Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

ABC Channel 13 News is reporting a multi-car chain reaction style accident on the Gulf Freeway near Clear Lake City Boulevard that damaged 5 vehicles and injured 4 people. Apparently the accident started with one fast-moving car rear-ending another, being pushed into the car in front, and so on. The injuries are described in the report as “minor” and the injured included a baby who was traveling in a car seat.

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 vehicle crashed into a northeast Houston cell phone store on Thursday at around 10:00AM . The store is located at Tidwell Road and East Houston Dryersdale Road. No injuries were reported and the front windows of the store were smashed.

KHOU is reporting a crash that took place early this morning, Thursday April 21st, 2011 on the Gulf Freeway in Houston. A suspected drunk driver was placed under arrest and the woman he crashed into is described as being in critical condition. According to law enforcement sources, a man in a yellow-colored pickup truck was traveling at a high rate of speed on the Gulf Freeway at Joplin when he smashed into the rear of a Toyota RAV4 compact SUV. The accident happened at around 2:45AM. The pickup truck truly must have been traveling at a very high rate of speed, because the  RAV4 was pushed into a sideways skid, then slammed into the outside concrete retaining wall where it flipped over the wall and onto the feeder road, rolling over multiple times and ejecting the female passenger in the RAV4. The passenger of the RAV4 was immediately transported to hospital to be treated for critical injuries; according to the press report the driver of the RAV4, also a woman, sustained less serious injuries. As always seems to be the case, the suspected drunk driver weathered the accident without any injuries: he failed a field sobriety test at the scene and was taken into custody.

If you or a loved on have been victimized by an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident or truck accident caused by a drunk driver, call the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation. The earlier in your case you call, the better: the insurance company will want you to settle for a small amount as early as possible and have you sign a release. This will limit the insurance company’s liability and prevent them from having to pay more later. Smith & Hassler’s personal injury attorneys have aggressively represented injured people in the Houston area and throughout Texas for more than 20-years, including bereaved family members bringing wrongful death lawsuits.

KHOU is reporting a two vehicle collision that sent Frans Gillebaard (71) to the hospital. Mr. Gillebaard is a Kemah waterfront developer who sold his restaurants to Landry’s Corp. in 1997. The crash happened around 11:12 AM at FM 517 and state Highway 146 when, according to the report, a 46-year old man traveling in a 1987 Chevy Suburban allegedly ran a red light and collided with Mr. Gillebaard’s Ferrari.  Apparently the crash temporarily trapped Mr. Gillebaard in the wrecked Ferrari and he was freed by San Leon Volunteer Fire Department and transported to UTMB by ground ambulance.

A car accident is a very disruptive event for most people.  A damaged vehicle may mean you cannot get to work, grocery shop, take your kids to school or sporting events, and so on.  Injuries may mean you are unable to work, hence unable to support yourself or your family due to lost wages.  And not only are you missing income because you are unable to work, but you now have unexpected debts for medical treatment, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars.  Dealing with all of these challenges at once can feel overwhelming, particularly if you have never been involved in an accident before.  If the at-fault driver had insurance, you are probably dealing with requests for information from the insurance company too.  Smith & Hassler firmly believes that the earlier in the process you get sound advice from an experienced personal injury attorney who is willing to listen to you, answer your questions and provide you guidance, the better.  The insurance company will press you early on to give a recorded statement about the accident, your injuries, your medical history and more: don’t do it, the statement is for their benefit, not yours.  You can call or email Smith & Hassler any time for a free consultation on your car accident injury claim.

Channel 11 News has reported a four vehicle pileup on Sunday April 17, 2011 that sent five people to the hospital. Police said a vehicle driving on the southwest freeway near Bissonnet rear-ended another vehicle around 2:15AM. A pickup truck then smashed into the rear of another vehicle that had slowed down for the original collision. Apparently a man jumped out of one of the vehicle and ran away, and apparently not realizing he was on an overpass hopped the wall and fell to the concrete below. The man who ran and four others were transported to the hospital.

A four car pileup on Houston's Southwest Freeway sent five injured people to the hospital

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 an insurance 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.

ABC Channel 13 eyewitness news is reporting a tragic accident involving a passenger car and an 18-wheeler that left a 21-year old University of Houston student dead. The accident happened around 9:00PM on Thursday April 14th on the north 610 loop near McCarty. According to police the big rig was driving down McCarty and tried to make a left turn. The student’s car drove under the trailer, shearing the roof off the car and killing the student instantly. The driver of the 18-wheeler was unhurt and police are currently investigating to determine which driver ran the red light. Our prayer and sympathies to the family and friends of the student, whose identity has not been released.

A UH student was killed when this car struck a big rig's trailer

The Houston Chronicle is reporting a two car rear-end collision at approximately 6:30PM on Wednesday April 13th, 2011. The crash happened the 1500 block of Bohemian Hall near near North Krenek in far northeast Harris County. Harris County Deputies said a man sitting in the rear passenger seat of a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the medical center where he later died. The Galant was waiting to make a left turn when it was struck from behind by a 2001 Ford F250 pickup that was also traveling northbound on Bohemian Hall. The wreck is under investigation.

An HPD sergeant on his way to work was injured in a collision with a private school bus, Click2Houston.com is reporting. The collision happened in East Houston around 2:00PM today in the 7900 block of Harrisburg Boulevard. The sergeant was injured when his pickup truck hit a private school bus that ran a stop sign. The injured police officer was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where fortunately his injuries were reported as being non life threatening.

HPD sergeant driving his pickup truck to work was hurt in a collision with a private school bus that ran a stop sign

A quick review of the Smith & Hassler blog archive will show all too many instances where a police officer has been injured in a car accident.  Over the years Smith & Hassler has represented men and women from the law enforcement community injured due to the negligence or gross negligence of other drivers. Insurance adjusters know that police officers typically are good witnesses on their own behalf and do well before Harris County juries, so many times insurance companies try to settle police officers’ injury claims cheap and early.  Law enforcement is a physically demanding career and officers need to be able to work free of injury.  If you or a friend are in law enforcement and have been injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident or truck accident, call the personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation.

Channel 11 News is reporting that a woman was killed in a two-car accident at approximately 2:30am Monday April 11, 2011. The woman was driving on Highway 290 near West Road in a Toyota RAV4 SUV when she collided with the rear of a Chevrolet pickup truck that was apparently stopped in a center travel lane. The woman died as a result of her injuries, despite the assistance of a passing truck driver who stopped to help. The two men had to be cut out of the pickup truck and transported to hospital. Click2Houston.com has a video story covering the accident; in the video the reporter makes reference to law enforcement investigating a box found on the freeway near the pickup truck: the box contained alcohol and law enforcement officers think the box may be the reason the truck was stopped in a travel lane.

A woman driving a Toyota RAV4 was killed in a rear end collision with a pickup stopped in a travel lane

Smith & Hassler’s experienced Houston automobile accident attorneys are available for a free consultation, either in person or by phone. In the aftermath of a serious car accident, usually the first people an injured car accident victim speaks to are insurance adjusters representing the liability insurance carrier of the at-fault driver. Many times adjuster offer “walk away settlements”: a relatively small amount of money very early on that requires the injured person sign a release of any and all injury claims. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into signing away your legal rights before your injuries and damages are fully understood: call a Smith & Hassler personal injury attorney and ask about your legal rights and remedies.

ABC Channel 13 eyewitness news is reporting a 4 vehicle car accident on Almeda Road this morning. An HPD officer responding to a call in midtown was involved in the wreck. The crash happened at around 10:00 AM near the intersection of Almeda Road and Alabama. The HPD officer was responding to a call with lights and sirens operating when an SUV t-boned the police cruiser and pushed it into oncoming traffic. The cruiser was then struck by a second vehicle and it spun into a pole, at which point the SUV then hit another vehicle. Two people were transported to hospital, including the HPD officer. It was not clear if anyone would be cited for the collision. Law enforcement is a dangerous profession: police officers spend a large part of their working lives in motor vehicles and are frequently called upon to respond to emergency calls at high speeds in heavy traffic conditions. A read back through Smith & Hassler’s blog archive has many references to serious motor vehicle accidents involving police officers.

HPD officer and a civilian were injured in a 4 vehicle wreck on Almeda Road on April 9, 2011

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 yourmotor vehicle accident injury claim: call now or submit your case online.