Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

At around 10:15pm on Tuesday February 14 a hit-and-run driver struck and seriously injured a bicycle rider who was crossing FM529 in northwest Harris County. The accident happened near FM529 and Log Cradle Drive. The victim was hit so hard by the car that he was knocked out of his shoes; the victim remained in the roadway until several minutes after the accident when he was discovered and someone called the Sheriff’s department. The unidentified white male bicyclist was taken to Memorial Hermann where he was in critical condition; unfortunately there is no description of the hit-and-run vehicle.

Smith & Hassler has represented thousands of injured Texans over our more than 20-years in business. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident you can speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer for a no-cost assessment of your case, either by phone or in-person.

Harris County Sheriff Deputies had to wrestle and then Tase hit-and-run driver Jerad Thomas to take him into custody after a fatal hit-and-run collision in northwest Harris County. The deadly wrecked happened on southbound Jones Road near Fallbrook when a 53-year old man riding his bicycle was hit by a man driving a cargo van. The victim on the bicycle was transported to the hospital but died shortly after that. Police were able to identify the cargo van because the license plate was dislodged at the scene of the accident. The van owner indicated he had loaned the vehicle to a friend; when officers accompanied the owner to the friend’s apartment they found Jerad Thomas asleep in the stairway of his apartment with the van keys underneath his body. Thomas initially resisted the officers when they woke him but was brought into compliance when deputies Tased him. Thomas admitted to driving the van but had no recollection of hitting anything. He will be charged with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest and possibly other charges.

According to Harris County criminal records, this represents 36-year old Thomas’ third DWI arrest.

Jerad Thomas has been charged in a January 24, 2012 fatal hit-and-run

Smith & Hassler’s attorneys aggressively pursue drunk drivers and their insurance companies in order to compensate those injured or bereaved by the gross negligence of intoxicated motorists.

Halloween evening turned tragic for the friends and family of 58-year old Russell Brandon last night when Mr. Brandon was fatally struck by a pizza delivery driver.  The delivery driver worked for Big B’s Pizzeria in Huffman, TX and was driving a Ford Mustang when he struck Mr. Brandon’s motorized bicycle on Huffman-Cleveland near FM2100 around 8:00pm.  According to a report by Channel 11 News, the pizza delivery driver said he did not see Mr. Brandon until it was too late: Mr. Brandon was pronounced dead at the scene.   Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies said both Mr. Brandon and the pizza delivery driver were well known in the Huffman, Texas area and that the driver would not face any charges in the accident. A Channel 2 News report lists the pizza delivery driver’s age as 19 and states that Mr. Brandon was a few blocks from his home at the time of the crash. Mr. Brandon apparently hailed from Scotland and was the father of no less than 11 children.  The Channel 2 report says the pizza delivery Mustang struck Russell from behind. Alison Roth, Mr. Brandon’s daughter is quoted in the Channel 2 report as expressing her concern for how the driver of the Mustang must feel being so young and involved in a fatal accident: Ms. Roth’s gracious concern is very impressive under the circumstances.

Russell Brandon was struck and killed on 10-31-2011 while riding his motorized bicycle by this red Ford Mustang driven by a pizza delivery driver.

Fox News has issued a brief report on a collision between a silver-colored Dodge Ram pickup truck and a bicyclist near the intersection of Lorraine and Davis in Houston. The accident happened around 1:30am on July 28, 2011. The police account of the accident is that the Dodge Ram pickup hit the cyclist, then struck a red-colored parked car. According to the Fox News report the female driver of the Dodge Ram stated she did not see the cyclist before the collision, however police stated the pickup driver was at fault for the accident.

Silver Dodge Ram pickup collided with a bicyclist before striking a parked car

Parked car struck by the Dodge Ram pickup

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration continually reminds drivers to share the road with bicyclists, but unfortunately that does not always happen.  A bicycle versus motor vehicle accident can yield tragic results. If you, a friend or family member has been involved in a bicycle accident, remember to document injuries such as, scrapes, cuts and bruises by taking good quality, well-lit photographs. Keep any damaged clothing. Secure your damaged bicycle and photograph the damage, particularly any paint transfer from the striking vehicle.  DO NOT remove the transferred paint. You can contact the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation: over our 20-year history Smith & Hassler has successfully handled hundreds of bicycle accidents for injured clients.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a cyclist was killed attempting to cross the Gulf Freeway in southeast Houston early this morning. The crash occurred on I-45 near Griggs Road at around 12:30am according to HPD. The man died at the scene; his name has not been released. Police say the man tried to cross I-45 riding from west to east. He rode his bicycle into a passing vehicle and then was hit by a second vehicle.

Smith & Hassler’s attorneys practice only in the area of personal injury and the Smith & Hassler law firms represents hundreds of clients each year injured in automobile accidents. Not everyone involved in a car accident needs to retain an attorney though. Call Smith & Hassler for a free consultation and an attorney will discuss with you how we may be able to help.

13-year old Giovanni Moreno died yesterday evening in a pickup truck versus bicycle collision on Clay Road in Houston at around 7:20PM according to Harris County Sheriff’s Department. The accident occurred in the 16700 block of Clay Road near Glennale: deputies said the teenager died at the scene. Deputies said Moreno was riding a bicycle when he rode through a ditch and into a traffic lane on Clay Road when he was struck by the eastbound pickup truck. The driver of the truck told investigators that when he saw the bicycle in the travel lane ahead of him he slammed on his brakes and attempts to swerve but was unable to avoid striking Moreno.

Smith & Hassler currently represents a young girl from the Houston area who suffered a compound fracture of her leg when the driver of a car speeding through an apartment complex parking lot lost control of his vehicle and collided with her as she sat on her bike on a sidewalk. If you or your child has been injured in a bicycle accident, call the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation.

Scene of a car versus bicycle collision in which Smith & Hassler's client, an 8-year old girl, sustained a compound fracture of her leg.

Police are looking for the driver of a champagne-colored Chevrolet Tahoe involved in a collision with 67-year old Harold Williams, who died in hospital of his injuries this past Sunday. The collision between the Tahoe and a bicycle happened just south of downtown two weeks ago when Mr. Williams, who liked to ride his bike and even ran in marathons, left his home to ride to a nearby Walgreens. It was on the way home while crossing the busy intersection of Southmore and Highway 288 that the champagne-colored Chevy Tahoe hit Mr. Williams.

Eyewitness Tina Betts was driving behind the Tahoe that hit Mr. Williams. Realizing the accident was serious, Ms. Betts called 911 and remained on the scene to render aid. The woman driving the Tahoe stayed on the scene also, along with her young daughter who was riding with her. With all the attention focused on the injured Mr. Williams nobody thought to get the license plate of the Tahoe. The driver then told the witness and some bystanders that she had to leave to follow the ambulance to whatever hospital Mr. Williams was being taken to. Unfortunately that didn’t happen: the Tahoe driver just drove away and has not been heard from since.  13-days after the accident Mr. Williams died in hospital from his injuries. The Tahoe driver is facing serious criminal charges, including failure to stop and render aid.

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, Smith & Hassler’s experienced Houston personal injury attorneys are available to provide a free consultation and explain your legal rights. Bicycle versus car accidents often leave the bicyclist with painful road rash that may turn into permanent scars: take good quality, well-lit photographs that document your injuries. A Smith & Hassler personal injury attorney can use those pictures when negotiating a settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Fortunately terrible bicycle accidents like this one are not common, but when they happen usually result is very serious injury to the bicyclist.

Yesterday morning a bicyclist was killed when a truck accidentally hit him as he tried to cross a road in northeast Harris County. Jeremias Santis has been identified as the deceased bicycle rider by the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. The collision was at 8500 East Mount Houston Road neat Nanette at approximately 5:30am. A GMC pickup truck was traveling westbound on Mount Houston Road when Santis tried to cross, failing to yield the right-of-way to the truck. The driver of the truck stopped to check on Santis and when he did, another truck hit Santis’ bicycle that was lying in the roadway. The second driver moved Santis’ bicycle from under his truck and then drove away.