sometimes truckers push it trying to get an extra mileage for economic reasons. Driver fatigue and driver hour violations are also common causes of Texas truck wrecks. One factor that is critical in some truck accident cases is a prompt investigation of the accident. Trucking companies and their insurance carriers have quick response teams that get to the scene of an accident very quickly. Fort Worth victims who do not retain a Texas Board Certified Injury Lawyer are often disadvantaged from the very start of a truck accident case.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Truck Attorney Mark A. Anderson. If you or a loved have been injured in a truck accident, please call us at 817-294-1900 or fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

Organic chocolate is being pulled from shelves after discovering it could be potentially contaminated with Salmonella. The Chocolate is called Dagoba organic chocolate and it is an Oregon-based company owned by Hershey Co., They are recalling their new moon rich dark chocolate with 74% cacao sold in .32 ounce squares.

Twenty-two cases of the potentially tainted sweets were sold online and in stores nationwide after October 27, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Of the 33 cases being pulled, all but 10 have been removed from the market. The cases contained 12 boxes with 36 squares in each. There is no information regarding where the chocolate was shipped, sold, or where the testing was performed and if other Dagoba chocolate was tested for Salmonella.

As a Texas Attorney, I’m glad to hear that no reports of illness from the chocolate have yet to be reported. I advise anyone who has purchased or received the chocolate to return it or throw it away. Salmonella food poison infection is potentially life-threatening and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 7-8 hours after infection. Symptoms may be more severe in young and elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be contacted in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a food recall, please fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing and Christmas is right around the corner. This time of year always involves previews for late-year blockbuster films, the latest toys and gadgets and promotions for new automobiles. However, consumers in Fort Worth should be very cautious of what vehicles are being recalled.

Nearly everyone has heard of the Toyota recalls and problems with Ford vehicles and rollovers. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating more late-model vehicles for potentially unsafe defects. Some 150,000 Honda CR-Vs made for model year 2006 are being scrutinized to determine whether or not a wiring defect in the power windows may lead to fires within the door panel. Another 41,000 cars -these units of the 2007 Kia Optima – are being inspected with regard to a transmission problem. The concern is that the shift cable in the Optima’s automatic transmission might become detached, allowing the car to slip out of gear. In one instance, a vehicle exhibiting this failure rolled away while parked.

Recalls are very serious and are often the cause of wrecks. The consequences of a fire from a faulty wiring cold not have a good outcome for the car and if the car is parked in the garage could cause a house fire. A slow growing fire could cause a driver to panic and cause an automobile accident. A bad transmission is an even more direct danger, an unreliable transmission could lead to sudden changes of speed and a runaway vehicle could cause multiple vehicle collisions. In 2007, there were 37,248 fatal deaths in the United States and over 1.7 million people were injured from a car accident. Car accidents will always occur, but they should not be from recalls. If you are buying a car this season, do your research and make your best decision.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas and Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be contacted in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

Attorney Mark A. Anderson of Fort Worth, Texas, has authored a book called Roadmap to Winning Your Texas Motorcycle Accident Case. This new book covers the motorcycle accident claim process from start to finish. From what to do at the crash scene all the way up through resolution of the bike claim, this book provides the motorcycle rider all the information they know to properly evaluate their case.

It is not a legal book written for lawyers, instead it is written for the motorcycle rider. It gives great tips on how to best position your claim to succeed. The book Roadmap is available for free to all Texas residents. All they have to do is fill out a contact form and one will be immediately shipped to them. There is no obligation whatsoever. Why is this book provided for free? Insurance companies are armed with tons of information and tons of knowledge on how to win the case for the insurance company. It is a very unlevel playing field. The motorcycle rider needs to be sure to handle their case just right in order to succeed. Any mistakes the injured motorcyclist makes can be very harmful to their potential recovery.

To order the free book Roadmap to Winning Your Texas Accident Case, call the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, Texas at 817 294 1900 or at 800 354 MARK, or simply fill out the contact form and we will get it right to you.