Texas Injury Law Blog : Dallas Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Fears Nachawati Law Firm : Personal Injury, Wrongful Death : Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Texas

Five men were critically injured in a single SUV accident this weekend.  The wreck occurred in Cleburne early Sunday morning.  Investigators say that the SUV, a Chevrolet Suburban, was traveling on the east shoulder of Main Street when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle.  The SUV slid into the median of the road, went airborne, and crashed into a ditch on the west side of the road.  Five men were ejected from the SUV in the crash.  One of the victims was involved in a secondary accident when he was struck by a car while lying in a traffic lane.  The men were taken to Fort Worth area hospitals and are in critical condition.

If you have been injured in a SUV wreck, the experienced attorneys of Fears | Nachawati can help you preserve your legal rights.  Call us today and put us to work to help you.  1.866.705.7584.

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A man was taken to the hospital treatment after a train collided with a pickup truck.  The accident occurred on Union Pacific tracks in the 4100 block of Division Street in Arlington.  Investigators said that the truck was trying to cross the railroad tracks at an unmanned crossing when the train struck the pickup.  Two individuals were in the pickup when the incident occurred.  The railroad tracks are temporarily closed while authorities complete their investigation. 

If you have been injured in an accident, the attorneys of Fears | Nachawati would be happy to lend their expertise to get you the compensation you deserve.  Call us at 1.866.705.7584 and we'll get right to work for you. 

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A wreck involving an SUV and a sedan on the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco injured three people.  The vehicles were traveling southbound on the Tollway when the SUV apparently inadvertently veered into the sedan's lane.  The two people in the SUV, along with the driver of the car, were injured and were taken to area hospitals.  Two lanes of traffic on the Tollway were blocked while authorities cleared the wreck. 

Fears | Nachawati specializes in representing the victims of accidents.  If you have been involved in a car accident, call us today at 1.866.705.7584 and we'd be happy to discuss your legal rights with you.

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A woman who had pulled over to the side of 635/LBJ freeway because of a flat tire was killed early Tuesday morning in an accident involving a tractor-trailer.  The woman, Doris Satterfield, was trying to re-enter traffic on the freeway when her car was hit.  She died at the scene.  Her husband was critically injured and was taken to Parkland Hospital.  A third car was also hit in the crash, which was a Jeep driven by the couple's son, who had come to their aid with the flat tire.  He suffered minor injuries and was taken to Baylor Medical Center.  The driver of the big rig has told investigators that he didn't see the car in time to stop.  Authorities do not expect any charges to be filed, but are continuing to investigate the accident.

The attorneys and legal professionals of Fears | Nachawati have years of experience helping the victims of tractor-trailer wrecks.  If you have been in an accident with a tractor-trailer, or any other accident, please call us at 1.866.705.7584 to put us to work for you. 

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A 28 year old man crashed while driving westbound on I-635, the LBJ Freeway.  The driver, Tien-Jung Kuo, lost control of the vehicle near the Coit Road exit.  The vehicle veered across the highway and crashed into a concrete barrier.  One passenger was taken to Medical City Dallas Hospital where he died from his injuries.  The other passenger was taken to Parkland Hospital and listed in critical condition.  The driver has been charged with intoxication manslaughter. 

If you have been injured in a car accident, whether involving a drunk driver or not, the attorneys at Fears | Nachawati are ready to help you get the justice you deserve.  Call us today at 1.866.705.7584. 

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Two Texas A&M freshmen were tragically killed in a three-car wreck on Texas Highway 21.  The young men, Tanner Lloyd Ferris and Nathan V. Shearod, both members of the Aggie Corps of Cadets and the Aggie Band, were traveling in a Jeep when it stuck a vehicle stopped on the road.  Ferris, the driver, swerved, and the Jeep was then hit by a third vehicle and caught on fire. 

If you or one of your loved ones has been injured or killed in a car accident, the attorneys of Fears | Nachawati would be honored to discuss your legal rights with you at your convenience.  Call us at 1.866.705.7584 and put our expertise to work for you today.

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Eighty-seven year old Fred Donald Krusemark of Dallas died recently of injuries sustained in a high-speed crash at Texas Motor Speedway.  Krusemark, a World War II Navy veteran, was riding along with a professional driver on the course as a reward for being a blood donor. 

The car Krusemark was riding in blew a tire on the course, and crashed into a wall.  Krusemark died two days later from blunt force trauma to the head and neck.  The driver of the car remains in critical condition. 

If you have been injured in a car crash, the attorneys of Fears | Nachawati would be happy to review your case and offer you a free consultation regarding your situation.  Call us at 1.866.705.7584 today. 

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A motorcyclist struck a pedestrian in southeast Oak Cliff recently.  The pedestrian, Paul Bellard of Dallas, was attempting to cross the 6200 block of Bonnie View Road about 10 p.m. Tuesday night.  The motorcyclist, Lashon Hudson of Dallas, was traveling southbound on that road when he hit Bellard with his Suzuki.  Investigators believe that Hudson was doing a wheelie at the time of the accident, and that his front wheel was off the ground.  The impact of the crash sent Hudson off of his bike, and threw Bellard into the northbound lanes of Bonnie View Road.

Husdon was taken to Baylor University Medical Center, while Bellard was taken to Methodist Charlton Medical Center.  Both men died. 

If you have been injured by a motorcyclist or by a driver, the experienced attorneys at Fears | Nachawati would be happy to help you find justice.  Call us today at 1.866.705.7584. 

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Five people were hurt in a two-car wreck in Arlington Tuesday.  The accident occurred on Pioneer Parkway at Davis Drive.  Authorities had to shut down eastbound Pioneer Parkway for more than three hours to clear the accident.  One of the individuals injured was airlifted to a hospital.  The other four individuals were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. 

If you have been injured in a car wreck, the attorneys and legal professionals at Fears | Nachawati would be happy to discuss your rights to compensation for property damage, injuries, time lost from work, and other losses you may have suffered.  Call us today at 1-866-705-7584.

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A fire at LyondellBasell's oil refinery on the Houston ship channel broke out yesterday afternoon.  The blaze, which started in a crude distillation unit, sent huge plumes of black smoke into the air.  The fire burned for more than an hour

Two firefighters were injured while fighting the fire, suffering heat exhaustion. 

The refinery is the country's 16th largest, and refines 268,000 barrels of oil per day.  An incident in July 2008 at the facility involving a crane killed four workers. 

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire and continue to assess the extent of damage to the refinery. 

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The City of Fort Worth has offered the family of a man killed by police a record-setting settlement of $2 million.  The victim was killed by a Taser during a confrontation with police last year. 

Assistant City Attorney Gerald Pruitt says that this is the largest settlement Fort Worth has ever offered in any case involving death or injury. 

The victim, Michael Patrick Jacobs, Jr., died after he was shocked with a Taser for a total of 54 seconds.  Mr. Jacobs had a history of mental illness, and the police became involved after his family called for help because he was off of his medication and behaving aggressively.  Mr. Jacobs was shocked twice, first for 49 seconds and then for an additional 5 seconds.  The Tarrant County medical examiner's office declared that the victim's death was a homicide, but a grand jury declined to indict the officers who were involved in the killing. 

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Two Texans have been killed, and five others sickened, after developing listeriosis as a result of consuming the food-borne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.  Five of the victims are from Bexar County, while the other two are from Travis and Hidalgo counties. 

Investigators have reported that the same strain of the bacteria sickened all of the affected individuals.  They are still working to pinpoint a cause.  In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a public health warning for prosciutto imported from Canada and sold under the brands Casa Italia and Emma. 

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection.  Outbreaks are sometimes linked to foods such as soft cheeses and deli meats.  Listeriosis causes flu-like symptoms in healthy people.  In persons who are elderly, pregnant, or have weakened immune systems, however, the fatality rate from this infection can reach 20 percent.  The Center for Disease Control estimates that there 2500 persons become seriously ill from listeriosis in the country each year, and that 500 die from the infection. 

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There have been several significant recent developments in the Gulf Oil Spill investigation:

Investigators now believe that BP knew of problems at the offshore rig hours before it exploded.  The well had failed a key pressure test hours before the explosion.  The failure of that test may indicate that pressure was building in the well.  Even though a pressure build up could lead to an explosion, BP apparently declined to suspend operations and investigate the build up.  

President Obama has asked Congress to raise the cap on liability for BP.  The administration also asked that a per-barrel tax on oil companies be increased in order to provide more funds for cleanup.  Finally, the President also proposed additional unemployment assistance and food stamps for Gulf Coast workers affected by the oil spill. 

BP has placed a new, smaller containment box on the floor of the Gulf.  Workers plan to move the cylinder, nicknamed a "top hat", on top of the well, and hope to avoid problems they encountered with a bigger box previously used to try to stop the flow of oil. 

Fears | Nachawati represents victims of the Gulf Oil Spill and explosion.  If you have been affected by the spill, please call us at 1.866.705.7584 to discuss your situation with one of our attorneys.

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Recent DFW Metroplex news includes stories of three recent on-the-job fatalities:

A 30 year old man working as a subcontractor for Tarrant County was electrocuted Tuesday.  The man was working to repair light fixtures in the mechanical room on the top of the Plaza Garage, located at the intersection of West Weatherford and Burnett streets.  Fort Worth paramedics and MedStar attempted to save the worker, but their attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful.  The man was pronounced dead at the scene.  Authorities are investigating this on-the-job death. 

A lawn maintenance worker was killed Tuesday morning in Grand Prairie after he was struck by a passing motorist.  The man, Fransisco Lara, 35, was taken by helicopter to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  Mr. Lara was struck by a car while he was using a leaf blower to clear debris from the street.  The driver was not injured.  Authorities are investigating this accident.

The body of Roderick Terrell, a Dallas sanitation worker, was found Tuesday at the McCommas Bluff Landfill in Dallas.  Mr. Terrell was on the job at the landfill when he was last seen.  Coworkers found Mr. Terrell's truck, still running, and began searching for him shortly thereafter.  His body was found the next day.  Authorities are investigating the cause of Mr. Terrell's death. 

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BP has pledged that it will not seek to prevent lawsuits arising from the Gulf Oil Spill based on controversial releases obtained from victims of the blast.  Early reports accused the oil giant of improperly asking workers who survived the incident to swear that they weren't injured and promise they won't sue.  Reports say that workers were presented with these agreements immediately after being rescued, under highly distasteful (and potentially actionable) circumstances.  Fears | Nachawati represents victims of the Gulf Oil Spill, including those who have signed releases under questionable circumstances and those who have been asked to sign releases.  If you have been affected by the Gulf Oil Spill, call us today at 1.866.705.7584 to discuss your situation with our experienced legal staff.  

In other Texas legal news, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that ice does not create an unreasonable risk of harm that would expose a landowner to premises liability for a business invitee.  In the case at hand, a man was injured when he slipped and fell on accumulated ice in the parking lot of a hospital.  He sued the hospital for his injuries.  The Court's ruling means that the hospital isn't liable for injuries caused by icy conditions that occur naturally.  If the hospital had created the icy condition, or had altered the parking lot in such a manner that a dangerous situation arose, the result would likely have been different and the man could have possibly sued for his injuries.   

In national legal news, President Obama has nominated Elena Kagan to be a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  Ms. Kagan currently serves as the Solicitor General of the United States, where she argues cases in the Supreme Court on the government's behalf.  Prior to that appointment, Ms. Kagan was the Dean of Harvard Law school.  She has been nominated to fill the seat being vacated by Justice John Paul Stevens.  If confirmed, Ms. Kagan will be President Obama's second appointee to the Supreme Court. 

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One adult and two children were killed in a firey single-car accident near the intersection of I-20 and I-35W in Fort Worth early Sunday morning. 

Investigators say that the driver, a woman, was traveling on the northbound service road of 35 when the car crossed over the right curb.  The car then struck the base of an overhead sign and caught fire. 

In addition to the driver, there were five children in the car when the accident occurred.  Two children soon exited the blazing wreck, and were taken to Cook Children's Medical Center.  One other child was freed by Fort Worth firefighters and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital.  The other two children and the driver did not escape the wreck, and were pronounced dead at the scene. 

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Oil Rig Accidents often involve circumstances where workers fall off rigs, often resulting in a fatality or serious bodily injury.  Oil rig companies often work quickly after a catastrophic injury or death on a rig in an attempt to evade liability and accountability for their failure in maintaining a safe work environment for their employees.  Families of deceased rig workers are often left wondering what happened to their loved one--and frequently never receive the true story of what happened.  The most important steps that need to be taken after a rig accident is ensuring the following:

1.  Inspection of the rig in question;

2.  Investigation of every person who was working on the rig;

3.  Taking pictures and video surveillance of the accident scene;

4.  Starting the investigation immediately to ensure evidence is not altered or destroyed by the rig owner and operators; and

5.  Hiring a lawyer skilled in handling catastrophic Oil Rig Accidents.

Questions concerning serious rig accidents can be directed to Oil Rig lawyer, Bryan Fears, who is active in the Gulf Oil Spill claims and several other land rig claims across the nation.  Mr. Fears can be reached at 1.866.705.7584 or by email at fears@fnlawfirm.com.

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Starbucks is in hot water over its hot tea.  Plaintiff Zeynep Inanli has sued the company alleging that a Manhattan Starbucks served her tea that was so hot it caused second-degree burns.  She also complains that the container her tea was served in was defective, noting that the lid was not properly secured, causing her to become burned.  She seeks unspecified damages for her burns, pain and mental anguish.  

Inanli v. Starbucks is reminiscent of a case involving McDonald's and hot coffee.  In that case, a jury in 1994 ordered McDonald's to pay nearly $3 million to Stella Liebeck, in compensation for severe burns Ms. Liebeck suffered when she was burned by the restaurant's coffee. 

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BP Oil Spill lawyers are in high demand, as the first traces of oil hit the Gulf Coast Shore.  Legal assistance and legal help is available to homeowners, retirement communities, shrimpers, fishermen, and any other business or family that has suffered losses due to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.  One of the top lawyers in the Gulf Coast, Majed Nachawati, stated that "BP and any other company at fault will be held accountable for their negligence and it is incumbent on them to ensure families and businesses are made whole again after this disaster."  Mr. Nachawati stated that his firm is currently accepting new cases and victims of the oil spill should contact his firm for legal representation and legal help in connection with the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.  mn@fnlawfirm.com or by phone at 1.866.705.7584.

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An 18-wheeler being loaded with fuel exploded yesterday at a refinery in San Antonio.  The tanker truck was at the AGE Refining Inc. fueling station when the incident occurred.  The initial explosion set off a chain-reaction of several smaller explosions.  Firefighters worked for six hours battling the blaze, shutting off valves and cooling down tanks in an effort to prevent the fires from spreading. 

One man was critically burned in the incident, while numerous workers at the refinery were also injured. 

Residents living near the refinery were evacuated.  The explosions and fires sent a plume of black smoke over San Antonio's east side that lasted for much of the day while the fires burned themselves out.  Smoke was visible up to 40 miles away. 

Investigators do not yet know what caused the blast. 

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Gulf Oil Spill lawyer, Majed Nachawati, explained the main categories of victims that are suffering and need legal help because of the BP Oil Spill:

1.  Those injured or deceased that were on the rig;

2.  Fishermen and shrimpers whose businesses have been devastated by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill;

3.  Beachfront property owners and other Gulf Coast property owners whose property has been damaged or destroyed by the Gulf Oil Spill; and

4. Businesses that suffer a direct or indirect loss because of the BP Oil Spill.

Gulfcoast oil spill victims need a lawyer who knows how to handle complex cases, according to Mr. Nachawati.  Many victims do not know where to turn.  These victims should call Mr. Nachawati for a free legal consultation or email him at mn@fnlawfirm.com to determine what legal rights they have against the defendants, BP, Transocean and other companies responsible for the spill. 

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After federal regulators noted manufacturing deficiencies, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has voluntarily recalled 43 medications for children.  The medications recalled include liquid versions of Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl.  McNeil has suspended operations at the affected facility while the FDA investigates. 

Generic versions of these medications are not included in the recall. 

Parents and caregivers should seek medical attention for a child who has consumed any of the recalled medications and exhibits any unexpected symptoms.

Click here for a full list of the recalled medications.  McNeil is offering full refunds or coupons for replacement products.  Click here for more information on refunds and replacements. 

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Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has formally revoked the permit of a Fort Worth daycare after a child at the facility was struck by a yardstick.  The striking was characterized as a spanking by the daycare.  A spokeswoman for the department says that spanking is not permitted at any daycare within the state. 

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Gulf Oil Spill victims in need of legal help against BP should contact our law firm regarding the latest lawsuits and class actions filed against BP because of the Gulf Oil Spill.  Our firm represents people and companies that are victims of BP's apparent negligence in connection with the oil rig blast.  Our clients include crew members, commercial fisherman, shrimpers, charter boat operators, business owners and beach front property owners.  This unprecedented spill will directly impact thousands of Gulf Coast residents.  Gulf coast property owners will suffer millions of dollars in property damage and businesses that operate in and around the Gulf of Mexico will suffer tremendous economic damages. Cases arising from the spill include (1) loss of business; (2) injury due to the oil rig blast; (3) damage to real property, including homes and beachfront homes; and (3) the loss of fishing game, including shrimping and fishing. If you believe you have a case, Fears | Nachawati can help you understand your rights and assist you in pursuing financial compensation for injuries, property damage, and other losses related to the spill. Call us at 1.866.705.7584.

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A recent report reveals that less than 25% of FDA-regulated food plants were inspected annually, and more than half of the plants were not inspected at all, during a five year period from 2004 through 2008.  Inspections at plants considered high risk also dropped off.  At the same time, consumers were seriously injured and even died from tainted peanut butter, vegetables and other food products. 

Like many government agencies, the FDA is stretched thin, having experienced a staff decrease of 18% since 2003.  Fortunately for consumers, Congress has recently authorized filling a number of vacant positions.  However, even after these additions, the FDA will still have 145 fewer inspectors on staff than it did in 2004. 

Consumer groups have reported that they are alarmed, but not surprised, by the report.  Many groups continue to take issue with what they describe as serious deficiencies in the country's food inspection system. 

If you believe you have been injured or made ill by tainted food, contact the attorneys of Fears | Nachawati to see whether you are entitled to compensation for your illness or injury.  We would be happy to speak with you at 1-866-705-7584 at your convenience. 

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