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

The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that two-thirds of Texas adults are overweight or obese. And the problem is getting worse. Current trends suggest that 75 percent of Texas adults will be obese by 2040. The obesity trends are particularly severe for minorities, with 75 percent of African-Americans and 71 percent of Hispanics overweight or obese.

What’s the reason for our growth? According to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, more than anything else, it’s the potato chip. Studying the diet and lifestyle of more than 120,000 people for two decades, researchers found that on average participants gained 17 pounds during the twenty year period. They found that each one ounce serving (roughly 15 chips, 160 calories) led to 1.69-pound increase. Compared to a serving of sweets (0.41 pounds), an alcoholic drink (0.41 pounds) or watching one-hour of TV (0.31-pound increase), the potato chip was far-and-away the biggest contributor to our nation’s growing average belt size.

Of course, you probably knew that potato chips were bad for you, but did you know that they were this dangerous? Some experts have speculated that potato chip companies ought to be held more accountable for the health risks their product imposes. Cigarette companies have had to warn about the dangers of their product for years. They’ve had to educate the public, too. By comparison, potato chip companies have gotten off scot-free – and all the while our society has been gaining almost a pound per year!

Do you struggle with overeating, being overweight or obesity? Has it impacted your health and quality of life? If so, talk to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. It’s time to fight back; it’s time to fight for your health! Call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us go to work for you!

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In 2011, Texas has experienced the most intense and costly season of wildfires in memory. Out-of-control blazes have destroyed more than 5,000 square miles of land from the semi-desert of west Texas to the east Texas piney woods. It’s no surprise: the National Interagency Fire Center reports that 71 percent of Texas is in exceptional drought, the most severe category, and 21 percent of Texas is in extreme drought.

The summer fires this year are unique not only because of their size and severity, but also where they are starting. Homes in the Austin suburbs, lakefront property near Fort Worth, communities across the Gulf Coast, and the McDonald Observatory, a leading astronomical research facility, in far west Texas, are just some of the usually safe areas that have been threatened by this year’s extreme conditions.

With parts of Texas new to the threat of wildfires – and to the necessity of negotiating with tight-fisted insurance companies – many Texas policyholders need the help of experts to secure the compensation they deserve. If you or a loved one is a victim of Texas wildfires, contact the insurance experts at Fears | Nachawati. For a free consultation, call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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An unidentified worker near the Houston Ship Channel is safe now after Channelview and Houston Fire Department fire fighters succeeded in saving him from a near-tragic crane mishap. The man was left literally dangling from a crane after an accident near Jacinto Port Boulevard and Peninsula Boulevard almost cost him his life!

Every year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics records more than 3,000,000 occupation-related accidents, more than 25 percent of which result in significant injury. More 200,000 result in falls and nearly 5,000 accidents are fatal.

Occupational injuries are serious! If you’re in a work-related injury, you need to speak to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Whether you’ve had a fall, a sprain, a tear, or a break, we can get you back on your feet and your life back on track. Call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help you!

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What happens if a doctor allows a non-licensed employee to prescribe medication and conduct surgery on a patient in his care? Dr. Alexander Orlov of Beaumont, Texas, can tell you: you go to jail for 15 months.

Almost too incredible to believe, Dr. Orlov charged patients as if he provided them with medical care, when, in fact, he subjected them to the untrained hands of an assistant. To add serious insult to potentially fatal injury, Orlov charged Medicare and Medicaid for the procedures, as if he would have conducted them.

Fortunately, no one seems to have injured by Dr. Orlov’s professional irresponsibility at the Lufkin Urgent Care facility. However, hundreds of victims of medical fraud are injured every year. Have you been hurt by medical malpractice? Are you confused, frustrated and angry? Talk to the medical liability professionals at Fears | Nachawati. Let us go to work for you. Call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Yesterday, a Coast Guard helicopter saved the lives of father and son sailors, plucking them out of Galveston Bay after their 18-foot pleasure boat capsized unexpectedly. Fortunately, Richard Rasmussen and his son, Robert, survived their two-hour ordeal in choppy water because they wore their lift preservers. 

The surprise rolling of the Rasmussen’s vessel raises important questions about the quality of the boat’s construction. In 2010, the Coast Guard identified more than 4,500 recreational boating accidents involving nearly 700 deaths, more than 3,000 injuries and $35.5 million in property damage. In many of these accidents, poor construction played a significant role in causing injury and death!

If you’re concerned about the seaworthiness (or lake-worthiness) of your boat or if you are involved in a recreational boating accident this summer, contact the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. With years of experience handling all types of injuries, we’re prepared to help you! For a free consultation, call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Put our expertise to work for you.

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Charlie Sheen’s $100 million lawsuit against the Warner Bros. and “Two and Half Men” executive producer Chuck Lorre is headed to arbitration, courtesy of a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. The court ruled that both Sheen’s and Lorre’s contract have valid provisions that require disputes handled by arbitration. Warner Bros. and Lorre, who want the fiasco, the bad publicity, and, if necessary, the settlement to be handled quietly, were pleased. Sheen, who sees himself as benefited by publicity, was disappointed.

Arbitration is an important semi-judicial means by which disputing parties resolve their conflicts. In many cases, it’s cheaper, faster, less stressful, and more certain than a trial. Arbitration also commonly lets litigants chose who will preside over their dispute and how much authority the arbitrator will have. As a result, arbitration has become an increasingly effective means of resolving legal fights.

Want to know more about how arbitration might be used to settle your personal injury claims? With years of experience and dozens of successful cases under our belts, we’re prepared to guide you through this process. For a free consultation with the Fears | Nachawati professionals, call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Tragically, it’s not. Every year, 213,000 Americans are victims of sexual assault. That’s an average of a sexual assault every two minutes. Of course, many of these occur at the workplace. To make matters worse, 60 percent of assaults go unreported and 15 out of 16 rapists will never spend a day jail.

Workplace sexual assault occurs in every town and industry. For instance, just this week a former, female employee for KBR Inc. and Halliburton Co. filed suit against her former employer for a rape that occurred at work. According to the victim’s attorney, KBR and Halliburton have a long history of failing to protect workers from sexual assault.

Have you been the victim of a sexual assault? It’s understandable why you wouldn’t want to go to the police. A flood of emotions – anger, embarrassment and uncertainty, to name just a few – often attend sexually related crimes. Nevertheless, it’s important to stand up for your rights. Talk to the experts at Fears | Nachawati. We understand that you’re hurting. We can help. Just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Michael Aaron Garner, a thirty-year old prison inmate in Gregg County jail, died unexpectedly last week. County Sherriff Maxey Cerliano reported that Mr. Garner’s body showed no signs of trauma and that toxicology reports remain outstanding. Although previous reports suggest that Mr. Garner had a history of heroine and methadone use, Mr. Garner’s mother, Cheyenne Smith, stated that her son had no health issues and had communicated serious concern about prison conditions.

Garner’s untimely death raises important questions about the safety of not only the Gregg County jail, but county and state prisons across Texas. If you or a loved one are imprisoned – for an hour, a day, or longer – you are placed under the care of the local or state government. You still have rights! The attorneys at Fears | Nachawati understand the extent to which civil liability stretches to the premises of government-run facilities. If you notice things that don’t add up, talk to us. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us fight for you!

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Last week, a San Antonio motorcyclist travelling at excessive speed clipped a car, lost control, and crashed. Unfortunately, the motorcyclist’s injuries were life-threatening, made much worse by the fact that he wasn’t wearing a helmet. Thanks to an Air Life helicopter ride to University Hospital, the driver had a chance to survive.

Driving a motorcycle is dangerous. Tragically, that danger was amplified by the motorcyclist in San Antonio because of risky choices like speeding, not wearing a helmet and travelling too closely to a car.

Despite its danger, however, motorcycle accidents are often reported as if the risk of driving a motorcycle is the cause of the wreck. In many cases, that’s not the case. Inattentive motorists frequently fail to look for motorcyclists. The result can be catastrophic. Moreover, some insurers are highly critical of motorcyclists’ claims, presumptively acting as if the motorcyclist was responsible.

If you’re a motorcyclist, you should remember two things. First, be safe. Motorcycles are considerably more dangerous than cars. You should take extra precautions. Second, if you’re in an accident, talk to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. We understand that inattentive motorists and critical insurers are real a problem. We can help you! For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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The Houston Astros are for sale, and if you, like Jim Crane, have several hundred million dollars, you can own the famed team. However, if your company has a history of employment discrimination, you might want to avoid the limelight. (Unfortunately for Mr. Crane, that’s a lesson he didn’t heed.)

In 2000, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigated Mr. Crane’s company, Eagle Global Logistics, for its failure to promote blacks, Hispanics, and women into managerial positions. In fact, the EEOC further found that Eagle demoted women from managerial positions, fostered a hostile work environment and perpetuated a pay disparity between minorities and whites based on race and sex.

Employment discrimination is unfair to workers and their families. Moreover, it’s against the law. If you think you’re the victim of employment discrimination, you should consider having a conversation with the experts at Fears | Nachawati. The consultation is free and you’ll learn everything you need to know about whether to prosecute your claim. We can help you! Just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Last month, three workers were injured, one critically, when a pulling unit with a truck-mounted mast collapsed. One of the workers, Sergio Torres, was transported to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the accident. In all likelihood, all three workers have not only workers’ compensation claims, but potential legal causes of action against their employer, TEC Well Services, and the owner of the well site, Benners 37 #1.

The energy industry is dangerous! Well accidents, refinery fires, and pipe malfunctions cause dozens of accidents every year. If you or a loved one are injured in an oil and gas industry accident, you should talk to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help!

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 900,000 Americans are dedicated to a noble calling: fighting crime. Tragically, the Police Officers Safety Association reports that about 150 police officers die in the line of duty every year. To the surprise of many, the vast majority of these deaths isn’t caused by gunfire, but traffic stops. In fact, since 2001, 154 officers have lost their lives during otherwise routine traffic stops. In Texas alone, 22 officers have died during traffic stops since January of 2010.

Does your loved one serve in a local police department? If so, he or she needs to be aware of the risks they face in the line of duty, including the very real threat they incur during traffic stops. If they’ve been injured, they should call the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Years of experience and committed expertise have taught us how to best defend their legal interests. We want to help! For a free consultation, just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Make the call today!

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Within a two-hour drive from El Paso, Texas, is Elephant Butte Lake, the preferred destination for 80,000 Memorial Day campers. Over the course of the summer, Elephant Butte Lake will host hundreds of thousands of visitors. However, for Texans attending Elephant Butte Lake or one of the many lakes across Texas, it’s important to remember the risks of camping and state parks. Gusty winds can cause fires; lakes are frequently home to water moccasins, water-borne diseases, and the risk of drowning. And, of course, boating presents a multitude of dangers, including boating-while-under-the-influence.

If your summer turns out to be a lot less fun than you imagined because someone injured you or your loved ones during a camping trip, it’s important to call the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. With years of experience and dedicated expertise, we can help you! Just call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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