Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog

An out-of-control 18-wheeler almost caused a devastating wreck in Waxahachie on Tuesday. As an auto accident lawyer, I’m astonished – and thankful - that no-one was seriously hurt. The truck driver was heading north on I-35 when he claims he took a sip of his soda which caused him to lose control of his vehicle. That’s called distracted driving, folks.

The truck departed the road down an embankment, but careened up onto US 287 after hitting a drainage ditch, eventually coming to a halt between two concrete pillars. The highway was closed for a few hours for cleanup and investigation, but no structural damage was found. The driver of the truck is reported to have suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Given the number of major tractor trailer collisions around the Dallas-Fort Worth area lately, I would hope that truckers would be more careful than this. This accident could have been so much worse – and it just goes to show you how dangerous distracted driving is!

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a traffic wreck which was not your fault, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case. There is no obligation, and unless we win there is no fee. Call toll free at 800-354-6275.

A video of a Dallas motorcycle accident released by the North Texas Tollway Authority yesterday serves as a reminder that wrecks often come out of nowhere. Even as a DFW personal injury attorney I find this video quite shocking, so be warned before you watch it. The collision occurred on March 17, 2011. Zacharie Perez (25) was riding home when a car failed to slow with the rest of the traffic, rear-ending him and caused him to be thrown from his bike and sandwiched between cars, ultimately landing between lanes.

Miraculously, Perez is already back at work a little over a month later, but he did suffer serious injuries as a result of the crash. He was hospitalized due to a ruptured spleen, torn muscles, a fractured rib and four fractured vertebrae. His bike (a Triumph Daytona 675) was totaled. The fact that really makes my blood boil? The driver of the car that hit him had no license and no insurance and yet wasn’t arrested. I hope Mr. Perez had significant uninsured motorist coverage! Either way, as this video demonstrates, he was extremely lucky to have survived.

Mark Anderson is a board-certified PI lawyer who has been helping injured motorcyclists across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex since 1991. He is also the author of the book Roadmap To Winning Your Texas Motorcycle Accident Case. To request a complimentary copy of the book, or to schedule a free, no obligation consultation on your traffic wreck case, call 800-354-MARK (6275).

I find it incredibly frustrating as a Crowley personal injury lawyer anytime a big company announces a mass recall of one their products. Particularly when the product in question is something which the public purchases with safety in mind, and is mistakenly led to believe that by purchasing this brand and model over another they are actually making the safer choice – only to find out months or years later that their purchase is defective and potentially dangerous. Why wasn’t this problem discovered before it was released to the market? Such bad conduct by major corporations puts our families – our children – at risk, and in my opinion is entirely unacceptable.

Two such recalls were announced this afternoon.

Toyota (yes, them again) have recalled years 2007-2008 models of their RAV4 line along with Highlander and Highland HV models which were produced in 2008 due to problems with the sensors which cause driver and passenger airbags to deploy in the event of a traffic accident. This latest recall will affect more than 3000,000 vehicles sold in the US. If you are affected by this latest recall you should contact your nearest Toyota dealership.

Kiddieland Toys Limited have also announced a recall today of their Lights and Sounds line of Children’s Scooters due to a laceration hazard. As a parent, those are words you really don’t want to see together in a sentence. The recall was announced following reports of children getting their fingers caught in the hinge mechanism, necessitating stitches. 16,700 scooters are affected. Parents are being advised to contact Kiddieland directly to request a free repair kit.

Mark Anderson is a board-certified Tarrant County PI and wrongful death attorney. If you or a loved one have been hurt in an accident which was not your fault, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at 817-294-1900.

A 15-year-old girl was killed in a hit and run accident as she attempted to cross the street at S Cooper Street near Mayfield Road in Arlington.

Jennifer Herring and her boyfriend were crossing the street when the accident happened. Herring’s boyfriend had already reached the other side when Herring was hit, according to Arlington police. The driver did not stop and assist.

This terrible tragedy marks the 10th traffic fatality in Arlington this year.

Even though I’ve worked as a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth for the last 20 years, I am still not used to hearing stories as heartbreaking as this. I urge you – if you have any information about this accident, please contact Arlington police. Jennifer’s parents deserve justice.

It seems like pedestrian accidents are happening at an alarming rate in DFW. Maybe it’s the all the distracted drivers texting and talking on their cell phones instead of focusing on the road. Whatever the case, know what you can do to be a safe pedestrian. We hear about defensive driving all the time, but if you’re going to be walking in a place with a lot of cars; you need to be a defensive pedestrian, too.

My heart breaks for Jennifer’s family. I have faith that Arlington Police will catch the person responsible for her death and that they will be held accountable.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, then I apologize if it seems repetitive, but trust me, as a personal injury attorney, I wish these alcohol-related auto accidents didn’t happen at all. Yet again another drunk driver has caused a serious wreck on DFW roadways causing yet another innocent motorist to be seriously injured and creating yet another nightmare commute for other traffic. This collision happened shortly after 11pm on Sunday night on State Highway 121 in Grapevine. A drunk driver was driving the wrong way and crashed into another car.

Police report that a 61-year-old Plano woman was driving her Toyota sedan southbound when a Chevrolet SUV coming north in the southbound lane hit her head-on. The driver of the Chevrolet was a 29-year-old Denton man who has since been arrested for intoxication assault. Highway 121 was shut down into Monday morning as both drivers were pinned into their vehicles, necessitating rescue and both later flown to hospital by Careflite. The Chevy driver was taken to Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, where is reported to be in a stable condition. The driver of the Toyota is being treated at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and is still in critical condition.

Over the past several weeks, we have witnessed a rash of incredibly dangerous drink driving crashes. Getting behind the wheel after having a drink is never a good idea, but most of these incidents have involved drivers who are vastly intoxicated. If you see someone about to get in their car after having a drink, please stop them and ask them to reconsider. If it’s a friend, or if you work in a bar – whoever it is – don’t let them do it. Drunk driving is illegal and you could cost someone their life. It’s never, ever worth it.

Mark Anderson has served the people of DFW as a personal injury and wrongful death lawyer for 20 years and has appeared on TV news as a recognized expert. If you or a loved one has been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, please call for a free no obligation consultation on 800-354-MARK (6275).

As a Fort Worth car crash attorney, I’ve heard about a lot of dumb things that have caused driver to get into a wreck, but one idiot really blew my mind recently… A friend of mine, Truett Killian, saw a man riding a motorcycle with his pet dog on his lap and sent me a photo (see exhibit D). I couldnʼt believe it. Driving in a car with your pet roaming around loose is dangerous enough – but on a bike? He must be crazy.

Anyway, the image inspired me to see if I could find any other examples of dumb motorists embarrassing themselves attempting brainless feats. Needless to say there were quite a few, and Iʼve published the best (or rather the worst) here. Some are incredibly concerning due to how dangerous they are, but in every case they are just plain stupid, stupid, stupid… I hope theyʼll give you a chuckle, but also that theyʼll serve as a reminder to pay attention to other drivers on the roads, because you never know what kind of fools are driving around. Send us an email to let us know which one of these motorists is the biggest idiot and we’ll put all the entries into a hat, then draw one at random to win a $50 gas card. You must be a North Texas resident to enter.

Mark Anderson is a board certified personal injury lawyer and author of the book 15 Mistakes That Could Wreck Your Texas Accident Case. If you or a loved one have been hurt in a traffic collision which was not your fault, you can call us to arrange a no fee consultation so we can help you understand your legal rights as you may be entitled to compensation. Call us at 817-294-1900 in fort Worth and 214-327-8000 in Dallas.

In my 20 years of helping people as a Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I’ve learnt that insurance firms who claim to “get you back where you belong,” or who will be there for you “like a good neighbor,” often fail miserably – and purposefully - when it comes to crunch time. I’ve seen firsthand the dirty tricks insurance adjustors pull to try to avoid paying out money. It is an abuse of the trust of the consumers who pay premiums year after year so they’d have help when they need it - only to find out that then they need help most, the insurance company is only concerned about protecting their own bottom line.

State Farm Insurance Company’s unfair treatment of their loyal customers has been in the spotlight this week, as the company was yesterday ordered to refund approximately $350 million to home insurance policy holders due to excessive premiums. More than 30 companies were ordered to reduce their rates by the Texas insurance commissioner following new legislation in 2003, and State Farm was the only company that failed to do so. Instead, they continued to rip off 1.2 million policyholders between 2003 and 2008.

You might think that you can count on your insurance company to be there when you need them, but the sad truth is that while they might be your friend when you’re paying your monthly premiums, as soon as you put in a claim they are anything but. Fortunately, if you’ve been injured in an accident or hurt due to someone else’s negligence, I can deal with the insurance companies for you. They’ll still try to get away with delaying or denying the claims, but as a board certified trial lawyer, I know how to make them pay you the compensation you deserve. Check out my website for more information, and if you want to set up a free consultation, just give me a call at 800-354-MARK. There is no obligation and you don’t owe me a penny until I win your case.

In my 20 years of helping people as a Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I’ve learnt that insurance firms who claim to “get you back where you belong,” or who will be there for you “like a good neighbor,” often fail miserably – and purposefully - when it comes to crunch time. I’ve seen firsthand the dirty tricks insurance adjustors pull to try to avoid paying out money. It is an abuse of the trust of the consumers who pay premiums year after year so they’d have help when they need it - only to find out that then they need help most, the insurance company is only concerned about protecting their own bottom line.

State Farm Insurance Company’s unfair treatment of their loyal customers has been in the spotlight this week, as the company was yesterday ordered to refund approximately $350 million to home insurance policy holders due to excessive premiums. More than 30 companies were ordered to reduce their rates by the Texas insurance commissioner following new legislation in 2003, and State Farm was the only company that failed to do so. Instead, they continued to rip off 1.2 million policyholders between 2003 and 2008.

You might think that you can count on your insurance company to be there when you need them, but the sad truth is that while they might be your friend when you’re paying your monthly premiums, as soon as you put in a claim they are anything but. Fortunately, if you’ve been injured in an accident or hurt due to someone else’s negligence, I can deal with the insurance companies for you. They’ll still try to get away with delaying or denying the claims, but as a board certified trial lawyer, I know how to make them pay you the compensation you deserve. Check out my website for more information, and if you want to set up a free consultation, just give me a call at 800-354-MARK. There is no obligation and you don’t owe me a penny until I win your case.

Saturday morning several cars traveling under an overpass on LBJ Freeway at Interstate 35E in northwest Dallas were struck by a dangling cable.

The cable broke free after it was struck by a vehicle towing a boat. Building materials, cables and metal went loose breaking several windshields, but luckily nobody was injured.

The Texas Department of Transportation had been working on the overpass and was using the cable to support metal flashing that was preventing paint from dripping on cars traveling under the bridge.

Now here’s where the question of liability comes into play: the driver of the vehicle that struck the cable says he hit it because it was hanging too low; TxDOT said the truck towing the boat was too tall to travel under the bridge.

Was the truck too tall or were the panels hanging to low? This question of liability will determine who will pay to get the damaged vehicles fixed.

Questions of liability are common in my line of work as a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth. Especially in DFW car accident cases, liability is pivotal to getting the compensation you deserve.

The people who were unfortunate enough to get their cars damaged by that dangling cable will need to begin gathering evidence as quickly as possible to determine who is responsible for their vehicle repairs. Strong evidence of liability is one of the most important factors to your auto accident claim.

My law firm in Fort Worth takes all kinds of car accident and personal injury cases. If you have a question of liability in your auto wreck claim, give one of my investigators a call at 817-294-1900. We offer free, no obligation case consultations that can get your questions answered.

The following is a guest blog from the Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Bisnar | Chase:

Avandia, an oral medication prescribed to treat Type II diabetes, has recently been linked to dangerous side effects, and those who have developed life-threatening side-effects or have lost a loved one due to this drug should contact an Avandia attorney in Los Angeles.

Scott, a forum user on the popular site drugs.com which provides a community of resources for pharmaceutical patients, stated: “I was taking the drug Avandia for about 4 years. I developed a blockage of AOD artery in my heart. The blockage is about 70-90%... My condition is a split of the inner lining in the artery and is not treatable by stents or bypass surgery.” Many users like these have commented on the increase in arterial blockages and other severe side-effects after using Avandia for a significant period of time.

A study that came out March 17th reported that those who took the prescription drug Avandia have a considerably raised risk of heart problems and death than patients taking other similar brands of diabetes prescriptions. Another study involving 810,000 consumers of Avandia and other diabetes medications found a “statistically significant increase” in side effects and mortality rates. The mortality toll rose 14% and the risk of heart attack rose 16%. In fact, in July of 2009, the FDA stated that Avandia users had a 40% increase in bone fractures. .

There are several reported severe side effects which include:

-Bone Fractures
-Heart Attack
-Stroke
-Congestive Heart Failure

How to Get Help

Avandia (rosiglitazone) is intended to control blood sugar levels but has resulted in serious side effects and death. If you feel like you have a case against Avandia, it’s important to file as soon as possible because the short statute of limitations may bar your claim from being presented after a certain time from the date of the incident.

A knowledgeable and experienced Los Angeles attorney experienced in Avandia cases will be able to successfully help you with claims such as loss of earning ability or wages, medical expenses, and emotional anguish.

If you have taken Avandia and are experiencing serious side effects, contact an Avandia Attorney in Los Angeles now.

The defective medical devices and medical malpractice lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm are currently accepting clients for a potential claim against DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson Services, Inc. Between 2005 and 2010, approximately 93,000 patients received defective hip replacements which were later recalled by DePuy. Close to 49% of the people who received the artificial hips reported chronic pain and other symptoms to their doctors. In most cases, further surgical revision was required, and in some cases a second hip replacement operation was necessary.

The affected prostheses are the DePuy Orthapaedics ASR XL Acetabular Hip Replacement System or ASR Hip Resurfacing System.

If you believe you received either of these devices, you should contact the hospital where you received your surgery to find out. Testing is available to patients to help determine wither you may also experience problems with the devices. Please also contact the Anderson Law Firm as soon as possible for a free, no obligation consultation on your case. Companies that manufacture medical prosthetics make a lot of money from their products, and the fact that these hips have caused so many people so many problems is simply inexcusable. Call us now, toll free at 800-354-6275. There is no obligation, and unless we win a settlement for you, you won’t owe us a penny.

For more information on the DePuy artificial hip recall, click here.

For the first time in the 15 years the Texas Motor Speedway has been opened, the big spring NASCAR races this weekend will be at night. Mixing the nearly 200,000 people that are estimated to attend the races with all the regular rush-hour motorists, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Living and working in DFW as a personal injury lawyer for the past 19 years, I’ve been stuck in terrible traffic by the Speedway so many times. All North Texans know that area is notorious for terrible traffic, especially during Friday rush-hour. Add all those extra NASCAR fans and it’s bound to be gridlock.

So what can you do if you’re driving near the Motor Speedway this weekend? Well, the obvious thing is to avoid that stretch of road at all costs.

If you can’t, then the Fort Worth police department will be directing traffic to the best of their ability and have offered the following traffic tips:

•On Friday and Saturday, motorists go an alternate route to Texas 114, including Farm Road 156 to Petty Place or I-35W to Dale Earnhardt Way

•After the Friday and Saturday races, Texas 114 will run in contraflow, meaning all traffic will flow in the same direction for traffic leaving the track

•Construction on area road projects like the DFW Connection in Grapevine, Texas 170 near the speedway and Texas 114 adjacent to the speedway will be on hold during race weekend

•Take the Victory Lane Express, a $10 round trip shuttle that operates out of the Tarrant County College Northwest Campus, 4801 Marine Creek Parkway

Best of luck to anyone who has to drive near the Speedway this weekend. There will be a lot of out-of-towners so drive defensively and watch out for distracted drivers!

As a Tarrant County child injury lawyer I am happy that Texas is adopting new rules in an attempt to reduce the number of serious head injuries sustained in high school sporting activities. Currently, if a high school athlete suffers a blow to the head they must stay on the sidelines for at least 15 minutes. If they show no symptoms of concussion within that time, they are allowed to return to play. Starting August 1, that will change and players will be required to sit out for a day at minimum and may only return to action after being cleared by a licensed medical professional.

Knowing how serious head injuries can be, I think this is a great idea. In activities such as football, cheerleading and soccer, concussions and brain damage pose an enormous risk to athletes who bump their heads while participating in their sport. Concussions are the most common type of head injury and can range in severity. Symptoms can include memory loss and even seizures or coma.

In addition to the new head injury guidelines, a house bill is also seeking to end the traditional practice of passing down junior varsity football helmets. The reason is that as the equipment gets older and more worn, it offers far less protection to the wearer (similar to recommendations that motorcyclists and bicyclists replace their helmets following a crash). The new law would require schools to regularly recondition football helmets that have been used for 10 years or more, and to replace helmets that have been in use for 16 years.

Mark Anderson is a personal injury and wrongful death attorney who has served the people of Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding area for 20 years. If you or a loved one have been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, the Anderson Law Firm offers free, no obligation consultations to help you understand your legal rights and whether you might be entitled to any compensation. To schedule a meeting, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or contact us online.