Recent Blog Posts
18-Wheeler Crash Closes Southbound I-35
On a recent morning, a car and a big rig collided on southbound I-35 near Cesar Chavez Street, necessitating the closure of all lanes for part of the morning. There were no injuries reported, but this is unusual for 18-wheeler accidents, as the amount of weight involved can be deadly. If you have been in an auto accident with a semi-truck, you may be able to obtain compensation for your injuries.
Truck Accidents Are Deadly
The most recent available data from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) estimate over 26,000 crashes involving large trucks in that year, with a disproportionate number of them resulting in injury or fatality. This is due to many different reasons – one is that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) has documented a pattern of truck drivers operating their vehicles for longer than association regulations recommend. Another is the simple weight involved when 18-wheelers have accidents; especially with a full cargo, much more is involved than there would be with two smaller vehicles.
Traffic Deaths Are Rising in Austin
Between 2016 and 2019, city officials in Austin saw a significant drop in traffic-related deaths, but the statistics for 2019 show that the totals are rising again, especially among pedestrians. This rise is understandably concerning for drivers, pedestrians, and everyone who shares Austin’s roads, and it is important to understand the nature of the situation so that you can take steps to protect yourself.
Vision Zero
In 2015, over 100 people were killed on Austin’s roads – drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and others – and the city acted appropriately, creating the “Vision Zero” plan and patterning it after previous successful initiatives like the one mounted in New York City. Vision Zero plans advocate a number of small changes that are generally seen as common-sense in the first place, such as lowering one’s speed by 5 mph or double-checking for pedestrians and cyclists even when not at crosswalks.
Pickup Truck Jumps Curb, Takes Out Gas Pump
Recently, a young woman lost control of her pickup truck, causing it to jump the curb at a Valero gas station near the corner of Blanco Road and Jackson Keller Road. No one was hurt, according to law enforcement personnel, but one of the station’s gas pumps was struck and may need repair. While there is no word as of yet as to whether the woman will face charges or a lawsuit, it is important to know that if you are ever in this type of situation, a car accident does not have to involve physical injury or death to be taken seriously. If you cause property damage, you will almost always be on the proverbial hook to pay for it.
A Lawyer Is Not Usually Needed
In many cases, accidents that only do property damage (as opposed to accidents that injure people) wind up being handled by the injured person themselves, because they are considered relatively transactional and easy. In theory, a property-damage-only claim requires nothing more than a simple phone call or two to your insurance company. Texas requires drivers to have what is called 30/60/25 coverage – $30,000 in injury coverage per person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damages.
Car Flips Over Guardrail Off I-35
Recently, a man in his sixties sustained “potentially serious injuries” when his car flipped over a guardrail on North I-35, landing 20 feet below on the service road. As of this writing, it does not appear that there were any other vehicles involved, but this does not mean that another driver did not play a role. Single-vehicle accidents are common and can be deadly, but this can be somewhat of a misnomer, given that it is possible in some cases to hold another person liable for your injuries.
Causes Differ Wildly
Most of the time, law enforcement will immediately assume that you are responsible for your own single-vehicle crash, with no other causes involved. However, this is not always the case – and even if you do wind up being held liable for part of your own injuries, you are still able to recover as long as your percentage of fault is below 50 percent. For example, if the court finds that you were 30 percent responsible for your own injuries, you would still, in theory, be able to recover up to 70 percent of your damages.
Rollover Crash Closes County Rd 110
A recent morning gave rise to a serious accident on County Road 110, near Rockride Lane in Williamson County. Law enforcement gave no indication that anyone was injured, but rollover accidents are among the deadliest types, causing disproportionate amounts of fatalities even though this type of crash is relatively uncommon. If you are lucky enough to survive a rollover crash, you likely have serious injuries and medical bills, but you may be able to obtain compensation for what you have been through.
Statistics Show High Fatalities
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics on rollover accidents are somewhat outdated, but nonetheless very revealing of trends that do not appear to have changed over time. Roughly two percent of all accidents on the road are of the rollover type, but a shocking 35 percent of all passenger vehicle deaths during that time occurred in rollovers. There are different theories as to why, but most boil down to the common-sense fact that more simply happens in most rollovers – all that metal and glass actually overturning, and the physical forces involved, will do more to a human body than most other types of car wrecks.
Fatal Motorcycle Wreck on W Military Drive
Recently, a crash on West Military Drive killed a motorcyclist, who simply seemed to drop away from the two friends he had been riding with. One of the other motorcyclists simply noticed the victim disappear, and found his body approximately one half-mile back from where they had stopped. Medical personnel were summoned, but the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. As of this writing, the cause of death was not determined, but motorcycle accidents are more likely to be deadly than standard vehicle crashes, and if you have been involved in one, your injuries are likely to be severe.
Common Causes
Motorcycling is an extremely common hobby in the United States, with Texas being in the top five for the number of motorcycles registered in the state. However, with the increased number of motorcyclists on Texas roads in addition to other traffic, this does mean that more accidents occur. When they do, motorcyclists very often get the proverbial short end of the stick – their relative lack of protection compared to passengers in vehicles means that they die approximately 28 times more often.
Tractor-Trailer Accident Lands Two in Hospital
A serious accident occurred recently at the intersection of Sassman Road and FM 1625. A tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle collided, sending two people to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt, which was quite lucky as tractor-trailers can cause severe injuries and even fatalities. Truck accidents in the United States kill thousands each year, and if you do make it through one, your medical bills will likely be very high.
Causes and Commonalities
Simply because of their size, tractor-trailers can cause devastation if they are involved in traffic accidents. Tractor-trailers carry immense weight, and if that weight strikes your vehicle, it can lead to injuries from cuts and bruises to traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord issues. Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimate almost 4,900 fatal accidents that involved large trucks or buses, and around 116,000 injury crashes.
There are so many different causes for this type of accident, which can make it difficult to determine who should be held liable for your injuries. However, many of the most common causes tend to pinpoint alleged negligence on the part of the truck driver. Examples include speeding or other types of reckless driving, substance use (alcohol or drugs), driving longer than the FMCSA rules recommend (leading to sleep deprivation), or poorly maintained equipment on the truck.
Wrong-Way Driver Strikes Cars in Stone Oak
Recently, a man allegedly caused some criminal mischief on a Stone Oak street when he drove the wrong way, intentionally rammed a San Antonio police officer’s vehicle, and crashed in the lot of a car dealership, damaging three new vehicles. The driver was arrested at the Alamo Toyota dealership on Highway 281 and charged with several criminal offenses. If someone drives the wrong way on a public street, however, they can also be held liable under civil law by any person they allegedly injured.
Limited Time To File
It may be seen as common sense that drivers must drive on the right side of the road in the United States, but just in case, the state of Texas has codified that requirement. When someone drives on the other side, they are violating traffic laws in addition to whatever other offenses might occur. Wrong-way accidents are relatively rare, but the injury and fatality rate is much higher than that in most other types of crashes because they almost always involve a high rate of speed. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that approximately 14 percent of all wrong-way driving fatalities occur in Texas.
Man Jumps in Front of 18-Wheeler in Apparent Suicide
A tragic accident occurred on Loop 1604 recently, as a man ran into traffic on the road near Culebra Rd., intentionally jumping into the path of an 18-wheeler. While the man was pronounced deceased by emergency medical services, the accident no doubt has had a permanent effect on the truck driver – both because of the obvious human drama and because on some occasions, causing the death of someone on the road can lead to liability in wrongful death, for both the driver and for their employer. While suicides are rare, accidents resulting in death can be more common, and if you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation.
Specific Criteria for Filing
The Texas wrongful death act states that if someone’s death occurred due to the “wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness or default” of another person, that person may be held liable. This can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint, especially in automobile or truck accidents, because there can be a very fine line between pure accident and negligence. However, there are certain requirements that can show that a trucker (and, in some cases, their employer) was negligent enough to cause the victim’s passing.
Sugar Land Plane Crashes Outside San Antonio
Recently, a small plane originating from Sugar Land crashed as it was trying to divert to San Antonio International Airport. The craft reported engine issues and attempted to land, but sadly came down mere blocks from the airport’s air space. While as of this writing it does not appear that any legal action might be taken against any parties, it is possible that many different types of lawsuits might come out of a small plane crash, especially one that results in unfortunate fatalities. Having an attorney to protect your interests after such a horrible experience is often a good idea.
Rare But Serious
While small plane accidents such as this are much rarer than the average person tends to think – the data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates less than 10 charter plane accidents in 2016 – the jury is still out on the safety of even smaller private planes. The NTSB groups such flights under ‘general aviation,’ which is a very broad umbrella category, but because of so much data input, the number of accidents recorded in the general aviation category is over 1,000 for 2016. At this juncture, it is difficult to isolate small plane crashes from, say, powered parachutes or balloons.
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