Unfortunately, the Lone Star State leads the country in fatal commercial truck accidents. In 2018 alone, over 600 individuals lost their lives in crashes involving large trucks in Texas. If your loved one was killed in a commercial truck wreck, it is important to know your legal options. You may be able to hold the trucking company or other liable parties accountable for your tragic loss and recover monetary damages through a truck crash injury lawsuit.

Who is Legally Responsible for My Loved One’s Death?

Many truck crashes are preventable. Distracted driving including using a cellphone while driving, fatigued driving, speeding, and driver inattention are just some of the causes of truck crashes. Truck wrecks may also be caused by inadequate truck maintenance, faulty truck parts, improper loading and securement of truck cargo, and more. If your loved one died because of another party’s careless or irresponsible actions, it is understandable that you want to hold that party accountable. The liable party in a truck wreck may be the:

• Owner of the truck

  ...

Everyone who is on the road or drives a vehicle has a responsibility to operate that vehicle in a safe manner. When a person does not drive in a safe manner, they endanger themselves and everyone else on the road. Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is highly irresponsible and can end up being extremely dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 10,000 people who died from a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver, and many more injured. These accidents are typically severe and can result in serious injuries to those who were involved. If you have been in an accident with a driver who was intoxicated, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries and losses.

What is Negligence in a Drunk Driving Accident?

The key to successfully claiming any sort of compensation after a drunk driving accident is proving that the other driver was negligent. In Texas, recovering compensation requires proof of “gross negligence,” which is defined as an action or failure to act that involves an “extreme degree of risk,” when considering the potential consequences and severity of harm to others. Gross negligence can also refer to an action or failure to act when the person has awareness of the risk involved, yet continues the action or failure to act, knowing it will interfere with the rights, safety, and/or wellbeing of others.

Typically proving negligence in a drunk driving accident is fairly easy. A person driving or operating a vehicle while they are intoxicated is committing gross negligence, as they could not operate the vehicle safely in the state they were in.

When you first hear that someone tripped and fell, you may not consider their injuries to be that serious. However, slipping and falling can cause serious or even life-threatening medical conditions. The severity of an injury often depends on where the accident took place and the type of surface, as well as the body part on which a victim landed. Although many people might think it would be the person’s own fault because they slipped or tripped, a negligent property owner may actually be responsible for causing harm if they failed to properly maintain their grounds. Understanding Texas premises liability law is important when filing a personal injury claim for injuries suffered in a slip, trip, and fall accident. 

The Consequences of Slipping, Tripping, and Falling 

Several factors may impact the nature of a slip, trip, and fall injury. Inclement weather conditions can cause surfaces to become slick and unstable. The recent winter storm that hit Texas wreaked havoc on roads as well as power grids. If the temperature drops, rain that accumulates can turn to ice. In addition, snow that is not removed in a timely manner from a parking lot or public space can hinder visitors’ or guests’ ability to safely maneuver in or around establishments such as restaurants, stores, offices, or apartment buildings. 

A few of the most common types of injuries that can occur in a fall include:

Texas is a state known for oil, as dramatized in the popular TV show Dallas from the 1980s. A large percentage of the United States oil production takes place in the Lone Star state, and many Texans earn their living in oil fields and offshore facilities. Due to the nature of the industry, the job duties are unique and also carry a certain amount of risk. For example, workers may be operating heavy equipment and exposed to dangerous substances in addition to the outdoor elements. Accidents in the gas and oil industry can result in serious and even life-threatening injuries. If you or your loved one was hurt while working in this type of occupation, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.  

Common Injuries in the Gas and Oil Industry 

Although there is significant risk of fires or explosions because of the flammable materials in the gas and oil industry, there are other injuries that can occur to those out in the field. Here are a few of the most common types of injuries incurred on an oil field site: 

According to a recent study, teens are not the only ones continuing to use their cell phones behind the wheel and hands-free devices may not provide the increased safety they purportedly offer. Despite the thousands killed and hundreds of thousands injured each year in motor vehicle accidents around the United States, middle-aged adults—not just teens and young adults—admit to using mobile devices while driving to make and receive calls, to text, and to check email or other apps. While many use hands-free devices, many continue to hold the phone in their hands, which is against the law for young drivers in Texas and generally considered to be unsafe for drivers of any age.

Distracted Driving Study

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego looked to build on the findings of other studies that examined the distracted driving habits of teenagers and younger adults. To do so, the team focused on adults ages 30-64, surveying more than 700 individuals, and publishing their findings in the Journal of Transport & Health. While the respondents represented less than an ideal cross-section of society as a whole—nearly 70 percent were white, 75 percent were women, and about 68 percent had an income in excess of $50,000 per year—the project was able to identify several alarming trends.