Posted on May 12,2017 in Truck Accidents

One of the most common reasons for trucking accidents in Texas is fatigue. Truck drivers face stiff deadlines when it comes to reaching their destinations. As a result, they usually feel the pressure to stay behind the wheel longer than permitted. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates how long truck drivers can operate their vehicles in one sitting.

When truck drivers fail to take time to rest, this can lead to extreme fatigue. Unfortunately, the fatigue can end up causing a serious accident leading to injuries. If you have been hurt in a truck accident caused by fatigue, you have the right to pursue compensation.

Why is fatigue such a problem?

Fatigued motorists face issues such as decreased alertness and delayed reaction times. They also have slower reflexes and find it difficult to process information. When drivers of trucks are tired, they generally do not react properly to traffic conditions that are constantly changing. Because their compromised reflexes, they may not be able to steer or press the brake quickly enough to avoid a crash.

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 Posted on April 10,2017 in Truck Accidents

Distractions affect everyone throughout their daily lives. In many cases, you may not even realize that you have become distracted until something else catches your attention. Though distraction does not always have dire consequences, distracted driving can easily lead to a serious accident. If the crash involves a distracted semi-truck driver, the outcome could be devastating.

Though certain factors could impact any driver and lead to distraction, truck drivers face specific aspects of their jobs that could result in distraction. If you were injured by a distracted truck driver, you could potentially use that information as part of your personal injury case. Some common truck driver distractions include:

Cellphones

Any cellphone use, especially texting, can easily distract a driver. Texting and dialing requires taking your eyes off the road, at least one hand off the wheel and mind off the task of driving. In fact, distracted driving is known to be as dangerous if not more dangerous than drunk driving, especially when large commercial vehicles are involved.

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 Posted on February 17,2017 in Uncategorized

After suffering a serious injury in a car accident, you may have reason to pursue a civil claim against the driver considered at fault. Though many individuals consider such legal proceedings relatively common, you may not fully understand the process that your case may go through as you work to gain compensation for allowable damages. Luckily, many civil claims move forward in a similar order, though some steps may change depending on state law.

If you would like to file a civil claim in hopes of gaining restitution, you may want to prepare yourself for a potentially long process. However, in the end, your efforts may prove worth the time. The first steps involved in the proceedings include:

• Filing a complaint and summons: A complaint expresses the claims you wish to bring against the party considered at fault for your accident, also known as the defendant. The summons contains the order for the defendant to appear in court and gain awareness of the claim filed against him or her. Typically, your legal representation prepares your legal documents.

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 Posted on January 13,2017 in Uncategorized

Anyone who spends any amount of time driving through Garland on a regular basis knows how congested traffic flow can get. The last you thing you need while navigating busy roadways is to be sharing the road with an impaired driver. Every year in Texas, and throughout the nation, thousands of people die in accidents caused by drunk drivers.

Knowing what to look for may keep you safe

Would you know a drunk driver if you saw one in the traffic lane next to yours? The following is a list of signs that should cause you concern if you see a nearby motorist exhibiting any of them:

• Riding your bumper: Although drunk drivers aren't the only tailgaters on the road, someone traveling dangerously close to your bumper may, in fact, be impaired.
• Weaving: Other forms of distraction like texting or talking on cell phones also cause drivers to drift from side to side in their lanes, sometimes crossing over the center line or shoulder of the road - but, this is a common signal that a driver is intoxicated.

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 Posted on December 19,2016 in Uncategorized

The holidays are a busy time of year. Whether you are directly involved in planning and attending celebrations or merely caught up in the traffic congestion and daily delays the crowded streets of a festive season often cause, you may already be facing challenges getting to work on time and keeping up with your to-do list.

The last thing you need is to have your holiday plans interrupted by a car accident. If you've ever been stuck in traffic in Irving or Garland, you know it can take what seems like forever to get from point A to point B. If a reckless or negligent driver smashes into your vehicle, not only might it increase your delay, it may cause you serious injury as well.

Many accidents occur for these reasons

You never know when a collision will occur. One minute, you may be driving along without issue, the next, someone runs a red light or cuts you off on the road, resulting in a massive collision. The most common causes of motor vehicles accidents include the following:

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 Posted on November 14,2016 in Truck Accidents

Large commercial vehicles, such as tractor-trailers, are an extremely common sight on the roads and highways of Texas. Indeed, commerce and industry in America depend on reliable deliveries by truckers and trucking companies. In order to operate at peak efficiency, operators, shippers and dispatchers need to be in regular communication with each other.

Sometimes, the desire to keep communication lines open and maintain schedules can make it tempting for a commercial vehicle driver to engage in texting and driving. This is dangerous behavior and is forbidden by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Texting definitions and regulations

There are many devices capable of allowing nearly instant communication, including tablets and computers. Naturally, cellular phones are the most common, just as they are with non-commercial drivers. The FMCSA makes no distinction between cell phones and any other text-capable devices.

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 Posted on October 17,2016 in Uncategorized

An injury on the job can mean any number of things, including missed days at work, loss of wages, and ongoing pain. In many instances, a person who is injured on the job is entitled to benefits through the workers' compensation system.

In Texas, however, workers' compensation is not required. Although many employers opt into workers' comp coverage as a means of protecting themselves, some business owners choose to go "bare," opting to do business without this additional coverage. This may allow them to save money over the years, but it is not always good for their employees.

If you've been injured on the job while working for an employer that doesn't have workers' compensation insurance, here are a few things you should know:

There are different way to get compensation for your losses

When a Texas company chooses to not carry workers' compensation insurance, its employees will have a more difficult time getting the money and medical care they need right away. An insured employer is required to pay for medical treatment and to pay for a portion of your lost earnings. These benefits are usually payable within days or weeks of your injury.

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 Posted on September 21,2016 in Uncategorized

Car accidents are traumatic experiences even when there is minimal damage. Since some people experience a mental fog after a car crash, making it difficult to focus, they may not be aware of their injuries right away. Also, some injuries are not immediately evident.

Here are six trauma symptoms that often don't appear right away after a car crash:

• Headache: It is common for a crash victim to experience a problem several days after a motor vehicle accident (MVA). This pain may mean nothing or may signal a more serious problem like a concussion (traumatic brain injury) or a head or neck injury.
• Neck and shoulder pain or stiffness: Whiplash is the classic delayed symptom, usually not becoming painful until 12 to 24 hours after an accident occurs. Whiplash injuries can occur even at very slow speeds. An x-ray, CT scan or MRI may be necessary for a diagnosis or to rule out serious complications. It can take months for neck and shoulder pain to subside completely and may require physical therapy.

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 Posted on August 24,2016 in Truck Accidents

Trucks are a common sight on the roads of Texas. In Dallas-Fort Worth, you're just as likely to be driving next to a semi-tractor trailer as you are a large pickup. Unfortunately, the high rate of semi drivers leads to a high rate of truck-car accidents, many of which cause serious or fatal injuries.

Nearly every day, a motorists falls victim to the careless driving or conduct of a truck driver in Texas. At the law firm of Jerry D. Andrews, P.C., we frequently meet motor vehicle accident victims who were injured because of these common causes of truck crashes:

• Fatigue: Thousands of miles and long hours are part of the job description for commercial drivers. Commercial truck drivers are paid to deliver their haul on time and, some truck transportation companies pay bonuses to drivers for getting deliveries to their destination ahead of schedule. This frees up the truck for extra deliveries and spells more profit for the company. Unfortunately, this creates a desire for drivers to push themselves to stay awake beyond their capabilities. To earn a bonus, a commercial truck driver may forgo rest and sleeping time. In turn, this leads to fatigue and a much higher risk factor for a truck accident.

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 Posted on July 22,2016 in Uncategorized

Accidents happen, even when you've taken all the precautions you can while out on Texas roads. A driver who has had too much to drink could cause an accident, leaving you or a loved one with debilitating injuries. Do you feel that drunk drivers should be held responsible for their actions? We do.

Criminal punishment is not enough if you are injured

In Texas, a drunk driver faces criminal punishment based on the number of convictions they've received in the past. However, that punishment isn't meant to help the accident victim or his or her family members. Penalties to the drunk driver like fines, loss of driver's license, and even jail time make no direct impact on the others affected by the accident.

Having the drunk driver install a preventative measure after the accident (such as an ignition interlock device) simply doesn't do anything to help the injured. In the aftermath, accident victims may have to face serious issues such as physical disabilities, medical costs and lost wages.

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