Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

Click2Houston.com is reporting two deaths in separate but related accidents stemming from a police pursuit. A man was attempting to evade METRO police officers when he fled across I-45 at Crosstimbers on Tuesday April 5th: he was struck by a car and killed, and that collision then caused another fatal crash according to Houston police. The incident happened shortly after 10:00PM. Allegedly the man was suspected of assaulting and robbing someone near downtown Houston, after which he got on a METRO bus and exited at a stop at Acres Homes. METRO police then caught up to the man at the northbound North Freeway feeder road, at which time the man argued with police officers and tried to flee across I-45. The man was able to make it across the northbound lanes of I-45 but when he tried to cross the southbound lanes he was hit by a Ford Expedition and possible two other vehicles. The fatal collision then caused the freeway to back up. As an 18-wheeler sat in the backed-up traffic, a 19-year old female driver failed to slow her car in time and struck the rear of the big rig. The driver died at the scene and her two rear seat passengers were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition: the front seat passenger was said to have sustained minor injuries. The victims have not been identified: police said the man who ran from them had no weapons and no identification on him.

The 19-year old woman driving this car was killed and her rear seat passengers severely injured in a rear-end collision with a big rig on I-45

Our sympathies go out to the friends and families of the occupants of the car.

KHOU is reporting another tragic loss of life on Houston’s roads, apparently due to the gross negligence of a highly intoxicated driver. According to police the woman was traveling eastbound on Clear at around 2:30AM when she collided with a vehicle driven by a man that pulled in front of her while turning south onto Campbell. The victim (who had the right-of-way according to police) died at the scene. The man, who was highly intoxicated, was taken into custody by police.

A crash at Clear and Campell caused by a suspected drunk driver killed a female motorist

Click2Houston.com has reported an automobile versus pedestrian accident that happened on Westpark Drive near Rampart Street about 8:15AM on Tuesday March 29, 2011. Sadly the pedestrian died after being hit by a vehicle. Investigators say the pedestrian walked across Westpark Drive against the light and the vehicle had the right-of-way at the time. The pedestrian was in a crosswalk. She was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where she died: her name has not yet been released. Sergeant G. Hall with Houston Police Department is quoted in the article as saying the driver of the vehicle was very distraught, and will not be charged with any offense. Sgt. Hall told the reporter speed wasn’t a factor and a witness waiting at a red light saw what happened.

Smith & Hassler has practiced exclusively in the area of personal injury for more than 20-years. Attorneys are available for a free consultation, and you can even submit your case online. Run a Google search for “Smith and Hassler” and check out the reviews from previous clients.

Monday March 28, 2011: Click2Houston.com is reporting a METRO bus crash at La Branch and Franklin in Houston at around 10:10AM. The bus collided with another vehicle that investigators said made a wrong turn. One passenger on the bus was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital with a leg injury.

If you have been injured in a bus accident, you can call Smith & Hassler at 1-800-WIN-WIN1 or 713-739-1250 and ask to speak to one of the firm’s personal injury attorneys for a free consultation.

KHOU Channel 11 News updated the story on the 18-wheeler accident in Fort Worth that left a car crushed and the cab of the 18-wheeler hanging off an overpass above the freeway below. Fort Worth police are saying that the driver of the car, who was pinned inside his crushed vehicle for about an hour after the accident, may face a gun charge and a DUI charge related to the accident. It took more than 3 hours to clear the accident scene and rescue the car driver, a passenger and the trucker. The accident happened just before 4:00AM. Firefighters were able to use a ladder truck to reach up to the 18-wheeler cab and then used an elaborate pulley system to extract the truck through the passenger side of the cab.

The Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler aggressively represent clients injured in car accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. If you have been injured due to the negligence of a drunk driver, call Smith & Hassler for a free attorney consultation: don’t let an insurance adjuster talk you into settling for too little, too soon.

27-year old San Antonio police officer Stephanie Ann Brown was killed early Tuesday when a man on probation for a DWI charge drove his SUV the wrong way with the lights off down I-35, crashing in to Stephanie’s patrol car head-on. The collision happened at around 2:00am near McCullough Avenue as Officer Brown was responding to a call for officer assistance. The other driver, Christopher David Baldaramos, age 31, was pronounced dead at the scene. Public records indicate he had lived in the San Antonio area for about 5 years and his lawyer said he had served 8-years in the U.S. Army. Officer Brown has been with the San Antonio Police Department for 3-years and had been working the shift for a fellow officer: she died at 2:50AM at University Hospital according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Officer Brown leaves behind a baby girl. She was dating a patrolman working at the SAPD‘s north substation. Her father Stanley Brown is also an officer with SAPD. An officer who witnessed the crash said he did not see any headlights of Balderamos’ 2004 Nissan Xterra before the collision. A receipt in Balderamos’ pocket was from a bar.

SAPD police officer Stephanie Brown died in a wrong way collision with a driver on probation for DWI

If you or a loved on have been victimized by an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident or truck accident caused by adrunk driver, call the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation. The earlier in your case you call, the better: theinsurance 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.com is reporting a driver was seriously injured late Monday March 14, 2011 in a multi-vehicle wreck in downtown Houston. The man was driving a Chevrolet Camaro westbound on Runnels at Chartres around 11:30pm when he failed to yield at a stop sign: the Camaro was then struck in the side by a pickup truck. Another pickup truck was unable to slow down quickly enough and crashed into the already wrecked vehicles. The driver of the Camaro had to be cut out of his vehicle by firefighters and was transported to hospital in serious condition.

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.

ABC Channel 13 (KTRK) is reporting that the two people killed in the Ship Channel Bridge hit-and-run car accident in Houston on Saturday have been identified as 34-year old Luz Campos and her 13-year old son David Campos. Luz and David were killed when a Chrysler Sebring car collided with the Chevy Astro van they were riding in on the Ship Channel Bridge: the van hit the guardrail causing Luz and David to be ejected: they fell an estimated 120 feet to the ground below. Police have not said whether they have identified the driver of the Sebring who ran away after the collision, however they are using the license plate of the vehicle and fingerprints in an effort to establish who was driving. The KTRK report indicates that Luz Campos was pregnant when she died, making an already tragic story even more so. The police investigation of the hit-and-run continues: anyone with any information on the driver and passenger of the Sebring is urged to contact the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division at 713-247-4072.

If you have lost a family member due to the negligence of another, contact the wrongful death attorneys at Smith & Hassler. In the more than 20-years Smith & Hassler has existed in the Houston area, the Smith & Hassler firm has handled many wrongful death cases from 18-wheeler accidents to food poisoning incidents and we understand the special attention wrongful death cases require. You can arrange a free consultation with a Smith & Hassler Houston personal injury attorney for your wrongful death claim, either in-person or by phone.

Click2Houston.com is reporting a serious rear-end collision between a driver leaving the Houston Rodeo and had been drinking and Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Justin Duck, age 28.  Trooper Duck was issuing a citation during a routine traffic stop on Kickapoo Road near the Northwest Freeway Sunday afternoon, March 13, 2011. A woman traveling at a high rate of speed in a pickup truck left the roadway smashing into the rear of Trooper Duck’s DPS patrol car.  The photograph from Click2Houston’s web site shows that it was an extremely severe collision, with the trunk of the patrol car being pushed forward almost to the driver’s seat where Trooper Duck was sitting. The injured Trooper had to be cut out of his patrol car and was taken by helicopter life flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Officials reported Trooper Duck was conscious and responsive when he was taken to the hospital but he had no recollection of the car accident. The Trooper had a broken nose and needed stitches to a laceration on his face. Detectives said the woman was on her way back home after the Houston Rodeo and admitted she had been drinking: she refused a breathalyzer at the scene so a mandatory blood draw was performed.  The woman’s name has not been released.  Trooper Justin Duck has 6-years of service with the Department of Public Safety in Montgomery County, Texas.

DPS Trooper Justin Duck's patrol car sustained severe rear-end damage when hit by a pickup truck driver who had been drinking

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.

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.