Dallas Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Texting, eating, applying makeup or shaving, disciplining kids, and reading are all average everyday activities for most Texans living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Doing any of them while you’re driving, however, and you’re putting multiple lives at risk: your own, your passengers, and every other person who is unfortunate enough to be on the road near you at that time.

As a DFW personal injury lawyer, I know just how serious a problem distracted driving is in all its forms. The amount of property damage and bodily injuries which can be caused in a multi-vehicle wreck caused by a distracted driver can be catastrophic. If you or someone you love has been injured in such an accident, it is critical that you are aware of your legal rights. Texas law gives distracted driver crash victims the legal right to make an insurance claim to pay for your medical bills, loss of income and other costs associated with the collision. This even applies if you were a passenger in a car being driven by a negligent driver.

In order to help victims such as yourself understand the key information you need to know, I have put together a resource called Distracted Driving 101. It highlights the main issues you need to know and will hopefully answer a lot of the questions you have at this stage. It is no replacement for personalized legal service, however, and I strongly encourage you to call an attorney to discuss your cases one-on-one as soon as possible.

To speak to a board certified personal injury attorney immediately, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-2675 or call locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

If you or someone you love have been injured in a Dallas-Fort Worth car wreck caused by a drunk driver, it might seem obvious to you who was to blame, but that doesn’t mean that the insurance company will play fair.

Under Texas law, if you are hurt in a traffic crash caused by someone else, you have the right to pursue a claim against the negligent driver’s insurance policy to recover your medical expenses, lost income and other costs associated with the accident. As you might expect, this usually means a lot of money on the link. For an innocent accident victim such as yourself, it is not fair that you have to pay all those bills out of your own pocket and likely go in debt. If the collision was not your fault, there is no reason why you should have to pay.

Unfortunately, giant insurance companies often care more about their profits than innocent, hardworking Texans, so they will do everything they can to avoid paying you the full and fair compensation that you deserve. Even in cases where the at-fault motorist was clearly intoxicated at the time of the wreck, you will have a hard time recovering the money you need without the aid of a board certified personal injury lawyer.

To help you better understand your legal rights and options before you speak to an attorney, I’ve put together some of the key information that you need to know in one convenient place: Drunk Driving Accidents 101. I hope that you find it beneficial. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at 817-294-1900.

If you’ve been involved in a serious car wreck, it’s normal for you to have a lot of questions. How can you get your car repaired? Do I need to hire a lawyer? What insurance companies do I need to deal with? What are my legal rights and obligations?

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I have been helping accident victims throughout the DFW metroplex for 21 years, so I have a lot of knowledge when it comes to dealing with the aftermath of a multi-vehicle collision. You might not need an attorney to help you with your situation, although if you have medical bills totaling more than $5,000 I would certainly recommend that you call me for a free, no obligation consultation.

Regardless of whether or not you are seriously hurt, you could certainly benefit from some useful information. To help you out, I have compiled some of the key things you need to know if you have been involved in a crash which wasn’t your fault. I've called it "Car Accidents 101." I hope that it helps.

If you need to speak to an attorney, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

Some of the most devastating personal injury and wrongful death cases I have handed as Fort Worth trial attorney are auto accidents caused by drunk drivers. Alcohol-related car wrecks typically result in catastrophic property damage and life-threatening injuries because the intoxicated driver is nowhere near capable of safe driving. Drunk drivers speed, they get too close to other vehicles and their reaction time is severely impaired. They are among the most dangers drivers on DFW roads. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), more than one third of all traffic fatalities in Texas last year were the result of drunk drivers.

Despite constant reminders of how much damage you might cause both to yourself, your loved ones and complete strangers anytime that you get behind the wheel after drinking, people continue to do it. You can’t tell yourself that you’ll be fine, that you won’t cause a crash, that you won’t hurt anyone. If you’re attempting to drive drunk, then there is a very high probability that you will kill someone.

A Texas woman who got in the driver’s seat with a blood alcohol level of .11 percent (above the legal limit of .08 percent) has been sentenced to 55 years in prison by a judge in San Antonio. Valeri Andrews was charged with four counts of murder after running a red light while drunk, killing Maria Aguilar de Perez, her two daughters and her grandson. As harsh a sentence as this might seem, it’s worth noting that Ms. Andrews could have received a life sentence were it not for the fact she had pleaded guilty to the charges, receiving a reduced sentence as a result.

Please think before you drink and drive. It’s never worth it. Ever.

If you or a loved one is hurt in a collision caused by an intoxicated driver, it is important that you consult with a board certified personal injury and wrongful death lawyer who is experienced in handling cases against drunk drivers. For a free consultation on your case, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

As a Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death attorney, I often hear stories of pedestrian who have either been serious wounded or otherwise outright killed after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on DFW roads. Whenever a local police force appeals for information from the public in an attempt to identify and located a hit and run motorist, I try to help out by spreading the word on my blogs as well as on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. The point is that hit-and-run drivers might flee the crash scene, but they will be tracked down and brought to justice. If they have insurance then their victim (or the victim’s family) is able to make a claim for compensation to cover the medical bills and other costs related to the wreck.

I wanted to share good news of a successful Texas hit and run investigation which was recently concluded in Houston. Last Monday night, a bicycle rider was hit by a drunk van driver who sped away from the scene. The cyclist died at the scene. Fortunately, however, the investigating offer recovered the van’s license plate which fell off in the collision. Police tracked the vehicle to its registered owner, who told them a friend had borrowed it. Officers found the suspect at his home with the keys to the vehicle on his person. He was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated and failing to stop and render aid after an accident.

If you or a loved one have been injured due to the negligent actions of a hit and run driver, it is important that you are aware that you do have legal rights. Even if the police are unable to find the guilty party, you may still be able to recover compensation. To find out more, call our auto accident attorneys today. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

According to Travel and Leisure magazine, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is ranked as the sixth rudest city in the USA. As anyone who spends any amount of time dealing with the congested traffic on DFW’s highways and city streets, that is entirely believable. Dangerous drivers who weave between traffic, cut off other vehicles and tailgate incessantly are a dime a dozen. Couple that with the fact that last year, Men’s Health Magazine ranked Dallas as the seventh angriest city in America, and it is no surprise that DFW is holds the title of second worst city for road rage car wrecks according to AutoVantage.

This is incredibly worrying to me as a DFW personal injury and wrongful death lawyer. I have seen firsthand the very real damage which can be done by unintentionally hazardous driving habits, but when you bring in a high level of fury and a disregard for other people and you’ve got an obvious recipe for roadway disaster. When motorists fall prey to road rage, they are not thinking clearly. They try to intimidate other drivers by cutting too close, jeopardizing everyone’s safety for the sake of trying to make a point.

If you’ve ever been the victim of someone with road rage, you’ll know that it can be an extremely scary experience and it can be very tempting to respond in kind. Doing so would be a huge mistake as the outcome can only be bad. Instead, if you ever find yourself in a position where someone is trying to intimidate you on the road by either following too closely or some other action intended to torment you, then the best thing to do it just take a deep breath and get out of their way. Don’t make eye contact. Don’t challenge them. Take yourself out of that situation. Once they’ve gone past and away from you, I personally find that tuning the radio to classical music helps reduce my blood pressure.

You should not have to tolerate aggressive drivers at all, but unfortunately they are a hazard which you cannot always be avoided. If you have been the victim of a car crashed caused by someone with road rage, it is all the more important that you get justice and recover the full and fair compensation you deserve to cover your medical bills and other costs related to the accident. Call a board certified personal injury lawyer today at 214-327-8000 in Dallas or at 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth for no a fee, no obligation consultation on your situation.

Dallas-Fort Worth area residents who travel Texas 114 and Texas 121 on a regular basis already know what a traffic nightmare those roads can be. Yesterday, the congestion got even worse following an 18 wheeler wreck which subsequently led to the road being closed for an emergency inspection. Just before noon yesterday, a CDL vehicle carrying an oversized load crashed into the Texan Trail overpass bridge in Grapevine. The eastbound section of the highway was reduced to just two lanes yesterday afternoon, while the whole road was closed overnight from 8:00 pm until about 6:00 am this morning. Texan Trail was closed to all vehicles immediately following the wreck as officials were concerned that the accident may have caused significant structural damage to the bridge.

As a DFW auto accident and injury lawyer, I am certainly thankful that no-one was seriously hurt in this incident, but the episode should serve as a reminder of just how significant the consequences caused by negligent truck drivers can be. The reason for the crash was that the trucker was carrying an oversized load which was too tall to pass safely beneath the bridge. According to Grapevine’s commercial vehicle inspection team they “did find violations” which are being blamed for the collision.

The official report regarding the safety of the bridge has yet to be completed, but there is already speculation among Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials that Texan Trail may be closed indefinitely until the bridge (which was already scheduled for demolition later this year as part of the DFW Connector project) can be knocked down and replaced.

An 18 wheeler truck crash shut down all westbound lanes of I-30 in Garland this morning after it overturned blocking the roadway. The accident happened at 3:30 am near the Zion Road exit, but it was more than three hours later before emergency responders were able to upright the big rig and reopen the highway to traffic. The wreck is believed to have an issue of negligence on behalf of the truck driver. Authorities reported that it appears the semi drifted across lanes of the interstate, eventually colliding with the guardrail which resulting in the truck flipping on to its side.

Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries sustained in this accident and it does not appear that any cars or other vehicles were involved in the collision. As a DFW personal injury lawyer, I know that large truck wreck typically involve massive property damage and severe bodily injuries, so we should all be thankful that this morning’s crash in Garland merely inconvenienced commuters.

Trucker negligence is a very serious matter, particularly when you consider that truck operators are professionals. I understand that they are often hard workers under a lot of stress to meet time and distance deadlines, but there is never any excuse for jeopardizing the safety of other road users. To illustrate just how serious this problem is, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently revealed that the number of fatalities caused by truck drivers getting behind the wheel drunk increased by 13 percent in 2010 and that the number of injuries caused by tractor trailer accidents rose by 12 percent overall.

If you or someone you loved has been injured in a multi-vehicle accident involving a commercial truck, it is important that you speak with an attorney to make sure you are fully informed of your legal rights. You may be entitled to significant compensation. To talk to a local lawyer today, please call toll free at 800-354-6275 or Dallas 214-327-8000.

Yesterday, Arlington Police Department announced that just four people have been cited for texting while driving since the city’s introduced a ban last November to make the hazardous habit illegal. As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer, I expect that there are countless other motorists who have similarly broken the law without being caught. Arlington PD need to step up their enforcement of this ban in order to make people realize just how dangerous distracted driving really is.

Also yesterday, Facebook announced that 2013 Mercedes-Benz vehicles will come preloaded with an app for the popular social media site. According to their press release the app will be accessible form the car’s dashboard color screen and will be GPS-enabled to allow drivers to find nearby attractions and friends. As if there weren’t enough distractions for motorists already! This is just too much. When you’re sitting in the driver’s seat, your entire focus should be on operating your vehicle safely. If you’re using Facebook or any other app, that means you are taking your attention off the road ahead and are seriously jeopardizing the safety of everyone else who is driving around you.

I’ve been a personal injury and wrongful death attorney for over 20 years now. I’ve seen firsthand the incredibly serious car wrecks which have been caused by people who talk or text behind from the wheel. Unfortunately, it seems that when it comes to society at large realizing just how fatal distracted driving can be, it’s a matter of one step forward, two steps back.

Since it’s a new year, I’d like to ask you all who haven’t already to sign the pledge that you will not text while driving in 2012 or ever again. Help me spread the word and I’ll help you keep this resolution by sending you a bracelet to wear so you can constantly be reminded of the promise you made. By giving up texting while driving you could well save someone’s life – it could be your own.

Take the pledge here.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a traffic crash caused by a distracted driver or any negligent motorist, call the Anderson Law Firm for a no fee, no obligation consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that some of the most serious auto accidents in DFW actually occur in parking lots. The reason is for this is because parking lot collisions aren’t necessarily multi-vehicle crashes, but more often car-versus-pedestrian wrecks. Pedestrians, of course, don’t have any form of protection, so when they’re hit by a sedan or SUV even at very low speeds, they are inevitably going to suffer extremely severe injuries.

Yesterday morning, a bizarre parking lot wreck occurred in Wellesley, Massachusetts. An unnamed driver was pulling into his parking space outside his workplace when he accidently pressed down on the gas pedal instead of the brake. The sudden acceleration launches his car over the curb and into an adjacent parking structure – landing on top of another vehicle. Check out this video of emergency responders examining the aftermath of this wreck:



Wellesley Police cited the at-fault motorist for failure to use care when stopping. Fortunately, the other vehicle was already unoccupied and the negligent driver was not injured in the most unusual crash, however there will still be a property damage claim against the insurance company of the driver responsible for this wreck.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Texas traffic accident which was not your fault, it is important that you consult with a board certified personal injury or wrongful death attorney to make sure that your legal rights are protected. Failure to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve, could have disastrous financial consequences for you in the future.

To speak to a lawyer today, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I have helped thousands of auto accident victims throughout Texas since 1991. Car crashes are nearly always caused by a negligent driver. Sometimes the at-fault motorist was texting while driving, sometimes they were speeding, other times they were negligent because they following the vehicle in front far too closely. Early speculation assumed that last explanation was the initial trigger which led to a massive pile-up in Southeast Texas this morning.

It is estimated that more than 50 vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction wreck which occurred at approximately 5.30 am on Highway 73 near Port Arthur. Initial reports from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said that more than 40 people were being treated following the collision, with injuries including broken bones, abrasions and trauma. Two individuals were rushed to hospital with critical injuries and one man suffered a heart attack.

The poor weather conditions around Port Arthur are being partly blamed for the accident as visibility was significantly compromised due to a combination of early morning fog and smoke from nearby wildfires. These conditions recalling the 34 vehicle wreck in England two months ago which killed seven people and injured 51 other. Fortunately, it does not appear that anybody was fatally wounded in today’s crash.

While it may be another couple of days before more concrete details of this morning’s tragedy come to light, I would encourage all those involved to seek legal advice from a board certified personal injury attorney as full as possible. Once fault is determined, you may be entitled to recover compensation from the insurance company to cover your property damage, medical expenses and other costs related to the accident.

Here at the Anderson Law Firm, we are happy to offer completely free, no obligation consultations to traffic wreck victims. To speak to a lawyer today, please call toll free at 800-354-6275.

While most of us were celebrating the passing of another year and welcoming the start of 2012 over the weekend, for the family and friends of two North Texas teenagers, the end of 2011 was marred with tragedy.

On Thursday, December 29, Josh Brown, 18, of Weatherford lost control of his pickup truck as he was driving along Midway Road in Springtown. The car veered off the road, colliding with several concrete poles and crashed into a house on Hyde Away Lane, sparking off a huge fire. Fortunately, the residents of the destroyed home were able to escape without injury, but others in Brown’s vehicle were not so lucky.

Brown was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck, as was one of his passengers, Alex Christian, 14, of Aledo. The two other passengers in the truck, Madelyne Mitchell, 13, of Weatherford, and Halston McCue, 15, of Weatherford survived but suffered critical burn injuries. They are currently being treated for at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, respectively.

A candlelight vigil was held for those killed in the wreck on Sunday night. I too, would like to voice my sympathies to the families and friends of both Josh and Alex. I would also like to wish Madelyne and Halston a full and speedy recovery.

It is not clear what caused the accident to occur. Shortly after the wreck, Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Lonny Haschel opined that speed may have been a contributing factor, but there has been no clear determination at this time.

Unfortunately, accidents happen. Bad things happen to good people. One never wants anybody to suffer injuries or lose their life, however, when a tragedy such as this occurs it is important that everyone involved is fully aware of their legal rights and responsibilities. Hospitals and doctors are expensive, yet the medical treatment is essential. If the person determined to be at fault by the police was insured, then you may be entitled to compensation to help cover those bills. To find out more information as it may pertain to your personal situation, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in DFW at 817-294-1900.

A Sansom Park man was killed in a fatal Lake Worth hit and run accident on Christmas morning. Police say that Heinz Schlotter, 59, was walking across the intersection at Roberts Cut Off and Jacksboro Highway at approximately 6.30 am on December 25, when an SUV made a turning through the same intersection, striking Mr. Schlotter. The driver did not make any attempt to stop and render aid, instead fleeing the scene westbound on Jacksboro Highway.

Mr. Schlotter was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth to be treated for his critical injuries, but died four hours later. Police are currently seeking the negligent motorist responsible for Mr. Schlotter’s death. They believe the vehicle involved in Sunday’s tragedy was a 2005 to 2010 model Ford Explorer which was maroon in color. There is likely significant body damage to the vehicle following the crash. The passenger side mirror was recovered at the wreck scene, but it is also suspected that the car would have damage to the passenger side door, window and windshield.

If you believe you might have any information which could help Lake Worth police track down this dangerous driver, please call LWPD at 817-237-1224.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer and wrongful death attorney, I wish to express my sympathies to Mr. Schlotter’s loved ones at this most difficult time. I know that whenever a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle – regardless of whether it’s a car, truck or motorcycle – the chances of survival are slim. Sadly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that such fatalities increased by 4.2 percent in 2010, showing that this is an increasing problem.

If you or someone you love has been hurt while out walking feel free to call the Anderson Law Firm for a completely free consultation on your situation. You may be entitled to much-needed compensation. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

We might have suffered a particularly bad drought here in Texas this year, but as a personal injury lawyer I know that when it eventually does rain in DFW – it pours! When rain and sleet hit our roads, the potential for a car wreck increases – so it’s important that you’re aware of some basic safety tips before you get behind the wheel.

Drive Slower: A wet road is a slippery road. Driving slower will improve your tire traction and give you better grip. It also means you have more time to brake when you spot a potential hazard up ahead.

Brake Slowly: When you’re driving in icy conditions, the last thing you want to do is slam on your brakes. The same is true in the rain. Your car could hydroplane and spin out of control.

Improve Your Visibility: Blast your windshield with heat to defog it and use your wipers. Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you, but make sure you pay attention when they brake so that you’re not forced to make any sudden maneuvers. Similarly, make sure you have your lights on so other motorists can see you clearly.

Avoid Driving Through Water: Standing flood water is a very real danger during and after rain. Try to drive in the middle of the road where possible as water usually collects near the sidewalk. If you do have to drive through standing water, slow down before hand and gently test your brakes afterwards.

Unfortunately, all of these safety tips cannot protect you from reckless idiots who drive dangerous regardless of the weather conditions. If you or a loved one have been hurt thanks to a negligent driver, give me a call for a complimentary, no obligation consolation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

Christmas is often considered the most wonderful time of the year, but it can often be stressful too. There are a lot of decisions to make: Should I attend the office party or the family function? Do I get a real tree or fake? Would Uncle Jack prefer slippers or cologne? The most important decision you make this festive season has an easy answer: Take a cab.

Seriously. If you've had a drink, then leave your car or truck where it is and let someone else drive. 'Tis the season for over indulging after all, and while we're not looking to stop you enjoying yourself, it is important to realize that this is when more people than any other time of the year get behind the wheel when they're way too merry.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that deadly collisions involving intoxicated drivers increase from a daily average of 36 fatalities nationwide to 45 per day over the Christmas period. Throughout the closing days of December into early January each year the figure further increases to 54 a day. Happy New Year indeed.

And yet, people just don't get it. Driving while impaired is illegal. Everybody knows this and yet everyday lives continue to be wrecked as the result of drunk driving-related accidents. Accidents which could have been avoided.

As a Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, I would like to ask you all to make a particular effort this Holiday Season to make a firm promise that you will not get behind the wheel after having a drink. Don’t let your friends do it either. Be safe and be sensible – you could save someone’s life. You might even save your own.

As a DFW car wreck injury lawyer, I know that accidents caused by intoxicated motorists often result in some of the most catastrophic bodily injuries. Frequently, drink-driving collisions in Dallas-Fort Worth result in a fatality. Unfortunately, just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean these very serious problem goes away. In fact, it gets even more serious. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) fatal crashes caused by drunk drivers increase by 50 percent between Christmas and the new year.

In an attempt to reduce the number of deaths on Dallas roads this holiday season, the Dallas Police Department is adding an additional 12 new officers to their DWI squad through the first week of 2012. As a Texas wrongful death lawyer, news of the increased police presence will hopefully result in fewer people getting behind the wheel inebriated this holiday season, but of course there are always some idiots. My hope is that criminals (because that’s what they are) who do get into the driver’s seat drunk are caught and prosecuted. Hopefully the DPD will catch these negligent drivers and as a result fewer people will be killed this December.

If you or a loved one has been hurt by a drunk driver or any negligent motorist, I’d like to invite you to call the Anderson Law Firm for a completely free, no obligation consolation on your case. I’d be happy to explain your legal rights and help you understand whether you might be entitled to compensation. Call me at any time, toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 214-327-8000.

A traffic accident involving a jackknifed 18 wheeler truck shut down Interstate 30 into Dallas this morning causing a commuter nightmare just four days before Christmas. According to reports, the commercial motor carrier vehicle jackknifed and tipped over, rolling across the eastbound lanes of I-30, before eventually flipping and coming to a stop blocking all eastbound lanes. The trucker was taken to be hospital to be treated for minor injuries sustained in the incident. So far, the cause of the wreck has not yet be determined. As a DFW auto accident and personal injury lawyer, I know that it is very important that any crash involving a CDL driver is thoroughly investigated.

This morning’s crash may have caused a great many people a major headache while heading into work, but we should consider it extremely fortunate that no-one was seriously hurt in the accident. As a Dallas-Fort Worth injury attorney, I know that collisions involving 18-wheeler trucks usually cause a tremendous amount of property damage and bodily injuries – and they are frequently fatal.

If you or a loved one is every hurt in an accident involving a truck or bus, it is essential that you consult with an area attorney as soon as possible so that you can be informed of your legal rights and so that a lawyer can start working on your case immediately. The trucking companies will have their own investigators looking into the cause of the accident within hours – so should you.

For a free, no obligation consultation with a DFW traffic accident lawyer today, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900. You may also request a complimentary copy of my book, 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case.

One of the favorite Christmas events in the DFW metroplex is driving through Arlington’s Interlochen neighborhood to drive through the streets of festive light displays. More than 200 homes participate in this annual tradition which attracts thousands of families each year - as a result it can take a few hours to actually see all the houses which are lit up.

Unfortunately, visitors to Interlochen found themselves stuck in traffic for a lot longer than expected last night after a multi-vehicle wreck caused some un-festive frustration. The accident occurred Sunday evening at Bowden Road and Westwood Drive. Police believe that one motorist hit a parked car, initiating a chain reaction of fender benders. Fortunately, no-one was hurt in the string of collisions.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I think this incident serves to remind us all that even in slow moving traffic, accidents can still happen. It is particularly important that drivers stay vigilant and take care to avoid hazards at night time.

I am glad that no-one was injured in this particular wreck. Unfortunately, I know that there are many others that won’t be so lucky. If you or a loved one are injured as the result of another driver’s negligence this holiday season, you owe it to yourself to learn about your legal right to compensation. To speak to an attorney please call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I nothing but respect for commercial truck drivers – I’ve even helped a number of injured truckers get the fair compensation they deserve after being hurt in traffic accidents which were not their fault. Perhaps it is unfair, but truckers generally have a bad reputation as being the bullies of the road. In my experience, the majority of 18-wheeler drivers are honest motorists, who are trying to make a living a living just like the rest of us.

Unfortunately, there are many that are not so honest. In April of last year, for example, the FMCSA decided to crack down on those drivers and companies who routinely falsified their drivers’ logs in an effort to hide hour of service violations designed to keep fatigued drivers off Texas roads. It is now estimated that within the first year alone, 5,700 motor carriers and 128,000 drivers were found to be forging at least 10% of their records. That’s huge public safety hazard!

If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash caused by a negligent truck or bus driver, it is critical that you hire an experienced DFE truck wreck attorney as soon as possible. Time is often of the essence in CDL collisions, so the sooner you have a board certified lawyer on your side, the better. It’s also important that the attorney you hire has a proven track record in handling commercial motor carrier cases as they will be aware of the many ways that untruthful truckers attempt to conceal their lies – and will know the best ways to catch them out on their lies.

I’ve been helping truck accident victims across DFW and throughout Texas since 1991. I know what it takes to fight the trucking companies for the full and fair damages my clients deserve. I offer all new clients a completely free consultation on their situation and there is never any fee unless I win your case. To discuss your case today, please call me toll free at 800-354-6275 or call me locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

As a DFW personal injury lawyer, I have helped the victims of car, motorcycle and truck collisions throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and the North Texas region since 1991. In that time, I’ve seen some utterly terrible accidents which have caused hundreds of thousands in property damage and medical costs for those drivers and passengers who have suffered terrible bodily injuries. The financial cost of being hurt in a traffic crash means it is critical that you consult with a board certified PI and wrongful death attorney to make sure you are fully aware of your legal right to compensation before it is too late.

Some of the worst car crash injuries are the result of side-impact collisions. These accidents frequently occur at intersections when one driver (often drunk or on a cellphone) ignores a red light or stop sign and plows straight into the side of another vehicle who actually had the right of way.

The reason that such accidents cause such severe injuries or even death is because cars are simply not engineered to absorb side-impact crashes to the same extent that they can absorb head-on or rear-end collisions. Even if you have a SUV or other large vehicle, there is still a risk of suffering awful injuries as SUV are extremely prone to rollover in broadside wrecks. According to the NHTSA, accidents resulting in a vehicle rollover are at increased risk of resulting in a fatality.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a side-impact crash or any other traffic accident, it is important that you are fully informed of your legal rights and obligations. Too many accident victims make critical mistakes before they understand the law, which is why I wrote my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case to help the public understand their rights. To order your free copy, please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275).

Speeding is one of the leading causes of fatal traffic accidents in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and throughout North Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) lists speeding as one of the leading causes of car wrecks in the state alongside drunk driving, failure to yield or stop at intersections and following other vehicles too closely.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer and wrongful death attorney, I have helped the innocent victims of many interstate collisions caused by a negligent driver who had been driving in excess of the posted speed limit.

I get that everyone want to get wherever it is they’re going as soon as possible - I understand that no one likes a journey to take longer than necessary – but speed limits are in place for a reason. The faster you drive, the more likely you are to lose control of your car, truck or motorcycle – a risk which is further increased during the winter months as North Texas gets covered in snow, ice and freezing rain. It should also go without saying that the faster you’re traveling prior to a collision, the worse the bodily injuries and property damage which will result.

If you or someone you love has been badly hurt in a crash caused by a speeding motorist, it’s important that you speak to an experienced lawyer who will be able to explain your legal rights as they relate to your personal situation. You may be entitled to compensation.

For a free, no obligation consultation, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at 817-194-1900.

Following a previous offer to provide concerned Chevy Volt owners with complimentary rental cars following several federal side-impacts tests which resulted in fires, General Motors have now offered to buy back Chevrolet Volt vehicles from any owners who are concerned about the alleged risk of the electric car’s battery to catch fire. GM has been at pains to stress that this is not a recall, but rather an effort to ensure their customers are kept happy.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, I know the potential bodily injury which could be caused by a defective or unsafe vehicle. While I was initially impressed by the additional safety offered by electric cars since the batteries offer greater front impact absorption than traditional motor engines, this newly discovered potential for combustion is a big worry.

Further tests need to be conducted. General Motors CEO Dan Akerson has promised that when the cause of the fires is clearly established, Chevrolet will retrofit all 6,000 vehicles currently on the road. If necessary, there will be a mandatory recall. For more information, you are advised to contact your local Chevy dealership.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries due to a malfunctioning car, truck or motorcycle – or any other defective or dangerous device – please contact the Anderson Law Firm for a free, no obligation appraisal of your situation. You may be entitled to compensation. Call us toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.

On Monday, I wrote about the devastation caused by a reckless drunk driver, Brittany Dawn Burton, 25, of Arlington, which played out on I-35W in Fort Worth late on Saturday night. Ms. Burton was arrested after she drove the wrong way down the interstate, causing a fatal multi-vehicle collision which resulted in the death of one man. To make matters even worse, he dangerous and intoxicated actions were all performed while her six-month-old daughter was in the back seat!

Jeffery Lee Hogan, 47, has been identified as the man killed due to Burton’s hazardous conduct. He had swerved to avoid a head-on collision with Burton’s car, resulting in a fender bender with another motorist who had similarly taken evasive action to avoid a crash with the intoxicated driver. As Hogan and the other driver examined the damage to their vehicles on the side of the road, a third driver was forced to make a sudden turn to avoid hitting Burton’s car, and it was this van which ultimately mortally wounded Hogan, who was pronounced deceased at the accident scene.

Burton was initially arrested on charges of intoxication manslaughter and endangering a child, but prosecutors made the admirable decision to increase those yesterday, upping the charge to murder. As a result, Burton faces a possible life sentence in prison because of her drunken actions. She is currently being held at Mansfield Detention Center. Tarrant County Public Prosecutor Richard Alpert said “People [need to] understand that when they commit this kind of act the highest charge possible will be brought against them, and they’ll be held accountable for it.”

As a Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, I couldn’t agree more. Since I first started helping the victims of alcohol-related auto wrecks in 1991, I have seen firsthand the devastation which can result from accidents caused by DUI drivers. That’s why I always take the harshest stance possible against drunk drivers. There is never any excuse to get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking. The fact that this woman did so with her infant child in the car – and that a man is now dead because of her stupid actions – is a prime example of the reckless behavior of drunk drivers.

Yet while this one story is getting a lot of attention in the local media this week, the fact remains that drunk driving crashes occur throughout the DFW metroplex almost every single day. If you or a loved one has been hurt because of the actions of an intoxicated motorist, I’d like to offer you a complimentary copy of my book which is designed to help you understand your civil rights to compensation, prior to consulting with an attorney. To request a free copy, please call my office at 817-294-1900.

Witnesses of a North Dallas car accident said the driver of a BMW was racing another car when he hit a puddle and lost control of his vehicle just before 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The driver of the BMW was speeding on the Northwest Highway when he crossed into oncoming traffic at the intersection of Shady Brook Lane and hit four other vehicles. The BMW burst into flames and the driver was found dead at the accident scene.

Thankfully, nobody else was serious injured in the accident, but the crash did leave a huge mess at the intersection east of North Central Expressway. I understand that speeding is an exhilarating experience to some people, but why do you have to do it on busy roads? There is no excuse for street racing and unlike what some movies like Fast and the Furious show, it is extremely dangerous. Not only do you look stupid street racing, but you could also get a huge ticket, jail time or even worse – end up dead.

As a personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, I already know that anytime you drive you are at a risk for getting into a car accidents. Do you really want to increase those risks by street racing?
It’s sad to me that someone lost their life from street racing. However, thank goodness nobody else was hurt in the wreck.

Have you noticed a change while driving around in Arlington? I can’t say I have, but we should all know that the ban on texting and driving in Agg town went into effect last Friday, November 25. Back in September, the Arlington City Council adopted the ban on texting and driving to prevent distracted driving related accidents in Arlington. Now, it is a Class C misdemeanor for drivers to use their cell phones for anything other than calling in Arlington. Drivers messing with their cell phones for an extended period of time could be pulled over if caught and potentially fined $200.

Signs around Arlington tell drivers: "Don't Text and Drive. In Arlington, it's the law."

As a personal injury attorney in DFW, I’m extremely pleased to see the progress the city of Arlington has made to keep our streets safe. I know that many people oppose bans on texting and driving because it’s too hard to tell if someone is texting and because they see it as an over-reach of government. If you’re one of these people, I invite you to talk to any one of my clients who have been seriously injured by someone who was texting and driving.

Texting and driving is an epidemic in our country. It’s common sense not to be on your phone while you drive, but everybody still does it. Probably the best thing about this law is that it gets people talking and thinking about their safety behind the wheel. Laws like this are worth it, even if it saves just one person from having a distracted driving related car wreck.

A suspected drunk driver caused a fatal multi-vehicle wreck on Saturday by driving the wrong way down I-35W – all the while with her six-month-old baby in the back of the car!

Brittany Burton, 25, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter and endangering a child after her suspected drunken exploits led to the death of a man over Thanksgiving weekend. The epic disaster began at approximately 11:30 pm on Saturday night when Burton drove her Jeep Liberty north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35W in Fort Worth. The driver of a Honda Civic swerved to avoid a head-on collision with Burton’s vehicle, resulting in a collision with another car.

Burton continued to travel in the wrong direction, narrowly avoiding a collision with a Ford work van only because the van managed to swerve out of her path at the last moment. Unfortunately, the driver of the van was unable to miss the two stalled car up ahead and crashed into them, killing the as yet unidentified driver of the second car.

After police responded to a 911 call, Burton was eventually chased down and arrested in the 2300 block of I35W. It was then that police discovered the infant in her car’s backseat.

I am both horrified and disgusted at this reckless woman’s behavior. Getting behind the wheel while drunk is one thing, but to do so with your own child in the car is another matter entirely. The mere fact that she was apparently either indifferent or oblivious to the pile-up she has caused goes to demonstrate just how intoxicated she must have been. An innocent victim is now dead because of her. A family has lost someone dear to them, ruining not just their holiday season, but gravely impacting the rest of their lives.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer and wrongful death attorney, I have a passionate dislike of drunk drivers and have fought on behalf of their victims for more than 21 years. Brittany Burton is without a doubt one of the most irresponsible and dangerous that I have ever encountered. I hope that people hear this story and understand just how serious the results of drunk driving can be. Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time to be merry, but that does not absolve anyone of their responsibilities. There is never any excuse to drive after you’ve been drinking. Bad stuff happens when you do.

In this particular horrific accident, a man’s life has been forever lost, a young child’s life was put in jeopardy by her own mother and tens of thousands of dollars in property damage have been caused. Brittany Burton is currently being held at Mansfield Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond. I hope they make an example of her and deter any other would-be drunk drivers this holiday season and beyond.

Nodding off behind the wheel can be one of the most unnerving things you'll ever experience, but it happens more than you might think.

Here at the Anderson Law Firm we won't judge you if you over-indulge this holiday season. After all, aside from counting our blessings and spending time with loved ones, Thanksgiving is all about eating and drinking far too much! But getting behind the wheel of your car afterward could be a fatal mistake. We all know that you should never drive after you've been drinking alcohol, but if you're as stuffed as a turkey, chances are you'll be feeling sleepy which has its own hazards.

Falling asleep while driving is a very real hazard, particularly after a huge Thanksgiving meal. I know firsthand just how serious an accident caused by a sleepy driver can be - many of the commerical truck wrecks I've handled over the years are the result of overworked drivers trying to operate on far too little rest. Even with Federal restrictions in place to avoid such disasters, many 18 wheeler drivers are forced to brake the rules by their greedy employers who value profits over people.

But of course tired truckers aren't the only motorists who could cause a terrible traffic collision if they fall asleep at the wheel. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that every year approximately 100,000 car crashes are the result of drowsy drivers.

So if you know that you're going to have to drive home after your Thanksgiving dinner, please make sure that you plan ahead.

Obviously you need to stay away from any alcoholic beverages. Ideally, allow plenty of time to digest your meal before heading off. If you're able to take a nap before you have to drive, then that's even better. Having a coffee or other high-caffiene drink can temporarily relieve any drowsiness, but this is just a short term fix.

Remember that if you are involved in a wreck which has been caused by a tired driver, you have legal rights just as with any other auto wreck or other kind of accident. If ever you need us, we're here to help you.

A pickup driver was killed and their two passengers were critically injured after their vehicle was hit by an 18-wheeler truck at approximately 1.30 this morning. Regina Duane, 43, of McKinney, was driving a pickup towing a trailer with three sheep inside when she jackknifed on a particularly wet section of I-35 near Saner Avenue in Oak Cliff. A semi-truck driving in the same direction as the pickup came over the rise and was unable to brake in time to avoid a collision.

The commercial goods vehicle crashed into the pickup’s passenger side, killing Ms. Duane and seriously injuring the two unidentified female passengers, whose ages are believed to be 15 and 26. Both were transported to Methodist Hospital in Oak Cliff to receive medical attention for their life-threatening wounds. The unidentified trucker (employed by Freymiller Transportation in Oklahoma City) was not injured in the accident, but according to Texas state regulations had to undergo a mandatory blood draw. It is unclear at this time whether he will face any charges. A section of I-35 was closed overnight but was reopened before the morning commute.

I would like to offer my sympathies to the family and loved ones of Ms. Duane and to the two girls whom I hope will make a full and speedy recovery. As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know just how devastating a traffic collision involving a large truck can be. Aside from the property damage, they frequently result in bodily injuries necessitating hundreds of thousands in doctors’ fees.

If you are ever hurt in a wreck involving a big rig – even if it is unclear whether the trucker was at-fault – you owe it to yourself to speak to a board certified personal injury and wrongful death attorney to learn about your legal rights. They can help you determine who was negligent and how you can get the full and fair compensation you are entitled to under Texas law. For a free consultation today, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 214-327-8000.

With Thanksgiving marking the start of the Winter Holiday season next week, many families will be traveling to visit relatives out-of-state or simply enjoying the opportunity for a quick vacation. With the state of the economy, most will be driving to their destination rather than spending the money to fly. As a Dallas-Fort Worth auto crash lawyer, I’d like to offer a few tips to make sure your road trip is as safe as possible…

Before you start your journey, make sure that you inspect your car for any potential problems which could ruin your trip. Check the air pressure in all of your tires (including the spare). Make sure that all fluids in your vehicle’s engine are full: this means water in the radiator, windshield wash, coolant, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid and power steering fluid. If you’re unsure about how or where to do this, take your car to the dealership for a quick tune up. A service technician will also be able to check your battery for you – another essential piece of equipment which needs to be in great condition before a November road trip!

Finally, make sure that your wiper blades are working properly. They really need to be working perfectly. If you find yourself driving through rain, hail or snow, it is critical that your wiper blades are working as good as possible in order to preserve the best visibility.

Of course, as a personal injury attorney, I know that even if you take every precaution possible, there is still a chance you could be the victim of another dangerous – drunk? – driver or some other freak accident. But making sure you check out your car before you set out – and being mindful of other road users while driving – should certainly reduce your risk of a collision.

Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving week!

A major truck wreck in Dallas was cleared up just in the nick of time this morning after an 18-wheeler carrying brand new medical supplies overturned on Interstate 30 near Lamar Street around 2 a.m. The tractor trailer spilled out all over the highway and the truck was splayed out on its side for several hours before crews could get it upright again.

Luckily, there were no injuries from the accident and the truck driver was able to escape and is doing fine. Traffic was brought to a stand-still as police had to shut down all lanes of traffic and create an emergency bypass lane while they cleared the 18-wheeler wreckage. Traffic was finally able to resume as normal around 7:20 a.m.

Truck wrecks like this in Dallas almost never happen without injuries and I’m glad to hear that the driver of this big rig is doing fine this morning. If you have had the unfortunate incident of getting injured in commercial truck accident in Texas, contact my law firm. Our injury lawyers are ready to help you after your Texas truck wreck.

A multi-vehicle collision on US 287 near Kennedale and Forrest Hill shortly after 8 am this morning caused a traffic nightmare for commuters traveling along I-20 in both directions, as well as those heading into downtown Fort Worth or to the northern mid-cities via I-820. Three lanes were shut down, causing all motorists to funnel through just one lane. Drivers reported it taking 40 minutes or more to travel just one mile.

So far, there are few known details of the crash which involved at least two cars and one pickup truck. Fort Worth Fire and Police Departments were quick to respond to the wreck along with some members of the Tarrant County Courtesy Patrol. Despite the inconvenience caused to DFW commuters, onlookers did not believe the accident appeared particularly serious. There is no word whether any injuries were suffered in the collision.

As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I hope that those involved in the crash were lucky enough to escape without any serious injuries. Regardless, I would encourage them to see a doctor as soon as possible, just to make sure there are no signs of an injury which may not yet be pronounced. Sometimes whiplash or other common car crash injuries are not apparent until later, especially when you’re still dealing with the shock and adrenaline of being involved in an auto accident.

The section of 287 where this accident occurred is a difficult stretch of roadway as traffic merges from several feeder roads and many vehicles must cross several lanes to ensure they are able to reach their appropriate exit. Motorists who regularly travel this route to work during the week know that fender benders happen on a regular basis. We should consider today’s crash as a reminder to be a little more mindful while dealing with our morning commute. If all road users were a little more patient, such accidents could likely be avoided meaning no lengthy delays or worse.

If you have been unlucky enough to be involved in a Dallas-Fort Worth car wreck – even just a minor fender bender – then you will learn firsthand just how stressful the post-crash experience can be. Even if you’re not seriously injured, you still have the headache of dealing with a property damage claim and other issues which arise because of your collision. It may well be that later in the day after your accident occurred, you start experiencing some muscle aches or other pain. As a personal injury lawyer, I know that not all injuries are immediately apparent after a car crash, but that it is important that you visit a doctor and get yourself checked out anyway – ideally, the same day if possible.

However, it might be that your doctor will refuse to see you if you tell them that you were potentially hurt in an accident. Yes, it does happen; primary care physicians decline to help accident injury victims on a regular basis in North Texas.

Can they do this? Yes. Unless you require emergency medical treatment, your doctor has no legal obligation to help you. Why do they do it? They’re afraid that they won’t get paid. Even if you have health insurance, these doctors are afraid that the insurance company won’t pay them. It is silly that they think this, as they will get paid. I think these doctors are doing their clients a great disservice by mot treating their patients.

So what should you do?

Give me a call. Not only do I know of doctors throughout the DFW Metroplex who are experienced in treating car wreck victims, but I am able to offer them a letter of protection which assures them I will make sure that they get paid as soon as your case against the negligent motorist is settled. For a no obligation, no fee consultation on your situation today, give me a call toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally at 817-294-1900.

If you have to deal with the nightmare traffic in and around DFW on a daily basis, then it might not surprise you to learn that a recent study has declared Texas motorists as the third worst drivers in the country. Only Louisiana and Missouri drivers are more dangerous than Texans, according to the study conducted by Car Insurance Companion.

One of the main reasons why Texan drivers are considered particularly dangerous is the frequent distracted driving habits of Texas drivers. “Inattentive driving, texting while driving [and] cell phone use” are all major factors, according to Jerry Johns of the Southwestern Insurance Information Service.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I have seen firsthand the devastating bodily injury that distracted drivers can cause. The problem is that while most of us understand why it’s so hazardous to use your cellphone or other electronic device while behind the wheel (or eat, or apply your makeup – or whatever), we continue to do it regardless. This is crazy. We know that we’re not just putting other people’s safety in jeopardy – we’re risking our own lives as well!

Distracted driving is dangerous. We all know that. Now we need to actually stop doing it.

I would like to invite you to take a pledge to promise that you will give up texting while driving. Just click this link, take the pledge, and I’ll mail you a free bracelet to wear to remind yourself of the promise you made.

Maybe if we all vow to stop using our cellphone while on the road, Texan drivers can move closer to the safer end of the list the next time around.

As a parent myself, I know that entrusting your child to someone else – whether a babysitter or a daycare facility – can be a very difficult thing to do. It is critical when finding a daycare facility for your children that you do your research and make sure that you are completely satisfied with them before you hire them. After all, you are entrusting your child’s safety with these people!

Unfortunately, not all daycare facilities here in Dallas-Fort Worth take the safety of their client’s sons and daughters as seriously as they should. Accidents can and do happen regardless of how cautious you are, of course, but as a personal injury lawyer, I have handled a number of cases where the negligence of the daycare business and their staff was undoubtedly the cause of some serious bodily injuries.

I recently successfully resolved a claim on behalf of a North Texas family whose child was hurt in an auto wreck when they were riding in the daycare’s minivan. The settlement amount must remain confidential, but the settlement will really help this child later in life as it will fund college and give him compensation when he is a young adult. In this particular case, the extent of this particular daycare’s irresponsible negligence become evident almost immediately. Not only did it turn out that the person driving the van did not have a driver’s license, but they were also speeding – one of the top dangerous driving practice that contribute to fatal crashes. To make matters worse, the van was loaded beyond safe occupancy numbers, meaning there were too many children and not enough seatbelts.

This is an extreme example, but the truth is that things like this happen all the time.

If your child has been hurt while under someone else’s care – or has suffered an injury in any kind of accident – it is important that you get a free consultation with a local child injury attorney to make sure you are aware of your legal rights to damages. To schedule a no fee, no obligation consultation today, give me a call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at either 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000.

A multi-vehicle crash in England on Friday was so large that it has made international headlines. 34 cars and trucks were involved in the collision which killed seven and injured 51 others. The devastating accident is being blamed on a combination of factors including wet roads, excessive speed and poor visibility.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that the magnitude of this wreck cannot be underestimated. The section of road where the pile-up occurred has never been an accident black spot and it seems that it was simply a deadly combination of environmental factors which caused the crash to occur.

The accident took place short after dusk, so the roads were dark. Suddenly, a dark fog descended over the freeway reportedly reducing visibility to just 100 feet. Crash scene experts believe that some 18 wheeler drivers instinctively began to brake because of the potential hazard. Unfortunately, since the speed limit was 70 mph and the roads were slick with recent rain, many other vehicles behind the trucks were unable to slow in time, setting off a chain reaction of deadly crashes. Many of the semi-trailers and passenger cars burned literally to the ground.

This is an absolutely terrible accident and the pictures of the crash scene are utterly horrific. It should go without saying that my thoughts are with the families and loves ones of those who were killed or hurt in this massive tragedy.

At the same time, however, it is entirely possible that a similar wreck could happen in the DFW metroplex. Speeding is certainly a problem here too, and as the weather turns gradually colder and wetter, our roads are prone to similar conditions which are being attributed to causing the England wreck. Let’s all drive carefully out there. Keep your distance between the car in front of you and be particularly cautious of driving in bad weather or after dark.

High speeds are to blame in a fatal Plano car accident that happened around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. Officers were called to the 3300 block of E. Plano Parkway after a pickup truck traveling eastbound at high speeds struck another vehicle, sped off and hit a curb and then flipped over. The driver was ejected from the car and rushed to the hospital where he died a short time later. The other passenger in the truck is in serious, but stable condition.

SUVs and trucks a prone to rollover accidents, especially when driven at high speeds. We assume we are more protected in larger cars like Ford Explorers and Lincoln Navigators, but due to these large car’s chances of rolling over in an accident, that is not always the case. Some studies have even reported that 45% of pickup truck deaths were the result of a rollover crash.

Some of the most minor accidents, like hitting a curb or mailbox, can result in an SUV or truck rollover accident. Accidents like this remind us to watch out speed, even when it feels like our cars can handle it.

A boy from Southeast Texas has died and another is injured after getting hit by a truck on Halloween night. The boys were on the way to a Halloween party when they jumped from their vehicle and tried to run across the road. 12-year-old Ernest Rodriguez, 12 was pronounced dead at the hospital and his friend Christian Balderrana, 11, is still in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Halloween is one of the most fun nights of the year to be a kid, but it can also be one of the most dangerous. I know last night even in my own neighborhood kids were running everywhere and going crazy—I can only imagine what would have happened if the motorists in my neighborhood weren’t paying attention.

Kids are extremely prone to be injured in pedestrian accidents. They don’t have the ability to appreciate danger and will often forget to look both ways before darting out into the street – especially when they’re excited about something. Review pedestrian safety with your children frequently, it’s something that cannot be stressed enough.

Now that the cooler weather is upon us, the Dallas Cowboys are starting to play better and the Texas Rangers are in the World Series, tailgating is once again incredibly popular across in and around Arlington.

Unfortunately, another kind of tailgating – a much more dangerous kind – is also happening. Tailgating is the name given to the practice of driving dangerously close to another vehicle. As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer I’ve handled a number of cases where a car wreck was caused by a tailgater. Sometimes they are motorcyclists, sometimes they are 18 wheeler truck drivers – but they are all extremely serious.

As stressful and annoying as it is to find another car riding your tail, it’s important to remember not to respond angrily. Do not “brake check” them as you’re almost certainly going to cause a potentially fatal accident. Whether they are deliberately tailgating or not, the best course of action is to just try to get out of their way. Let them pass you and get out of your way. Get yourself out of danger.

If you have been in a collision caused by an aggressive driver, then it’s important that you hire a board certified personal injury attorney as soon as possible who can build a case against this dangerous driver to make sure their insurance company pays you the full and fair compensation you deserve to cover any medical expenses you’ve incurred as well as recover any property damage costs. To talk to a lawyer today call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I know that traffic accidents are extremely common in the North Texas area, which is why we must always take every precaution possible whenever we get out on the road. Particularly if you are traveling with passengers – and the passengers are children – it is critical that you do everything you can to ensure you arrive at your destination without getting in a wreck and without anyone being injured.

Unfortunately, in the 20 plus years I’ve been working on car crash cases in DFW, I’ve seen a number of collisions involving daycare vans. Vans are notoriously dangerous because they are extremely likely to rollover if they are involved in an accident. Eight percent of all 15-seater van fatalities are a direct result of the van rolling over after impact.

Passenger vans are so dangerous, in fact, that Texas schools are banned from using them, however, there are no restrictions on other organizations such as churches and daycares from using them. If organizations transporting your child do choose to use a van, they have an obligation to ensure every safety precaution is taken, otherwise their negligence could result in a very serious child injury.

Given that 50 percent of all rollover van accidents (according to the NHTSA) occur when the van is loaded to capacity, this means that a daycare van transporting more children than the van is built for is directly jeopardizing the safety of all those children. The following video from China is a direct example of what not to do:



If you or a loved one have been injured in a Texas auto collision, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

If you occasionally drive outside of Dallas-Fort Worth down to either Austin or San Antonio, you’ll know what a nightmare it can be on I-35; particularly when the interstate shrinks to just two lanes in each direction between Waco and Hillsborough. I’ve spent many hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic in that area and it is incredibly frustrating. Usually, there isn’t even a collision which has caused the congestion; more often than not it’s one semi truck trying to pass a tractor trailer.

Yesterday morning, however, it was a crash which brought I-35 to a standstill near Waco. Predictably, it was an 18-wheeler truck which was responsible. Police say that the truck, which was carrying a tank-like container was too big to pass beneath an underpass, so the trucker performed an emergency stop. Unfortunately, several other motorists following behind him were unable to brake in time and the result was a ten vehicle pile-up including two trucks and eight other cars and pick-ups.

Texas state troopers are still investigating the accident and in particular are focusing on the tanker truck which caused the wreck and whether its oversize load was illegal. As a Texas personal injury lawyer, I know that overloaded or improperly secured cargo has been responsible for many auto accidents over the years. This is negligence on behalf of the trucker and the motor carrier company they work for. If it is determined that their negligence was responsible for Tuesday’s crash, then they are certainly liable to pay compensation to those who suffered personal injury or property damage in the wreck.

I offer a complimentary copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case to all Texas accident victims and their loved ones, because I know that the days following a crash are often very confusing and it’s important that you understand your rights – particularly if you have been hospitalized. To request your free copy, please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

Yesterday, I reported on the Grand Prairie car wreck which claimed the life of one teenage passenger (Carlos Marquez Jr., 15, of Arlington) and injured another three. I am greatly saddened to hear that the driver of the car, Kimberly Pimentel, 17, of Grand Prairie was also pronounced dead yesterday afternoon at Methodist Dallas Medical Center where she had been receiving treatment for her critical injuries.

My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of those involved in the crash. My thoughts are with you at this incredibly difficult time.

The two other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the collision have been identified as Isaiah Rodriguez, 16, of Arlington and Flordeluna Flores, 15, of Grand Prairie. Both remain hospitalized at this time. I wish them a full recovery.

The four friends were all students at Timberview High School in Mansfield. Friends and relatives said that they had performed together in a school play. Police investigating the crash scene believe that Pimentel lost control of her vehicle while passing another motorist on Highway 360, crashing into the median and a tree. The police have ruled out alcohol as a factor in this tragic collision.

A Grand Prairie car wreck claimed the life of one teenager and left three others injured this weekend. The accident took place at approximately 11:30pm on Saturday night on South Texas 360 near New York Avenue. The four Mansfield Timberview High School students were riding in a Lexus driven by Kimberly Pimental, 17, of Grand Prairie. Police believe that Pimental lost control of her car as she attempted to pass a slower vehicle, ultimately crashing into the median and colliding with a tree.

Carlos Marquez Jr., 15, of Arlington, was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Another passenger, Isaiah Rodriguez, 16, of Arlington, was ejected from the car and is currently being treated for critical injuries at John Pere Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Pimental is also believed to be in critical condition and is currently receiving treatment at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The third passenger, Flordeluna Flores, 15, of Grand Prairie, is believed to be in a stable condition.

Police have made it clear that they have no reason to suspect that alcohol was a factor in this tragic accident.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer, I wish to express my most sincere sympathies to the loved ones of Mr. Carlos Marquez Jr. I am very sorry for your loss. I would also like to let the families and friends of the three children still in hospital know that our thoughts are with you. We wish you all a speedy and full recovery.

I know that the students and faculty at Mansfield Timberview High School will be devastated by this terrible news. Last week the school’s head football coach, Cody McCarthy, 29, died of an apparent heart attack. Grief counselors will be at the school today to help the high school community in this awful period of mourning.

Ever heard that rear-end accidents are always the fault of the driver hitting the other car? Yeah, we’ve hear that too and although that is the case 95 percent of the time, there are also those incidents where the car accident isn’t the fault of the behind driver. In Texas there isn’t automatic fault in rear-end accidents.

To explain this a little more, we filmed a video with our personal injury firm’s founding attorney, Mark Anderson. Watch the video and see if you understand how fault is determined in rear-end car accidents.

There has been an absolutely shocking heartbreaking story floating around the web and major news stations about a little girl who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in China. Today, the sad news broke that the 2-year-old Chinese girl has died.

Last week, video surfaced of the little girl lying on the street after getting hit by two cars. The child was ignored by pedestrians and other cars for several minutes until somebody finally stopped for help. The video is difficult to watch and simply too graphic to put on this blog. Rightfully so, these images have sparked a debate about the morality of the Chinese people and human compassion in general.

In Texas, we hear about hit and run accidents all the time in the news and even after more than 20 years of working as a personal injury lawyer, these wrecks get me every time. Why don’t people just stop and help? Even if the fault is yours, the punishment is nothing compared to what you’ll face if you flee the scene and get caught later.

Hopefully, we have more Good Samaritans in America that would never let something like this happen to an innocent little girl.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a hit-and-run driver crashed head-on into a Dallas police officer at the intersection of Inwood Drive and Forest Lane. The police officer, Sr. Cpl. Charles Fleming, was in his squad car heading west on Forest Lane when the suspect ran through a red light and hit him.

The police car was crushed in the front but the suspect’s car, a solid blue pickup truck made in the late 90s, was also severely damaged. The police officer was taken to Baylor Hospital but has already been released and is recovering after this hit-and-run car accident.

Dallas police now need our help in locating the hit-and-run driver. Police said they are looking for a black male that is about 50 years old and driving a blue pickup truck. If you know anything about this car wreck, police are urging you to call DPD at 214-670-5817.

Teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Car accidents have long-time been one of the leading causes of teen deaths in America, but this new study found that three common mistakes - failure to reduce speed, , failure to yield and inattention– made up for 57 percent of all crashes where teens were partially responsible and within their first month of driving
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Researchers conducting the study found that specific types of accidents sometimes occurred at high rates at first for new drivers and declined particularly quickly with experience, like crashes involving left hand turns. In a related AAA Foundation study, in-vehicle cameras were used in cars with teens learning to drive with parents and then the first 6 months of licensed driving without parents in the car. The research found that teens drove much different than when their parents were in the car and the number of close-call car accidents went up significantly.

At my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, we’ve represented so many teens that have been hurt in car wrecks and so many adults who have been injured by teen drivers. When letting your teen drive on their own, don’t push them right into the deep in. Give them increased driving freedom only when they’ve proved they can be a safe driver over a specific amount of time. Just putting extra attention into monitoring when, where and with who your teen driver is riding around with can significantly decrease their risk of a car wreck.

Speed and alcohol don’t go together and unfortunately one group of friends is learning that in the worst way possible. According to police in Garland, an accident involving an SUV carrying five passengers was caused due to a combination of alcohol and car speed. Just before dawn on Wednesday morning, the SUV crashed head-on to a utility pole on the LBJ Freeway (I-635).

A woman died in the wreck and police said the four other passengers were rushed to either Parkland Hospital or Baylor Medical Center. The male driver of the SUV is in critical condition – all of the riders in the car were in their 20s.

It’s like oil and water – drinking and driving just don’t mix. This is such a tragedy for such a young group of friends. Sometimes young people believe they are invincible and drunk driving accidents like this prove that it could happen to you. Please don’t drink and drive – one doesn’t suit the other.

The Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth is a personal injury law firm that holds drunk drivers accountable. If you have been hurt because of a drunk driver, contact one of our accident attorneys today and learn what your legal options are.

Three of the victims of yesterday’s fatal car wreck in Arlington have been identified as twin brothers Michael and Stephen Eckles, 21 (one of whom was driving), and Danielle Ruthstrom, 19. It is believed all three attended Seguin High School in Arlington. Two other victims who are still in critical condition at JPS Hospital in Fort Worth have not yet been publically identified.

Police still do not know what exactly caused the car in which the group was riding to go off the road and crash into a tree, splitting it in half before becoming engulfed in flames. There was speculation that alcohol was a factor as a liquor bottle was found at the accident scene, although a close friend of the Eckles brothers whose home they had left just prior to the collision reported that he noticed nothing unusual about either of them.

The deadly accident happened at approximately 3:00 am yesterday morning at the intersection of Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard and Yaupon Drive, close to Ferguson Junior High School.

I wish to offer my most heartfelt condolences to the families of Michael, Stephen and Danielle. I cannot even imagine the grief you must be experiencing right now. What happened with a tragedy. On behalf of everyone here at the Anderson Law Firm, and I’m sure across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I want you to know that our thoughts are with you.

To the loved ones of those still in hospital: I wish your children as full and speedy recovery as possible. Our thoughts are with you also.

It’s only Monday morning, and already a disastrous single-car accident which occurred in Arlington in the early hours has cost three people their lives and left another two hospitalized in critical condition. At approximately 3:00am this morning, an Arlington patrol officer witnessed a flash of light on Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard between Cravens Park Drive and Yaupon Drive. A Honda Accord carrying four passengers in addition to the driver crashed into a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

According to the police, the driver and a passenger identified as his brother were pronounced deceased at the wreck scene. A third person, a female, died shortly thereafter at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Another two individuals, both passengers in the car, remain in critical condition and are being treated for serious injuries. No names of the accident victims have been released, although police have confirmed the ages of all five individuals range from 17 to 21.

At this stage, a police investigation has not determined what caused the driver of the Honda to lose control, although it is believed that speeding was a factor. Given the rain we’ve had over the weekend after a month-long drought, the roads around DFW are particularly slippery right now, causing hazards for all motorists. Police also reported that a liquor bottle was recovered from the destroyed vehicle, and have noted that alcohol could possibly have been a factor although they cannot confirm whether the driver had indeed been drinking.

Regardless of the causes of this crash, the fact that it is a tragedy is undeniable. I would like to offer my most sincere and heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those whose lives were lost in the accident. I am very sorry for your loss. I would also like to offer my thoughts and hopes for a full recovery to those who remain under the doctors’ care.

Driving on I-35 might not be as bad as you expect this weekend as TxDOT and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation announced they will suspend work on most I-35 projects from early Friday morning until late Monday evening due to traffic expected for the Red River Rivalry game between Texas and OU. Between Oklahoma City and Austin, there will be no lane closures during peak travel periods.

Even though the absence of active construction will speed up traffic, it won’t stop it completely. The transportation agencies in both states are reminding motorists to be patient, expect delays, don't drink and drive, use their seat belt, and don't text while driving. Drivers can expect a traffic tie-up on I-35 in Temple at Crest Drive just north of Waco and southbound in Hillsboro and Belton where lanes go from three to two lanes.

By staying alert and patient and you can avoid a car accident while driving on I-35 this weekend. May the best team win!

- The Anderson Law Firm represents car accident clients all over Dallas and Fort Worth. If you need legal advice after your car wreck, contact our personal injury attorneys today.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth auto wreck personal injury lawyer, I have long campaigned North Texas motorists to switch off their cellphone before getting behind the wheel of their car, truck or motorcycle. Distracted driving is a potentially fatal hazard. If you’re not paying attention to the road ahead – to driving safely – then you are risking your own life, the life of your passengers and anyone else who is unfortunate enough to be on the road near you at that time.

Think about how long it takes you to look down and read or send a text message. Now think about what potential danger you might miss or fail to notice in time: the 18 wheeler ahead of you breaking, for example; or a child running across the street. If you’re not paying attention, the results can be devastating. I know because I’ve helped the personal victims of people injured in such accidents, and the relatives of those who’ve lost someone to a distracted driving wrongful death collision too.

A new study by the Texas Transport Institute (TTI) has found that distracted driving is even more dangerous than previously thought. In fact, a distracted driver’s response time is double the reaction time of a focused, concentrated driver; taking up to five seconds longer. To put this in context, at 30 mph a vehicle will travel 220 feet in five seconds. At 60 mph, it will travel 440 feet. That means a huge risk for a major crash.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 5,500 people were killed in wrecks attributed to a distracted driver. A further half a million were injured. Remember too, that a large proportion of distracted driving victims are actually the distracted drivers themselves.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in accident caused by a distracted driver, it’s important that you consult with an experienced trial attorney to make sure you are fully aware of your legal responsibilities and your right to compensation to cover any medical expenses or other costs which you have incurred following your run-in with the negligent driver. For a free, no obligation consultation, please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or call locally at 817-294-1900.

An 18-wheeler carrying a full load of caught fire Sunday night around 11 p.m. in Terrell, TX.
The semi-truck carrying about 48,000 bottles of wine was headed from California to Georgia on Interstate 20 when the driver realized his tractor was on fire. Luckily, the trucker was able to get out of the truck safely. The fire consumed the cab of the truck, the trailer and a half-acre grass around it. The truck was virtually melted before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. All eastbound lanes of I-20 were close for a couple hours due to the truck accident.

Trucks all driving all around us in Dallas and Fort Worth are carrying flammable materials just like this one in Terrell. Thankfully, this accident ended without anyone getting hurt, but rarely is that the case in most 18-wheeler accidents. If you have been hurt in a truck wreck in DFW and need to explore your legal options, contact the Fort Worth semi-truck accident lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm today.

If you’re in a car which is involved in a multi-vehicle traffic collision, the chances are high that you’re going to suffer some very serious injuries and need the services of an experienced Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney. Imagine then, how much worse your injuries might be if you were riding a motorcycle or a bicycle with virtually no protection, let alone such luxuries as safety belts or air bags. North Texas motorists are notorious for not paying attention or taking proper care when driving around motorcyclists, and as a Tarrant County accident and injury lawyer, I am concerned about the safety of regular cyclists too as their number is expected to rise with the increased number of bike lanes in both Fort Worth and Arlington.

Perhaps the greatest challenge is educating drivers of cars and trucks not only on how the importance of remaining highly aware of their two-wheeled fellow road users, but also on cyclists’ right to be on the road in the first place. Unfortunately, when it comes to city streets, bike riders are often treated as first class citizens. Drivers think nothing of driving too close for comfort to cyclists, speeding past or even of parking or otherwise blocking the designated bike lanes. This is not just a problem in Dallas-Fort Worth, but in all American cities.

The video below shows perhaps the worst example of a motorist who not only fails to respect a cyclist’s right to be on the road but who actually intentionally hits him then drives off. The video, which was shot in Washington DC, clearly shows that the cyclists is passing a series of parked vehicles when a pickup driver verbally and physically assaults him, resulting in the cyclist crashing to the road and the hit-and-run driver disappearing into the distance.

Unbelievably, despite the video evidence of the assault and an independent witness who confirmed the wreck was intentionally caused by the pickup driver, no assault charges were brought against the dangerous motorist. That is ridiculous, disgusting and absolutely absurd!

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I’ve warned numerous times of the very real danger posed to cars and motorcycles alike by the huge 18-wheeler trucks which travel throughout the metroplex in ever-increasing numbers. A smaller vehicle doesn’t stand a chance against a much larger commercial truck and it’s inevitable that significant property damage and personal injuries are going to result.

Yesterday, however, a professional truck driver lost his life in a single vehicle wreck in Arlington. Police report that at approximately 4.15pm, a semi was driving west on Interstate 20, near Texas 360 when, the big rig somehow drifted off the highway and crashed on the roadside, apparently suffering severe damage to the cab portion of the truck. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the deceased trucker nor the cause of the crash.

While I would like to express my sympathy to the family and friends of the driver whose life was lost, I think we should also be thankful that no one else was injured in this terrible accident. This terrible tragedy serves to remind us all that despite their giant trucks, these men and women are just as vulnerable as the rest of us in the event of a collision.

Yesterday I wrote about a city of Irving worker getting hit by a suspected drunk driver while picking up highway cones and it seems another accident just like it happened in Dallas early this morning. A Dallas road construction worker was seriously hurt after a motorist hit him.

Dallas highway crews had the two right lanes of I-30 near St. Francis Avenue coned off when a Honda drifted into the construction zone and hit the worker. When police got to the scene of the accident they performed a field sobriety test on the Honda’s driver and what did they find? Well for one, that the guy was intoxicated and also a little white powdery substance in his pocket. Now the impaired driver faces an Intoxication Assault charge and possible more charges as authorities test the white powder in his pocket to see if it’s illegal drugs. (My guess is yes.)

Drunk or drugged drivers don’t only face criminal legal action against them for their crimes; their victims can take civil action against them, too. At the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, we sue drunk drivers for hurting our clients. Many people don’t understand that the civil case is very different from the criminal case the drunk driver faces. Although the criminal case will get the drunk driver punished either by paying a fine, serving time or restricting a driver’s license – it will do nothing to pay back those that were innocent victims in the accident. Only in a civil case can you ever win money for the injuries the drunk driver forced you to have.

Learn about your legal rights after a drunk driving accident in DFW – you have a lot more options than you think.

Most of us don’t even think about how dangerous it is to get in the car and head out somewhere. We just don’t think about it. We do it every day, and yet we rarely stop to think that we’re really putting our lives at risk every time we are either a passenger or a driver on the roads of Dallas-Fort Worth. As a North Texas personal injury lawyer, I know that deadly wrecks happen throughout DFW on a daily basis. Some are caused by drunk drivers, but not every crash is the cause of such gross negligence.

On Saturday afternoon, for example, Juana Mancilla, 71, of Grand Prairie, was killed in a fatal two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Dickey Road and Texas 161 in Grand Prairie. Mancilla was a passenger in an SUV which allegedly ran a stop sign putting in the path of a van which hit its side. According to police, Mancilla was ejected from the SUV which then rolled over, landing on top of her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both the driver of the SUV, Jose Cruz Mancilla, 41, and the driver of the van, Billy Bannister, 71, as well with four additional passengers in the SUV were taken to hospital by ambulance to be treated with what were described as non-life threatening injuries.

I don’t want to speculate on the cause of this terrible accident, since clearly as a passenger in the SUV, Mrs. Mancilla had no control over the vehicle she was riding in at the time of the collision. Naturally, my thoughts and sympathies go out to all those who were hurt in the wreck, as well as their loved ones.

Unfortunately, while it does not appear that there was any significant negligence prior to this accident taking place, it goes to show just how suddenly and without warning an auto accident can occur. We should all realize that getting behind the wheel is the most dangerous thing we do every single day. And we should all resolve to take much greater care while driving around DFW.

A six vehicle accident shut down multiple lanes of Northeast Loop 820 near Rufe Snow Drive and Meadow Lakes Drive in North Richland Hills this morning. While the full details of the multi-vehicle wreck have not yet been made public it is understood that an 18 wheeler tractor trailer was involved in the collision. At least one injured person was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. The crash happened around 5.40 this morning, although eastbound lanes remained closed for several hours while authorities investigated the scene.

While my thoughts are with the family of the hospitalized motorist, as a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney, I am surprised that just one individual was hurt badly enough to need immediate medical attention. Traffic accidents cause devastating injuries in any situation, but whenever a commercial truck is involved, the injuries are likely to be so much worse. If you or a loved one was involved in this morning’s crash, I would encourage you to go see a doctor as soon as possible – today if you can – just to get yourself checked out in case. It would be awful if you discovered you had a serious problem a few days or weeks later, but neglected to seek treatment right away.

Since I’ve been practicing personal injury and wrongful death law throughout North Texas since 1991, I know that there are many mistakes which traffic accident victims are prone to make – many within the first 48 hours – which could seriously ruin their chances of recovering the full and fair compensation they deserve later on! For a free no obligation consultation on your personal situation, or to request a complimentary copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case please call 800-354-6275.

So many auto accidents occur throughout the North Texas region that’s it’s easy to become somewhat complacent about them. For most people, the worst you are ever affected by a rollover wreck is that it causes you to take twice as long to get home as usual. As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, however, I see things rather differently. Every day I work for those people who have been seriously injured in such collisions. I also work for the families of those whose loved ones were not lucky enough to survive.

Fatal traffic accidents are on the rise. It doesn’t matter if you ride a motorcycle or drive a truck. Statistically, getting in your vehicle and setting out on the road is the most dangerous thing you will do today.

I was upset to hear of two tragic crashes which occurred yesterday:

In Weatherford, three people died in a head-on collision on Farm Road 2421. Police believe that Jorge Flores, 16, lost control of his car, which veered into the oncoming lane of traffic, hitting a pickup driven by William H. Morris, 53. Both drivers, along with Flores’ passenger, Alexandra Hernandez, 13, were pronounced dead at the crash scene.

In Arlington, police believe alcohol was a factor in an intersection wreck caused by Walter Tendi Chiyausiku, 29. Chiyausiku failed to stop at the four-way intersection, causing his SUV to strike a car driven by a mother and her child. Chiyausiku was arrested at the scene. The mother and son were taken to Cook’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. The boy died this morning.

If someone you loved has been taken from you by a negligent motorist, it’s important to understand your legal rights and to consult with a wrongful death attorney. I offer no fee, no obligation consultations. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

The man responsible for the death of 17-year-old Francisco Reyes has been caught by Irving police. Last week, we wrote about the hunt for the man responsible for this fatal hit-and-run car accident.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 14, Reyes was walking on the Highway 183 south service road when he was hit from behind. From debris left at the scene of the accident, police were able to conclude that it was a 2010 or 2011 Dodge Challenger that killed Reyes and fled.

Police got a tip that a Dodge Challenger matching the vehicles description was in a Denton body shop for repairs. From that tip, authorities were able to arrest 29-year-old John David Wright and charge with a third-degree felony for leaving the scene of the accident.

At the Anderson Law Firm, we are glad to see this investigation come to an end – there are too many criminals responsible for fatal car accidents that never get caught in Texas. We’re happy to see that this man will have to face the music and pay for his actions.

Are trucks in New York too big for their bridges? It seems to be the case in one town in particular where large commercial trucks simply can’t clear the overpass. In the town of Binghamton on Tuesday, a tractor trailer hit a railroad bridge and got jammed underneath it as the truck was simply too tall to pass underneath. It’s the third truck accident in two months at the same bridge.

In the video shot by TV station WBNG, you can see how the bridge crushed all the cars the tractor trailer was carrying. Drivers are warned of the bridges low clearance, but either they aren’t paying attention or just can’t find another route to get where they’re going.

This got me wondering about the bridges in Fort Worth and the rest of DFW. Do we have bridges that eat trucks like this in our area, too? As a personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, this makes me question the bridges structural integrity. It’s been hit so many times; can it support the train that drives over it? Obviously, the truck drivers in Binghamton need to pay more attention to low bridges like this and the city needs to ensure all motorists that the bridge is safe to drive under.

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident in Dallas-Fort Worth, chances are that you’ve asked yourself this question. Particularly if the insurance adjuster assigned to your car wreck case was able to help you get your vehicle repaired without much hassle, you might wonder whether it’s even worth paying an attorney to handle your personal injury claim.

The honest truth is that sometimes it might not be worth it. In my 20 years of experience, I’ve found that generally if the total amount of medical expenses and loss of income is less than $5,000, you can probably handle your claim without an attorney and still expect to receive the full and fair settlement you deserve. However, once you start taking into account all past and future doctor bills, hospital visits, lost wages and reduction in quality of life, the dollar amount goes up. The higher the amount of money you think you deserve, the more likely it is that you need a lawyer to fight the insurance company for you.

Not convinced? Then consider this study funded by the United Sates insurance industry that found that personal injury victims who hired a lawyer, netted on average 3½ times more money that people with identical injuries who decided to go it alone. Do the math: even if your lawyer’s fee was a third of the total settlement, that means you’d still come out with more than double if you’d tried to take on the insurance company alone.

For an honest and fair assessment of what your Texas personal injury case is really worth, give me a call toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275). There is no obligation to hire me as your attorney, and there is absolutely no fee unless I win your case.

At my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, we hear about the same kinds of car accidents caused by drunk drivers over and over. The worst thing about them is that they are completely preventable!

Early Sunday morning, Michael Garza, stepped out of the Honda he was riding after it crashed into a barrier on Interstate 20 in Grand Prairie. While checking the damage to his car, another vehicle slammed into him and his Honda ending his life.

What caused the car Garza was riding in to hit the barrier? The answer could lie in what the driver, Taja Deweese, was drinking that night. According to police, Deweese hit the barrier near an exit because she was intoxicated.

The driver of the Jeep that hit the Honda was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center with serious injuries. His son who was also a passenger only suffered minor injuries.

In science class, you always hear every action has a reaction. Look at this car wreck for example. One little thing can cause a chain reaction around you. We can’t control the actions of others, but we can control our own. Don’t drink and drive and especially don’t get into a car with someone you know has been drinking – even if you are too incapacitated to drive yourself. We represent far too many clients who have been injured by drunk drivers at my personal injury law firm in Fort Worth. There is always another alternative to drinking and driving – don’t risk it or your life could change forever.

No-one ever wants to be involved in a car crash, let alone seriously injured. Unfortunately, however, serious traffic collisions happen throughout Dallas-Fort Worth on a daily basis. If you or a loved one has been injured in a wreck which wasn’t your fault it is wise to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can explain your rights and responsibilities as a Texas accident victim.

When a new client hires me as their attorney, I handle everything on their behalf. I deal with the insurance company. I can make sure that they get the medical treatment they need. I pay for all case expenses upfront; this includes obtaining medical records, filing the lawsuit, depositions and hiring experts to help explain the evidence. Only when a successful settlement is achieved do I take my payment. My clients do not have to cut me a check every month, or each time I get a bill related to their case. I handle it all, allowing my clients to focus on recovering from their injuries and getting better.

For a free, no obligation consultation on your personal injury claim, call the Anderson Law Firm at either 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000.

I’ve said it hundreds of times before, and it seems that certain idiot drivers are determined for me to say it several hundred more times: don’t drink and drive. There is never an excuse. Since I first started helping personal injury victims throughout Dallas-Fort Worth 20 years ago, alcohol-related traffic accidents have caused far too many pointless injuries and fatalities throughout the metroplex. I have helped many of those people who have been injured by a drunk driver as a Texas car crash lawyer.

Yet people continue to wreck both their lives and the lives of others by making to inexcusable decision to get behind the wheel after having a drink. At approximately 1:45 this morning, for example, a woman suspected of drink-driving drove the wrong way down I-20 in Arlington and sideswiped an 18-wheeler. Both drivers were transported to John Peter Smith Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. As a result of the collision, police were forced to close the westbound lanes of I-20 near Green Oaks Boulevard for several hours, interfering with the morning drive for thousands of commuters.

As if that wasn’t enough, Arlington emergency services were already busy dealing with the aftermath of two other fatal accidents which occurred within the previous few hours:

At 10.30pm yesterday a lone driver was speeding down Eden Road near Kennedale when he lost control of his vehicle and flipped off the road. The deceased was a 30-year-old male. His name has not yet been released by authorities.

Later, at approximately 1.30am, a passenger riding in pickup was ejected and killed after the pickup was struck from behind by a hit and run driver. Police are still searching for the driver responsible for the collision, whom they believe was driving a white Nissan truck. Anyone who may have any information is asked to contact Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5635.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash caused by a negligent motorist, regardless of whether alcohol was a factor, you are invited to call the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at the Anderson Law Firm by calling toll free at 800-354-6275.

School’s around the corner for kids in Fort Worth and Dallas and for parents that means preparing our children for the new school year. We get them ready with new school supplies and clothes, but if you have a teen driver – you may want to put them through a refresher course on how to be a safe driver. You see, even though teen drivers only represent 7 percent of the licensed population, they are involved in 20 percent of all fatal car accidents.

Car accidents are the leading killer of teenagers in America, and as personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, I can tell you that almost all of these accidents in DFW could have been avoided. If your teen is preparing to drive to school for the first time this year, or even if they drove last year, take the time to go over some basics of the road and set down some ground rules that could potentially save their life.

Teen drivers in Texas have a high rate of car crashes because they simple don’t have that much driving experience. They get distracted easily, have trouble spotting driving risks and fail to choose the appropriate speed. Here are some easy ways to protect your teen driver:

•Limit or restrict completely the number of friends they are allowed to drive: studies show that by just adding 1 teen passenger, the fatal crash risk nearly doubles.
•Limit their driving at night and on the weekends
•Remind them to always where a seatbelt and put down their cell phone: Distracted driving and not wearing a seat belt are some of the leading killers of teens. As a parent you are part of the solution! Lead by example: put your seat belt on and don’t mess with your phone while you drive. Also, don’t add to the problem by calling your teen while you know they’re driving. Set up a plan with your teenager to have them call you as they about to drive to and from places – not while they are in the act.

Car accidents are avoidable when you follow the basic safety rules, even for teens. Use this time to remind your teen about safe driving habits and also what to do if they get in an accident. As always, you’re better safe than sorry.

“I know it’s not smart,” my client explained “but I don’t do well with stress.”

My client had called to tell me that he had decided to throw in the towel. “I’m willing to accept whatever the insurance adjuster is willing to offer,” he clarified.

He sounded like his mind was made up, but I really hoped that it wasn’t. I understood his concerns, they were perfectly natural. I’d had this exact same conversation with countless other personal injury victims before. Usually I was able to make them understand that deciding to go it alone without a lawyer up against the bullying might of the insurance company is rarely a wise move.

In this particular instance, my client was afraid of the stress of pursuing a claim. Yet he was ironically attempting to handle the claim process alone – without an attorney. I explained to him that many clients actually hired me simply to take the stress off them. When you hire a personal injury attorney, we deal with the stress for you. We’ll file the paper work, negotiate with the insurance adjuster and handle everything. You can just focus on getting better and putting your life back together.

To make matters worse, by deciding to pursue his claim for compensation alone, and by willingly accepting an insufficient low settlement, my client could look forward to plenty of future stress trying to cover the cost of his medical treatment for his injuries. Bare in mind, of course, that unpaid hospital bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in America, and that accident injury victims who hire a lawyer typically recover 3.5 times as much than those who don’t.

Just because Texas law entitles you to full and fair compensation for your injuries, it doesn’t necessarily mean the insurance company will willingly give it to you. Hiring a board certified trial lawyer is the best way to simultaneously reduce your personal stress during the claim process while maximizing the compensation you may receive.

For a free, no obligation consultation on your personal situation, please call me in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.

It was a ride young Gatlin Jeter will never forget – and it was all caught on camera. Last Saturday, Jeter was on his way to get something for his grandmother when he could not get the cruise control on his Ford F-150 to disengage. Jeter was going 60 mph headed toward what he thought was an imminent car accident.

"I went to slow down, when I hit the breaks, the breaks wouldn't go in. The breaks wouldn't move at all. So at that point I realized that something's wrong. I tried turning the keys. I tried using the gear shift. Nothing worked. Nothing moved,” Jeter said.

He frantically called 911 and told them what was happening. Officer Rocky Carrell got the call and was able to track down the speeding truck in the nick of time. Just a few streets from crowded downtown Huntsville and a busy intersection, Carrell was able to use his police SUV to stop the truck.

I heard this story on the Today show this morning. Terrifying, to say the least. Here’s the video of how the police officer was able to stop the truck:

Is there a product liability issue with the truck’s stuck cruise control? It could’ve been possible if the run-away vehicle wasn’t stopped, although Ford said they can’t comment on the incident and aren’t aware of any safety issues with the truck’s cruise control system.

I’m just glad that everyone was safe and that they driver of this rogue vehicle knew what to do – call the police. On my personal injury blogs, I write about negligent drivers causing car wrecks a lot, but for once I’m able to write about one that was prevented.

We’ve written several times throughout the year our personal injury law firm’s stance on red light cameras at Texas intersections, but now a new study really proves what we thought all along. In the first statewide study of its kind, the Texas Transportation Institute found a 25 percent drop in crashes at intersections with red-light cameras.

Critics of the cameras say they are an unjust way for the city to make money and discount the cameras accuracy; however our Fort Worth car accident attorneys say numbers don’t lie. In the report released Monday, Dallas had a 38 percent drop in red-light crashes at intersections where cameras had been up and running for two years and Fort Worth saw a 24 percent drop in collisions where cameras had been installed for one year.

Sure, nothing is perfect. These cameras can make mistakes, but you can always contest your red-light camera violation. In our opinion, anything that deters red-light violators from cause accidents is a good thing. We are glad to see that this program is working and hope that it continues to deter people from speeding through intersections when they shouldn’t.

Although the Anderson Law Firm doesn’t handle traffic tickets, we can help you in other areas of personal injury law like car accidents, truck wrecks and child injury cases.

We’ve all heard the PSA “Drink, Drive, Go To Jail” from Texas law enforcement agencies, but for people in San Antonio, it’s not just jail time that will get you. Digital billboards in the San Antonio area will now feature the names and photos of suspected drunken drivers who are sought.

It’s a new effort by police and Bexar County authorities to get felony offenders and people sought for charges like intoxication assault or vehicular manslaughter to surrender. The program is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and use of about a dozen electronic billboards has been donated by Clear Channel Outdoor.

What would it take to get these billboards in North Texas? I think this is a great idea, and not just because I work as a personal injury attorney who handles drunk driving accident cases. To me, anyone who would drive drunk and completely disrespect the law should be publicly humiliated. Not only would more of these criminals get caught, but I think it would also deter people from drinking and driving. Whatever works to make our streets safer is ok with me – and I never mind a really funny mug shot either.

What do you think? Would you like to see these types of billboards in Fort Worth? Do you think it would help make people smarter drivers?

As a Fort Worth commercial truck accident lawyer I know that auto collisions involving big rigs are always extremely serious and frequently fatal. A young couple were killed in a deadly 18-wheeler crash in Fort Worth early this morning. Police report that the wreck occurred on westbound I-30 near Las Vegas Trail around 2.30am. The driver of a Suzuki Forenza, identified as Antonio Andrade (22) and an unnamed female passenger (20) died after crashing into the back of a stopped 18-wheeler. The trucker – who has also not yet been identified - was not injured in the wreck.

Early reports suggest that the commercial truck was completely stopped when the car ran into the back of it, although the police investigation is ongoing. Thorough investigations are always essential whenever someone is injured or dies in a collision with a trucking company vehicle. This is because trucking companies and their insurance providers do whatever they can to protect their profits, so they want to avoid paying out claims for compensation in instances when someone was hurt due to their employee’s negligence, if that was the case.

Whenever someone is injured in a commercial truck crash, it is essential that they hire an experienced truck accident injury attorney as soon as possible so that you have someone who understands the legal process making sure that your rights are respected and protected, and to make sure that you get the full and fair damages you might be entitled to. For a free consultation on your Texas truck wreck claim, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

Tonight, HBO premiers a controversial documentary on the horrifying car accident in New York caused by Diane Schuler. The car accident was one of them most upsetting crashes in recent memory. Two years ago this Tuesday, Diane Schuler drove two miles in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway, ultimately killing eight people including herself, her daughter and three nieces. At first there was confusion as to how an accident of this magnitude could have happened, but after toxicology report was released the cause of the accident was clear. Diane was drunk and high at the time of the accident with a blood alcohol level of .19 percent –what equals about 10 shots of liquor.

It’s kind of disturbing to admit, but because of my job as a personal injury attorney in Fort Worth, hearing about car accidents is just an everyday thing for me. But accidents like this one will shake you to the core. Apparently, some of Diane’s family members cannot believe she would have driven drunk with her kids. Instead they think somehow there must have been a mistake with the reports or that Diane had a medical emergency that caused the accident. This documentary is part of their attempt to answer their lingering questions about what caused such a terrible thing to happen.

Since I haven’t seen the film, I can’t say what the movie discovers. I do know it’s hard to argue with toxicology reports. But still, it’s very hard to believe that someone everyone described as a loving and devoted mother could endanger the lives of their children by driving drunk. I guess sometimes you never truly know people. Whatever the cause of this accident, it is a reminder to all parents to never drink and drive, especially if your kids are in the car. Even a couple margaritas at dinner can be too many. Drunk driving accidents can happen to anyone and just because you think you can handle your liquor doesn’t mean you can.

“There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane” premieres tonight on HBO at 8 o’clock.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that it is not always a negligent driver which is the cause of a fatal traffic collision, but sometimes other factors such the road itself. I was saddened to learn of a fatal single car accident which occurred last night, about 40 miles north of DFW in Leonard in Fannin County.

Brandon Richards (19, of Dodd City) was driving the car as it crested a hill and became airborne. According to the police investigation of the crash scene, Richards then lost control of the vehicle which flipped and rolled over several times before coming to a stop. Both Richards and one of his passengers, Brian Hilliard (15) were taken to Parkland Hospital by helicopter with critical injuries. Their current conditions are unknown. The two other passengers in the car, Alexandria Hilliard (16) and Zachary Kelton (19, of Ector) were pronounced deceased at the site of the wreck.

My thoughts are with the families and friends of all of these young victims. This is a terrible tragedy which has occurred.

The crash happened on FM 896 which local residents describe as narrow and hilly. This latest disaster is the latest in a number of fatal accidents which have occurred in this same stretch of road. As a Texas car wreck wrongful death attorney, I hope that the local authorities in Leonard are prompted by this seriously poor record to review the allegedly hazardous road conditions where this wreck occurred and take whatever action is necessary to ensure that more lives are not needlessly lost.

Although I have practiced personal injury law in the DFW area for 20 years, I am always upset to learn that someone has lost their life in a car crash. Wrecks happen every day, of course, but we should not forget that these are people who have lost their lives. They leave behind many loved ones who must now move on without them.

One such tragedy occurred on FM 1417 on Thursday night. Taylor Williams, 17 from Sherman, Texas, was killed in a traffic collision. She was a passenger in a car which was t-boned by a pickup truck. Police say that Williams died at the scene. One other girl who was riding in the vehicle was careflighted to a hospital in Dallas. The driver of the car, another passenger and the driver of the pickup truck were also all taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Police are still investigating the conditions that caused the fatal accident to occur.

I would like to offer my condolences to Taylor’s friends and family. This is undoubtedly a most difficult time for you all. My thoughts are with you.

In Texas, most people over the age of 18 probably get behind the wheel of a car every day and over time, driving to and from places feels like second nature. If you’ve driven a number of years in Dallas or Fort Worth and haven’t gotten into an accident, you may take more risks while driving like talking or texting on your cell phone, eating, putting on makeup or messing with your iPod. As a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth, I know that no matter how many years you’ve been driving in Texas, failing to give your full attention to the road can be deadly for yourself and the other drivers around you.

Just last week, a Burleson car accident caused by driver inattention killed a newborn baby boy. Kayla Roberts of Cleburne was driving along FM 1902 in Burleson when Daniel McWhorter crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with Roberts’ truck. Roberts’ was air lifted to a hospital in Fort Worth where she delivered her baby, Adam Roberts. The baby was pronounced dead the next day.

This accident is truly upsetting because it has affected the lives of such young people -not only the baby boy, but also 18-year-old Daniel, who caused the accident. Police said alcohol, drugs or cell phones weren’t the cause of the accident, just a driver not paying attention. Now Daniel must live with this on his conscious for the rest of his life.

If we’re being honest, I’m sure everyone can admit that they’ve been a distracted driver at some time or another in their life. But when I read about accidents like this, it reminds me that my full attention always needs to be on the road. Preventing distracted driving is a cause me and my personal injury law firm are very serious about. We especially want to stop young distracted drivers the most, so we’ve created a program called Teens Against Distracted Driving. Too many young people have been taken from this world in distracted driving car accidents. These car wrecks don’t have to happen – take our pledge to become a safer driver.

A charter bus owned by Dallas-based Mares Bus Lines swerved off the road and flipped in San Marcos early Friday morning, sending all 21 passengers and the driver to the hospital. Although there were no fatalities in the charter bus crash, the severest injury belonged to a 4-year-old girl who had to have her leg amputated. Other injuries from the bus wreck ranged from head trauma and broken bones to cuts and bruises; one woman even had to be put on life support.

The bus was heading to Dallas from Laredo on I-35, when investigators said the driver over-corrected and flipped the bus. The bus wreck blocked the highway on both the north and southbound lanes near San Marcos for several hours.

Investigators don’t believe there were any mechanical issues that led to the accident. The Dallas company who owns the charter bus, Mares Bus Lines, has had five violations for unsafe driving and 12 violations for driver fatigue in the past two years according to the Department of Transportation. Six months ago, another bus in the company’s fleet was involved in a wreck that injured three people.

My background as a Fort Worth personal injury attorney and bus accident lawyer tells me that bus wrecks like this usually don’t end well. When I read this headline I was actually surprised and thankful that more people weren’t seriously injured. I’m left wondering, what happened to cause the accident? The spokesperson for the Dallas bus company said that although they have had minor incidents in the past, they’ve received favorable ratings and the bus driver involved in this wreck has not every had any problems. But I did a little digging on this charter bus company in records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and in the last two years, their bus drivers have received five violations for unsafe driving and 12 violations for driver fatigue. Was this accident caused by a bus driver falling asleep at the wheel? All the signs are there that it could’ve been: it was 4 a.m. and the driver veered off the road although there was no obstruction that would have made him do that.

If the bus accident was caused by driver fatigue, these bus passengers could file a personal injury claim for their damages. Bus companies and their drivers must adhere to certain driving rules and are held to a higher standard than regular motorists. Driving more than the mandated hours allowed is a clear sign of negligence and if investigators find that this bus driver did violate those driving rules, the passengers injured in this wreck would definitely have a right to pursue a claim against the bus line. For more information on how to get a personal injury claim started, visit my website where you can learn all you need to know on the ins and outs of making a claim.
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This commentary was provided by accident and injury attorney, Mark Anderson. If you’ve been injured in a car, truck or bus accident in the Dallas Fort Worth area, call the Anderson Law Firm at 817-294-1900 for a free case review. Our injury lawyers can help get you the compensation you deserve for you accident injuries.

A very sad day for the MTV family and “Jackass” lovers everywhere as one of the founding members of the popular stunt show, Ryan Dunn, was killed early this morning in a Pennsylvania car accident.

According to CNN, Dunn and another passenger in his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 were killed in the fiery crash on State Route 322 in West Goshen, Pennsylvania. At this time, authorities say speed may have been a factor in the car accident, although they are still investigating the cause of the wreck at this time.

Unfortunately, there could be another reason Dunn crashed his car. Just hours before the accident, Dunn posted a photo of himself and two friends drinking at a local bar. It’s unclear yet whether alcohol played a role in the car accident, but witnesses at the bar said Dunn seemed to be intoxicated when he left.

Only time will tell if Dunn’s car wreck was caused because he was drunk driving, speeding or if it was just an absolute accident. But what is important to remember from this story is that car accidents can happen to anyone. It’s crazy to think that after all the dangerous acts Dunn attempted on Jackass, that he would lose his life in a car wreck.

Car accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Don’t take your life for granted and always be cautious when you get behind the wheel. Our hearts go out to Ryan’s family. We will surely miss laughing at his insane stunts on Jackass.
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This commentary was provided by Texas Board Certified personal injury attorney, Mark Anderson. If you have been hurt in a car accident in Fort Worth, call our DFW car accident lawyers at 817-294-1900.

On Wednesday, the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an earlier decision by Austin, Texas US District Judge Lee Yeakel concerning solicitation rules for chiropractors and personal injury lawyers, such as myself. The legal battle goes back to a law which was introduced in September 2009 which made it illegal for medical professionals to contact accident injury victims within the first 30 days following their accident. A Houston-based chiropractor filed a lawsuit to challenge the new regulation and in March 2010 the law was overturned under the ruling that it violated free speech rights. Back then, I said that I thought an appeal by the Texas Attorney General’s office was a necessity. To my mind, this is a reasonable restriction on free speech. Even though the most unethical attorneys and chiropractors engage in such shady habits, they give the wider community of decent professionals a bad reputation. We have all been tarnished by the “ambulance chaser” perception. Now that the earlier decision has been superseded the law is clear: you cannot contact car wreck survivors or relatives of deceased individuals until 30 days after the crash.

I think that is absolutely correct. Injured people need that time to properly recuperate. If you’ve been in a catastrophic accident which has potential life-changing consequences, you need time to get your head straight. The problem is that the law does nothing to prevent the at-fault driver’s insurance company from visiting you in your hospital room and coercing you into signing away your legal rights for a quick $4,000 check when your medical expenses will likely run in excess of $20,000 medical bill (not to mention all those lost wages, a totaled car, etc.) Tighter rules also need to be enforced to protect injured people from these ruthless insurance adjustors who consistently put profits above people.

My hope is that personal injury victims are smart enough to know how to protect themselves. You don’t need to sign anything the insurance adjustor gives you – in fact you’re not obliged to talk to them at all. You can refuse outright if you want. You have no legal right to discuss your case with them whatsoever. Of course, you can hire a PI lawyer to represent you immediately following your accident if you so wish. There are many lawyers situated throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. At the very least, you should get online and do some research into your rights so that you can confront the situation informed. My website is a comprehensive resource for you regardless of whether you’ve been injured in an auto collision, pedestrian accident, animal attack, or any other situation.

Please concentrate on getting well, but don’t be naïve. It’s important that you know your rights. If you decide that you would like to speak to a board certified attorney with 20 years’ experience, then you can give me a call at your convenience. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or call locally in Fort Worth at 817-29-1900 or Dallas 214-327-8000.

Speeding led to a fiery car crash on Katy Road in Keller early Sunday morning.

Witnesses heard 40-year-old, Robert Lopez plow through a field and crush through two fences before hitting the foundation of a small house. Police said Lopez was driving more than 90 mph in a 30 mph zone when his Mercedes CLS550.

The car burst into flames on impact with the house. Witnesses freed Lopez from the car, but his injuries were too great. He was pronounced dead at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Luckily, the family inside the home was able to get out unharmed.

Keller police said speed was definitely a factor in the car accident. Katy Road is very narrow due to construction for a Fort Worth sewer line project, but police also think alcohol could have played a part in the accident. Authorities are waiting on toxicology tests to see if any dangerous substances were in Lopez’s system.

What a terrifying ordeal for the family whose home was hit in this car accident. I can’t imagine waking up to find a flaming car in my living room! I’m so happy that the family escaped the fire and that nobody inside was hurt by the car.

We see this way too often in Dallas and Fort Worth—speeding drivers that cause car accidents. Now whether or not Lopez was drinking and driving; only time will tell. But why on earth was he going 90 mph in a 30 mph zone if he wasn’t?

Fortunately in this story, only the driver was injured. In my line of work as a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, it’s usually just the opposite. My clients are usually the ones most hurt after accidents – just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and were hurt in a car accident because of a drunk driver or some other negligence, call the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

If you have been involved in an auto accident in Tarrant County then most likely the responding police officer will have completed a collision report (officially called a Texas Peace Officers Crash Report). As a Fort Worth and Arlington personal injury lawyer, I find these reports extremely useful while investigating the situation surrounding my clients’ injuries. Not only does it collect together a load of important information regarding all parties involved in the car wreck (such as traffic conditions, vehicles involved, insurance policies of the various drivers) but it also includes a section titled Contributing Factors (Investigator’s Opinion). This is the section where the attendant officer will assign fault regarding what – and perhaps most importantly WHO – caused the crash to occur.

In order to interpret the crash report, you need this code sheet which lists the any different factors which a police officer could decide contributed to the wreck. Reasons include driver inattention, failure to yield, followed too closely and road rage – among many others. For a motor injury lawyer, this is extremely valuable information as it quickly allows us to identify who the at-alt driver was. What is also good is that most of the time the insurance adjustor will accept the report’s findings, which can really help when I’m trying to reach a settlement to get you the most damages available to cover the cost of your medical bills, loss of income, as well as compensation for your pain and suffering.

Of course, there are occasions when a police report does not get completed. That’s not a problem. Just because there is no report, it does not mean that you lose the right to pursue a claim.

If you or a loved one have been hurt in an accident that was not your fault, give me a call for a free, no obligation consultation on your personal situation. I’ll be able to explain your legal rights in detail and tell you whether you have a claim. Call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. Alternatively, you can contact me online.

As a Tarrant County personal injury attorney, I have written before that I believe red light cameras can dramatically reduce the number of fatal car accidents on our roadway, and now the evidence is in that I was correct… North Richland Hills has reported that the number of wrecks causing injuries has fallen from 269 in 2007 to just 30 in 2010 – a 64% reduction - even though the city’s population has continued to increase. A lot of that has to do with the increased use of red light cameras throughout North Richland Hills, mainly along congested routes where most accidents have occurred in the past.

The improved safety on the streets is being attributed to special traffic enforcement programs as many residents have said they consciously focus on good driving habits - including staying within posted speed limits and not running red lights – as they know there are motorcycle cops out there keeping an eye out for anyone driving dangerously and who might pose the threat of a collision with another vehicle. North Richland Hills also has red light cameras at a total of 7 of the town’s busiest intersections. Although these extra measures to improve traffic safety have resulted in an increase in citations (27,067 tickets were issued in 2010, up from 19,787 – a 36% rise) the increase is far less dramatic than the decrease in auto accidents. It really does seem that NRH Police Department’s tactics are working, and I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually the number of citations decreases as people fully embrace safe driving habits.

I hope that other cities across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will learn from North Richland Hill’s experiment. According to the latest census bureau figures, the number of people – and vehicles – continues to rise across North Texas, which means the need for safer roadways is increasingly important too. Most drivers are focused simply on getting wherever it is they’re going, but really they should pay more attention to other road users and focus on their own safe driving to make sure that we can all reach our destination safely.

Mark Anderson is a board certified PI and wrongful death attorney who has helped victims of truck and motorcycle wrecks across the DFW area since 1991. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a traffic collision, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case. Call toll free on 800-354-6275.

According to a news report earlier this week, McKinney City Council will likely reject a proposed auto accident response fee when it comes to vote. The idea is to charge a fee to those at fault in a car wreck, motorcycle crash or truck collision for the services they use: police, fire crew, tow trucks, etc. Under the proposal, negligent drivers responsible for a crash would be charged $215 for a wreck that caused an injury and $110 for one that did not. As a Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer with 20 years experience in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I am definitely opposed to the idea.

I believe that there are some essential services which individuals should not be made to pay for. Whatever is next? Charging people who call the fire service because their home is burning down? It's a bad government decision to try and make money however they can by capitalizing on other's misfortunes. If anything the money should go to the victims of the traffic accidents to assist in paying for their medical bills and vehicle repairs.

Fortunately, it seems that most members of McKinney City Council have seen sense and even spoken out about their intent to vote against the proposal. “I’m afraid the times are too tough and the PR too bad for the amount of money we’d get out of it,” Mayor Pro Tem Pete Huff said. “I think people are sensitive to what appears to be government trying to squeeze out every dollar they can.”

This information and commentary is provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Lawyer Mark Anderson. Contact Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case or call locally at 817-294-1900 or Toll Free at 800-354-MARK.

Just before 7 a.m. yesterday, a DART bus ran over a 53-year-old man at the West Transfer Station in downtown Dallas. The man was hit by an oncoming bus as he stepped off the curb. Witnesses said the man was transferring from one bus to another when he got hit and that his hood was pulled up over his head, possible blocking his view. The man was rushed to Parkland Hospital where he was pronounced dead. DART police and DPD are investigating because it’s not clear if the pedestrian or the bus driver was at fault.

Serving as a Dallas-Fort Worth injury attorney for more than 20 years, I often write about the dangers of distracted driving. Was the bus driver distracted? What caused this accident? My sympathies go out to this man and his family. I certainly hope the authorities get to the root of what caused this terrible accident. I assume an investigation is being performed by DART, and possibly by the Dallas Police Department.

If you or someone you know has been injured or wrongfully killed in a bus, truck, car, motorcycle, or other vehicle-related accident, please contact the Anderson Law Firm at 817-294-1900 for a free consultation on your rights.

Eastbound Interstate 20 in Arlington is closed at New York Avenue due to a major accident. Police encourage eastbound motorists to exit at Cooper and Collins to avoid the traffic backup.

Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Richard said an eastbound Toyota driver changed lanes and struck a second car, forcing the Toyota into a spin. An 18-wheeler hit the Toyota. The driver and a passenger in the Toyota were pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released the names of the victims pending notification of next of kin. There were no other major injuries. An investigation is under way.

I can’t even imagine the thought of being helpless and seeing a semi-truck about to hit my car. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in this accident. The story reported sounds like a situation where the big rig truck did not have time to stop. 18-wheelers do not have the ability to stop like cars because they weigh 10,000 pounds compared 4,000 pounds. But a thorough accident investigation will hopefully reveal exactly what happened.

Information and commentary provided by Texas Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached at 800-357-MARK. If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic collision, please call the Anderson Law Firm or fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

Dallas County investigators are seeking help indentifying a hit-and-run driver who killed a 68-year-old man Wednesday near the intersection of Interstate 30 and Buckner Boulevard. James Crosby of Dallas was walking in the 9000 block of eastbound Interstate 30 when he was struck about 9:45 p.m., authorities said. It's unclear whether Crosby was on the freeway.

The vehicle that hit him, described as a small, light-colored pickup, was last seen turning onto Buckner Boulevard. The driver remains at large. Crosby was taken to Baylor University Medical center at Dallas, where he was pronounced dead. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to call 214-749-8641 and ask for the vehicular crimes unit.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Crosby family and friends. I think any reasonable person would have stopped after hitting someone. There are only a few reasons I can think of why someone might not stop: drunk, on drugs, warrants or no car insurance. However they are all categories of people that should not be on the street, driving a car. I hope that the driver is found and justice is served.

Information and commentary provided by DFW Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be contacted in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you or a loved one has been injured from a hit and run, please fill out our contact card for a free consultation.

A fiery crash in Grand Prairie, Texas claimed the life of a motorist shortly after midnight today. Around 12:45 a.m., a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup was heading east on Grand Prairie Road when it ran a stop sign at Southeast 14th Street, drove off the road and crashed through a fence.

The victim was identified as Frank Hauser, 62, of Fort Worth, according to the Dallas County medical examiner's office. The truck hit a stationary railroad car on Vought Aircraft Industries' property and burst into flames. Witnesses were unable to pull Hauser from the burning truck. He was the only occupant of the pickup. Hauser was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center in Dallas, where he later died.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Hauser and his family. Many things could have caused this accident and hopefully an accident investigation will reveal a cause. Getting behind the wheel of a car is the riskiest thing people do and they do it every single day. All told, car collisions kill more than 40,000 people in the U.S. each year, and they are the number one cause of death. Additionally 61 percent of fatalities from car accidents happen when it is dark outside.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have any questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Samantha Rogers, 17, and Delaney Mancil, 15, both of Alvord, were killed when their 2007 Pontiac G5 was struck by a GMC 7500 pickup in a chain reaction crash shortly after 7 p.m. just east of Nail Road, last night. The two Wise County teenagers were one of four automobiles involved in the collision. Both teens died at the scene. Drivers of the other three vehicles were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The chain of collisions started when the driver of an eastbound Dodge Ram pickup crossed the center line on Highway 380, striking the oncoming GMC pickup. The westbound GMC then crossed into the eastbound lane, sideswiped a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis and struck the Pontiac that Rogers was driving. Investigators don’t know what caused the Dodge pickup to cross the center lane and no charges have been filed.

My heart and prayers go out to the friends and families of these young girls. I can’t even imagine the pain they must feel. Hopefully, an investigation will reveal the cause of accident. Statistics show that concrete barriers in between highways save lives. I think it’s time for a median or concrete barrier along this stretch of highway to prevent accidents like this in the future.

Information and commentary provided by Texas Board Certified Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

A Fort Worth man was killed this morning when his motorcycle collided with a drunken driving suspect, police said. Luis Ruiz, 34, died at the scene of the accident in the 1300 block of North Main Street, south of the Fort Worth Stockyards. The crash happened shortly before 2:30 a.m. when a driver headed south on main street turned in front of the biker at Northside Drive. The driver has not been identified yet but cowardly fled the scene. He was caught across the Trinity River in the 1100 block of Locust Street. He was arrested on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.

This weekend if you are going out to drink, please be smart about it. Call a taxi, have a designated driver, or don’t plan on driving. Most of the time when one mixes drinking, driving, and 2:30 a.m. they are not going to like the outcome. It is sad to read another story about one’s life being taken from a careless drunk driver. My condolences go out the innocent victim and his family.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about drunk driving accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A man died early Wednesday morning on Airport Freeway in Hurst after apparently losing control of his motorcycle, according to police. The man, who police say was in his 40s, has not yet been identified and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to news reports, police officers responded to a 911 call around 12:30 am, and found the motorcycle rider lying in the freeway near his damaged bike. Witnesses say the man was traveling at a high speed before the crash. It is unclear what exactly caused the accident, but police say no other vehicles were involved.

This is a tragic story, and my heart goes out to this man’s family and friends. Riding a motorcycle can pose much greater dangers to the rider than those riding in closed vehicles, and traveling at unsafe speeds only increases this risk. There are many motorcycle safety classes available for riders, and I highly recommend anyone who rides a motorcycle to take one of these classes.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and across Texas at 877-294-1115.

A wrong-way driver drove eight miles down northbound Stemmons Freeway in Dallas and crashed head-on into another motorist. He was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving earlier this morning. Jose Chavez, 38, faces a charge of driving while intoxicated after he drove his Nissan south onto the northbound lanes of Stemmons at Northwest Highway.

It's a miracle that both these drivers survived this accident. An onlooker reported the incident shortly before 2:45 a.m. after watching Chavez hit a 26-year-old woman driver near Market Center Boulevard. Both drivers were taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital for treatment. The woman has already been released. Police officers talked with Chavez at the hospital and then delivered him to the Dallas County Jail.

Drunken driving continues to be a major problem in today’s world. There are approximately 12,000 fatalities annually due to drunk driving, and many more accidents and injuries. Fortunately no one was fatally injured in this car crash. To avoid being another statistic you can take a few simple driving safety precautions to drastically reduce your chances of being involved in a drunken driving accident.

Reading articles like this really concern me. It’s hard for me to imagine what was going through Jose Chavez’s mind when he entered the wrong-way entrance onto the freeway. Luckily, there was a witness to describe to the police what happened. I wish a speedy recovery for the other driver. Hopefully stories like this will deter other drivers from driving drunk. When you drink and drive, you will go to jail.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about drunk driving accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Every day in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area someone will decide to drink and drive. About a year ago, Mariza Rodriguez Martinez decided to drink and drive with a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.13 percent, above the 0.08 legal limit. Martinez left Gleneagles Country Club in Plano and drove the wrong direction on the freeway, which ended tragically killing Kara Taylor, 16, of Little Elm. Martinez reached speeds of 95 mph as she weaved from one side of the road to the other. Collin County jury found Martinez guilty of intoxication, manslaughter, and intoxication assault. The punishment phase of the trial is scheduled to start this morning, which could face up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

I have no sympathy for Martinez. She made choices to drink, she made choices to get intoxicated, and she made choices to get behind the wheel of a car. If you drink and drive, there is a strong chance something bad will happen. In 2007, there were 1,292 fatalities, solely due to drinking and driving. I can’t help, but feel sorry for Kara Taylor, her friends, and her family.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/ Fort Worth Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about drunk driving accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Tim Hay, a drag racer from Burleson, TX died Saturday night after a car accident at a racetrack in Iowa, where he was competing in an event he had won last year. Hay, 49 years of age, lost control of his car, on the 1/8th-mile dragway during the finals of the World Fuel Altered Nationals at Eddyville Raceway Park in Eddyville, Iowa. Track co-owner Scott Gardner said Monday. The vehicle hit the safety wall and rolled. Rescue personnel pulled Hay out of the car and stabilized him at the track medical center, but the wreck resulted in his death Hay is survived by his wife of 23 years, Candy, three grown children and two grandchildren. Gardner said Hay's wife and one of their sons were at the track when the crash happened.

Hay had competed at Eddyville the past four years and was a well-known veteran of the sport. Tim Hay been racing since the late '70s or early '80s. The nitro methane altered car is one of the toughest to drive in the sport of drag racing. It's sort of a blend between a top fuel dragster and a nitro funny car. It's similar to a funny car, but it's not a full body.

This sport is pretty safe, but there are occasional accidents that unfourantely happen. This is a tragic circumstance for the Hay family and I send my condolences to their family and friends. I assume that an investigation will follow of what went wrong with the car.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you questions about a car accident resulting in injuries, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A Louisiana man will face a jury on manslaughter charges after more than two years after a horrific car crash in Plano killed a family of five.

David Calhoun Jones was driving in a rented Pontiac when he ran a red light on Legacy Drive on June 22, 2008. His car was going nearly 100 mph when he struck a curb and fire hydrant before going airborne. He collided with a Ford Winstar minivan carrying the Hart family and their two foster children.

Geoffrey Hart, 41 and his wife, Laura Christine Hart, 41 were killed instantly, along with their 12-year-old daughter, Rebekah. Two foster children in the family's care died later at area hospitals. Raven Lucas was 5; and her sister, Kevinnesha Palmer, was 6.

A criminal trial has been delayed several times because of Jones' extensive injuries. The crash left him a paraplegic. If convicted of the second-degree felony, Jones' punishment ranges from probation to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for wrongful death.

The trial is set to begin this morning in Collin County before Senior District Judge Quay Parker.
Our sympathies go out to the friends and relatives of the Hart family for this tragic accident that could have been prevented. If Jones had obeyed the posted speed limit or made sure to stop at the red light, these lives could have been saved.

On an average each year, there were 5,589 fatalities to occupants of vehicles and 794 fatalities to nonoccupants in intersections controlled by traffic signals and stop signs. It is unclear as to whether he was driving while intoxicated, but either way his exessive speed was inexcusable. Hopefully, this trial will bring justice to the Hart family.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/ Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. For more information regarding car accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Last week I blogged about a fatal hit and run accident that killed a motorcyclist in Lewisville, Texas. While police have impounded a late-model SUV with front end damage, no arrests have been made yet. This was the second hit-and-run accident the late Ray Torres, 42, according to local news reports.

Ray Torres was struck by a hit-and-run driver a little over a year before this crash, on August 1, 2009. At that time, he was left lying on a street in Arlington with an injured leg that required six months of rehabilitation. Tragically, Mr. Torres did not survive the second hit-and-run crash. He died at the scene, becoming one of nearly 500 people who die every year in Texas in motorcycle accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, in 2008, 480 motorcycle riders were killed. 62% of those riders weren’t wearing a helmet. Mr. Torres usually didn’t wear a helmet, and he wasn’t wearing one when he died, according to news reports. In 2007, the NHTSA determined that a motorcycle rider was 37 times more likely to die in a crash and nine times more likely to be injured than someone inside a vehicle.

This is such a sad story, and really shows the dangers that motorcycle riders face on our roads. I always emphasize the importance of wearing a helmet, as it is often truly the difference between life and death. The NHTSA statistic that 62% of those riders killed in 2008 doesn’t surprise me at all.

Information provided by Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and across Texas at 877-294-1115. Click here to contact a Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney today.

A tragic accident happened yesterday here in Dallas. Terry Glover, 59, died early Thursday morning after a Dallas police cruiser crashed into the back of his Jeep. The Jeep was disabled in the middle of the street, but did have its hazard lights on. After the collision, Glover was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center where he died during surgery.

Officer Adam Stucki, the driver, and Officer Archie Benson were on their way to a call at Methodist Charlton Medical Center. The emergency lights and siren were not on as they approached the disabled vehicle around 1 a.m. The patrol car was driving about 45 mph, according to news reports. When the police vehicle struck the Jeep, it pushed the Jeep through a metal fence and into the front yard of a home.

The collision occurred in the 7600 block of South Polk Street near Camp Wisdom Road, where the speed limit is 40 mph, according to police. It is unknown whether or not Stucki braked before crashing into the Jeep. Stucki has been placed on routine restricted duty while Benson remains on regular duty while the investigation continues. Both officers suffered minor injuries in the accident.

I am very interested to hear the outcome of this investigation. Was Officer Stucki distracted? Did he even see the vehicle and have a chance to apply the brakes before the crash? The Dallas Morning News has posted the video from the patrol car’s dashboard camera. You can click here to watch the video. Mr. Glover’s hazard lights are clearly visible in the video quite a long time before the actual collision occurs.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

Tammy Sue Stegall was sentenced to 30 years in prison yesterday for the death of 57-year-old Billy Stroud. Stroud died tragically on August 11, 2009 when Stegall, driving drunk, struck his motorcycle with her Nissan Maxima. Stegall ran over Stroud and pushed his motorcycle along the ground. He later died at John Peter Smith hospital from his injuries.

Stegall was convicted of murder because she had two previous charges of driving while intoxicated. The last, in August 2008, caused her to lose her driver’s license. She was driving illegally when she struck Stroud.

According to news reports, Stroud had recently purchased a motorcycle with the intention of joining the Patriot Guard motorcycle riders. The Patriot Guard participates in military funerals and protects the grieving family from protestors. Stroud’s son, Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan Stroud, 20, died in July 2009 in Afghanistan. He was buried three days before his father’s death. Stroud had been so impressed with the Patriot Guard at his son’s funeral that he wanted to join the group.

Stegall must serve 15 years of her 30 year sentence before she will be eligible for parole. According to prosecutor Richard Alpert, “our two goals were to obtain a murder conviction and a sentence that would keep her in prison for the rest of her life. Given her long history of drug abuse and the fact that she is 51, we think the 30 years and her guilty plea to the murder charge achieve both goals."

What a terrible tragedy for the Stroud family to suffer. I think this person deserves to remain behind bars for the rest of her life, but that must offer little solace to the family and friends of Mr. Stroud. Unfortunately, drunk driving is an epidemic in Texas. Drunk driving causes over 1,500 deaths each year in Texas; this makes up 45% of all traffic fatalities. I hope that Stegall does not receive parole. With her history, I don’t think she should ever be allowed on the road again.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who fights every day for the rights of those injured in drunk driving accidents. He can be contacted in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, in Dallas at 214-327-8000, and toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be reached by clicking here.

The Lewisville, Texas Police Department is looking for the driver and a passenger of a dark gray or black Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban that fled the scene of a fatal car/motorcycle accident which occurred early Sunday morning. According to the Lewisville Police, at about 4:00 a.m. Sunday, the SUV collided with a motorcycle at the intersection of State Highway 121 (business) and Bellaire Boulevard in Lewisville. The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger on the motorcycle was taken to a local hospital.

According to police, the dark Chevrolet should have significant damage to its front end. The fog light housing that was mounted below the front bumper was torn off and left at the scene of the fatal accident. The housing still contained one fog light. Plus, the Chevrolet “bowtie” logo was also broken off from the grille of the SUV and left at the scene. Anyone with any information on the identity of the driver and the passenger of this Chevrolet, please contact the Lewisville Police Department at 972 219 3600.

I hope these criminals who fled the scene are found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is against Texas law to be involved in an accident and flee the scene. This is such a tragic accident-and one that was definitely preventable. My thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of the unidentified motorcyclist. I also hope the passenger of the motorcycle has a speedy recovery.

Information and commentary provided by Mark Anderson, injury attorney. The Anderson law firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817 294 1900 or across Texas at 877 294 1115. They can also be contacted by clicking here.

After being thrown from his car after it rolled several times on Texas 183, a Farmers Branch man was killed early Sunday.According to police, his vehicle failed to negotiate a curve on the highway and crashed.

The Dallas County medical examiner’s office identified the victim as Bipin Thapa, 26, who was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger was in good condition Sunday. Police still have yet to identify the man, who was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.

The accident was reported about 1 a.m. Sunday in the westbound lanes of Texas 183 in Irving. Thapa was driving a gold 2000 Honda Civic at a high-rate of speed when he attempted to exit the highway. He lost control of the car, and it slid off the highway. His vehicle rolled several times.

Thapa did not appear to be wearing a seat belt even though his passenger was.

It is always a tragic circumstance when these kinds of accidents happen, especially when the accident may have been prevented. There is the issue of not wearing a seat belt. In 2008 alone, the nighttime period with the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities (72 percent) was midnight to 3 a.m. Wearing a seat belt while driving is still the single most effective thing drivers and passengers can do to save lives. There is no debatable reason why a person shouldn’t be wearing a seat belt so suck it up and buckle up.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions regarding a car accident of any kind, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Early Monday morning one person died in a Fort Worth automobile wreck, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.

Initial reports showed that a major crash happened 2:31 a.m. and that a vehicle had hit a pole and overturned.

Additional details on the crash were unavailable at 9 a.m. Monday morning, but KDFW Fox 4 has reported that the wreck took place in the 2400 block of Joel Road.

A spokeswoman for MedStar stated that an ambulance was sent to the location, but no one was transported from the scene.

Hopefully throughout the next couple days we will receive more information on this fatal car accident. Accident investigation plays a very important role when trying to find answers to why and how the accident happened. In cases where the cause of the wreck is disputable or the injuries are going to be disputed, it is absolutely imperative that a complete and thorough investigation be conducted. Our deepest sympathies for the family and friends of the victim.

Information and Commentary is provided by Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. If you or a loved has been in a car accident, call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation. We can be reached toll free at 877.294.1115 or you can contact us online.

The woman killed in the fiery crash on I-20 yesterday morning in Arlington, Texas has been identified.

Lauren Price, 21, was identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office after her car crashed into a pole off the highway. There is no information on where she resided or what she was doing on the road at 3:30 in the morning.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Lauren’s family and friends. This type of tragedy is a hard obstacle to overcome, and we hope that they eventually find peace after mourning. I assume an investigation is to follow as to what caused the accident.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. For more information about car accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A motorist was killed early Thursday morning on Interstate 20 near the Collins Street exit.

Witnesses told police that the car was westbound on I-20 at about 3:30 a.m. when the vehicle drove off the highway and struck a pole of a message board on the shoulder. According to police, the vehicle then caught fire, killing the driver at the scene.

It is unclear whether drugs, alcohol or speed played a role in the wreck. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office has yet to release the name of the driver.

What saddens me the most about this is that this is the 10th traffic fatality in Arlington this year. No matter what the cause of the accident was, I’m sure it could have been prevented. I see the results of automobile accidents every single day, and I always analyze them on how they could have been prevented. Hopeful a full investigation will reveal how this wreck could have been avoided.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. If you have questions about a particular car accident case, the Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. Fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A Plano teen, 16-year-old Nicole LeGrow, was killed in an afternoon accident Thursday on Highway 121 in The Colony.

LeGrow, a student at Jasper High School in Plano, died in the collision. She was a passenger in a sedan that lost control and crashed in the northbound lanes of hwy 121 near Plano Parkway.

The driver, 16-year-old Alexandra Hays, was airlifted to a Dallas hospital. She remains in critical condition.

The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Nicole LeGrow and Alexandra Hays’s friends and family. We wish a speedy and healthy recovery for Hays. Accidents involving loved ones are always a tragic situation. Hopefully the accident investigation will show more insight into what happened Thursday afternoon.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill our out contact from online for a free consultation.

A Fort Worth police officer, critically injured Thursday afternoon when his patrol car slammed into a tree during a pursuit, remained in a hospital intensive care unit Friday morning, but medical evaluations overnight showed some "positive results," police officials said.

The injured officer, Richard Lambing, 37, is a 15-year veteran of the department. He was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth with life-threatening injuries. The officials noted that the officer was stabilized and moved to a private room in the ICU.

The wreck occurred about 1:50 p.m. as Lambing joined in the high-speed pursuit of a motorcyclist whom Tarrant County sheriff's officers had tried to pull over as he left a suspected drug house in Mansfield.

The officer had just taken an exit ramp from East Loop 820 to eastbound Interstate 30 when he lost control of his car, which hit the tree in a grassy area beside the freeway.

Police said they will investigate the cause of the crash, road conditions and whether policies and procedures were followed.

Investigators would also look into the origin of the chase and the involvement of Fort Worth police.

Our prayers go out to Officer Lambing who was just doing his job. We hope he will be able to stabilize so he can get out of ICU. Remember, high speeds are dangerous and can cause accidents. He had a reason for doing so, but the motorcyclist did not which was irresponsible and hazardous. High speed chases may seem like a thrilling idea, but in reality, someone usually gets hurt.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. For questions regarding car accidents, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A wrong-way accident on I-30 at Ferguson Road Sunday morning left one person dead and three injured. The Sheriff’s Department said that a woman driving a pickup truck with two passengers was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes and crashed head on with another vehicle.

The female passenger in the front seat, identified as Ana Tello, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup driver and the male passenger who was in the backseat were taken to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas in serious condition. The driver of the Tahoe was taken to a local hospital in good condition.

The names of the injured victims have not been made public, pending notification of family members.

This is a serious accident that could have been prevented, and The Anderson Law Firm sends their sympathy to Ana Tello and the other victims. As drivers, please remember to follow all roadway signs, because the driver would have likely been able to see that she was going the wrong way. The public almost becomes numb to the fact that traffic wrecks happen to other people. But the national statistics show that we are all likely going to become involved in a traffic incident at some time or another—there are over 6 million auto wrecks each year, with almost 3 million resulting personal injuries and approximately 42,000 crash related deaths. Make sure to pay attention while driving to prevent accidents like these.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill our out contact from online for a free consultation.

Last weekend the Republic of Texas Biker Rally took place in Austin, TX. Officials said there were at least two biker deaths over the weekend, and at least three more serious accidents involving motorcycles. Police and Rally officials are not sure if all of the accidents were connected to the event, which draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Police say they do not have the total number of motorcycle wrecks for this past weekend because not all of the officers have turned in reports. In Austin, during the 2009 and 2008 ROT biker rally weekends, there were 22 and 16 motorcycle crashes respectively. 2009 also included one fatality.

ROT 2010 rally weekend already has two fatal motorcycle crashes documented. One fatal crash early Sunday morning killed 36-year-old motorcycle passenger, Barbara Ann Garza. The driver, Daniel Rios Ortega, 28, crashed his bike in Northeast Austin and fled the scene. He was arrested and charged with failure to stop and render aid in the incident.

The second fatality happened in western Travis County early Monday; when El Paso resident, David Torres, 44, crashed into a median.

My condolences go out to the families of the two victims, Barbara Ann Graza and David Torres. Crashes like this can be prevented by paying more attention to the road. By being aware and by adhering to road safety rules many accidents can be avoided. These rules really need to be followed when attending biker rallies like this on. A motorcycle rider is 37 times more likely to die in a crash than automobile driver. So please pay attention while driving and follow the road safety rules, doing so can save lives.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident and have questions please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

In the south side of Fort Worth, a fatal wreck on Interstate 35 W backed up traffic for miles.

The accident happened on Wednesday night around 8:20 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Garden Acres Boulevard.

At least one person is believed to be dead. There has been no further information on how many other vehicles were involved.

Southbound traffic on I-35W was still being shuffled to service roads more than two hours after the crash.

So far there is no evidence to explain why and how this crash occurred, but hopefully after a thorough investigation those questions will be answered. Through reconstruction of the accident, police may be able to tell what happened. Our sincere condolences go out to the victim’s family.

National statistics show that we are all likely going to become involved in a traffic incident at some time or another—there are over 6 million auto wrecks each year, with almost 3 million resulting personal injuries and approximately 42,000 crash related deaths. By following road safety rules the probability of a being in a car accident is greatly reduced.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Late Thursday, in Pleasant Grove, TX three children were hospitalized after a hit-and-run.
The children were riding in a white Plymouth minivan. The minivan was traveling south on Masters Drive a little after 11p.m. when a silver Lincoln Navigator ran a stop sign at Muskogee Drive and hit them.

The driver on the minivan was unharmed, but four members of his family were taken to various hospitals. The victims include: his wife, an 8-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl. His youngest daughter, 3-years-old, suffered the most serious injuries out of the group and was taken to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. None of their injuries are thought to be life threatening.

The driver of the Lincoln Navigator fled the scene after the accident. He still remains at large. Police later found the vehicle abandoned in a backyard of a house nearby. Anyone with information can call Dallas Police at 214-670-5817

Hit-and-runs are one of the worst types of accidents to hear about. In this case, a driver of a sports utility vehicle made a mistake by running a stop sign. Mistakes happen, but running away from accident you caused, especially when there are multiple children involved, is despicable. Hopefully the police will be able to track down this reckless driver and bring him to justice.

Most motor vehicle accidents, including this one, happen because driver's make reckless mistakes, like running a stop sign. They can either be simply not paying attention, or it could be the driver was talking on a cell phone, texting, or eating. By following road safety rules the probability of a being in a car accident is greatly reduced. If you have any information about this accident please call the Dallas Police at 214-670-5817. Making a mistake is one thing, running from it is another.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a hit-and-run accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Early Thursday a Dallas teen drove the wrong way on Airport Freeway and collided with a vehicle. The teen is suspected of drunken driving. After the crash the teen fled on foot before he was caught by the Irving police.

Irving patrol officers responded to the accident around 2:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Texas 183. Witnesses informed police that the 2002 Land Rover was heading east in westbound lanes when the collision happened.

The 16-year-old was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas due to minor injuries. The driver of the other automobile was also taken to Parkland with foot and arm injuries. The current condition of the victim are unavailable.

It’s hard to hear about a 16-year-old boy being suspected of drunk driving. Not only has he just gotten his license, but he is also 5 years shy of legally being able to drink alcohol. Luckily no one was seriously hurt in this unfortunate crash. Hopefully this crash will be a teaching tool for all young drivers on Texas roads.

Drunk Driving is a factor in over 45% of the car accidents that occur on Texas roads. To help ensure your safety on the road, The Anderson Law Firm has traffic safety and preventative tips to make sure you are not a victim of a drunk driving accident.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a drunk driving accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Authorities were forced to shut down LBJ freeways southbound lanes for hours after a tractor-trailer crushed another vehicle earlier this morning.

One victim died at the scene and the other two members in the wreck were sent to the hospital. Their names and conditions have not been released.

Authorities reopened the freeway about 6 a.m. Authorities are still trying to identify what caused the accident. More details will be released later.

In wrecks involving tractor-trailers, 44% of people injured in a truck wreck suffer devastating injuries. Tragically, around 9% die. This means that 53% of people driving other vehicles in truck-related accidents suffer an incapacitating injury or death as a result of a tractor-trailer crash.

At The Anderson Law Firm we want to help those who have been injured in a truck accident. With investigating and reconstructing the accident, we work to immediately uncover and collect all the facts pertinent to your case. We do this to help those injured get the best possible compensation for their injuries.

So far there is no evidence to explain why and how this crash occurred, but hopefully there will be a thorough investigation. Through reconstruction of the accident, police may be able to tell what happened. Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased victim. We wish for a speedy recovery to the two injured still in the hospital.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a truck accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Two Dallas police officers are on administrative leave today after they were arrested of driving while intoxicated last week. The two will be on leave pending administrative and criminal investigations.

The officers and are involved in two different units of the Dallas Police Force, and were at two different locations when they were found drinking and driving. The officers were identified as Patrol Officer Manuel Romani and Sr. Cpl. James Rucker of the department's helicopter unit. Romani, a four-year-veteran, was arrested in Forney on Saturday, and Rucker, who has been on the force for 26 years, was arrested in Rockwall on Sunday.

Drinking and driving is inexcusable under any circumstance, and the fact that two people who are supposed to enforce this law were caught doing so makes the offense even more disappointing. By learning how to avoid drunk driving risks in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we can make the community roads much safer to drive on. And with about three in every ten Americans assumed to be involved in alcohol-related crashes in their lifetime, police officers need to be more responsible in practicing what they preach and following the laws they themselves insist upon.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions concerning a drunk driving incident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

On Tuesday afternoon, five people were injured in a two-car crash in west Arlington. The accident took place at the intersection of Pioneer Parkway and South Davis Street. The intersection was close shortly after the crash around 12:00 p.m. and was not reopened until 3:15 p.m.

Four of the injured victims were taken to local hospitals, while the fifth victim was taken by helicopter ambulance to a further hospital. An Arlington Police spokeswoman, Tiara Ellis Richard, said none of the injuries seemed to be life threatening.

There is no current information on how the automobile accident happened. Luckily no one was killed; hopefully all injured parties will have a speedy recovery.

There are more than six million car accidents each year in the United States. Most of these motor vehicle accidents happen because driver's make reckless mistakes. They can either be simply not paying attention, or it could be the driver was talking on a cell phone, texting, or eating. By following road safety rules the probability of a being in a car accident is greatly reduced.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal injury Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out a contact form online for a free consultation.

On Monday morning, a jailer with the Dallas Sheriff’s Office was involved in a motorcycle accident on his way to work. The crash happened shortly before 6 a.m. under Interstate 30 on South Riverfront
Boulevard.

The unidentified motorcyclist suffered multiple broken bones, but none of the injuries were thought to be life threatening. The news reports do not say how the accident occurred.
In the past I have represented many motorcycle riders and based on experience, my guess is that a driver of a car did not see the biker and either pulled in front of him or turned into him. Failing to see a motorcyclist is the number one cause of wrecks involving bikes. That does not mean that motorcyclists are never in the wrong, as sometimes they are, but the odds are that the automobile driver didn’t see the motorcycle.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a motorcycle accident please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

A Fort Worth man died on Sunday after being involved in a traffic accident in Fort Worth. The victim, Sri Vempati, died at Texas Health Fort Worth hospital at around 4 in the afternoon, shortly after the car crash.

The wreck happened at Forest Park Boulevard, around the intersection where Forest Park meets West Rosedale Street. Fort Worth police did not release details on the accident, but confirmed that Vempati was the driver.

My condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Vempati. Hopefully, the accident investigation by the Fort Worth Police Department will reveal the cause of this tragic wreck.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

On the morning of May 9th a tragic car accident occurred in Fort Worth. The driver, Livita Simms, was driving north on the I-35 service road when her car went over the curb, hit a medium and burst into flames. Four members in the six person car were killed. The wrecked killed Simms, her five year old daughter, and two thirteen year old boys identified Elijah Drisdle and Deguone Matlock Jr.

There is confusion as to whether a seventh person was in the car when the automobile crashed at 1:30 a.m. Simms was said to have dropped off Jamie Muriel at her house minutes before the wreck took place. One of the two boys who survived said there was a seventh person who grabbed the steering wheel during an argument and fled the scene after the accident. Muriel however denies being in the car at the time of the incident.

Our hearts go out to those involved in the accident. It’s unfortunate to hear of an accident of this severity. Our condolences to those families involved. We hope the police will be able to sort through the facts to find the missing pieces in this case.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about car accidents, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

A car wreck involving four vehicles and a horse happened around 5:30 a.m. this morning on I-20 near St. Augustine Road in Dallas. A horse had walked onto the highway and caused the accident between the four cars.

The horse was killed in the accident. No one knows who the horse belongs to or where it came from.

One of the four cars had to be towed, and a passenger from one of the cars had to be taken to the hospital. The man is said to be injured, but in stable condition. Several lanes of the highway were closed after the accident.

I can’t imagine seeing a horse on the highway at 5:30 in the morning. That must have been quite a shocker for the driver’s of the four cars involved in the wreck. Though I do not know if a wreck could have been avoided in this case, following road safety rules and regulations is the key to avoid being involved in a car accident. I am sorry to hear that an animal has been killed this morning, but glad that no one was more seriously injured in the wreck.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a car accident, please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

The U.S. Coast Guard has a Boating Safety Center that has all kinds of helpful tips on how to stay safe on the lake or ocean this spring and summer.

Many of the tips cover always wearing your life jacket while boating. Here are their tips on life jacket use:

•Certain life jackets are designed to keep your head above water and help you remain in a position which permits proper breathing.
•To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and over must have at least one Type IV throwable device as well.
•All states have regulations regarding life jacket wear by children.
•Adult-sized life jackets will not work for children. Special life jackets are available. To work correctly, a life jacket must be worn, fit snugly, and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through.
•Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded.

The boating safety center also covers why boaters should not “BUI” (Boat Under the Influence).

Here are a few statistics and safety tips about alcohol use while on the water:
•A boat operator is likely to become impaired more quickly than a driver, drink for drink
•The penalties for BUI can include large fines, revocation of operator privileges and serious jail terms
•The use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities

I know summer is one of my favorite times of the year. It is important to always be aware of how to avoid boating injuries while on the water. I hope these tips help you and your family to have an enjoyable time while at the lake! This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000.

Eastbound I-30 was completely shut down after a tractor-trailer collided with a Dodge Durango around 6 a.m. The Durango was initially caught underneath the semi-truck and the passengers were rescued around 7:15 a.m.

The trailer of the 18-wheeler was completely blocking all eastbound lanes of traffic because it was lying across the entire highway. The truck driver and two passengers of the Dodge Durango were taken to the hospital.

Details on what caused the accident and the current condition of the passengers and truck driver has not been released.

It will be interesting to see if further details of this 18-wheeler wreck will be released. The Dallas Morning News reported that the details of the cause of the accident are “sketchy.” Any car accident involving an 18-wheeler is usually a pretty serious one. Almost 500 tractor-trailer accidents happen in Texas each year. Of all fatal car accidents, 18-wheelers are involved in 8% of the wrecks. I am glad to hear no one was killed in this particular accident. My thoughts are with the two passengers and truck driver while they are in the hospital.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about your car accident case, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A Ford F-150 ran into a home on Thursday morning in Hurst. The car accident occurred on Brown Trail near Shady Lake Drive.

The Hurst Police Department said that no one was injured inside of the house. However, there were three passengers in the pickup truck; two were injured, and one was killed.

There is currently an accident investigation taking place surrounding the cause of the car wreck.

The man who died was identified as Steve Manisela.

I am curious to see what the finding is on the cause of the car crash. The police will look into all aspects, as it is unusual for a truck to run off of the road. I did see that another wreck occurred in Fort Worth yesterday involving an off duty FWPD officer running off a road and into a house. In that case, it appears that drinking was involved.

This information and commentary is provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a car accident investigation and would like a free consultation please fill out our contact form.

A North Texas man died on Thursday on North Stemmons Freeway when he slammed his motorcycle into a guard rail. He was riding alongside another motorcyclist when the wreck occurred.

The Dallas Police Department identified excessive speeding as the cause of the wreck. The motorcycle flew over a guard rail and flipped several times.

The motorcyclist, who was identified as Brian Ballew, was declared dead at the scene. He was riding a 2003 Suzuki Hayabusa.

My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Brian Ballew. Motorcycle accidents often have some of the most serious outcomes from even the most minor driving error. There are many things that motorcyclists can do to increase safety by following a few motorcycle riding tips and using protective motorcycle gear.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a motorcycle accident please fill out our contact form for a free consultation.

An 11-year-old student from North Richland Hills was injured on Wednesday when he was riding his bike to school. The boy was struck by a motorist who stopped after hitting the boy, got out of her vehicle and looked around, then got back into her car and drove away. According to the North Richland Hills Police Department, the woman may have been driving a black Toyota Corolla. The person is yet to be identified and anyone with information regarding this hit and run driver should contact the North Richland Hills Police Department at (817) 427 7000.

The accident occurred with the 11-year-old, who is a student at North Richland Middle School, was crossing the street when his bicycle was hit. The boy was taken to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth where he was treated for his injuries.

This is an absolutely amazing story. I can't believe that the woman hit the child, got out of her car, and then left. Apparently she was thinking that nobody would see her and that she could get away with leaving the scene of an accident. I sure hope that she is caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is one thing to be negligent, as she probably was, and run into a child on a bicycle. It is entirely another thing to actually leave the scene without attending to the minor. I just can't believe that someone would do something as low as leaving the scene of an accident after hitting a child.

Information and commentary provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted at (817)294-1900. For information regarding pedestrian/bicycle accidents, click here to visit the web site of Injury Lawyer Mark Anderson.

Everyone has heard the phrase: “accidents happen.” Unfortunately, what many people fail to realize is that car crashes do not “just happen.” Every Dallas/Fort Worth car wreck has a cause, and that cause can typically be traced back to someone failing to follow highway laws or operate their vehicle properly.

Car Accidents Have Causes
Car accidents don’t “just happen.” In the vast majority of motor vehicle collisions, either you or the other driver is at fault. Not paying attention is one of the leading causes for car wrecks; people texting, or eating, or talking on the phone, or fiddling with the radio often are not looking at a key moment and run into someone.

In other cases, people look the wrong way when accidents happen – a driver paying attention to the left, for example, when someone comes from the right. Either way, someone is at fault for those accidents, and the at-fault party is responsible for the accident.

I hope that you see the point that someone is always at fault in any kind of accident. It is important if you are involved in some sort of accident that you investigate the scene of the accident so that the cause of the wreck can be determined.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-1900 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about your car wreck case, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A motor vehicle crash that included an 18 wheeler, a work truck, and a pick-up completely shut down Highway 121 in Lewisville Thursday afternoon. The wreck occurred when an 18-wheeler slid about 50 feet running into a NTTA dump truck and causing 3 vehicles to catch fire.

All three vehicles were completely decimated, and miraculously all of the passengers escaped their vehicles and were not injured.

The actual accident happened when the three vehicles collided and slammed into a guardrail on an overpass. Four northbound and two southbound lanes were shutdown for most of Thursday afternoon.

Engineers will have to inspect the overpass for structural integrity before the toll road can reopen.

It is so fortunate that no one was injured or killed in a wreck such as this one. Usually, when you hear or read about such a massive wreck involving fire, someone is always injured to some degree. Texas leads the nation in tractor-trailer accidents that result in fatalities. Luckily, in this case, no one has become a part of that horrific statistic. The pictures really speak for themselves on this particular tractor-trailer wreck. It is important as a driver to be aware of semi-truck wreck statistics and know what you can do to avoid being in a wreck with an 18-wheeler.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions about a trailer-truck or car accident the Anderson Law Firm has free consultations by filling out a contact form on our website.

Courtney Moss, 17, of Joshua, Texas, died on Tuesday when her Mazda Miata crashed into a Dr. Pepper truck on Farm Road 917 west of Joshua. After discovering a suicide note left at her house, authorities believe Mrs. Moss intended to kill herself.

At 12:56pm one of Mrs. Moss’s friends notified the police that she had received messages indicating Mrs. Moss wanted to take her own life. Five minutes after receiving the call, police were notified about the collision on FM 917. When police arrived at Mrs. Moss’s home they found her suicide note. Mrs. Moss was married with a 3 month old baby.

Ron Lane II, 26, of Watauga was driving the big rig that the Miata crashed into. He was travelling eastbound on FM 917 and had just topped a rise when the crash occurred, according to police. According to local news reports, he did not sustain serious injuries but was taken to the hospital to be evaluated.

This sure is a sad situation. I feel bad for Mrs. Moss’s family and friends. I wonder if she intentionally ran into the 18 wheeler or if she was just despondent and suicidal and was driving recklessly. If she did intend to drive into the 18 wheeler (thereby putting Mr. Lane in danger), it clearly is an intentional act and legally, Mr. Lane might have issues recovering from any car liability insurance as these insurance policies typically exclude intentional acts. I have represented people before in these types of situations and know from experience how difficult—and terribly sad—these cases are.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. You can reach the Anderson Law Firm in Dallas at 214-327-8000 and in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. If you have questions concerning any type of personal injury case you may also fill out our contact form on our website.

The United States Transportation Department is pursuing a $16.4 million dollar fine against the Toyota Corporation for not properly notifying the government about problems with accelerator pedals. This is the maximum fine allowed.

Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, stated that “We now have proof that Toyota did not live up to its legal obligations.” The Transportation Department released that Toyota knew about the potential problems with accelerator pedals as early as September 29.

The only recall that was issued in the fall pertained to floor mats, not accelerator pedals. A recall was not issued for accelerator pedals until the end of January.

Toyota has two weeks to contest, and if they do, it will be the largest fine the government has ever issued to a car manufacturer.

The Toyota Motor Corporation has issued many apologies about the recalls and safety problems.

The $16.4 million is the largest fine the US government can pursue per recall under the Tread Act. The Tread Act was created as a result of problems with Firestone Tires.

I am personally very happy to hear that something as serious as this fine has resulted from the safety problems with Toyota vehicles. Every time I read or blog about a wreck involving a Toyota, I have to wonder whether there was some kind of malfunction with the car that caused the accident. Hopefully this fine will warn all automakers that safety and quality should be there number one priority, and realize that there are large repercussions for not following the law.

This information and commentary is provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson. Contact the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. For a free consultation with the Anderson Law Firm about a personal injury case please fill out our contact form online.

John Patrick Barton, who was on probation for three DWI convictions, now faces two counts of murder after slamming into the back of a sedan in Lewisville early Sunday morning.

There were five passengers in the red Nissan Sentra that Barton ran into around 2:17 a.m. on I-35. Kandace Hull, and her 13 year old daughter, Autumn, were both killed in the accident.

The Lewisville Police Department stated that Barton was traveling at a high rate of speed and struck the rear of the Nissan when changing lanes, which caused both vehicles to spin.

Hull’s two other children and husband were still hospitalized on Sunday from injuries sustained in the fatal car crash.

Barton has a long history of criminal charges dating back to his teenage years. He turned 30 years old today. Barton was taken to a hospital for a mandatory blood test and was then taken to jail. He was arrested for intoxication manslaughter.

It makes me so angry to hear about a repeat offender like Barton continuing to violate his parole and cause a tragedy such as this one. My sincere condolences go out to the Hull family. Unfortunately, statistics show that it is often the passengers in vehicles hit by drunk drivers that are injured or killed more often than the drunk driver themselves. There are many driving safety tips that you can follow in order to avoid being the victim of a drunk driver.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. You may contact the Anderson Law Firm in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900. For a free consultation about your personal injury or car wreck please fill out our contact form.

A 16 year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department was injured when a van collided with his motorcycle last Friday in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

According to a police spokesperson, the officer was traveling east in left lane of East Fifth Street when a van attempted to make an illegal left turn onto Commerce Street and struck the officer on his motorcycle.

The officer was taken to the hospital and treated for injuries that were reportedly non-life threatening. The occupants of the van, a 44-year-old woman and two children ages 6 and 7, were not injured. The driver of the van was issued tickets for making an illegal left turn and for driving without a driver’s license.

I am sorry to hear about the officer’s injuries and wish him a speedy recovery. When our police force is out there protecting us, they are subject to the same dangers we all face as drivers. I have represented a lot of motorcycle riders and the story is always the same—the car driver just never sees the motorcycle rider. I assume that is the case here.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Accident Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and online by clicking here.

A bus crash Tuesday that killed two people and injured many more was likely caused by a broken drive shaft, according to investigators. The bus, on its way to Matamoros, Mexico, underwent its regularly scheduled maintenance the day before the crash.

The crash killed Christina Lozano Campos 62, of Lewisville, and Efrain Dominguez-Valenzuela, 27, of Brownsville. Two other people were hospitalized and in critical condition Wednesday. Many of the other passengers were treated at the hospital for minor injuries.

The Americanos USA bus was carrying 42 people and driving along I-37 through Campbellton, about 45 miles from San Antonio, when it went from the right lane toward the median, spun out of control, and turned over on its side. Investigators think the drive shaft, which transfers power from the engine to the wheels, fell off causing the accident. Newer buses are equipped with safety devices to catch a broken drive shaft, but even these can fail, said Motorcoach Training & Development Inc., a company that trains and certified bus mechanics.

Americanos USA is operated by Greyhound Lines Inc. According to Grayhound’s parent company, FirstGroup America, the 15-year-old bus had undergone its scheduled maintenance the day before the accident, which included routine inspection of the engine, tires, brakes and wheels. The National Transportation Safety Board is not planning to investigate because its initial assessment turned up no new potential safety issues involving the company or crash, according to an NTSB spokesperson. According to the Department of Public Safety, these finding are preliminary and they are still investigating the crash.

Americanos USA has a good safety record. It has been involved in one accident for every 13 buses. By comparison, Grayhound has been involved in one accident for every eight buses. Over the last two years, investigators placed Americanos USA buses out of service following 11.2 % of inspections. 22.3 % of inspections lead to buses being placed out of service nationally.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Accident Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, in Dallas at 214-327-8000, and toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

A Union Pacific freight train collided with a military truck in Saginaw, northwest of Fort Worth, causing a fire that injured an engineer and damaged a locomotive. The cause of the train crash is being investigated.

According to a Union Pacific spokesperson, the lights and gate at the railroad crossing were operating when the collision occurred. The locomotive damaged was one of three in a wheat-hauling 100-car train. The engineer was treated for injuries and released from the hospital.

The military truck involved in the crash was hauling a trailer with another military vehicle on top of it. That driver reportedly sustained no injuries.

Even though local authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, it looks like to me the driver of the military truck is probably at fault. Unless there is some sort of defect in the lights and gate, then the presumption is that the truck driver should have noticed the train and given the train the right of way.

Information provided by Fort Worth/Dallas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, in Dallas at 214-327-8000, and toll free at 877-291-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

A man who had been reported missing since yesterday evening was found dead this morning by a wrecked vehicle under a bridge in South Dallas. 43-year-old David Johnson lived with his family only a few miles from the scene of the crash near 1-45 and 1-20.

The car, a 1996 Ford Mustang GT, was found by City of Dallas workers under a bridge at J.J. Lemon Road in Dallas near Cedardale Drive. The car was upside down and Mr. Johnson’s lifeless body was found beside it. Police say speed was definitely a factor in the single-vehicle crash, and the medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to see if anything else contributed to the wreck.

What a terrible tragedy. I am sorry for those who lost a family member and friend. As the police continue to investigate the causes of the crash hopefully they will be able to shed light on what happened in this horrible accident.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, or toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

A Blue Ford Mustang collided with a tractor-trailer around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. The fatal car accident occurred on an exit ramp off of I-30 at Westmoreland Road in Dallas, TX.

The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. The driver of the blue Mustang was declared dead at the scene. The Dallas Police Department stated that the female passenger in the Mustang was rushed to Methodist Charlton Medical Center. Her condition is currently unknown.

The semi-truck collision occurred in the middle of Dallas rush hour traffic, causing the entire surrounding area to be at a standstill for several hours.

The information does not conclude whether both vehicles were on the exit ramp or not. Could the accident have occurred because either the Mustang or the semi did not yield to whoever was exiting the freeway? Approximately 9% of all wrecks with semi-trucks end with fatalities. It is very unfortunate that this statistic holds true with this accident. I am interested to see if further information is released about the cause of this accident.

This information and commentary is provided by Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. Mark can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or online by clicking here.

The Mesquite Police Department reported that a two-car collision occurred early this morning when a driver crashed into a pickup when driving the wrong way. The car accident was located off of I-30 in between Big Town and Marley roads.

According to the Mesquite Police Department, a Black Ford Pickup that was on the wrong side of the road ran into another pickup truck. The driver of the Black Ford Pickup was taken to the hospital and is listed in critical condition.

The driver and passenger of the other pickup truck suffered broken bones, and have non- life threatening injuries.

Whenever you read about anyone driving the wrong way, you always have to question whether drunk driving could be involved. It is possible that the driver of the Black Ford Pickup was just unaware of the roadway. However, I am interested to see what new information is released with this accident, to see if further explanation as to what happened is disclosed.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or online by clicking here.

On Sunday afternoon, Wesley Paul Hahs, was test driving a 2007 Honda Shadow when he crashed head on with a Chevy Tahoe. The motorcycle crash occurred when Hahs passed over a blind hill in a no passing zone and then ran into the Tahoe in front of Pollok Baptist Church. The Lufkin, Texas Police Department said that Hahs died upon impact with the SUV.

The owner of the motorcycle, Marion Webb, was also present during the motorcycle wreck. The Tahoe was driven by Jane Chambers of Nacogdoches. Chambers and her husband, who was also in the Tahoe, were not physically injured.

Webb contacted Hahs’ parents after the wreck. Hahs’ father said that he leaves behind a 7-year-old son, and was going to turn 28 in late April.

This is truly a tragedy. I do not think anyone ever goes to test drive a motorcycle thinking that they will be in a wreck before they ever purchase their new ride. My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Paul Hahs.

I think this accident shows the true importance of making sure every single motorcycle driver has proper motorcycle safety training and understanding of the rules of the road. There are several programs in Texas that provide motorcyclists of all levels with fun and easy courses to keep them up to date with the latest safety precautions.

This information is provided by Texas Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. Mr. Anderson can be reached Toll Free at 1-877-294-1115 across Texas or online by clicking here.

Last December I blogged about a Fort Worth police officer who was twice over the legal limit when he crashed a city truck and killed a Fort Worth mother. Later it was determined that he was drinking with other police officers before the crash. Now an investigation reveals that Jesus Cisneros had started drinking while still on duty.

An internal investigation found four violations against Cisneros: 1) he consumed alcohol on duty without necessary supervisor approval; 2) he drove a city vehicle off duty without authorization; 3) he was intoxicated while off duty; and 4) he drove a city vehicle while impaired in such a manner that resulted in a fatal crash. The investigation shows that Cisneros had up to three beers while on duty as part of an unauthorized undercover bar detail. Then off duty, Cisneros attended a birthday party at The Pour House where he consumed about four more beers and four shots of alcohol. He left the bar around 2 a.m. the next morning when he crashed a city vehicle into Sonia Baker’s PT Cruiser, killing her. He was driving at twice the posted speed limit.

Cisneros resigned on December 21 but the FWPD suspended him indefinitely on February 18 to ensure the suspension would appear in his civil service record. Cisneros, who is currently free on bail, was charged with intoxication manslaughter on February 10.

This is not Cisneros’s first alcohol related offense as a Fort Worth police officer. In March 2006, Cisneros fired a single shot from the sunroof of his own car. He was alone and intoxicated. In April 2006 Cisneros allegedly drove a city vehicle to an Arlington pub then drove an unauthorized female passenger to a home in Mansfield. These two incidents culminated in a 20-day suspension in August 2006, where Cisneros promised to undergo counseling and clean himself up.

This tragic story keeps getting worse. It is absolutely unbelievable that he was drinking while on duty. I am glad the Fort Worth police department is continuing to investigate. But the question remains whether this man should have still been an officer? Weren’t the incidents in 2006 enough?

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and toll free at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

A Dallas veteran police officer died 2 years ago while escorting a motorcade for then presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. The family of police officer, Victor Lozada, filed suit this week indicating that the city of Dallas failed to train him properly for this kind of high stress assignment.

The City of Dallas, Clinton, Clinton’s campaign, and the Super Seer Corporation (who manufactured Lozada’s helmet), are all named as defendants in the case.

The deadly motorcycle accident occurred when Lozada failed to negotiate a curve on Houston Street and slammed into a guardrail, flinging his body onto the roadway, and forcing his helmet off. The motorcade was headed towards a rally for Clinton in Oak Cliff.

Lozada was a 20 year veteran of the Dallas Police Department.

This is not your typical motorcycle wreck. It is way more than that. With the named defendants, it will be a hotly contested lawsuit focused on who was at fault. Plus, the addition of the helmet manufacturer throws a product liability case right in the middle of the “negligence” lawsuit. This will be very interesting to see how this lawsuit plays out over the next year or two.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reach in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, or online by clicking here.

A fatal collision occurred yesterday on Westbound I-20 in Arlington, TX, when a passenger vehicle rear-ended a tractor trailer as it moved slowly from the outside shoulder into a lane of traffic. One of the car’s passengers, Natalie Aguilar, of Garland, was pronounced dead at John Peter Smith Hospital yesterday afternoon. Oscar Zapata was also a passenger in the car and died about an hour after the crash. The driver of the car, whose name has not been released, is in critical condition. Arlington Police Department investigators found open beer cans in the vehicle.

The results of this accident investigation may take a few days. Clearly, alcohol may be a potential issue. It is illegal in Texas to have open containers of beer in a moving vehicle. But this alone does not answer the question of whether the driver was intoxicated. The accident occurred around noon, which is a bit early for DWI accident cases. And the investigators will be looking into the speed of the big rig as it entered the highway. It is always dangerous when a large truck has to enter a busy freeway from the shoulder. It just takes them a long time to get up to the minimum speed. So the truck driver has to make sure that the traffic is clear for him to enter. The trucks hazard lights should have been on as it was getting up to speed. All of this will be looked into by the investigating officers as they try to determine the cause of the tractor trailer accident.

Information and commentary provided by DFW Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 and across the State of Texas at 1-877-294-1115. For a quick nswer to your legal question, click here.

Around 1 a.m. this morning, construction workers were fixing a pothole on Southbound 1-35 E at Royal Lane in Dallas, Texas, when an off-duty police officer offered to block the lane off for them with his truck.

Shortly after, a suspected drunk driver crashed his gold pick-up into the police officer’s truck that was blocking the lane for the construction crew. The officer, who works for the Hubbard Police department suffered only minor injuries. The offending driver was not injured, but was cited for DWI according to Dallas officials. Another passenger in the gold pick up was brought to Parkland hospital for an injured arm.

Drunk Driving accidents are a huge problem here in Texas. Each year, we lose more than 1,400 Texans as a result of DWI crashes. Thankfully, the off-duty officer was not seriously injured. Imagine the catastrophe that could have occurred if the police officer had not blocked the lane for the construction crew. We are so fortunate to have people in our community like this police officer. He went above his call of duty, even when it is not required of him.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas Injury Lawyer Mark Anderson who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or online by clicking here.

On Saturday, two vehicles collided head-on, killing one man and sending a woman to the hospital. Angel Reyna of Fort Worth, TX was pronounced dead at the scene.

The car crash occurred in the 800 block of Longhorn Road near Lottie Lane in Saginaw, TX. The two vehicles were traveling in opposite directions on Longhorn Road when the wreck occurred, according to police. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The woman in the accident was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

I grew up in Saginaw and am very familiar with this road. It is not curvy at all, in fact it is straight as an arrow. The police reports gave no indication as to the cause of this auto wreck, but my thoughts are that driver distraction or possibly intoxication might have contributed to this accident. Hopefully the Saginaw Police can piece together what happened.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-237-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

I recently blogged here and here about the tragic death of Arlington PD Officer Craig Story, whose motorcycle collided with a school bus on Wednesday. His Harley-Davidson bike burst into flames upon impact and Officer Story was unable to be saved. That motorcycle was scheduled for maintenance as part of a federal recall, according to police.

The recall was ordered because "the tank mounts on the bikes could distort in reaction to severe frame damage from a frontal collision. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, which could lead to injury or death to the rider," according to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. This appears to be exactly what happened, although the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office has not ruled on a cause of Officer Story’s death.

Officer Story’s memorial service will take place on Tuesday, January 19 at 11 a.m. at Crossroads Christian Church in Grand Prairie. The address is 6450 S. Texas 360. He will be buried at Moore Memorial Gardens on North Davis Drive in Arlington. There is a vigil Sunday, January 17 at Arlington Funeral Home at 1221 E. Division Street. There will be a visitation with the family from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday at Arlington Funeral Home.

Here are some places you can make a donation to Officer Story’s memorial fund:
East Arlington police substation, 2001 New York Ave.;
Heroes Park, Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard at Wester Way Drive;
Harold K. Elliott Police Museum at the Police Training Center, 6000 W. Pioneer Parkway;
and Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center, 620 W. Division St., where a patrol car will be in the far northeast parking lot.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, or toll free across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

Thankfully no one was killed yesterday when an axle fell off of one tractor trailer and hit another on I-20 in Hudson Oaks near Weatherford, TX. The axle fell off of an eastbound truck, bounced across the median and crashed into a truck going westbound.

The axle hit the semi’s windshield, according to police, then the cab caught fire, soon spreading to the trailer. The driver of the big rig suffered cuts and bruises. There is no word on what caused the axle to fall off of the first 18-wheeler.

How in the world does an axle just fly off a truck? Is this an instance of poor maintenance of a truck? I see that in my injury practice all of the time. It is amazing that no one was seriously injured or killed.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, in Dallas at 214-327-8000, and across Texas at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

Photo from the Fort Worth Star Telegram

An absolutely horrible accident occurred today in Arlington TX. According to police and local news reports, an Arlington police department motorcycle officer, whose name has not yet been released, was killed this morning in a collision with an Arlington ISD school bus . The fatal wreck occurred near the intersection of S. Cooper Street and W. Inwood Drive near Arlington High School. Neither the bus driver nor any of the bus’s nine passengers, students at several elementary and middle schools in Arlington, were injured.

Police are investigating the crash and are still unsure of exactly what happened. Witnesses report hearing a loud noise then seeing the officer’s motorcycle in flames. Police are interviewing witnesses at the school to help determine what caused the fatal motorcycle wreck. One student stated that the officer had his lights on, but he didn’t hear a siren.

I am very saddened to hear of this tragic wreck. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the fallen officer. Years ago I represented the family of an Arlington PD officer who was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver. I was amazed at the outpouring of support the police department and the community showed the officer’s family. I am sure that the APD and the Arlington community will again help out the family in this difficult time.

I will post more information as it becomes available.

Information provided by Arlington Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted online by clicking here or by calling 817-294-1900.

Photo from the Fort Worth Star Telegram

Albil C. Bernal, a 33 year old man from Dallas, died early Saturday morning in car accident at an intersection in Plano, Texas. The automobile wreck occurred when the Chevy Pickup in which Mr. Bernal was driving apparently ran a red light at West Park and Custer and struck a Hyundai sport utility vehicle. The driver of the Hyundai went to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The Plano Police Department is currently investigating the accident. Since this wreck occurred at 4 a.m., one would have to assume that the investigation will include a review of whether alcohol played any role in the accident.

In 2007, there were almost 900 people killed in the United States and an estimated 153,000 people injured in car accidents involving red light running. For the other vehicles involved in these types of crashes, there is oftentimes no way to avoid the collision with the red light running vehicle.

Information and commentary provided by Texas Car Accident Lawyer Mark A. Anderson of the Anderson Law Firm. The firm specializes in representing those seriously injured as a result of the negligence of others. Mark Anderson can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or across Texas at 1-877-294-1115. Click here to contact Mark Anderson online.

12-year-old Liberty Christian school student Ian Kay was killed in a car crash on Tuesday in Flower Mound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash, which happened near Liberty Christian school, occurred when a car rear-ended a truck, which then crashed into two other vehicles. The driver of the car, Hunter Johnson, is still in the ICU. His brother, Evan Key, was treated at Texas Health Harris Methodist hospital in Fort Worth and then released.

Police continue to investigate the cause of the wreck. I feel very sorry for the family of young Ian. To lose a child is so tragic. I hope the investigation will bring answers to the family.

Information provided by Texas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted online by clicking here, in Dallas at 214-327-800 or in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

Williams Rothlisberger, 17, died in a Fort Worth hospital Tuesday afternoon after a car accident near Krum, outside of Denton. Mr. Rothlisberger was from Denton County.

The car crash happened early Tuesday morning on FM 2450 south of Hopkins Road. Authorities have not released many details from the wreck, but said two vehicles were involved in the crash and Mr. Rothlisberger was thrown from his vehicle.

My deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of this young man. Hopefully, there will be a complete investigation which will provide some answers to the family.

Information provided by Texas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, offices in Dallas (214-327-8000) and Fort Worth (817-294-1900). Click here to contact online.

An article in the New York Times today explores the dangers of highway construction zones due to unregulated safety standards. Focusing on pavement edge drop-offs, the un-smoothed edge that occurs when only one side of the road is paved at a time, the article mentions dozens of deaths in Texas due to negligently managed work zones.

Seven people were killed when a car slipped off the edge of one of the pavement drop-offs on 1-20 near Dallas and over-corrected into an oncoming car. In 1998, six people died in nine separate drop-off accidents in Tarrant County due to the repaving of a five mile stretch of 1-35. Justifiably, there were lawsuits filed for these wrongful deaths and court records show that contractors and safety officials knew these pavement drop-offs were dangerous but arguments over the cost of fixing them inhibited any real action being taken. These lawsuits eventually settled for $25 million. In 2005, a motorcycle slipped off the edge of a drop-off along Highway 51 in North Texas and the rider fell off of the bike and was killed by an oncoming car.

These construction zones are dangerous because while the federal government provides safety guidelines, there are few laws and regulations, and these guidelines are enforced differently in different states. Now, with the government’s new stimulus package giving $27 billion in federal funding for statewide highway projects, construction zone accidents may greatly increase.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one as a result of an injury in an accident which occurred in a construction zone and you think that the area was unsafe in any way, you need to contact an experienced injury lawyer as soon as possible. It is important to make sure that the area is properly investigated, photographed, measured and documented. These zones change very quickly after an accident, as the general contractor sometimes sees the faulty design only after a wreck has occurred.

Information provided by Texas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

A five vehicle wreck today on Highway 75 (Central Expressway) in Plano injured eight people and tied up traffic for hours. According to the Plano Police Department, the wreck started when an 18 wheeler careened into the HOV lane on the southbound side. The tractor trailer first struck a TxDOT truck, and then hit a passenger pickup truck. The pickup then flipped over a box truck and into a Mazda. Also, after the big rig hit the TxDOT truck, it caused the state vehicle to hit the concrete barrier between the Northbound and Southbound HOV lanes, and the barrier was pushed into the Northbound lane. Unfortunately this will cause the HOV lanes to be closed in both directions until the proper repairs can be made.

Of the eight people injured in the truck wreck, three had to transported to local hospitals. I certainly hope their injuries are not serious and that they are able to be released very soon. This accident appears to be yet another caused by the reckless actions of a truck driver. These truck drivers have a duty, like all of us, to drive safely. But when they fail to do so, the consequences are enormous. These trucks can cause incredible damage, both physical property damage (to cars and heavy cement carriers), but also can cause bodily injuries to innocent drivers.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached at 214-327-8000 or toll free at 877-294-1115.

Holly Klein and her daughter Deva Szymankiewicz were the only survivors of a tragic crash on Thanksgiving that killed four of their family members on Texas Highway 103 in Lufkin, Texas. The family was traveling from Austin to East Texas when their van collided with a tractor trailer. Apparently the van made a u-turn and was struck by the oncoming truck, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Ms. Klein’s son Dakota, 14, was killed the crash, as well as Ms. Szymankiewicz’s husband Todd and their children, 5-year-old Casimir and 3-year-old Aoibhin. Ms. Klein and Ms. Szymankiewicz were treated at the hospital for their injuries.

This is a tragic accident and my heart goes out to the surviving family members. It sounds like the accident is still under investigation by the DPS. Hopefully, the investigating officers will be able to re-create the accident and determine exactly how it happened. It is possible the driver of the van was not able to appreciate the distance or speed of the 18 wheeler.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

Recently I wrote about the investigation into the causes of at 2008 deadly bus wreck in Sherman that left 17 dead, which I blogged about here and here. Now, three employees of the inspection company that looked at the bus prior to the deadly accident are being charged with tampering with a government document.

The inspection company, 5 Minute Inspections in Houston, was allegedly issuing hundreds of stickers a month to vehicles that had not been properly inspected, according to investigators. The Texas Department of Public Safety, who filed the charges, did not provide information on whether or not the bus involved in the crash was properly inspected, as the investigation is still ongoing.

This type of conduct is horrible. It puts all of us at risk each time we get in our cars. Without proper inspections, certain companies are going to use trucks and buses that have bad tires, bad brakes….Allowing these dangerous buses on the roads is criminal and I am glad to see that charges have been pursued.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

In a move that I very much agree with, the Texas Transportation Commission voted yesterday in a meeting in Fort Worth to remove phone numbers from the standard form used by police officers after an accident. This change goes into effect January 1, 2010.

I recently blogged about this topic (read it here) and said that removing the numbers is a great move. The way things happen now, if you are in an accident there is a good chance you will get called from a “marketer” offering the services of an attorney or a chiropractor. Sometimes these “marketers” are not so honest and represent themselves as being from an insurance company. This leads to all kinds of confusion and irritation to the car accident victims. By removing the phone numbers, it will make the marketer’s job extremely difficult. The harassing won’t stop, but it will definitely slow down.

I also recently was interviewed by Channel 11 News about this topic. Here is a link to the article from their website.

To contact Mark A. Anderson, call toll free 877-294-1115 or click here.

A pickup truck driven by an elderly couple crashed into El Mexicano Taqueria yesterday just before the lunch rush. Four people were taken to the hospital for injuries, including the driver.

Witnesses saw the truck drive off of the road, through a fence, strike another vehicle, then crash into the restaurant, which is located in the 1500 block of South Washington. The police are still investigating the cause of the crash. Along with the driver, three restaurant employees were taken to the hospital, one of whom is believed to have a broken leg, another an injury to the head.

According to reports, the few diners in the restaurant at the time were seated at the opposite end of the building. Considering the extensive damage to the building itself, it is amazing there weren’t even more injuries. There is still no word on why the driver lost control of the vehicle. I wonder if he suffered an injury or illness while driving that caused him to wreck. These questions will undoubtedly be explored in the course of the investigation.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

Photo from nbcdfw.com

A hit and run accident happened this past Sunday evening in Dallas in the 5100 block of South Marsalis Avenue, just south of Loop 12. According to the Dallas Police Department, a speeding vehicle struck another vehicle shortly before 6:00 p.m. The accident caused the second vehicle to hit a tree, killing 35-year-old Kedrick Rattler and injuring Mr. Rattler’s passenger, who was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The driver of the speeding vehicle fled the scene and, according to the DPD, has not been located.

This is a terrible accident and I feel very sorry for Mr. Rattler’s family and friends. I wonder if the person who caused this accident even knows the results of their actions. I’m sure they know they caused a wreck, but I wonder if they know that their reckless action ended another man’s life. I hope the Dallas Police Department can use all available evidence in their accident investigation and find the speeding driver. Should they be able to find the driver, serious charges, and hopefully prison time, will result.

On the civil side, I hope Mr. Rattler, or the owner of the car, carried uninsured motorist protection to compensate the family for this premature death. In a case like this, uninsured motorist coverage is usually the only available insurance to compensate the family.

Information and commentary provided by Dallas Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson who can be contacted at 214-327-8000 or at www.maafirm.com.

In what I consider to be a justified corporate reprimand, Fort Worth based Burlington Northern Sante Fe was penalized by a judge in Minneapolis, Minnesota for hiding and lying about evidence. The penalty, called a sanction, was issued by the presiding judge who heard evidence in a case involving the death of four young people whose car collided with a BNSF train at a crossing. The judge found compelling evidence that Burlington Northern lost or fabricated evidence, interfered with the family’s investigation of the accident and lied or misrepresented facts to conceal the truth. Basically, all of the allegations of lying involve whether the crossing gate was working. Apparently at the trial, Burlington Northern tried to use fabricated evidence that the crossing gate was indeed working, when all other evidence pointed to the fact that the crossing gate was not working.

The amount of the sanction issued by the presiding judge was $4 million. That sanction will definitely be appealed by BNSF. However, I hope that the appellate courts will uphold the sanction because this kind of conduct is despicable. I hope that this new story is making the national news, even though it might only appear in our local papers as BNSF it is located here in Fort Worth. When corporate defendants do this type of shenanigans, they need to be punished. Our wonderful trial system only works if our jury can make decisions based upon the real truth. When companies start fabricating evidence, they should be punished. And they should be punished severely.

Information and commentary provided by Fort Worth Dallas Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted at 877 294 1115 or at www.maafirm.com.

When people hear of ambulance chasers, they usually think of those unscrupulous injury lawyers who track down injury victims after a car accident and offer their services. Such conduct is against the law and I applaud any effort to prevent this practice from happening. And it’s not just the lawyers who do the ambulance chasing—but also body shops and medical facilities like chiropractors.

The most common way the “chasers” get their information is through police generated “crash reports” which are filled out after most automobile accidents. The “chasers” buy the crash reports from the police department (sometimes out the back door) for $6 and call the injury victim directly. So last year the Texas Department of Transportation removed the phone numbers of the parties from the reports. This made it much harder for the chasers, as many people either have unlisted phone numbers or they only have cell phones, and those numbers are not publicly available. But the Texas Department of Transportation wanted the phone numbers put back on the reports to help with their investigations, so they were put back on this March—so the calling and chasing resumed.

This summer, our Texas Legislature passed a law making it illegal to directly contact a person involved in a wreck in the first thirty days after a wreck. That law supposedly had already applied to lawyers, but now it applies to everyone. Unfortunately, a lawyer and a chiropractor have filed a lawsuit challenging that constitutionality of that new law. Who knows what the outcome will be—but I hope the law will be upheld. And more importantly, I hope the law will be enforced.

But I think the best way to stop the chasing is to stop the access to the information. I understand that both the Dallas and Fort Worth Police Departments have now restricted the availability of reports to those that either (1) know the actual report number (which is given to the parties involved in the accident at the scene) or (2) know the date of the accident and one of the names of the drivers involved in the crash. This restriction is a good idea and I hope it keeps the reports out of the hands of the chasers—whether they are lawyers, chiropractors or auto body repair shops. And for those who ge the info somehow and still chase, let’s hope the law enforcement officials are willing to prosecute those who violate the law.

Commentary provided by Dallas Fort Worth Accident and Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted online or at 877-294-1115, in Dallas at 214-327-8000 and in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

On September 22 a school bus carrying members of the Rockwall Heath High School swim team ran off the road and into a pond about three feet deep. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, police said. I wonder if there a problem with the bus or the driver? According to the Texas Department of Transportation, more than a million children and teens depend on buses to get them safely to over 9,000 schools every day. Proper bus maintenance and adherence to safety standards is essential in protecting our students.

Luckily no one was injured, but if they were, these families would certainly be in need of an accident injury attorney. In an accident like this, especially concerning a bus with the possibility of dozens of victims, it would be an absolute mess trying to deal with the insurance company by themselves. When seeking the advice of an attorney for a personal injury, it’s important to find the right lawyer.

Information provided by Board Certified Accident Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115 or contacted by clicking here.

A man driving the wrong way on Highway 121 in Haltom City, Texas died when he crashed into an 18-wheel truck around 2 am this morning.

Police were investigating a call about a driver going the wrong way on the highway when they caught up to the purple Chevrolet Cavalier going southbound near the Loop 820 split. When they approached the vehicle, however, the driver sped off again and headed straight for an oncoming tractor trailer. The driver of the big rig turned to miss the Cavalier, and the driver of the Cavalier crashed into the rear axle of the truck and died on impact. The truck driver was not injured.

This was such a senseless death. Of course one cannot assume the man driving the wrong way was drunk or on drugs, but these are common causes of this type of accident. If only he had stopped and talked to police instead of trying to flee, he might still be alive today.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 1-877-294-1115, or by clicking here.

A Texas woman who recently started a new business in Florida died Monday in a tragic accident at her hot dog stand in Tampa.

40-year-old Catalina Allmon was outside the stand when the accident occurred. An unsecured trailer carrying a large riding lawnmower detached from a passing truck and entered the parking lot. The trailer struck Allmon and her business partner Vicente Hernande Quintero. The mower crushed and killed Allmon while the trailer ran over and injured Quintero.

According to investigators, the trailer became unhitched from 16-year-old Dennis Tintle’s truck as he drove over a dip in the road. Tintle was cited for failing to secure his trailer. Unfortunately, Tintle’s negligence caused a wrongful death.

This is such an unfortunate and avoidable accident. Drivers pulling anything behind their vehicle have a responsibility to make sure it is properly secured. In this case, properly securing that trailer could have prevented the death of a mother who was trying to provide a better life for her children.

Information can be provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted toll free at 1-877-294-1115 or by clicking here.

A man has been arrested following the pedestrian car accident which involved two Bell Helicopter Plant workers early Wednesday.

76-year-old Cullen McNair of Hurst was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault for hitting two Bell employees who were on strike in the parking lot. The strike has been going on for a month and 2,500 manufacturing workers are striking and picketing—many in the parking lot at Bell.

Witnesses say McNair was driving behind another car and the two men were walking in between the slow-moving vehicles when McNair sped up and hit the men. McNair has been released on $20,000 bond for the two counts against him.

50-year-old Fort Worth resident, John Bird and 53-year-old Jimmy Shook of Alvarado were injured and taken to local hospitals. Shook was released from Texas Health Harris H-E-B but it is unknown what happened to Bird. Investigators say neither man was seriously injured, although one’s foot was run over by McNair’s vehicle.

At this time, a motive has not been determined but an accident investigation, including taking statements from witnesses and those involved, will hopefully reveal the cause of McNair’s actions.

Information provided by DFW Accident and Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson: 817-294-1900.

Three people were killed and three were injured when a pickup truck hit motorcycle riders head-on during a charity ride in Corsicana Saturday.

The ride was held on a rural highway outside Corsicana, which is 65 miles south of Dallas. Apparently the driver of the pickup truck swerved into the oncoming lane of parading cyclists, striking two motorcycles before it flipped and hit two more.

Among those who died were 34-year-old Leslie McCluney, a teacher at Corsicana High School who was riding on the back of a motorcycle with her father, 61-year-old Terry Nelson, who was also killed. David Coley, 54, was the third motorcyclist who died at the scene. The three were among the first two motorcycles hit by the truck and all were residents of Corsicana.

Two other drivers were taken to Dallas hospitals and were last known to be in fair condition. The driver of the pickup who caused the crash was William Lindsey Jr, 54, who was taken to the hospital, treated and released.

The cause of the motorcycle accident is unkown at this time as an investigation is being conducted.

The ride was a charity event to benefit the Corsicana High School's drill team.

Information provided by Dallas Fort Worth Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson 817-294-1900.

A 13-year-old boy and his grandfather died Sunday from injuries they received in a multi-vehicle car accident just south of Gainsville, Texas.

Gervious Hinkle and his grandson Casey Hinkle, both of Fort Worth, were traveling northbound on Insterstate 35 around 2:30 p.m. when they were forced to slow for traffic and road construction in front of them. All of a sudden, an 18-wheeler came barreling up at a high rate of speed and crashed into the slowed cars, causing a 9-vehicle chain reaction auto accident.

Hinkle and his grandson were driving a Ford Explorer when they were hit. Hinkle died at the scene. Casey was taken to JPS Hospital in downtown Fort Worth where he was pronounced dead an hour later from his serious injuries.

Casey's mother and sister were also in the SUV and were hospitalized for injuries, but their conditions are unknown at this time.

The driver of the big-rig, Randy Crume, was from Harrah, Oklahoma. He was issued a citation by highway patrol for failing to control his speed.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a vehicle crash, please contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn your rights by calling 817-294-1900.

An Oklahoma Turnpike accident has claimed 10 lives--some of which were residents of North Texas. The crash happened Friday and is still under investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Cars were stopped on the turnpike due to another accident up ahead when an 18-wheeler crashed into the vehicles in front of it, causing a chain-reaction wreck involving several cars.

Among those killed were the Hayes family of Frisco, Texas--Randall Hayes, 38, Ethan Hayes, 7 and the most-recent person to die from her serious head injuries, 35-year-old Shelby Hayes.

Others who died were residents of Oklahoma including: Oklahoma City residents Oral Hooks, 69, Earlene Hooks, 63, Antonio Hooks, 42, and Dione Hooks, 41 and Crossroads Oklahama resident Cynthia Olson, 55.

The driver of the big-rig was 76-year-old Donald Creed of Willard Missouri, who is reportedly in good condition after being treated for head injuries in a Missouri hospital.

Reports say some of the victims were trapped in the accident wreckage for almost 9 hours before they were able to get out.

This tragic case of several wrongful deaths is so devastating because with a little better driver attention, this crash might have been easily preventable. My heart goes out to the families effected by this huge accident.

If one of your loved ones has died due to the negligence of another person or company, please contact Board Certified Texas Wrongful Death Attorney Mark A. Anderson for a free consultation by calling 817-294-1900.

Dalton Thomas Hardaway, 17, of Arlington was killed early Saturday when he lost control of his 1985 Ford Tempo as he was driving north on Texas 360 near Arkansas Lane. He struck the concrete barrier and died at the scene. Hardaway had a 19-year-old passenger who luckily only received minor injuries.

No other information is available publicly at this time. Was speed or alcohol a factor in this tragic car accident? More information will be available soon.

In an unrelated motorcycle accident, motorcycle rider Oscar Carmichael of Dalworthington Gardens (DWG) died late Saturday when a driver going in the opposite direction turned in front of Carmichael, who had to lay his bike down in an attempt to avoid the collision. The accident occurred at Pioneer Parkway and Great Southwest Parkway. At this point, it is unknown if speed played a part in this tragic accident.

A scene investigation will be important to determine who was at fault in this accident. Cars pulling in front of motorcycles are a very common cause of vehicle collisions. Whether the motorcyclist was speeding will have an impact on the determination of liability. Also, any witnesses will help the investigators determine who was at fault.

Information provided by Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, 817-294-1900

A construction worker died yesterday when he was run over and dragged by the truck he was repairing.

The vehicle accident happened at 9:30 in the morning at a city pump station on 4100 Main Street in The Colony, Texas. The victim, who remains unidentified, was underneath a truck working on it when another worker got in the truck and drove off.

It appears the worker who drove the truck did not know anyone was underneath it and the incident is being investigated as an accident. No charges have been filed and The Colony Police Department does not anticipate filing any.

The worker who was killed was not employed by the city who owned the pumping station, but instead, contracted out by a construction company to add more lines to the pump station.

Many times, when people call my office, they are confused when I tell them I cannot take their “worker’s comp case” because I don’t go after the employer or co-employees who are liable for accidents. In this instance however, the construction worker’s wrongful death was caused by the negligence of another person (employed by the city).

It can seem very complicated, but the point is, this man’s death was caused by the negligence of a third party and therefore his family has the right to bring a claim for damages on his behalf based on the negligence of the driver. As the driver was employed by the city, the doctrine of Sovereign Immunity will come into play, which limits the amount of compensation one can recover against a governmental entity.

If you have questions about wrongful death claims or making a claim for injuries sustained in a car wreck, please contact the Anderson Law Firm by calling 817-294-1900.

Two 23-year-old women were seriously injured when a man who was driving the wrong way on the Dallas North Tollway crashed into their car early Sunday morning.

Ryan Matthew, 27, of Dallas was driving south in the northbound lanes of the Tollway for nearly 10 miles before colliding with the car carrying the two women. He started driving the wrong way at Cotton Gin Road up in Frisco.

Before crashing into the women, Matthew narrowly missed striking a police cruiser head-on. Shortly after, around 1:45 a.m. he slammed into Hannah Jung and Hannah Hong of Plano and Richardson. The car wreck happened near the exit for the George Bush Turnpike.

Matthew, Hong and Jung were all rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas and treated for serious injuries. Hong was released, but Jung remained in the intensive-care unit and Matthew was in fair condition as of yesterday.

What caused Matthew to drive the wrong was is under investigation; it is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Strangely, three people called 9-1-1 between 11:16 and 11:22 p.m. Saturday night to report a separate driver going the wrong way on the Tollway. This motorist was driving the opposite direction as Matthews between Lovers Lane and Wycliff Avenue, but fortunately no accidents were reported and no one was caught.

Alarmingly, four people have been killed since April in wrong-way crashes on the 33-mile Dallas Tollway; I wrote about a man who worked for the Dallas Morning News who died driving the wrong way. Due to the astounding number of wrong-way incidences, there’s been a cry to do more to alert drivers of going the wrong way, instead of just posting signs on entrance and exit ramps. There’s even been talk of adding road spikes by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

Whether these are drunk-driving related accidents, or due to confusion late at night, something needs to be done to prevent more from dying in these tragic crashes.

If you’ve been seriously injured in a vehicle-related wreck, please call the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation at 817-294-1900.

The cause of an Arlington vehicle accident is being investigated after a pickup truck collided with an ambulance carrying a patient.

The crash happened at approximately 1:45 this morning at the intersection of South Collins Street and East Arkansas Lane. The ambulance had gone to pick up a female with a pregnancy-related emergency before it wrecked with the pickup truck. The driver of the truck was not injured.

All of the occupants of the ambulance, including the two paramedics and the woman patient were taken to the hospital to be treated. There is no word on any of their conditions or the severity of their injuries.

An accident investigation is being conducted to determine how the car crash happened.

If you’ve been injured in a car, truck or motorcycle collision, contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn your rights at 817-294-1900.

It’s only 9 a.m. and already there have been two significant Dallas-Fort Worth vehicle wrecks during this morning’s commute, among the usual daily incidences.

In Haltom City, Texas on eastbound Loop 820, traffic is backed up all the way to Interstate-35W because of an overturned car near the center median.

The blue Dodge Neon flipped around 7:30 this morning and it’s unclear what caused this accident or whether anyone was hurt.

And a little earlier, around 7 a.m. an 18-wheeler accident blocked three westbound lanes of Interstate 30 between Westmoreland Road and Cockrell Hill Road/Chalk Hill Road near Grand Prairie, Texas.

Two lanes continue to be blocked and traffic is backed up all the way to downtown Dallas. There’s also no word on whether anyone was injured in this crash, but if it caused three lanes to close during the busiest hour of the day, my gut tells me it was a serious accident. An accident investigation will ultimately determine what happened.

Besides being a nuisance to other drivers, car and truck wrecks are extremely inconvenient for those involved—especially when accident victims suffer serious injuries and incur large medical bills as a result. Board Certified Texas Car Wreck Lawyer Mark A. Anderson knows how frustrating it can be for people after an accident and wants to help take the stress away. For information or a free consultation, please contact the Anderson Law Firm online or by calling 817-294-1900.

Photo courtesy of star-telegram.com.

A 14-year-old boy is in more than a little trouble this morning after taking his mother's car for a joyride late last night and crashing it into a canal in Irving. The car wreck happened at 2:20 a.m. on MacArthur Boulevard North.

After crashing the car, he left the scene and was found a little while later, sopping wet, walking down a street in nearby Coppell, Texas.

When investigators questioned the teen, he initially told them he had been kidnapped, but later told the truth. As of this morning, no charges have been filed.

Since no one was at fault for this crash other than the boy for acting negligent, if he was hurt, he would not be able to make a bodily injury claim for damages. And unfortunately, the teen's mother will not be able to make a claim to get her car fixed since the wreck wasn't caused by anyone other than her own son.

If you have questions about valid injury claims, contact Board Certified Texas Accident Attorney Mark A. Anderson at 817-294-1900.

Four children and an adult were seriously injured in a 3-vehicle crash in Ponder, Texas late last night.

A blue compact car carrying the victims was traveling on Highway 289 when it stopped to make a left turn near Preston Road. It was rearended by a white minivan and the impact pushed the blue car into oncoming traffic where it was slammed into head on by a pickup truck. The five in the blue car were rushed to area hospitals where there conditions are unknown.

The car is hardly recognizable by the picture and if all five people in the blue car live, it will be a miracle. No word on whether or not the drivers of the other vehicles involved were hurt.

An accident investigation is pending. If you have been seriously injured in an auto accident, please call the Anderson Law Firm to discuss your rights at 817-294-1900.

Photo by wfaa.com.

A multi-vehicle wreck on Northeast Loop 820 near Beach Street closed the eastbound lanes of the highway down during rush hour this morning.

The crash happened around 8:50 a.m. in the 3800 block of Loop 820 in Fort Worth. Traffic was re-routed to the access road until the accident scene was cleared at 10:20 a.m.

The accident involved an 18-wheeler and six other vehicles, but fortunately, only one person was transported by Medstar to a local hospital with injuries. There's been no reports of that person's identity or condition.

It will be interesting to see what caused this crash--the police report will ulimately show what happened.

For information on what to do after an accident, contact Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson for a free consultation or to request his free book at 817-294-1900.

Photo by star-telegram.com.

A Fort Worth woman was killed this morning when her vehicle was t-boned by a Hummer. Robin Hagen, 50, was driving eastbound in the 7000 block of Lake Country Drive in Northwest Fort Worth when a man in a southbound Hummer ran a red light and struck Hagen's Nissan.

The car accident happened around 8 a.m. and Hagen was pronounced dead at the scene. The man in the Hummer did not suffer any injuries. An accident investigation will determine whether or not charges will be filed.

If you have been injured in a car crash which was caused by another person's negligence, please contact Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson at 817-294-1900.

A 16-year-old Little Elm High Schooler was killed early Sunday morning when a woman drove the wrong way on the Dallas North Tollway and crashed into her vehicle. 24-year-old Mariza Martinez of Dallas was driving her pickup truck south in the northbound lanes of the tollway just after midnight when she crashed into Kara Taylor’s SUV by the Main Street exit. Taylor was taken to Frisco’s Centennial Medical Center where she was pronounced dead immediately following the car crash.

A 15-year-old girl who was riding passenger in Taylor’s car was also taken to the hospital, but released with minor injuries. Martinez was taken to the Medical Center of Plano with unknown injuries. She was not killed in the crash, though.

A pending accident investigation will reveal whether or not charges will be filed. Results from toxicology testing and scene investigation will determine whether or not Martinez will be cited.
The lanes on the tollway were closed until 4 a.m. Sunday due to the wreck.

If someone you love suffered a wrongful death in a car wreck, or sustained serious injuries, please contact the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation at 817-294-1900.