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 Transportation announced this week which roads will receive a speed limit increase to 75 miles per hour. At the top of the list is Interstate 35 north of Austin. I-35 is already one of Texas’s most accident-prone roads. Now, the heavily travelled highway will become even more dangerous, as some experts argue that higher speed limits lead to more reckless driving and, as a result, more accidents.

The increased speed limit has Austin-area drivers worried. The Austin area section of I-35 has long been considered one of the most dangerous in Texas. Between January 1991 and December 2000, for instance, 277 people died in automobile accidents on stretches of I-35 in Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties. By comparison, there were just 199 driver fatalities on even busier stretches of I-35 in Dallas County during that time.

If you’ve been in an accident in Texas, there’s only one law firm you should consider for your insurance and personal injury claims. Fears | Nachawati is devoted to protecting drivers who have suffered property damage and pain and suffering in their car wreck. The consultation is free! To get started, call1.866.705.7584 or email mn@fnlawfirm.com.

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Two children are in a Port Aransas, Texas, hospital today, clinging to their lives the driver of an SUV fell asleep at the wheel. These children are the lucky ones, unfortunately. The accident took the lives of two others.

In all, eight children and two adults were injured this past weekend when the driver fell asleep behind the wheel, veering off the roadway and striking a concrete culvert that caused the car to flip. Because several of the passengers weren’t wearing seatbelts, the passengers were thrown around inside the car – and at least one child was thrown out.

Sleeping and driving is just as dangerous – and, in fact, probably more dangerous – as texting and driving or drinking and driving. Unfortunately, the knowledge of that danger doesn’t prevent Texans from driving tired every day.

Have you been in a wreck caused by a tired, sleepy, or sleeping driver? If so, you need the help of the accident and injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Our experience and expertise have helped numerous clients receive the justice they deserved. For a free consultation, call us at 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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A Lubbock High graduate who was preparing to enter Texas Tech University after her year-long training with the Army Reserves died earlier this week when the car in which she was riding broke through a guardrail and tumbled down an overpass. The driver, a Texas Tech medical student, and another passenger were seriously injured in the accident. Both passengers weren’t wearing their seatbelts; based on evidence of alcohol found in the car, investigators suspect that the driver may have been drinking.

Drunk driving accidents are unfortunately common in Texas. They often cause severe injury or death due to erratic driving and excessive speeds. Both recklessness and high speeds appear to be involved in the Lubbock accident.

Fears | Nachawati protects drunk driving victims and their families. If you or a loved one have been injured, talking to our personal injury experts could give you the peace of mind and financial security that you need. For a free consultation, call us at 1.866.705.7584 or email to 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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More than a decade has passed since Jacqui Saburido was involved in a drunk driving accident that left her entirely body severely burned. Ironically, the accident that took the Austin native’s face has led her to become the face of an anti-drunk driving campaign across Texas. To date, Ms. Saburido has undergone 120 surgeries and is slated to have one of her most important – a nose reconstruction surgery – this summer in Brazil.

Drunk driving changed Ms. Saburido’s life forever. If you’ve been in a drunk driving accident, it’s likely to change your life, too. To find out everything you need to know about the law surrounding DUIs, contact the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help you!

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Texas legislators currently meeting in Austin are considering several variations on the same theme: Texas law should forbid texting while driving. In fact, the only real debate it seems is whether the definition of “texting” should include reading emails on a cell phone. Senate Bill 119 and House Bill 103, for instance, prohibit reading, writing or sending text messages while driving; the more expansive Senate Bill 46 and House Bill 243 target phone-based text communication and specifically include emails.

Have you been in an accident with a distracted driver? If so, the liability they face may be greater than they would otherwise. To find out how to pursue this liability and to appropriately represent this issue to your insurance company and theirs, contact the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We’re ready to help you!

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A lawsuit has been filed after a drunk driver smashed his truck into a deli, causing patrons to be hit by flying debris and falling equipment. One of the patrons, a Texas man who lost one of his eyes in the accident, has filed a lawsuit against both the driver of the truck as well as the owner of the deli.

Russell January suffered his eye injury when a meat slicer fell on his head. January and his wife have filed a lawsuit against Rodney Eddie, the intoxicated truck driver, and Gonzuela Williams, the owner of Durham’s Meat Market.

The accident took place on November 14^th at around 5:30 p.m. January was eating at Durham’s Meat Market at the time, which is located in Port Arthur, Texas.

While January was in the deli, Eddie drove his pickup truck into the store, breaking through the wall and hitting several fixtures.

January was struck by a meat slicer, which, according to the lawsuit, caused not only the loss of his eye but also damage to his brain, a fractured skull and a fractured jaw.

In the lawsuit, January is seeking damages for medical costs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment.

January is joined in his lawsuit by his wife who is seeking damages for loss of comfort, solace, care, love and affection because of the accident.

The lawsuit blames Eddie for driving while intoxicated, driving too fast and failing to stay in his lane.

Williams is accused of negligence for having an unreasonably dangerous place of business because of the placement of heavy fixtures. The lawsuit further accuses Williams of failure to provide a barrier to protect his patrons from motor vehicles when it was foreseeable that a vehicle might jump the curb and strike the building.

For more on this Texas personal injury lawsuit, click here to access the complete article.

If you have been injured in an accident, contact Fears | Nachawati today for free legal assistance. To speak with a Texas personal injury lawyer, simply email us or phone us toll free at 1.866.705.7584.

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Mediation in personal injury cases typically occurs after a lawsuit is filed, but before a trial before a jury or judge takes place.  Once an injury suit is filed, mediation is usually your last chance to resolve your case, absent a full-blown trial, and , many cases in fact settle at mediation.  During mediation, the mediator is a neutral arbiter between the parties and their goal is to try and resolve the injury claim in a manner that all parties can live with.  Your lawyer should explain to you how mediation works well in advance.  Typically, mediation lasts a half day or a full day, depending on the complexity of the case.  At the beginning of mediation, parties meet in one conference room where your lawyer makes a short presentation to the mediator and the party being sued concerning the facts of your injury case.  Sometimes, the attorney for the party being sued responds with a brief statement and the parties then break into separate rooms.  The mediator typically goes back and forth into separate conference rooms with monetary offers.  If the parties to the injury suit can come together on a settlement, the mediator drafts a short settlement agreement and the injury claim is finalized usually within 30 days following mediation.  If however, the parties are unable to come together on a fair settlement, the case will go to trial.  It is important to ensure your lawyer is willing to go the distance and take your case to trial if necessary.  Lawyers at my firm, Fears | Nachawati, attend mediation frequently, and more importantly, will absolutely take a case to trial if the negligent party (at fault party) is unwilling to pay a fair and reasonable settlement amount. If you have an injury claim and need legal help or advice, contact me at mn@fnlawfirm.com or by phone - 1.866.705.7584.

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1. Stay alert and relaxed
 If you're tired, don't drive. If you've had a rough day at the office, chill out before you get on the road. Your car drives as you feel, so be nice and stay alert. Keep a firm and friendly grip on the wheel. Avoid clenching and choking; conversely, don't drape a wrist over the top and think you've got control. Most of all, make sure you're comfortable, and that all controls are within easy reach.

2. Use your senses
If you stare at the car in front, chances are good that you'll drive right into an accident. Look around; survey the road ahead so you know what's coming up, and keep an eye on the road behind. If you need to change lanes, try planning your move a few cars ahead so that you have plenty of time to merge. Listen for sirens, horns, or screeching tires. And most of all, use your sense: if you think a driver is going to cut you off, back off a little and let them in. If you see a car coming up fast in the rear view, avoid making sudden moves.

3. Stay put
People who change lanes get into more accidents. What's worse, they make accidents happen. So keep away from the lane fidgets, pick one and drive to your destination.

4. Drive a car, not a cell phone
If the keys are in the ignition, the phone should be powered off. If you're driving with children, keep in mind that kids don't normally disappear into thin air --- so it's okay if you stop looking at them and concentrate on the road instead. No matter what it is, avoid distraction and focus on the task in hand --- driving.

5. Share the road
The Golden Rule applies to driving -- in fact, it should be a law. When you share the road, you put everyone in a good mood, avoid accidents and arrive at your destination in a friendly frame of mind. Try it: the next time someone is attempting a last minute lane change, be courteous and let them into the lane. Not only have you avoided a fender-bender, but you've also done a good deed. 

Provided by: Autobytel.com

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 This past weekend, the Dallas Morning News reported two different drunk driving accidents that killed a woman and a young child. 

The first drunken driver crushed a 5-year-old boy to death in his car seat early Sunday, Dallas police said.

They said the second caused a pickup to flip over, killing a 47-year-old woman and seriously injuring her husband.

"I can't recall the last time when we had two [such deaths] in one night," said Dallas police Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse. "To deal with a small child like this, it's traumatic even for a veteran police officer."

The crashes happened during a Super Bowl weekend when some area police departments were already on heightened alert for drunken drivers, although there was no indication that either suspect had been at a game-related party.

Police blamed the first crash on Adrian Childs, 28, who Dallas County records say has two convictions for drug dealing. Mr. Childs was driving a Hyundai Sonata at high speed when he rear-ended a Cadillac about 3:35 a.m. on State Highway 310 near Lamar Street in South Dallas, police said. The impact collapsed the Cadillac's trunk and caused the back seat to crush Xavier Williams, 5. His mother, whom police did not identify, was driving and survived, as did two of Xavier's siblings. Mr. Childs' car was then hit by a third vehicle, whose driver was not injured. Mr. Childs was taken to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas for treatment and later jailed on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.

Nearly two hours later and several miles away, Vernie Clark of Ennis was a passenger in a pickup driven by her husband on North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane.

Police said a Toyota 4Runner driven by Patricio Barrios, 63, swerved in front of the Clarks, causing a collision. The pickup then flipped over, pinning the couple inside. Ms. Clark was taken to Presbyterian Hospital, where she died of her injuries. Authorities said her husband was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery. They did not release his name or condition. Mr. Barrios was jailed on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.

Dallas police didn't increase their drunken driving enforcement during the weekend, but Cpl. Janse said police expected to make more DWI arrests than usual Sunday night.

"People don't make the right decisions and don't find other means of transportation," he said.

Other area cities took a more aggressive approach over the weekend, seeking search warrants to draw blood from suspected drunken drivers who refused to submit to breath or blood tests.

 

Being involved in a drunk driving accident not only brings criminal but civil action.  The dedicated Texas personal injury lawyers of Fears & Nachawati offer free consultations 7 days a week & 24 hours a day.

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This morning, the Dallas Morning News reported a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver.

On Sept. 11, 2001, a family appointment kept Ms. Marilyn Gates from boarding Flight 11, one of her regular flights. After takeoff from Boston, the Los Angeles-bound plan was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

But the New Hampshire woman couldn't dodge fate – or tragedy – forever. Less than five years after escaping the nation's worst terrorist attack, the 52-year-old was killed when a drunken driver ran a red light and slammed into her car on a North Texas roadway. The crash injured two others.
The driver, Stephen David Mole, was sentenced this month to 30 years in prison for intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. The 54-year-old Keller man must serve at least half of his sentence because a Denton County jury found that he had used his car as a deadly weapon.

Ms. Gates' unexpected death sent shock waves through her close-knit family and those who came to feel close to her through the criminal investigation.

"She cheated death once but came down here and couldn't cheat it again," said Brent Robbins, an investigator for the Denton County district attorney's office who is credited with working tirelessly on the case.

 

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