Archive for September 2010
Naming a defendant in trucking wreck can be difficult
Between the disastrous wreckages and severe injuries, accidents involving big rigs can be very complicated. The fact that it’s often hard to pin down a defendant in these cases makes them even more difficult. Without a doubt, the trucking industry is a major backbone of the American economy. Without trucks, many goods could not be…
Read MoreAustin / I35 Trucking Accident Shows The Dangers Of I35
There was a tragic trucking accident yesterday on I35 near downtown. Around 9:15 a.m., near the 6th-12th street exit on I35, a truck rear-ended another car, and likely caused a four car collision, though investigations are still underway. Courtney Longbotham, of Waco, was killed and several others were seriously injured. The early reports have included speculation that…
Read MoreWestminster Manor Crane Accident Revives Question: Should Austin Regulate Crane Operators
This afternoon, a construction worker was seriously injured when a crane collapsed at the Westminster Manor construction site. These types of on-the-job injuries raise a number of interesting legal questions. But today, I’m not worried about legal questions; instead, I’m worried about a safety question. This is not the first crane collapse in Austin or…
Read MoreDel Valle School Bus Incident — More Evidence We Need Seat Belts On School Buses
This week, Rene Nunez-Lemus, a Del Valle school bus driver, has been accused of injuring eleven students by slamming on the brakes of his bus after becoming frustrated with some of the students. A number of the students sustained injuries severe enough to require EMS transport to the hospital. I don’t really know what happened…
Read MoreAustin Police Department Fighting Its Own Distracted Driving
Seventy-four year old Louis Olivier was seriously injured in a car wreck caused by a distracted police officer. And he’s not alone. In the three years from July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2010, Austin Police Department officers were involved in 741 crashes, with nearly 20 percent of these wrecks caused by distracted driving. As…
Read MoreSomething the Insurance Companies and I Agree About — The Dangers of Texting While Driving
It’s no secret that personal injury lawyers and insurance companies disagree on a lot. But when we take the time to sit down with one another, we can find a number of areas of common ground. And two recent stories demonstrate that we all agree about the unnecessary dangers of texting while driving. First, I wanted…
Read MoreIt’s not just construction workers that may be hurt on the job
Accidents can and do happen every day, and not just on construction sites. Even with the nation’s economy still in turmoil, there are still at least 100 million people that still have a job to go to. The jobs vary in what they demand of those who ply their trade to make a living. Just…
Read MoreIf I'm Entitled To A Rent Car Following A Car Wreck, Whose Insurance Will Pay For It?
Today’s video answers the question, “If I’m entitled to a rental car following a car wreck, whose insurance will pay for it?” If You Are Entitled To A Rental Vehicle Follow A Car Wreck, Whose Insurance Will Pay For It? from brooks schuelke on Vimeo. As always, these are generalizations based on Texas law. If…
Read MoreThe higher the potential damages, the more vigorous the defense
With catastrophic injuries, damage settlements or verdicts tend to be higher. Serious injuries merit more argument from the defense to save money. “A catastrophic injury is one that is gravely serious; one that alters a person’s life irrevocably. Typically, those types of injuries are spinal cord injuries, crush injuries, brain damage, amputations and third degree…
Read MoreFormer Texas Supreme Court Justice Sued — When Can A Person Be Sued For Providing Alcohol To Others? (An Important Question For Footall Game-Watching Parties)
In yesterday’s Austin American Statesman, Chuck Lindell wrote an article describing a lawsuit filed against former Texas Supreme Court Justice Tom Phillips. The lawsuit alleges that Phillips and his wife allowed a party to go on at their home where minors were served alcohol and that one of the minors was killed in a…
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