There were approximately seven million car collisions in the U.S. in 2018 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Over 36,719 people were killed and 2.3 million were injured.

Insurance companies pay car repair and injury claims based on who is at fault.

Before one rents a car, they should look at their existing policy to see what that policy can cover in case an accident occurs. Typically, if you have a car in perfect condition and rent a compact car, your existing policy will most likely be able to cover any future injuries or damage. If you have an older car with little value and rent a new car, you may want to pursue additional coverage for the time you have the rental.

What will the additional coverage cover?

We are facing difficult times during this pandemic crisis. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as we deal with the Covid 19 Virus. Please rest assure that my office is dedicated to the welfare and safety of our clients during these difficult times.

With that in mind, please be advised that my office is exercising social distancing protocols and complying with all safety and hygiene recommendations mandated by the government. Our offices are physically open and our employees are working at our office locations. However we are doing our best to communicate with our clients using phone, fax, e-mail and video conferencing. You are welcome to come by our office but please make an appointment first. We are also communicating with our clients using Facetime and other video phone apps.

What is vicarious liability and how do I know if it applies to my case?

This concept may apply when an employee causes an accident to an injured party during the course of employment. In order to prove the employer is liable for the employee’s negligent act, the plaintiff has the burden of proof to show that at the time of the employee’s act, the driver was: an employee of the employer and the employee acted in the scope of his employment.

What are the bike laws in Texas?

Bicycles are viewed as the same as vehicles, which means they have to abide by the same laws car drivers do. Generally, some of the laws state:

§547.302 – DUTY TO DISPLAY LIGHTS

(a) A vehicle shall display each lighted lamp and illuminating device required by this chapter to be on the vehicle:

If this question has not been directly asked, it has come up on one’s mind as they are waiting in traffic or if they see other drivers do it. This is the case if the driver is new to Texas and they are unsure what the law is. To answer this question, the answer is yes. However, there are only certain situations in which you can do this. The Texas Transportation Code describes these situations in section 545.048.

§545.048 – DRIVING ON IMPROVED SHOULDER

§545.156 – VEHICLE APPROACHED BY AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE

(a) On the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals…, or of a police vehicle lawfully using only an audible signal, an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:

As I will discuss what is covered during a consultation, please note that not all law firms follow the same procedure when prospective clients come to their office for a consultation.

Generally, when a person calls a law office the individual may speak with a paralegal or a legal assistant first so that they can screen the call. The paralegal will ask the client some basic personal background information. They may ask questions such as, where do you work? What do you do? Where do you live? How long have you lived here? Where did the accident happen? These may seem like pointless questions to one, but to the attorney the answers to these questions helps them evaluate your case. Regarding the occupation questions, the attorney is analyzing, if necessary, whether the person was driving a company car or if the person was driving while they were working. It will help the attorney determine who the parties may be in this lawsuit. As for the residency questions, those answers will help the attorney decide where the case can be filed. There will be more personal background information questions to answer, but the questions above are most common.

According to CNN, on the day of the accident Lubbock was under a dense fog advisory warning causing a mile or less of visibility. The accident started as a two-car crash on Highway 84. As police were investigating the car crash, an 18-wheeler jackknifed and slid into the car crash scene to avoid colliding with a red SUV that changed lanes in front of the 18-wheeler. As the 18-wheeler lost control of the truck, the truck swerved off of the road, rolled on its side, and struck several vehicles as the truck was coming to a stop. Multiple officers and individuals were on the side of the highway when the 18-wheeler was coming to a stop, but luckily, the truck only hit two individuals. The individuals were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Furthermore, CNN reported that in total, there were a total of five crashes that involved four semi-trucks and four smaller vehicles.

As stated above, fog can cause more accidents because of the lack of visibility. The Texas Department of Transportation reported a statistic in 2016 that revealed 2,430 reported accidents due to fog. Among those accidents, there were 45 fatalities. Although fog is a hazard that is out of our control, there are some skills one can keep in mind as they maneuver their vehicle through these special weather conditions.