Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

CNBC recently released the list of the 15 most dangerous cities for driving in the US based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fortunately Texas fared quite well, only Lubbock is among the top 15.

15. Oklahoma City, OK: 13.41 fatalities per 100,000 population; 74 fatalities total, 13.5% were pedestrians

14. Birmingham, AL: 13.55 fatalities per 100,000 population; 31 fatalities total, 15.2% were pedestrians

13. Tulsa, OK: 14.00 fatalities per 100,000 population; 54 fatalities total, 18.5% were pedestrians

12. St. Petersburg, FL: : 14.27 fatalities per 100,000 population; 35 fatalities total, 28.6% were pedestrians

11. Jacksonville, FL: : 14.36 fatalities per 100,000 population; 116 fatalities total, 13.8% were pedestrians

10. Lubbock, TX: : 14.97 fatalities per 100,000 population; 33 fatalities total, 15.2% were pedestrians

9. Memphis, TN: : 15.08 fatalities per 100,000 population; 101 fatalities total, 11.9% were pedestrians

8. Jackson, MS: : 15.53 fatalities per 100,000 population; 27 fatalities total, 18.5% were pedestrians

7. Chattanooga, TN: : 16.39 fatalities per 100,000 population; 28 fatalities total, 17.9% were pedestrians

6. Salt Lake City, UT: : 16.51 fatalities per 100,000 population; 30 fatalities total, 26.7% were pedestrians

5. San Bernardino, CA: : 17.12 fatalities per 100,000 population; 38 fatalities total, 15.8% were pedestrians

4. Little Rock, AR: : 17.94 fatalities per 100,000 population; 34 fatalities total, 26.5% were pedestrians

3. Augusta, GA: : 19.57 fatalities per 100,000 population; 38 fatalities total, 15.8% were pedestrians

2. Orlando, FL: : 19.95 fatalities per 100,000 population; 46 fatalities total, 10.9% were pedestrians

1. Fort Lauderdale, FL: : 22.39 fatalities per 100,000 population; 41 fatalities total, 24.4% were pedestrians

KHOU is reporting a serious car accident on westbound Senator Lloyd Bentsen Highway in Houston last night. Three people in a gold-colored Nissan Maxima passenger car were speeding around 2:15am when the Maxima crashed into the back of a slower-moving blue Cadillac. That impact then caused the Cadillac to crash into a taxi cab that was traveling in the next lane over. A man driving the Cadillac, a passenger in the cab and two passengers in the Maxima were taken to hospital for unknown injuries. Presumably the driver of the Maxima was faulted for the collision and probably received a citation for failure to control speed causing a rear-end collision. The KHOU story did not say alcohol was involved. but given the wreck happened in the early hours of the morning and that excessive speed was involved, if it turned out drunk driving were a factor that would hardly be surprising.

Unsure of how to handle an insurance claim for personal injuries you have suffered in a car accident?  Don’t rely on the insurance adjuster handling your claim for advice…they have a conflict of interest! The less adjusters pay on injury claims, the more profitable their company remains. Insurance adjusters want to settle automobile accident injury claims as quickly as possible so they can cut-off the insurance company’s liability for additional medical bills and close their file.  Since Smith & Hassler was founded in 1989 by Michael Smith and Al Hassler, this law firm has practiced exclusively in the area of personal injury and has handled thousands of car accident injury cases.  Call Smith & Hassler for a free consultation AS SOON AS YOU CAN AFTER YOUR CAR ACCIDENT—get advice from someone with your best interests at heart.  There is no charge for an initial consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys.

Channel 2 is reporting a car accident involving a Houston Police Department officer who was pursuing two teens in a stolen minivan.  The crash happened around 10:15pm on Wednesday September 7: a woman had called police to report that her minivan had been stolen from her driveway. An officer who spotted the vehicle tried to pull it over but the minivan fled: the officer pursued but crashed at a turn at McCarty Road from Mesa. A 17-year old boy and 13-year old girl fled the van on foot but were detained shortly thereafter. Although Channel 2’s picture of the police cruiser shows pretty significant front end damage, the report indicates that fortunately the officer was not injured.

Car accidents commonly result in medical bills, lost income from work and a period of time after the accident when the injured person is in pain and is impaired from performing their normal activities. Texas law allows a person injured in a motor vehicle accident by another’s negligence to seek recovery of money damages.  Speaking to an experienced Houston personal injury attorney early in the process can make the difference between a relatively straightforward claim under the other driver’s insurance policy and a real nightmare.  Insurance companies will deny or undervalue claims if they have a reason to.  Smith & Hassler’s trial-tested Houston personal injury attorneys will provide you with a free consultation regarding your motor vehicle accident injury claim: call now or submit your case online.

A Saturday one car crash severely injured a teenage passenger in Freeport, Texas according to Freeport police.  A 13-year old was driving the vehicle while 22-year old Andrea Cantu, the owner of the vehicle, sat in the passenger seat. 22-year old Rodney Harris sat in the back seat along with a 16-year old passenger. Police said the four were drinking alcohol and taking pills while at a party at a home in Freeport and when they left the 13-year old was driving. The underage driver backed into a pickup truck at a Bucees gas station but left the scene: the pickup truck owner followed and called police. The teen driver then crashed into a pole at Avenue A and Fisher. The 16-year old rear seat passenger was admitted to the Intensive Car Unit at Memorial Hermann – her arm was nearly severed in the collision but fortunately doctors were able to reattach it. Channel 11 story is here.

If you, a friend or a family member have been injured in a car accident, Smith & Hassler’s experienced personal injury attorneys are available to give you a free consultation either in-person or by phone.  Sometimes people injured in car accident wait before consulting an attorney. They have good intentions: not wanting to seem “sue happy,” waiting to see if their injuries will get better or because aninsurance adjuster is discouraging them from seeking legal advice (that happens).  It is better to know your rights early in the process and have an experienced Houston personal injury attorney explain the steps involved in car accident injury claim and what you can do NOW to increase the chances of a good outcome.

Monday August 22, 2011: an off duty METRO employee died last night in a wrong way collision on Highway 59 near I-10 and two METRO employees were injured. Police say a Cadillac (the wrong way vehicle) and a METRO truck crashed head-on at around 9:30pm. The off duty METRO employees in the Cadillac was killed. Channel 2 News’ report is here. The METRO employees in the truck were taken to Ben Taub Hospital.

KHOU is reporting that drunk driving is suspected in a terrible crash that claimed four lives over the weekend. The two vehicle collision happened early Sunday morning in Brenham, Texas which is approximately 65 miles northwest of Houston. Roberto Castillo (19) of Brenham is currently in Washington County jail facing four counts of intoxication manslaughter with a motor vehicle. Police say that Castillo was driving a pickup truck that allegedly crashed into a car carrying the four victims who died in the wreck. Ironically it always seems to be the intoxicated driver who leaves a drunk driving accident with little or no injury. Investigators say Castillo ran from the scene of the accident but was apprehended at a nearby mobile home. A report in the online Brenham Banner newspaper shows a disturbing picture portraying devastating damage to a silver-colored Ford Mustang. According to the Banner’s report, Castillo is an undocumented alien who only a few weeks before the deadly crash was detained by law enforcement for another alcohol related offense. The collision happened at the intersection of Highway 36 South and FM 109. Castillo was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Four occupants of this 1998 silver Ford Mustang perished in what is suspected to be a drunk driving wreck

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) car accidents seem to happen every single night in the Houston area and throughout Harris County.  Sadly Harris County Texas ranks among the highest counties in the nation for drunk driving fatalities and drunk driving accident injuries year after year.  Drunk driving car accidents often create even more complications for the victim than a regular car accident: insurance companies usually won’t pay a claim or provide a rental car until they speak to their insured driver and get their version of what happened. The insurance company can’t do that if their insured was charged with DWI and is in jail. Call Smith & Hassler if you have been injured by a drunk driver’s gross negligence and ask for speak to one of our personal injury attorneys right now.  Smith & Hassler aggressively pursues claims against drunk drivers.

A woman died in a single vehicle accident last night when her Toyota Sequoia sports utility vehicle crashed and rolled over on Space Center Boulevard. The wreck happened at around 9:00pm near the intersection of Space Center Boulevard and Pearhaven. According to Houston police the woman was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Space Center when she lost control of the vehicle, veered to left and crossed over a grassy median into the oncoming lane before the vehicle flipped on its side and hit a concrete wall. The SUV rolled onto its roof and the roof collapsed, causing the woman to be trapped inside. Sadly she died at the scene. The medical examiner will determine whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the car crash.

The roof of this Toyota Sequoia collapsed when the woman driving it lost control and crashed on Space Center Blvd, August 20 2011.

Houston news services are reporting what appears to be yet another drunk-driving fatality on Houston’s roads.

22-year old Jonathan Lacier Davis has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with a terrible crash on the Beltway 8 feeder near Harwin Drive at around 3:00am Thursday August 4, 2011. Davis was driving a Chrysler PT Cruiser southbound on the Beltway 8 feeder when he ran a red light at the Harwin Drive intersection and crashed into a Honda Civic car. According to witnesses the Civic violently spun out, hit a pole and broke in half before catching on fire. The female driver of the Civic was trapped inside her vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigating police officers Davis had alcohol in his vehicle. Davis’ wife was riding as a passenger in the PT Cruiser – she was taken to Memorial Hermann Southwest in stable condition. The identity of the deceased driver of the Honda Civic has not been released yet.  According to KHOU’s report a witness to the wreck said he observed Jonathan Lacier Davis swerving across all lanes of travel and running numerous red lights to the collision, and in fact spoke to Davis at an intersection immediately before the wreck. This is not Davis’ first brush with the law: he has several prior convictions for drug offenses in Harris County.

Click2Houston.com’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.
KHOU’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.
Channel 13’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.

The female driver of this Honda Civic was pronounced dead after the collision: Jonathan Lacier Davis has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the 04/02/2011 wreck.

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) car accidents seem to happen every single night in the Houston area and throughout Harris County.  Sadly Harris County Texas ranks among the highest counties in the nation for drunk driving fatalities and drunk driving accident injuries year after year.  Drunk driving car accidents often create even more complications for the victim than a regular car accident: insurance companies usually won’t pay a claim or provide a rental car until they speak to their insured driver and get their version of what happened. The insurance company can’t do that if their insured was charged with DWI and is in jail. Call Smith & Hassler if you have been injured by a drunk driver’s gross negligence and ask for speak to one of our personal injury attorneys right now.  Smith & Hassler aggressively pursues claims against drunk drivers.

At around 11:00pm on Tuesday August 2, 2011 a Mercedes traveling on the East Freeway near Maxey lost control and skidded off the freeway. The gold-colored Mercedes crashed into another car and then crashed into a power pole, splitting the pole in half. The driver and passenger in the Mercedes was taken to hospital, so was the driver of the second car struck by the out of control Mercedes.

This gold Mercedes lost control on the East Freeway, hit another car then struck a power pole

If you, a friend or a family member have been injured in a car accident, Smith & Hassler’s experienced personal injury attorneys are available to give you a free consultation either in-person or by phone.  Sometimes people injured in car accident wait before consulting an attorney. They have good intentions: not wanting to seem “sue happy,” waiting to see if their injuries will get better or because aninsurance adjuster is discouraging them from seeking legal advice (that happens).  It is better to know your rights early in the process and have an experienced Houston personal injury attorney explain the steps involved in car accident injury claim and what you can do NOW to increase the chances of a good outcome.

Smith & Hassler filed a lawsuit in Harris County Civil District Court this week on behalf of a Houston couple who were injured in a November 2010 collision caused by a fleeing felon.  The car accident happened as the couple drove through an intersection on a green light.  The at-fault driver, who was traveling at a high rate of speed while being pursued by an HPD patrol car, ran a red light and smashed into the couple’s Ford Explorer SUV, causing the severe damage shown below. The wife riding in the Explorer was 33-weeks pregnant with the couple’s fourth child at the time of the accident and was transported from the scene by ambulance. The insurance carrier for the at-fault driver was offered an opportunity to settle the claim outside of a lawsuit by offering their insured’s policy limit, but declined to do so.

Damage to Smith & Hassler's client's Ford Explorer SUV