Monthly Archives: November 2023
High-Speed Wreck Kills Six People
Four ex-University of Houston standout football players were among the fatalities in an early-morning crash in downtown Houston. The wreck involved a Chrysler 300, which went through a red light at a high rate of speed, and an Acura SUV. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were taken to… Read More »
Liability Issues in Truck Crash Claims
The number of fatal truck crashes has increased a startling 47 percent since 2011. An uncertain regulatory environment has contributed to many of these wrecks. The regulatory changes, mostly HOS (hours of service) relaxation, began before the pandemic. The HOS rollbacks began very slowly, and then accelerated during and after 2020. Bureaucrats decided that… Read More »
What are the Leading Causes of Wrongful Death in Texas?
In 2020 and 2021, for the first time in decades, the U.S. life expectancy rate dropped two years in a row. This decline was the largest multi-year drop since 1921-1923, when the Spanish Flu, which killed millions of people, raged across America. This time, another deadly flu, coronavirus, was partially responsible for the drop…. Read More »
Your Legal Options Following a Bicycle Accident
This title is misleading. Most bicycle collisions aren’t “accidents.” Instead, driver negligence, or a lack of care, causes most bicycle collisions. For this reason, the New York Times and other publishers don’t use the A-word to describe these incidents. After all, ships sink, planes crash, and trains derail. Writers should use the same approach… Read More »
Obstacles to Maximum Compensation in Pedestrian Accident Claims
Law enforcement investigators rarely assign fault in pedestrian accident cases, even if the victim dies. So, insurance company investigators are free to assign fault to the non-policyholder, whether s/he was the victim or the driver. Don’t put much stock into this determination. There’s a big difference between fault and liability. Fault is like a… Read More »
Fireball Crash in Southwest Houston
Investigators believe that a wet road, the driver’s excessive speed, and fireworks in the trunk combined to cause a deadly wreck. Police said the crash happened in the 11400 block of South Gessner Road near McGee Lane in southwest Houston. Investigators said the flames were fed by what they believe were fireworks that exploded… Read More »
Does the Comparative Fault Defense Apply in Wrongful Death Cases?
Unfortunately, yes. And, in many cases, the comparative fault defense reduces a victim’s compensation, sometimes to nothing. Texas is a modified comparative fault state with a 51 percent threshold. So if a jury determines the victim was at least 51 percent responsible for a wrongful death, the tortfeasor (negligent actor) is not liable for… Read More »
What Causes Serious Bicycle Accidents?
Some causes of serious bicycle accidents are unexpected. Helmet laws are a good example. Many Greater Houston cities and counties have mandatory helmet laws, especially for children. But flimsy bicycle helmets offer little protection and give riders, and drivers, a false sense of security. Therefore, tortfeasors (negligent drivers) take unnecessary risks near helmeted riders,… Read More »
