Archive for the ‘ Personal Injury Law ’ Category

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17
Apr

Pool Safety Important To Remember As Weather Warms

April 17, 2012

With the weather warming up, children are flocking to local pools. However, swimming carries many dangers, and Safe Kids USA estimates that 745 children died from drowning in 2008 alone.

KVUE News reports that a 3-year-old Austin child suffered critical injuries around 3:00 p.m. Saturday at a backyard pool off of Lost Creek Boulevard. Reports indicate that the child was rushed to Dell Children’s Hospital for treatment.

The Texas Brain Injury Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers say that brain damage is the most common type of injury that results from drowning and near-drowning accidents due to a lack of oxygen making it to the brain. Brain injuries also are common in diving accidents due to the impact of the head hitting the bottom of the pool. They suggest these tips to help prevent such accidents:

  • Install fencing at least four feet high around the pool area.
  • Make sure the gate is locked when the pool is not in use.
  • Install a pool alarm to alert you if someone falls in.
  • Remove all toys from the pool area.
  • Never leave a pool cover partially open.
  • Adhere to diving rules.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is also working to battle this problem by promoting a campaign called Pool Safely. The agency says the campaign educates both children and adults on what they can do to stay safe and save lives near pools and other bodies of water.

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13
Mar

Austin Water Utility Worker Killed In Tragic On-The-Job Accident

March 13, 2012

The Austin Metro Police Department (AMPD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are continuing their investigation into the mysterious death of an Austin Water Utility worker who was killed in an on-the-job accident two weeks ago. According to reports from YNN News, the accident occurred March 2 at 3 p.m. on Barton Hills Drive, near Farnswood Circle.

A spokesman for Austin Water Utilities, Jason Hill, said that the 51-year-old worker—a 22 year veteran of the department—was in the area replacing and updating service lines to neighborhood homes when the accident occurred. The only other details being released specify that the accident involved a backhoe at the worksite.

The worker was laid to rest on Friday while investigators still work to iron out the details of what happened that afternoon. Hill stated that, in the meantime, the AMPD’s main priority now is to console and comfort the family of the victim and other workers who knew him as well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, operating heavy construction equipment can be dangerous, and workers in this occupation incur injuries and illnesses at a higher-than-average rate.

The Austin Wrongful Death Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers would like to send their thoughts and condolences to the family of the victim who tragically died. The firm would also like to send their thoughts to the victim’s numerous co-workers who knew him as well.

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6
Mar

Austin Metro Police Shift Focus To Improving Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety

March 5, 2012

After successfully reducing the number of car accidents throughout the city, the Austin Metro Police Department is now shifting some of its resources toward keeping the city’s pedestrians safer. Reports from KXAN News indicate that some of the Metro Police Department’s saturation patrols are being reassigned to areas with the highest number of auto-pedestrian accidents.

Yesterday, officers patrolling the area of Riverside and Pleasant Valley Drive and were able to cite 26 pedestrians and motorists in less than three hours. Officers said tickets issued were for violations ranging from jaywalking to not yielding the right of way.

Officers say they will continue the effort by analyzing crash data on a weekly basis to determine how and where to shift their presence. A spokesman for the Austin Metro Police Department, Sgt. Mike Fitzgerald, added that the department would also use a motorcycle unit for these efforts.

The number of pedestrian and cycle accident fatalities this year have Austin on track to be named one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians. Data shows that of the 14 accident fatalities in the city in 2012 alone, eight were pedestrians or cyclists.

The Austin Auto Accident Attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to keep one another safe by always looking twice at intersections and making yourself visible by using lights and turn signals.

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28
Feb

Austin Police Reduce Accidents And Tickets Through Saturation Patrols

February 28, 2012

The Austin Police Department (APD) has been reducing the number of car accidents in the city by using a technique known as saturation patrols near the area’s most prominent accident locations. According to reports from KXAN News, the APD announced last week that car crashes in the city have declined by 11% in 2011.

A spokesman for the APD Highway Enforcement Command, Lt. Ely Reyes, said that focusing on certain dangerous locations across the city has reduced the overall number of citations written by officers as well. He estimates that APD officers wrote 50,000 fewer tickets in 2011 than they did in the previous year. The number of traffic citations also saw a considerable decrease over the year, dropping from 224,661 in 2010 to 165,757 in 2011.

Reyes concluded by saying, “Any time you have concentrated enforcement efforts, compliance always comes along with that.”

Officers will continue to patrol in “designated danger zones” such as Slaughter Lane near I-35, which saw 21 crashes in the past year, making it the most dangerous roadway in the city. The second most dangerous location in Austin according to number of accidents is the intersection of Congress Avenue and Cesar Chavez Boulevard with 20 crashes between 2010 and 2011.

The Austin Car Accident Attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers encourage drivers to stay safe while on the road by always buckling up, obeying the speed limit, and driving defensively.

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21
Feb

77-Year-old Texas Woman Mauled In Vicious Dog Attack

February 21, 2012

A 77-year-old woman in Wichita Falls, Texas, was severely injured last Thursday after being attacked by two dogs during her morning walk around her neighborhood.  According to reports from KSDK News, the attack took place around 10:00 AM at the 1600 block of Grandview West.

The woman was rounding the corner of the block when she was met by the two large, grayish-blue dogs. They immediately pounced on her and began to bite. The woman began crying for help and was soon assisted by a male college student who began to fight the dogs off with a stick. The animals quickly turned to come after him as well.

Luckily, three witnesses who passed by stopped and helped the pair ward off the dogs by throwing several Bibles at the animals. It was enough to hold the dogs off until fire department rescue crews arrived at the scene.

The woman was taken to a local hospital to be treated for 12 puncture wounds to the head, a deep bite to the stomach, and several other lacerations to her arms.

This is not the first time that Animal Control has been called to handle the dogs, which are currently being held until a municipal judge decides what should be done with them.

The Texas Dog Bite Attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers are here to help if you have been injured because of an animal or dog attack.

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14
Feb

Nine Austin Residents Hospitalized With Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

February 14, 2012

Nine residents of a north Austin apartment complex required hospital attention from carbon monoxide poisoning while in their homes Sunday. According to reports from KVUE News, the gas leak caused carbon monoxide levels in the homes to reach up to 600 parts per billion. A normal home should not exceed 35 parts per billion.

The gas leak was discovered after a young boy was found unconscious in one of the units. Paramedics were immediately called to the scene where they treated residents for symptoms ranging from nausea to headaches. They were treated at St. David’s Medical Center for serious but non-life threatening injuries. All were eventually released from the hospital with their lives, but with hefty medical bills to show for it.

Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck says the tenants in the apartments were missing face plates on their heating units. The air wasn’t ventilating through the pipes, so carbon monoxide was leaking into their units. Meanwhile, the Texas Gas Company found other leaks coming from an appliance in one of the units and said the gas had spread to the two adjacent units.

The Austin Personal Injury Lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers suggest that homeowners should purchase a carbon monoxide detector and have it installed immediately if your home uses gas appliances. Also, it is important to have a licensed plumber inspect the gas lines in your home once a year to ensure there are no leaks.

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7
Feb

UT Soccer Player In Critical Condition After Hit-And-Run Accident

February 7, 2012

A member of the University of Texas women’s soccer team remains in critical condition today after being hit by a car Friday morning. According to reports from The Statesman, the accident happened at around 2:00 AM at the intersection of East Eight Street and San Jacinto Boulevard in downtown Austin, Texas.

Witnesses say that the woman and two friends were crossing the street in a crosswalk when a Chevy Impala driven by an intoxicated 22-year-old man blew through the red light and hit the three friends. The drunk driver never slowed the vehicle and sped away. That is when a witness on a motorcycle chased the driver down after watching him be involved in two more accidents. When the vehicle finally stopped, the motorcyclist pulled the vomiting man from the vehicle and hogtied him with a belt until police could arrive and take the driver into custody.

The driver was arrested and charged with failure to stop and render aid, as well as intoxication assault.

The victims were taken to a local hospital where the soccer player remains in critical condition.

The Austin car accident lawyers with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers handle a variety of auto accident claims and have years of experience working cases where the victim has been injured by a drunk driver. If you we hurt in an accident that was no fault of your own, contact us today.

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31
Jan

Austin Woman Struck By Bus, Seriously Injured

January 31, 2012

A woman crossing an Austin, Texas, street yesterday evening was seriously injured when she was struck by a bus. According to reports from KXAN News, the woman was hit at approximately 6:40 in the evening at the corner of Jollyville Road and West Braker Lane.

The Austin police department and witnesses to the accident say that the woman was crossing the street in a crosswalk when she was struck by a bus making a left hand turn. The victim remained beneath the bus until paramedics could arrive and pull her free. She was then taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge to be treated for numerous injuries.

While the accident is tragic, it does highlight the need for pedestrians and motorists to be aware of one another and to practice safe traveling habits. Pedestrians should always wear light-colored or reflective clothing if you are going to be walking at night. Carrying a light doesn’t hurt either. Most importantly, always cross the street at a crosswalk and obey traffic signals.

Motorists are required by law to give right of way to pedestrians using crosswalks. The number one reason why drivers hit pedestrians is because they claim to have not seen them.

The Austin auto accident attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers often handle cases for victims of car accidents that have been hurt no fault of their own. Contact an experienced attorney today for a free initial consultation.

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17
Jan

Pilot Says He Warned Woman Before She Walked Into Plane’s Propellor

January 17, 2012

The pilot responsible for the plane that injured a Plano, Texas, woman told investigators that he warned the woman to stay away from the front of the plane moments before she walked into the propeller. According to KVUE News, the 23-year-old fashion Magazine editor lost a hand and an eye in the December 3rd accident.

A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated that upon landing that day, the pilot did not turn the engines off on the plane as he waited for his next sight-seeing customer. He saw the victim walking toward the front of the aircraft after exiting, and reached his arm out in front of her and told her to walk around the back of the plane. The pilot continued by saying he then looked away for a split second before hearing screaming and looking back to see the woman on the ground.

While this tragedy was definitely an accident, the pilot could be held accountable for the woman’s injuries based on premise liability law. That law states that a business or property owner has the responsibility to keep all customers and patrons safe while on their property. In this case, the pilot failing to kill the engines as a customer exited the plane could be considered negligence on his part, especially if the woman was not warned of the dangers prior to the flight.

The Texas premise liability attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers suggest contacting them immediately if you have been hurt due to someone else’s negligence.

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10
Jan

Home Explosion Kills One And Injures Another

January 10, 2012

A north Austin neighborhood was rocked early Monday morning by the fatal explosion of a home caused by a gas leak. According to KVUE News, the owner of the house, who was killed in the explosion, had complained to neighbors for several weeks about a gas odor in the home.

The explosion happened at around 8:30 AM Monday at the residence located on Payne Avenue. Neighbors say that they heard two explosions before the home was engulfed in flames. The home next door caught fire as well from the whipping flames next door, requiring paramedics to take the neighboring homeowner to the hospital to be treated for critical respiratory injuries.

Once the fire burned out, firefighters were able to discover the body of a man on the front porch and later confirmed it to be that of the home owner.

Investigators determined the fire was started by a gas leak and work has begun to find and fix the leak by this morning. In the meantime, 15 homes have been evacuated in order to prevent any similar accidents. Texas Gas Service, who operates the leaking lines, have taken responsibility for the explosion and are putting up evacuated residents in a nearby hotel until the matter can be resolved.

The Texas wrongful death attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers say that being able to prove fault in a wrongful death case is vital. If you have lost a loved one in an accident that was not their fault and feel you have proof as well, contact us today to discuss your case further.

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