Recent Blog Posts
Motorcyclist Killed in Crash with 18-Wheeler
Recently, a motorcyclist was killed after becoming stuck under an 18-wheeler on I-35 South. The accident happened near Kyle Crossing, and the highway was shut down for almost two hours while the accident was cleared. This accident, while a tragedy, does illuminate some of the safety hazards present for both truckers and cyclists, especially when traveling at a high rate of speed. If you have been in a crash with a truck or with a motorcyclist, there are certain particular features of that accident that are different than having been struck by another automobile.
High Fatality Rates for Motorcyclists
Because of the sheer lack of protection between a motorcyclist and the road, motorcycle riders have a significantly elevated risk of injury and death compared to automobile drivers and passengers. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that in 2016, motorcyclists were 28 times more likely to die in accidents than drivers or passengers in other vehicles – many of the fatalities caused simply by being unprepared to be struck, or to strike something, at such velocity.
Pile-Up Crash Closes SH 130 for Hours
Due to an accident involving at least three 18-wheelers and three smaller vehicles, southbound SH 130 was closed almost all day on Thursday, April 4. The accident occurred near the Pecan Street exit in Pflugerville, leaving one person dead and one person transported to the nearest hospital. In the event of such a large crash, it can be difficult for injured people to seek compensation, Depending on the situation, you may be able to try and hold multiple defendants liable for your injuries.
Fault Apportionment Is Key
Multiple-vehicle pile-ups can be difficult for the injured party to navigate because it can be so much more complex to untangle each actor’s liability or lack thereof. In a standard auto accident case, the plaintiff simply has to look at the defendant and determine whether or not their actions breached the duty to exercise reasonable care that every motorist owes to every other. If there are multiple defendants, the same process must be followed, but it can be too hard to tell who actually did what in such a large accident.
Occupants of Pickup and Sedan Rescued After Head-On Collision
A head-on collision on State Highway 46 led to four people being trapped in two cars for some time until law enforcement could reach them. A pickup truck struck a sedan head-on and then rolled onto its side, while the sedan was too damaged for the occupants to escape. Eventually, the occupants were extricated and transported to area hospitals, but as of this writing, there is no word on their conditions. If you have been involved in an accident where you were trapped in your car, you may have a claim for compensation against not only the other driver, but also, potentially, against the manufacturer of your car – one should be able to escape the vehicle after an accident, not be trapped inside.
Defective Parts Are a Hazard
Product liability is the legal theory under which manufacturers, sellers, and distributors are held liable for injuries caused by the products they introduce into the stream of commerce. A myriad of car parts has been implicated over time in several fatal accidents, including steering columns, brakes, turn signals, and tires. Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) estimate approximately 3,600 accidents occurred in 2017 that could be directly attributed to at least one defective car part.
Cyclist Critical After Crash in East Austin
Recently, a female cyclist was struck by an SUV on East Martin Luther King Boulevard, just east of I-35. The woman was immediately transported to Dell Seton Medical Center, with injuries that law enforcement called “life-threatening,” though no further details exist as of this writing. The driver of the SUV remained on the scene, and as of this writing it does not appear that any charges will be filed against them. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents can certainly be life-threatening, and if you have been involved in an accident like this, you will almost certainly have significant medical bills that need paying. Contacting an attorney is a good way to increase the odds that the person who injured you will pay them.
Bicycle Accidents on the Rise
For a variety of reasons, bicycle accidents in Texas have risen in frequency for the past few years, especially in urban counties. Statistics from Share The Road Texas show that Travis and Bexar counties rank in the top counties for both fatalities consistently, as well as in total bike crash numbers overall. Both counties also have notoriously high traffic levels, as well as more bicyclists than in past years.
One Injured, One Detained After SUV Crash
A crash on San Antonio’s northwest side recently left one injured, and one detained by police after a van crashed into a pole. The crash occurred near the intersection of West Hausman Road and University Heights Boulevard, with the passenger from the vehicle being transported to University Hospital for their injuries. Witnesses described the driver as ‘straddling the median’ before the vehicle crashed, and police detained the driver, though as of this writing there is no word on the exact reason for the driver’s detention. This type of single-vehicle accident can be difficult to recover from, though having an attorney by your side can help the process go more smoothly.
Single-Vehicle Accidents Are Deadly
Statistics show that single-vehicle accidents contribute a high number of fatalities to the overall yearly total of road deaths because many single-vehicle crashes involve rollovers. Rollovers are by far the most deadly type of car accident; the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that while rollover crashes only comprise about two percent of the yearly total, they are responsible for as much as 35 percent of the fatalities.
Austin Scooter Accident Data Shows Trends
Two-wheeled electric scooters have become omnipresent in Austin and many other metropolitan areas in the past year or so, purporting to offer commuters a little extra boost to their travels. However, they have been controversial, causing issues for disabled pedestrians and also, allegedly, leading to injuries on a regular basis. There has not been a completed study of scooter injuries as of this writing, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has requested Austin’s data on the issue as they work on theirs. If you have been injured by a person on a scooter or while using a scooter yourself, data like this can be very relevant if you decide to bring suit to try and recover for your medical bills.
Weekends Downtown Have Highest Risk
A pattern of injuries sustained in scooter accidents has been occurring ever since their installation in Austin some months ago. In January, an Irish exchange student died after being struck by a car while using a scooter; anecdotal evidence suggests at least a handful more have died while using scooters in traffic. Injuries have numbered in the hundreds at Dell Seton Medical Center alone since the end of September 2018, with head injuries, cuts, and bruises being the most common.
Pedestrian Pushing Shopping Cart Hit and Killed
Recently, a New Braunfels man was struck by a car and killed while he was pushing a shopping cart across I-35 South. The pedestrian was wearing dark clothing, and the young driver did not see him until it was too late to take evasive action. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. As of this writing, no charges are being filed against the driver, but in many pedestrian accidents, this will not be the case. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a driver’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your medical bills.
Pedestrian Fatalities on a Net Rise
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report a very slight decrease in pedestrian fatalities in 2017, with just under 6,000 being reported. Many of the reported correlations from past years remained the same, however – for example, over two-thirds of those killed in pedestrian accidents were male, which has been the case for several years running. Another notable correlation is timing – for the last few years, the highest percentage of fatal accidents with pedestrians occurred between the hours of 6 pm and 9 pm.
Lakeway Small Plane Crash Kills One
Airplane crashes are statistically rare, but when they happen, it can be devastating. A small plane crashed near the intersection of Lakeway Boulevard and The Hills Drive recently, killing one of its passengers, and leaving the other in critical condition at Dell Seton Medical Center. Small planes are statistically more likely to crash than larger craft, and when they do, you may wind up sustaining significant medical bills if you are involved. You will need an experienced aviation accident lawyer to help you get what you are due.
Many Causes of Aviation Crashes
While commercial airline crashes get the bulk of the publicity in the media, small plane crashes occur at a depressingly common rate. Approximately 400 people died in 1,335 ‘general aviation’ accidents, which includes small planes and other craft like gliders, in 2016 (the most recent available data). This works out to roughly 26 accidents per week, with 4 of those being fatal. While small planes are not inherently unsafe, there are several factors that make flying in one, as opposed to in a larger commercial aircraft, more likely to result in injury or death.
Massive Box Truck Crash Closes I-10 at North Frio Street
Recently, a multi-vehicle accident closed all lanes of I-10 near the North Frio Street exit, after a box truck entered the freeway and cut across all the lanes of traffic. Only the box truck driver was injured, being transported to San Antonio Military Medical Center in “priority one” condition. The accident could have been much worse and caused many more injuries, given how common fatalities are from accidents of this type. If you have been injured, or you have lost a loved one in a truck accident, know that you have some options as to seeking compensation for your medical bills and other harm you have suffered.
Box Trucks Cause Crashes
Box trucks, also known as box vans or cube vans, factor in many types of accidents and can cause significant injury and death. While any large truck can be dangerous on the road, box trucks, in particular, have a higher likelihood of tipping over than, say, a standard 18-wheeler, because their center of gravity is often different. Rollover accidents occur more often in vehicles where the center of gravity is higher because it takes less force to take the vehicle off its wheels. Blind spots are also more of a problem with box trucks than with other types of larger trucks like semis because very often the ‘box’ is too tall or too broad for the driver to see around it.
Shaenfield Rd Stop Leads to 100 MPH Chase
A routine traffic stop recently led to a police chase starting at the intersection of Shaenfield Road and Loop 1604 in the northwest area of San Antonio. A Bexar County deputy tried to make a traffic stop, when the driver took off, leading law enforcement on a chase where speeds got up to 100 mph before eventually coming to a stop on Huebner Road. No injuries were reported, but this is not necessarily the norm, especially when dealing with such elevated speed. If you are involved in a police chase, you may face not only criminal charges, but also civil litigation if the chase results in injury or property damage.
Results of Chases Can Be Serious
Data analyzed by the Texas Tribune and the San Antonio Express-News shows that as a rule, Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) officers engage in more high-speed chases than law enforcement does nationwide, as well as having more freedom to set up roadblocks and use more aggressive pursuit tactics. While regular police are generally not permitted to, for example, use their weapons during pursuits, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department permits firearm usage “as a last resort,” and DPS officers are permitted to shoot at fleeing suspects as well as utilize roadblocks.
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