Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog

Christian Hernandez, 17, of Fort Worth, was killed on Saturday morning when the car he was riding in crashed into a house on Loving Avenue in north Fort Worth. Hernandez was a passenger in a Chevrolet Cobalt driven by an unidentified 19-year-old male. Neither he, nor two other passengers (a 12-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy) were injured in the wreck.

Inside the house, a female in the room hit by the car suffered minor injuries and a baby sleeping on a bed was thrown to the floor but was not hurt.

Hernandez was pronounced deceased at John Peter Smith Hospital after sustaining critical injuries when the roof of the house collapsed on to him.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I would first like to offer my sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Hernandez. As a passenger in an auto accident, he had absolutely no control over the vehicle and the events which led to his death.

Police have yet to determine whether alcohol was a factor in this collision which occurred at approximately 1:00 am on Saturday morning, however investigators have determined that the driver of the Cobalt clipped a minivan parked outside the residence, jumped the curb and subsequently drive through the front yard and crashing through the corner of the house’s garage which had been converted into a bedroom.

Two contributing factors in the crash are believed to be a combination of excessive speed and hydroplaning caused by rain on the road.

What is it about Thanksgiving dinner that makes you fall asleep in front of the TV, no matter how exciting the football game is? Most people blame the turkey...

For most of us, Thanksgiving usually involves a huge turkey and dressing dinner, football on TV and lovely nap somewhere in between. Some of us look forward to the traditional Thanksgiving nap just as much as we do to the pumpkin pie, but what about the feast makes us so sleepy? Are we just trying to escape from doing dishes or is there something in the food that actually makes us fatigued?

It’s been said for many years that it’s the amino acid tryptophan in turkey that makes us so tired. Although tryptophan can induce sleepiness in its pure form, we eat lots of other foods with tryptophan in them and don’t feel nearly as fatigued. In fact, turkey isn't even unusually high in tryptophan – beef and soy beans have a much higher concentration.

So what is it about Thanksgiving dinner that makes us want to catch some z’s? Most scientists believe what makes us so sleepy is a combination of the stressful hustle and bustle of the holidays, alcohol consumption and the massive caloric intake of Thanksgiving. Two of the best ways to combat your Thanksgiving drowsiness is to drink plenty of water and to take a walk after your meal. (Just make sure you’re back in time for pie!)

From all of us at the Anderson Law Firm, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, AAA Auto projects that 42.5 million Americans will hit the road. Although we’re sure these drivers will double check that the pumpkin pie and dressing is packed safely in the car, we’re not so sure that they’ll check their tires. According to a survey by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, millions of Americans don’t know how to properly check their tire pressure which can put them at risk for car accidents and wastes precious fuel.

So what are you looking for when you check your tires? The four key elements of tire care are as follows:

• Pressure: Check air pressure, under-inflation is the leading cause of wear and tear of tires
• Alignment: Misalignment of wheels in the front or rear can cause uneven and rapid tread-wear
• Rotation: Regularly rotating your vehicle’s tires will help you achieve more uniform wear
• Tread: Advanced and unusual wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip the road in adverse conditions

So before you get on the road to grandma’s house, take the five extra minutes to check your tires. Not only will it reduce your risk of getting into a car wreck, but can also save you some money at the pump.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that traffic accidents involving commercial good vehicles such as 18 wheelers and other large trucks often result in some of the most devastating collisions. Wrecks caused by drunk drivers are awful because those motorists have absolutely no business being behind the wheel, but at least in those cases they are not pulling several hundred tons of cargo behind them. Semi-trucks are; which is why when they crash the result is often devastating bodily injury and property damage often costing the victim thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

The true extent of the danger posed by dangerous tractor trailers, flatbeds and other motor carriers is quite alarming. In 2011, Texas inspectors from the Department of Public Safety cracked down on unsafe trucks and buses resulting in one in five vehicles being taken off the road for safety violations. That’s 20 percent of trucks and buses: an insanely huge figure. The most common problems involved brakes, tires and lights malfunctions, which are critical to the safe operating of a big rig. In total, 66,189 vehicles were ordered off the road from a total of 331,505 that were inspected.

In addition to the vehicles themselves, DPS officials removed 12,301 drivers from the road for safety violations. This is hardly surprising as it has been widely experienced by auto accident attorneys throughout Texas that commercial truckers regularly keep two sets of log books in order to hide the fact that they are in breach of hours of service rules designed to protect public safety on our roads. This is a growing trend and one which is likely related to the increase in truck wreck fatalities. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDOT) fatal crashes involving trucks and buses has roughly doubled in just four years: from 8.92 percent in 2006 up to 15.96 percent in 2010 (based on preliminary data).

The report of this year’s inspections are important because millions of trucks pass through DFW every year. According to the Federal Highway Administration, commercial vehicles travel 20.86 billion miles throughout Texas every year. Being involved in any kind of freeway collision is serious, but when the negligent driver is a professional truck or bus operator, then it is critical that you consult with a board certified personal injury and wrongful death lawyer to make sure your legal rights are preserved and that you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

To arrange a free, no obligation consultation with an attorney, please call us toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at either 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth or 214-327-8000 in Dallas.

A man who was hit by a suspected drunk driver in Euless while riding his bicycle over the weekend is currently being treated for critical injuries at JPS Hospital in Fort Worth. As a DFW personal injury lawyer, I know that whenever a cyclist is involved in an auto collision the injuries are frequently life-threatening. However, the circumstances for this tragically wounded individual are even worse: no-one knows who he is.

Euless Police Department are currently trying to identify the bicyclist, who has been described as a black male, aged 30-35 years old, approximately 5’10” tall, weighing 140-145 pounds.

The unidentified man was riding a red and black Schwinn mountain bike along West Euless Boulevard when a car hit him at approximately 6:30pm on Sunday evening. Police arrested the motorist and a charge of intoxication assault is currently pending against him. The cyclist was transported to hospital. Euless PD have released the photo below in an appeal for anyone who might be able to identify him to please get in touch.

If you believe you know this man, please contact the Euless Police Department at 817-685-1532.

A Denton County Transportation Authority A-Train crashed into an automobile in Lake Dallas yesterday evening. An older model pickup truck apparently did not completely clear the Hundley Drive crossing, meaning the commuter train was unable to avoid a collision. Fortunately, no injuries are believed to have occurred in the wreck. Police have yet to disclose the cause of the accident. There are two sets of red warning lights either side of the crossing where the accident took place so it is unclear whether the driver was tailgating another vehicle over the crossing or if there was a technical malfunction with the crossing signs.

This is the fifth serious accident involving the Denton County rail line since the passenger train began to run in June this year. Just last Friday, a pedestrian was killed in a fatal collision with a train in Carrollton. Dustin Odell, 23, of Garland, was apparently walking along a secluded section of railway when he was hit and killed.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, my thoughts are with Mr. Odell’s loved ones and those of other recent train victims in the North Texas area.

I don’t know the details of each of the individual accidents involving the A-train, nor do I know the extent of the injuries in each case. It may well be that victims and their families are entitled to compensation. However, the fact that there have been five accidents in fewer than six months suggests to me that DFW motorists need a reminder to be cautious when driving near railroads. Trains cannot avoid cars or motorcycles; they are on a fixed path and take a considerable time to stop. It’s up to you to stay out of their way. In a train-versus-car wreck, the train will win every time.

The global recession and rising fuel costs have had a number of implications for people all over the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. One of the most striking trends I’ve witnessed as a personal injury lawyer is the number of people who have traded in their car or pickup truck for a more fuel-efficient and cheaper vehicle such as a motorcycle, scooter or moped.

However, while these motorists might be saving money, they are also increasing their risk of being involved in a serious accident. Not because scooters are dangerous themselves, or that those who choose to ride them are bad drivers – but because other motorists are dangerously prone to ignore any vehicle which is smaller than their own.

As a DFW attorney, I’ve heard negligent drivers say time and time again that they “just didn’t see” the scooter rider until they crashed into them. There’s a reason for that: they weren’t looking out for them in the first place.

Scooter and moped riders have just as much right to be on Texas roads as any other motorist. Unfortunately, they are rarely given the respect they deserve by other road users. Often this means a horrible collision resulting in devastating injuries which are frequently life-threatening.

It’s important that you understand that you have rights under Texas law. If you were not responsible for causing the wreck, then you are entitled to make a claim for compensation against the negligent driver who was at fault.

For more information, or to discuss your case with an experienced scooter accident attorney, please contact the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally at 817-294-1900.

If you need to be reminded why drinking and driving is always a terrible decision, read the article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram about Arlington’s DWI enforcement campaign. In the last month, eight young people have died in wrecks police believe were caused by drunk drivers, prompting the Arlington Police Department to start a DWI task force. That means more officers will be patrolling highways and roads for drunk drivers in Arlington and that a no-refusal policy is in place for suspected drunk drivers that refuse to take a breathalyzer test.
Tina Reese, who just recently lost her 10-year-old son in a car accident caused by a suspected drunk driver in Arlington, spoke at the news conference last night hosted by the Arlington Police Department announcing the DWI task force.

"If you're going to drink, call someone," Reese said. "Call a designated driver. Call a taxi. Just call someone."

With the holiday season upon us, it is especially important that we remain alert for drunk drivers. I’m glad the Arlington Police Department is stepping up its effort to catch drunk drivers and I think other cities should do the same.

What would you do if you were driving and hit a pedestrian? Would you stop?

Unfortunately, there are a number of motorists in Fort Worth who didn’t even slow down after hitting a man on South Freeway last night. An approximately 50-year-old male who has not yet been identified by police, was attempting to cross I-35W when he was struck by a red or maroon car and knocked to the ground. He was subsequently hit by several other vehicles as he lay in the roadway, only one of whom stopped in an attempt to render aid to the stricken individual who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have asked for any witnesses to the accident or anyone who believes they might be able to identify any of the drivers who failed to stop to please come forward. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Ft. Worth Traffic Investigation Unit at 817-392-4850.

Another pedestrian was also fatally wounded in Fort Worth on Monday evening in an accident at Garden Acres Drive and Dear Creek Drive. Floyd Jones, 60, was hit by a motorist who did not notice him until it was too late, reporting to police that she heard something hit her wing mirror and saw a flash of color as the man fell into a roadside ditch. Mr. Jones died at the wreck site.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer I know just how dangerous an auto-versus-pedestrian collision can be. To have two such tragedies with 24 hours of each other speaks volumes for the need to take extra care both when driving and when walking near roads.

My thoughts are with both the family of Mr. Jones and those of the as-yet-unidentified victim of last night’s hit-and-run.

Students and three faculty members of Abilene Christian University were involved in a fatal bus accident on Friday. Anabel Reid, a 19-year-old agricultural studies student tragically died in the accident and several others were seriously injured when their bus left the highway and overturned. The students were on their way to Medina, TX where they were about to spend the weekend doing mission work at a children’s home. The bus driven by 34-year-old Michael Nicodemus, an ACU faculty member apparently lost control as the bus was entering a bend on U.S. 83 near Ballinger. Passengers were ejected when the bus hit a concrete culvert and did a complete roll. Authorities said it will take months from now if anyone is to be charged in the bus accident and police are only beginning the investigation into what caused the crash.

Bus accidents in Texas so often end in tragedy because of a lack of seatbelts. In Texas, school bus seat belt laws do not cover all buses. The law says that all school buses purchased after 2010 must be equipped with seat belts for passengers and all charter buses, tour buses, and motorcoach buses used by schools must be equipped with seat belts after September 2014. The problem is that the law doesn’t account for all the buses that are older and still in operation. Only after a thorough police investigation will we know if seatbelts played any part in the outcome of this terrible bus accident. Our condolences go to the students and faculty of ACU and especially to the Reid family.

There was a time when most people in the DFW area would laugh if they saw someone out and about riding a Segway. It’s still a relatively unusual site today, although the two-wheeled personal transportation vehicles are increasingly growing in popularity – especially with mall security companies, guided tour groups and some wealthier local citizens.

Although Segways are generally still quite rare in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, there still exists the potential for serious injuries to occur in a range of potential accidents involving Segways.

Pedestrians are at risk of suffering serious injuries if they are hit by a Segway rider, just the same as if they were hit by a car or a motorcycle. Of course, the potential for a transporter-pedestrian collision is drastically higher since Segways typically ride along the sidewalk rather than in the roadway which even bicycles rider must do.

Of course, Segway riders themselves are just as much at risk from suffering life-threatening injuries if they were involved in a wreck with another vehicle such as a car or truck. They don’t have any protection which means they are extremely vulnerable in the event of a serious collision.

Given the nature of upright two-wheeler transporters, there is a steep learning curve to learn how to safely operate them. Added to this, there have been numerous reports of defective problems with certain Segway products which have prompted almost 30,000 Segways to be recalled since the devices were first released to the public in 2003.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a Segway – regardless of whether or not you were the operator/passenger – it is important that you seek legal advice on your personal situation. If you were not at fault for the accident occurring, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

Wednesday afternoon near Indian Springs Middle School, an eighth-grader was hit by a car in a crosswalk. According to a Keller ISD spokesperson, the boy darted in front of a car at the crosswalk just after the crossing guard had gone home for the day. Thankfully, the boy’s injuries are not life-threatening and the driver who hit him stopped and provided information to police.

If an eighth grade child will dart in front of a car, so would your 5th grader or kindergartener. Kids get excited when schools out, or they see the ice cream man or when they are playing games and easily forget the most basic rules of crossing the street. It is always a good idea to remind your kids that just because they are in a crosswalk, does not mean that they have an invisible shield around them that will protect against getting hit by a car. Pedestrian accidents happen all the time on crosswalks, so you still have to look both ways.

I’m glad this boy is doing ok and I’m sure he and the driver who hit him will be on extra alert from now on.

If you’re a fan of my Facebook page, you’ll already know that I dressed up as Superman for Halloween this year, but a Corsicana policeman is being hailed as a real-life superhero after saving a three-year-old girl from a house fire. Officer Dan Putman was the first emergency responder on the scene of the home owned by Marilyn Massey. All the adults had already gotten out of the house safely, but a young child, Jayden Jones, was still trapped inside.

In order to rescue the toddler, Officer Putman displayed what the family is calling “a burst of superhuman strength” as he pushed a four-poster bed and dresser away from a window in order to save the girl’s life. Officer Putman has been awarded the Medal of Valor and a Life-Saving Award for his incredible actions.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth child injury lawyer, I would like to add my voice to the chorus of praise for Officer Putman’s bravery and selfless actions.

I know how easily a residential fire can begin and the extent of the devastation it can cause. Given the epic wildfires we’ve had in Texas this summer, it should be something we are all mindful of. Since fires can start so easily, it’s important to make sure that you are properly insured in the event a house fire does occur. If you haven’t reviewed your home insurance policy recently, now might be a good time to make sure you have all the protection you need.