Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

You don’t always see it coming. Objects, small and large, laying in Houston’s roadways that simply don’t belong there. Road debris can include small metal objects that cause tire blowouts. They can also be larger objects that obstruct traffic – causing drivers to stop abruptly or swerve.

Road debris, a growing danger

ABC 113 Eyewitness News reports that road debris is a growing problem in Houston. Robert Henry, a member of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) road debris cleanup crew, says, “Daily, we pick up anywhere between 2 to 5 cubic yards of material.”

Cleanup crews have found furniture, kids’ items, household appliances, tires and tire treads. Within the last six months, several traffic accidents or near accidents were attributed to road debris.

AAA reports that from 2011-2014, road debris was a contributing factor in over 200,000 traffic accidents, with 39,000 injuries, and 500 fatalities.

In order to stay clear of road debris, TxDOT and AAA suggest that drivers:

• Remain alert, avoid distracted driving, and keep both hands on the wheel
• Maintain a safe following distance of at least 2-3 cars, in case debris falls off a vehicle
• Don’t swerve or over-correct – this is the cause of almost 37% of road-debris related fatal crashes

Who can be held accountable in crashes related to road debris?

In many cases when debris is dropped on Houston roadways, the owner of the vehicle is unaware of it and continues driving. When an item falls out of the back of another vehicle, it can strike the vehicles that follow. Some objects can even pierce through the windshield and injure vehicle occupants. In this case, the vehicle and driver can be identified and held accountable for improperly loading cargo.

If debris is left on the road for a long period of time without a known source, the local or state municipality in charge of clearing debris from the road may be responsible. Municipal negligence only applies if the debris was already identified but nothing was done to clear it.

If you have been involved in an auto accident due to road debris, it’s important to speak to an experienced Houston attorney who knows how to handle complex cases such as yours. Identifying where negligence occurred may take some digging. This includes extracting evidence from a detailed police report, witness statements, and possibly surveillance camera footage.

Let the legal team at Smith & Hassler Attorneys At Law work for you. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.

Among the most common types of car accidents are rear-end collisions. Often, these crashes are caused by distracted driving and speeding. The resulting collision can leave victims injured. The most common injuries are whiplash, pinched nerves, and fractured vertebrae. 

The symptoms of whiplash may not appear until days after a collision. This makes it crucial to document a rear-end accident thoroughly and seek immediate medical attention, even if it appears minor. This will provide you with a record of how your crash occurred and the injuries you sustained, which can later be used to support your claim.   

What is whiplash?

Whiplash happens when the spinal cord’s normal curvature experiences a sudden change, such as the rapid backward and forward movement seen in a rear-end accident. Even in low speed collisions, this movement can damage joints, muscle tissue, and tendons. In severe accidents, whiplash can fracture bones and tear muscle tissue. Nerves are likely to get pinched between bones, causing pain to spread to other parts of the body. 

What are the symptoms?

Whiplash is experienced differently by everyone, even people in similar accidents. Multiple factors are at play, including the position the victim was sitting in, their physique, and the angle of the collision. You should visit a doctor soon after being involved in any auto accident, even if you feel fine. Signs of whiplash can potentially be delayed by weeks. Symptoms include:  

• Tightness and spasms in the neck, back, and shoulders 
• Dizziness (also a symptom of a concussion) 
• Pain when moving neck and/or head 
• Difficulty swallowing, chewing, and hoarseness when speaking can be symptoms of damage to the throat  
• Burning, tingling, and other abnormal sensations 
• Upper back pain  

Treatment options 

When visiting a doctor following a rear-end accident, there are multiple tools at their disposal to diagnose injuries. X-rays can locate bone fractures and a herniated disc or other significant ligament injuries can be found using a CT scan or MRI. With proper treatment, most cases of whiplash result in a full recovery.  

Your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following treatments:  

• Remaining active 
• Temporary use of a soft cervical collar (brace)  
• Medications to reduce pain, swelling, and muscle spasms.   
• Physical therapy  

Not all cases of whiplash are preventable. However, wearing your seatbelt, proper headrest positioning, and correct posture can reduce your chances in the event of an accident.  

If you were involved in a rear-end accident and are suffering from whiplash, you deserve justice. Contact Smith & Hassler to fight for the compensation you deserve after your accident.