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

BP sent workers back to three offshore oil and gas platforms earlier today in response to a shift in Tropical Storm Dan’s trajectory to the south. In the last week, hundreds of workers were evacuated from platforms in anticipation of the violent storm and the injury that it was expected to cause. Hundreds of evacuees may sound like a lot, but actually only 11 of the 679 manned platforms in the Gulf were evacuated.

Drilling oil in the Gulf of Mexico is dangerous business, as last year’s Deepwater Horizon blowout vividly showed. The risk isn’t just for the environment, of course, but for workers as well. Every year, platform and oil field workers are injured and killed as a result of the dangers in oil and gas exploration.

Do you have a loved one who works in the oil fields, either on land or in the Gulf? They should know the risks they face and their legal right to a safe work environment. If they’re injured, they should fight back! The Fears | Nachawati occupational injury experts can fight for their safety and secure the justice they deserve. For a free consultation, just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help!

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In 1996, Evangelina Cruz died of a gunshot wound in Lamb County, near Lubbock, Texas. The legal repercussions of that gunshot continue to reverberate in the west Texas legal community. 

The men accused of killing Ms. Cruz, Jesus Ramirez and Alberto Sifuents, were initially prosecuted and convicted of capital murder. In 2008, however, they succeeded in appealing the verdict. The appeals court overturned their convictions, concluding that the attorneys who represented Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Sifuents provided legal defense at trial so insufficient as to violate the clients' constitutional rights. Now, Mr. Cruz and Mr. Ramirez have filed suit in a Lubbock federal court, seeking $12 million in damages on the basis that the original trial in Lamb County constituted a conspiracy aimed at an unlawful conviction. 

At the heart of Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Sifuents's conspiracy claim is the appellate court's conclusion that their original trial defense was so inadequate as to vitiate their constitutional right to legal representation.

Fears | Nachawati recognizes that not all attorneys provide the legal representation that they should. Some counsellors are so poor, in fact, that a court would refuse to acknowledge their representation as meaningful legal counsel, as the Ramirez-Sifuents case suggests. You deserve excellent legal counsel. If your attorney has done such a poor job in your case as to substantially impair your ability to recover, your legal rights may have been injured as a result. To fight back, contact us! For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com.

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A 10-year-old is in a hospital because an 18-year-old thought it was a good idea to race his car through the streets of San Antonio. At the time of the accident, the 10-year-old was riding in a Ford Expedition with three of his siblings and his parents. The 18-year-old racer was travelling so fast that he injured the child, despite the fact that a Ford Expedition is one of the sturdiest cars on the road today.

Have you been in a car accident recently? You need to know all of the facts and how to ask the right questions. The driver that hit you may have been involved in reckless behavior, such as racing, that could increase his or her liability. What questions should you ask? To find out, talk to the Texas car accident lawyers at Fears | Nachawati. We’re ready to help you. For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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A teen driver in Houston died Wednesday night as a result of dialing-and-driving. The teen driver, who was talking on a cell phone while driving, misjudged the distance between himself and the car ahead of him. When he finally realized that he was about to plow into the back of the car in his lane, he swerved, overcorrected, and ended up in oncoming traffic. An approaching car in the other lane slammed into the teen's car. The reckless teenage driver, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, died soon after the crash.

Distracted driving -- whether the distraction comes in the form of a phone call, text message, radio, or another passenger -- claims thousands of lives in Texas every year. Although the Houston teen tragically paid the price of his reckless behavior, often that's not the case. Too many times the person who is injured or killed is an innocent bystander who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fears | Nachawati has provided legal counsel to dozens of car accident victims who were hurt as a result of negligent, distracted driving. If you’ve been injured,  Our Houston car accidents lawyers understand the financial and legal challenges you face. Put our experience and expertise to work for you! For your free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Hill Country Farms, a Texas company headquartered in Goldthwaite, Texas, settled their case with several mentally handicapped workers earlier this week. The workers, who were employed in an Iowa City, Iowa, turkey plant, were subjected to below minimum wage and uncompensated overtime, among other violations. All told, the federal judge who presided over the case ordered Hill Country Farms to pay $1.76 million.

Unfortunately, workplace violations are common, particularly during hard economic times. Fears | Nachawati specializes in workplace injuries and work-related contract damages. If you have questions about the work-related injuries that you’ve sustained, talk to us today! Just call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We ready to help you!

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On Friday, two women suffering from kidney-related diseases were the victims of a tragic automobile accident on their way home from dialysis. The women, who were required to attend dialysis several times a week, had contracted with a medical taxi service known as METROLift to carry them to and from the hospital. In the wake of their loss, one of the victim’s family has already consulted with an attorney to determine their legal options, including filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

Fears | Nachawati knows the pain of a death in the family as well as the benefits and pitfalls of a wrongful death suit. If you’ve lost a loved to a negligent firm like METROLift, talk to us! We’re ready to help you through this difficult time. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We can help!

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Texas drivers should know that between 2008 and 2011 Chrysler produced nearly a quarter million defective Ram pickup trucks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a component near the left front wheel is dangerously succeptible to fracturing, resulting in the driver loosing control of the vehicle. Already several drivers and innocent victims have been hurt as a result of Chrysler's defective product.

Have you been hurt in a wreck with a Ram pickup? The law governing product liability is complicated. You need the Fears | Nachawati experts who understand how to defend your rights against tortuous manufacturers like Chrysler. Our Texas auto accident lawyers are ready to fight for you. For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help you!

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For many Texans, "floating the river," whether it’s the Guadalupe, the Comal, or one of the Hill Country's many other fast-flowing waterways, is a longstanding summer tradition. This year is unlike years past, however, as police throughout the Hill Country crack down on illegal activity on the river, particularly public intoxication and drug possession.

The New Braunfels Police Chief, for instance, reported to the city council recently that his officers have worked overtime this summer, arresting 220 people and writing more than 1,200 citations. By comparison, this summer's NBPD arrest totals are more than twice what they were last year and citations are up 132 percent. Experts acknowledge that this year's unusual drought is a big part of what's driving tourist traffic to the Hill Country. While other lakes and rivers are at record lows, the Comal, a spring-fed river, is flowing at its customary clip.

The additional traffic is generally good news for New Braunfels and the more than half billion dollars projected to flow into the community as a result of the relatively high-flowing Comal. That traffic is bad news, however, for the people wanting to float the river. More people will result in more congestion and, unfortunately, more accidents and injuries.

Are you planning on floating the river this summer? If so, you should be careful! You might be in control and know what you're doing, but that doesn't mean that everyone else on the river does, too. Hundreds of tourists are injured on the Hill Country's rivers every summer. If you're one of them this summer, talk to the legal experts at Fears | Nachawati who understand how to handle your claims. For a free consultation, just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We can help you!

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Somewhere on Interstate 10 outside of Kerrville, Texas, a Boy Scout troop leader had a fatal heart attack while driving six Boy Scouts home from summer camp. The heart attack caused the driver to lose control of his SUV and veer off the road. Although all six boys were sent to the hospital, fortunately, all escaped serious injury. One passenger, however, did sustain a broken wrist and required longer care in a nearby hospital.

What kind of liability do Boy Scout leaders, soccer coaches, and Y-Guides parents have when they take responsibility for your children? If your children are in an accident while their under another parent’s care, who is responsible for the hospital bills? These are simple but important questions. If you’d like to find out the answer, talk the experts at

Fears | Nachawati. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Times are good for natural gas producers. Although high fuel costs hurt consumers, they’re good for suppliers. Traditionally, high natural gas prices have been particularly good news for Gulf Coast states like Texas and Louisiana and particularly bad news for the northeast. This time, however, things are a little different.

The recent discovery of the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and West Virginia is good news for the east coast. The Marcellus Shale is rich in ethylene, a key ingredient in plastics, and close to markets like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Because of its proximity to plastics manufacturers, costs to consumer will be cheaper. Also, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and other “Shale states” will benefit from the additional tax revenue flowing from natural gas extraction. Local economies will boom, too, thanks to the estimated 10,000 new, “Shale jobs.”

There’s just one catch: natural gas production can be dangerous. Every year hundreds of workers and thousands of residents are injured as a result of natural gas leaks and explosions. If you or a loved one leave Texas to work the Marcellus Shale, you should know about the risks of natural gas – and, in particular, ethylene – cracking. Talk to the experts at Fears | Nachawati to learn everything you need to know about the law governing occupational injuries. Call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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In the early morning hours last Saturday a resident of a South Side apartment building in San Antonio, Texas, was stabbed repeatedly in the torso. The bad news is that the unidentified victim in his 40s faces potentially life-threatening injuries. The good news is that he was taken to University Hospital and is now under careful medical observation.

Stabbings happen all to often in Texas, as many residents know. What many crime victims don’t know, however, is that violent crime, such as a stabbing or shooting, give rise not only to a criminal cause of action pursued by law enforcement, but also a civil cause of action that victims may pursue to recovery monetarily. In some cases, civil damage awards can exceed a million dollars!

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a violent act, you need to speak not only to local police, but also to personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Our experience and expertise can provide you and your loved ones with the justice you want! For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Last weekend, Steven McShan, a 24-year-old Houston firefighter, attempted to climb from a second floor to a third floor balcony where several children were playing. As McShan was pulling himself up, the railing he was holding onto gave way. McShan wasn’t able to regain his grip on the third floor or his footing on the second and, tragically, he fell 40 feet to his death.

Firefighters face dangers every day in the line of duty. Whether fighting fires or helping children, they frequently encounter risks – and injuries – that are unique. Those unusual risks include noxious smoke inhalation, scalding heat, and dangerous products, such as loose railings. If you have a loved one who works in the fire department, make sure that they talk to a medical and legal expert if they’re injured. To speak with the experts in the law governing firefighter-related injuries, contact the team of specialists at Fears | Nachawati. For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) concluded recently that Whole Women’s Health of Austin, a health clinic in North Austin, improperly disposed of aborted fetuses. Whole Women’s Health of Austin sent fetuses along with other medical waste for steam disinfection and then on to a landfill. Under Texas state law, steam disinfection is an approved treatment method if followed by internment. State law prohibits the disposal of human body parts, fetuses or products of abortion from being disposed in a landfill.

Whole Women’s Health of Austin faces stiff penalties from the TCEQ. Experts are asking, however, whether the patients have a cause of action against the clinic. For many, knowing that their aborted child is in a landfill somewhere in the Texas hill country is an understandably disturbing thought. Should Whole Women’s Health of Austin be held accountable for that distress?

Has a health provider, doctor, or health clinic injured you? What kind of injuries “count” under the law and what should you do? Take your first step today by contacting Fears | Nachawati. Call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We can help!

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