Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

KTRK is reporting a car accident on the East Loop bridge and Manchester that killed at least 2 people. At around 6:00PM a car and van were traveling north on the bridge when the car hit the van and knocked the van into the guardrail. Two people in the van were ejected and died. Four other people traveling in the van were taken to the hospital. Two people in the car ran away leaving their car behind. The wreck shut down the northbound lanes on the East 160 Loop for around two hours until emergency crews could clear the scene.

Update: KTRK has updated their story and added that the two passengers riding in the van who were killed were a woman and a teenage boy who were ejected from the vehicle and thrown over the side of the Ship Channel bridge.

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.

ABC Channel 13 Eyewitness News has posted a brief report of a car crashing into a bayou in northwest Houston. The Thursday night wreck happened at West TC Jester and the 610 North Loop. Police say the driver of the vehicle was speeding when he left the roadway and struck a pole, causing the vehicle to roll over once, travel down the bank of the bayou and land near the water. According to the report the occupants of the vehicle suffered minor bumps and bruises but will be okay.

In another story KTRK reports firefighters cutting a man from the wreckage of his pickup truck after a single vehicle accident in southwest Houston. Police say the driver was on Dunlap near Clarewood when he took a turn too fast and struck a tree. When firefighters arrived at the scene the driver was pinned inside the truck and they had to cut him free. Unfortunately the man was badly injured and is in serious condition.

Click2Houston.com is reporting on a strange set of circumstances surrounding a car accident on Houston’s Southwest Freeway yesterday morning during rush hour traffic. The accident happened near Chimney Rock. A driver hit a car and stopped to exchange information with the motorist who had been hit, but when police arrived things got weird. Police said the driver gave them his driver’s license, then scrammed. The driver lead police on a chase along the Southwest Freeway, onto the West Loop to Westheimer Road. The chase ended on Wesleyan near Richmond Avenue when the driver was cornered. During the chase the driver hit two more vehicles. The reason the driver gave police for leading them on a chase: he said he had to meet his parents in downtown Houston. The driver has been charged with evading arrest and failure to stop and provide information.

Fortunately for the 3 vehicles he hit, it appears he did not hit any of them intentionally. Intentional damage caused by a motor vehicle (for example, ramming another car) is NOT covered under the insurance policy of the car used to cause the damage.  Call the hard-working Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation regarding your car accident injury case.

ABC Channel 13 (KTRK) is reporting an apparently serious collision between a Toyota Corolla passenger car and a parked flatbed trailer that sent one person to the hospital. The accident happened on March 8, 2011 on Summer Park at FM1092 near Stafford. The condition of the person transported to hospital was not included in the KTRK report.

This image from KTRK's web site shows a collision between a Toyota Corolla and a parked flatbed trailer near Stafford, Texas.

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.

A Harris County Deputy Sheriff was rushed to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Hospital this morning after an 18-wheeler crash, according to the Houston Chronicle’s report.  The deputy was hurt when his patrol car rear-ended an 18-wheeler on North Sam Houston Parkway near Bush International airport at around 2:00AM. Officials said the deputy possibly sustained two broken legs in the collision. The crash caused authorities to have to shut down the westbound lanes of the beltway while the wreck was cleared. The Deputy was responding to an emergency call at the time of the wreck: the cause of the accident is currently under investigation and the name of the deputy has not been released. Fox News covered the story also. ABC Channel 13 has a more detailed story than the Chronicle: Channel 13 reports that the deputy was freed from his severely damaged cruiser by the Eastex Fire Department using the jaws of life. The story also quotes  S.G. Wolverton withe Sheriff’s Department as saying the deputy did not have time to react to the 18-wheeler in the roadway ahead before hitting it from behind. The Deputy was trapped in his vehicle for about an hour. Here is video footage of the incident from Channel 13’s web site:

This photo from Channel 13's web site shows severe damage to the patrol car

If you, like the Sheriff’s Deputy, have been seriously injured in an 18-wheeler accident, contact the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler. Interstate trucking companies are required to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance according to the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations; some have to carry more depending on the type of cargo they transport. Insurance companies that write policies for big rigs act fast to protect their interests, so ideally you would have a well-qualified personal injury attorney working fast to protect YOUR interests too.

ABC Channel 13 (KTRK) has issued a brief report that a family of four was struck and run over by a vehicle at the Houston Rodeo. The initial report is that the family consisted of a mother, father and two children under the age of seven.

Update: The Houston Chronicle is now reporting that the driver of the vehicle that struck the family was drunk. He is identified in the Chronicle’s story as 31-year old Nicholas Jackson.  The story says Jackson has been charged with failure to stop and render aid and driving while intoxicated.  Fox 26 News is also reporting the incident on their web site.  According to the Fox News report, Nicholas Deandre Jackson (32) was driving a white-colored Ford Crown Victoria the wrong way down Kirby Road next to Reliant Stadium at around 10:00PM Monday night. The vehicle turned sharply on Murworth and hit the family: the driver then continued down Murworth on 2 flat tires before being stopped by police.  Contrary to other reports, Fox News says the injured family consisted of a 27-year old woman, a 2-year old girl, a 4-year old girl and a 9-year old boy, all of whom were transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital.  Reportedly Nicholas Deandre Jackson, a Houston resident, has a very extensive criminal record.

Even at low speeds, a pedestrian versus vehicle collision is no contest and the pedestrian always fares worst. Auto-pedestrian accidents often result in serious injuries such as road rash, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries and traumatic brain injuries. If you, a friend or a family member have been involved in a pedestrian accident, remember to document any obvious signs of trauma such as cuts and bruises by taking good quality, well-lit photographs. Keep any damaged clothing. 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 auto-pedestrian accidents for injured clients.

KHOU.com is reporting a downtown Houston collision that has left one person dead and five injured.  According to the report, police said a pickup truck carrying five people was southbound on Milam around 2:00AM when it collided with an SUV headed west on St. Joseph. After the collision the pickup truck hit a light pole on the side of the road. Both passengers riding in the back seat of the pickup truck were ejected. A man died at the scene and three men and two women were taken to various hospital, including the driver of the SUV. Both drivers were tested for alcohol at the hospital; charges may be filed later as police are still investigating to see who was at fault.

A two vehicle collision in downtown Houston at Milam and St. Joseph left one dead and five 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.

KHOU.com is reporting a collision in Pasadena, Texas between two pickup trucks early on Monday March 7, 2011. Police are investigating to determine which driver ran a red light and caused the crash. A red-colored pickup truck was traveling northbound on Red Bluff while a white-colored pickup was traveling westbound on Bay Area Boulevard: one of the two drivers ran a red light at the intersection and the vehicle collided around 12:45am. Both drivers had to be air lifted to Memorial Hermann hospital and were listed as being in serious but stable condition.  Police plan to test both drivers to determine whether alcohol was  a factor in the crash.

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.

Sunday February 27, 2011: a 3-car crash in northwest Harris County early Sunday has killed a 20-year old college student and injured six other people. According to investigators, the driver of a 1996 Chrysler Sebring was traveling east in the 7900 block of Spring Cypress when he changed lanes to pass another vehicle but lost control of his car which caused him to cross over into the westbound lanes. The Sebring was then hit by a 2007 GMC Yukon traveling westbound on Spring Cypress. The Sebring was then struck by a third vehicle, a 2007 Lexus RX350 also traveling west. The driver of the Sebring died at the accident scene and four passenger from the Yukon as well as a passenger from the Lexus were taken to Houston Northwest Medical Center. Today Martina Morgan identified the driver of the Sebring as her 20-year old son David James Morgan, a neuroscience major at the University of Texas at Dallas: David had just left his family’s home and was returning to Dallas when the collision happened.

Smith & Hassler has 20+ years experience handling claims and lawsuits associated with automobile accidents.  If you have been injured in a car accident, contact the Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation.

Tuesday February 22, 2011: A Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy was injured in a rollover two car accident on Beltway near C. E. King around 10:15PM last night. The deputy, whose name has not yet been released, was briefly pinned inside his patrol car. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Another car was involved in the wreck, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Also in recent local news for the Houston area: Richmond police investigated a disturbance in a restaurant parking lot around 10:15PM on Monday. Officers were told that several men had been fighting and were trying to leave the area. Officers stopped the driver of a Lincoln Continental who they believe was involved and was trying to flee the area. Police chased the driver into Rosenberg, Texas where he lost control of the Lincoln on Avenue H near Herndon Drive. The driver then crashed the Lincoln into the Pappa-Mex restaurant on Herndon Drive, got out of the car and ran away. Police tracked him down where he was hiding nearby.

The driver and one of his passengers were taken to nearby Oak Bend Medical Center for treatment. Jose Manuel Diaz, the driver of the Lincoln was charged with evading in a motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury, in addition to traffic citations for no driver’s license and failure to control speed. The passenger was not charged with anything: the passenger sustained serious injuries that included broken ribs and potentially a broken back.

No matter what the facts of your particular car accident injury case, the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler can help you navigate the insurance claim process and advise you of your legal rights. Generally speaking the earlier you speak to an experienced personal injury attorney, the better. Unfortunately clients sometimes hurt their cases by delaying contacting us because they think they’re “doing something wrong” by contacting an attorney or because the insurance adjuster they are dealing with discourages them from seeking the advice of an attorney. Don’t make that mistake! You’re not doing anything wrong by getting a free consultation and informing yourself of your rights under Texas law, and besides, the insurance company is working hard to protect their interests: doesn’t it just make sense that you’d want someone protecting you?