Houston Car Accidents

Andrea

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• Publié par: seorumer
• Publié le: 19 novembre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Houston Car Accidents By Stewart J Guss, Attorney at Law Copyright 2016 Smashwords Edition

Table of Contents CHAPTER I: CAR ACCIDENTS IN HOUSTON.......................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER II: CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS ................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Drinking and Driving .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Red-Light Accidents ..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Texting While Driving................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Cell Phone Usage While Driving ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Smartwatches ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Rear-End Collisions ...................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER III: TYPES OF INJURIES SUFFERED FROM A CAR ACCIDENT ............Error! Bookmark not defined. Whiplash ...................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Back Injuries..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Face and Back Injuries ..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Wrist, finger, hand, and arm injuries........................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Spinal Cord Injuries .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER IV: FIRST STEPS TO TAKE AFTER AN AUTO COLLISION .....Error! Bookmark not defined. Immediately After the Accident ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER V: TALKING TO YOUR ATTORNEY .....................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Other Driver(s) ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Information About the Accident...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Medical Records .......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. The Condition of Your Car After the Accident ..........................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER VI: FIVE THINGS NOT TO DO ............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER VII: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE COMPANIESError! Bookmark not defined. PIP Coverage .............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER VIII: SETTLEMENT vs. TRIAL..............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Insurance Company Settlements..............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER IX: CONCLUSION...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTERI:CARACCIDENTSINHOUSTON

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calculates that 2.3 million people were injured nationwide in automobile accidents in 2013. The Texas Department of Transportation provides: Based on reportable Texas crashes in 2014: ●There were 13,675 serious injury crashes in Texas in 2014 with 17,152 people sustaining a serious injury. ●The 2014 death toll of 3,534 from auto collisions was an increase of 3.70% from the 3,408 deaths recorded in 2013. ●The Fatality Rate on Texas roadways for 2014 was 1.42 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled. o 1 person was killed every 2 hours 29 minutes o 1 person was injured every 2 minutes 13 seconds o 1 reportable crash occurred every 66 seconds. With this many Texas auto collisions, it is likely that you or someone you love will be involved in an unfortunate crash. During stressful times like this, it is difficult to remember what steps to take immediately after a crash occurs or to know where to begin to receive compensation for your damages and injuries.

Drinking and Driving

CHAPTERII:CAUSESOFACCIDENTS

It is ĐoŵŵoŶ kŶoǁledge that dƌiŶkiŶg alĐohol ĐaŶ sigŶifiĐaŶtlLJ iŵpaiƌ a peƌsoŶ’s aďilitLJ to dƌiǀe a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, is spite of this fact, drunk drivers continue to get behind the wheel, often causing serious accidents that leave innocent victims severely injured. Fortunately

for victims, Texas law often entitles individuals that have been injured by drunk drivers to obtain significant compensation for their injuries and other losses they may incur. Importantly, a civil case that a victim may initiate is completely separate from any criminal proceedings against a drunk driver.

Red-Light Accidents According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 8,000 individuals died in accidents involving a driver running a red light between 2004 and 2013. Hundreds of thousands more sustained serious injuries in this type of intersection accident. In recent months, the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) conducted a more thorough analysis on the red-light accident data and determined the top ten cities that had the most accidents in which a driver ran a red light. These ten cities are as follows: 1. Houston, Texas 2. Phoenix, Arizona 3. Los Angeles, California 4. Las Vegas, Nevada 5. Chicago, Illinois 6. Miami, Florida 7. Dallas, Texas 8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 9. Tucson, Arizona 10. Denver, Colorado As you can see, Houston leads all of the states with the greatest number of fatal red light accidents in the past decade. Texting While Driving According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Authority (NHTSA), texting while driving has increased 50% within the last year, with close to half of drivers surveyed under 25 admitting that they have texted while driving. The majority of this age group is not covered by the Texas ban on cell phone use. In Texas, only drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using cell phones. One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age say they haǀe tedžted ǁhile dƌiǀiŶg, aŶd half ;4ϴ%Ϳ of all teeŶs ages ϭϮ to ϭϳ saLJ theLJ’ǀe ďeeŶ a passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel. Cell Phone Usage While Driving Texting while driving is not the only threat. Drivers who use any hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. Using a cell phone while

dƌiǀiŶg, ǁhetheƌ it’s haŶd-held or hands-fƌee, delaLJs a dƌiǀeƌ’s ƌeaĐtioŶs as ŵuĐh as haǀiŶg a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. Smartwatches

Texas is currently one of only four states that does not have an all-driver text message ban, though the legislature has been trying to pass such a law in recent months. Even if Texas does pass a texting and driving ban, new technology can allow drivers to still engage in distracting activities. In recent years, watches have been introduced on the market that have the full capability of most smartphones. These watches have operating systems, messaging, games, apps, media players, GPS, and more. While many individuals may be putting down their phones while they drive, they may still be tempted to use their smartwatch. Smartwatches can cause the following: ●Visual distraction because you take your eyes off of the road; ●Manual distraction if you remove your hand from the wheel to use the touch screen on your watch; ●Cognitive distraction because your focus changes from driving to manipulating your watch. Because drivers using smartwatches are engaged in multiple kinds of distraction at once, this distraction is considered to be just as dangerous as texting or other messaging

Rear-End Collisions According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, each year there are more than 6 million car accidents. Of those, 2.5 million are rear-end auto accidents. There are many different causes of rear-end collisions including: ●Accidents - Sudden car accidents directly in the lane of traffic ahead can bring everyone to a quick stop causing even multiple rear-end collisions. ●Construction - The sudden appearance of flag-bearing construction workers and commercial vehicles suddenly backing into traffic can cause unexpected stops which lead to rear-end collisions. ●Driver inattention - Distractions from cell phone usage, eating, listening to loud music, conversing with passengers, and looking away from the road are frequent causes of driver distraction. ●Faulty brake lights - Cars with inoperable brake lights do not give the vehicles in the back sufficient notice of the driver's intention to stop. ●Road defects - Potholes, road signs that are obscured by foliage or other obstacles, and non-working traffic signals can all contribute to a rear-end accident. ●Weather conditions - Rain, high winds, and fog can affect a driver's ability to see in front of the vehicle, to stop in time, and to keep the car within a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

CHAPTERIII:TYPESOFINJURIESSUFFEREDFROMACARACCIDENT

Accidents can cause extremely serious and life-threatening injuries, some of which can result in long-term medical problems or significant disabilities. Some of the more common injuries sustained include the following:

•Broken bones •Burns •Soft tissue injuries •Traumatic brain injuries •Bruises •Lacerations •Spinal cord injuries •Crush injuries •Concussions •Amputations If a Houston driver or passenger is involved in a crash, they may sustain any of the above mentioned injuries however, injuries can start with the short-term physical and last a life time of mental and/or physical ailments.

Whiplash Whiplash is a term used to describe pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulder area that occurs when the neck, shoulders, and spine suddenly and violently move, or "snap" well beyond their normal range. Also referred to as hyper extension and hyperflexion, the sudden snapping of the neck, shoulders, and spine is like the motion of a whip as it snaps, hence the term whiplash. According to the National Safety Council, 20 percent of all people involved in rear-end collisions suffer a whiplash injury. Of those, almost 80 percent experience pain and soreness lasting longer than a week. Fifty percent have pain and soreness that lasts more than a year. Back Injuries The force of impact, even at low speeds, can result in compression of the spine and the disks located in the lower back area of the spinal column.

Face and Back Injuries Many rear-end auto accidents occur at speeds of less than 20 miles per hour. In a slow speed rear-eŶd ĐollisioŶ, ǁheŶ the aiƌďags do Ŷot deploLJ, aŶ iŶdiǀidual’s faĐe ĐaŶ sŵash iŶto the steering wheel. The force of the impact can break the nose, fracture the cheek and jawbone, and even detach the retina. When speeds are higher than 20 miles per hour and airbags do deploy, the impact can result in injury to the facial area and scalp.

Wrist, finger, hand, and arm injuries The force of a rear-end car accident can cause the wrists, hands, fingers, and arms to jerk violently on the steering wheel and hit the sun visor. Even when airbags deploy, the wrists, fingers, hands, and arms can still become wedged between the airbag and the steering wheel or dashboard causing injury.

Spinal Cord Injuries

These can be life changing injuries involving hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical care and a lifetime of disability. While medical science is making great strides towards treatment, if you suffer a spinal cord injury in Houston it is critical that you seek maximum compensation for your damages.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are some 200,000 people currently living with a spinal cord injury in the United States. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are among the most serious injuries that a person can sustain. SCIs can lead to significant medical issues, including paralysis, cardiac problems, respiratory issues, and depression.

Spinal cord injuries can be caused by a variety of incidents, ranging from car accidents to slip and falls to sports injuries. As with other personal injury matters, when SCIs are caused by soŵeoŶe else’s ŶegligeŶĐe, ǀiĐtiŵs ŵaLJ ďe aďle to ƌeĐoǀeƌ suďstaŶtial ĐoŵpeŶsation for their damages.

The kinds of losses that may be recovered in a Houston spinal cord injury case can include medical expenses, lost income, loss of quality of life, pain and suffering, costs of future treatment, and loss of consortium, among others.

CHAPTERIV:FIRSTSTEPSTOTAKEAFTERANAUTOCOLLISION

It’s aŶ uŶfoƌtuŶate faĐt –everyone in Houston is likely to get into an auto accident sooner or lateƌ. Do LJou kŶoǁ ǁhat to do afteƌ the Đƌash? ;AŶd I’ŵ Ŷot talkiŶg the stoĐk ŵaƌket heƌe!Ϳ A car crash, no matter how big or small, it is a scary and serious event. You have important legal rights under Texas law, but it’s YOUR responsibility to protect those rights.

Immediately After the Accident FIRST: Stay calm! After any accident you are going to have loads of adrenaline dumped into LJouƌ ďloodstƌeaŵ. This is ǁhat is ƌespoŶsiďle foƌ the ͞fight oƌ flight͟ feeliŶg LJou ŵaLJ get. Just ƌeŵeŵďeƌ, ǁe aƌe Ŷot Đaǀe ŵeŶ. We ĐaŶŶot flee the sĐeŶe aŶd ǁe’ƌe ĐeƌtaiŶlLJ Ŷot goiŶg to fight!