Ruben Galindo, Truck Driver who killed 4 in Fatal Hwy 90 Crash, Banned
In April, Ruben Galindo struck an SUV with a tractor-trailer while he was driving on the wrong side of Highway 90 near Kriewald Road. Our Alvin, TX truck accident attorneys sadly note that the catastrophic collision with the tractor-trailer truck killed the Koontz family of 4 in the SUV. Galindo reportedly told police that he had drunk two 16-ounce beers prior to getting behind the wheel. He was charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter in the crime.
You’re probably aware that it’s against the law to drive a truck under the influence of alcohol. So the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), which oversees truck drivers, has banned Ruben Galindo from driving commercial vehicles outside of Texas.
That’s according to the article in the San Antonio Express-News on May 23, 2013. If that is the case, our Alvin, TX truck accident attorneys wonder why the FMCSA has not barred Galindo from driving commercial vehicles inside Texas as well, since inside Texas on Highway 90 is where he killed a family of four in a crash. If the FMCSA must wait for the Texas State agency to strip Galindo of his commercial driving privileges, we only hope that Texas steps forward to do so.
Trucks are massive and cars and SUVs are no match for them in a collision situation. Our Alvin, TX truck accident attorneys periodically discuss the dangers of truck driver fatigue, a chronic problem on Texas roadways, particularly in the oil boom regions. But driving a tractor-trailer under the influence of alcohol on the wrong side of the road is such a deadly act that its potential should not be tolerated.
Click the link to learn more about the dangerous problem of truck driver fatigue on Texas roadways. And download our free book to learn what to do to protect your rights and build a successful truck accident injury claim after a serious wreck has harmed you or your loved ones. If you have questions about your specific truck collision injuries, don’t hesitate to contact the Alvin, TX truck accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a free, no obligation legal consultation. We’re available at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form.
Distracted Driving leads to Serious Crashes like the Multi Vehicle Pileup on I-35
The U.S. NHTSA has charted a sharp increase in the use of cell phones while driving over the past decade. But cell phone use and texting while driving are only two of the many things that could fatally distract a driver behind the wheel.
In a recent year, NHTSA data showed that distracted driving caused 5,331 of 34,017 fatal traffic accidents. Those accidents claimed 5,870 lives. And distracted driving is an underreported cause of fatal traffic accidents because after the fact, there is often no one left to say that the driver had been reaching for a snack or changing the music in a car just before the fatal crash.
Multi-Vehicle Pileup on I-35 near Troy, Texas
Early Saturday afternoon, a car and a tractor-trailer truck crashed in a chain reaction wreck on southbound I-35 that drew in three more vehicles. Our I-35 injury accident attorneys sadly note that at least two children were hospitalized with injuries from the accident. Then shortly afterwards, a wreck occurred on the northbound side of I-35. Witnesses said that drivers who were not paying attention to their driving tasks were responsible for causing the serious crash. (Source: Nichole Perez, kwtx.com, 5/23/13)
This sequence of distracted driving wrecks on I-35 on Saturday demonstrates that distracted driving crashes are not an isolated or rare phenomenon. Like many states, Texas has begun to pass new laws intended to begin to curb cell phone use behind the wheel at least in school zones. But our I-35 injury accident attorneys emphasize that your risk of being injured in a serious rash caused by a distracted driver is higher than ever.
Any Serious Accident with Injuries can have Heavy Financial Consequences
You or your loved one might be out of work for some time to recover from your injuries. Our I-35 injury accident attorneys caution that you could be left with permanent disabilities. Medical bills from a period of hospitalization could continue to mount as you face the costs of ongoing medical care required by your injuries. You may face high costs to repair or replace your vehicle. The distracted driver who caused your accident might not even be insured. Watch our video to learn what you can do in case you’re hit by an uninsured driver.
Contact the I-35 Injury Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for Help after a Serious Crash
We provide a free initial legal consultation to discuss your accident and evaluate your prospects for a full financial recovery. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And we don’t charge you any attorneys’ fees unless we win your claim for you. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form to schedule your free, no obligation legal consultation. And let our more than 16 years of experience helping injured clients guide you to a successful financial recovery.
Should the U.S. Blood Alcohol Limit for DWI be Lowered to 0.05%?
The U.S. NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is recommending that the blood alcohol level used to determine intoxication be lowered from its current level of 0.08% to 0.05%. What that would mean is that virtually no one could take even a single drink and then get behind the wheel without being at risk for a DWI charge. If people actually obeyed that limit, it would also mean that the rate of fatal DWI crashes might be reduced to almost nothing.
However, the Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that DWI safety enforcement has been increasing along with state penalties for DWI offenses, yet the rate of DWI crashes has not declined. Texas still leads the nation by a wide margin in the rate of DWI accidents and fatalities. And TxDOT data shows that Harris County still leads Texas.
Every minute, someone dies in the United States because of a drunken driver. Approximately 33% of all fatal U.S. traffic accidents involve drunken drivers. That’s around 10,000 people who needlessly die each year in DWI crashes because people choose to drink and drive. Many tens of thousands of other people suffer severe injuries each year due to drunken drivers.
Is Lowering the Blood Alcohol Limit for DWI the Answer?
On average, a woman of less than 120 pounds will reach a 0.05% blood alcohol level after just one drink. And a man of less than 160 pounds will reach that limit in two drinks.
Our Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys point out that with the current blood alcohol limit of 0.08% and increasing penalties and enforcement for DWI, vast numbers of people still choose to drive drunk. And MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving) has said that before their first arrest for DWI, many drunken drivers have driven while intoxicated more than 80 times. And drunken drivers arrested after DWI crashes often show a blood alcohol level two or three times the legal limit.
Lowering the threshold to 0.05% would not only take several years to be passed into law and even more years to be accepted, it might also frustrate drivers who currently avoid driving drunk under a 0.08% limit and lead them into DWI under a 0.05% limit.
We suspect that the behavioral changes caused by a lowering of the blood alcohol limit might go either way. But we mention that the NTSB states that over 100 nations have adopted the 0.05% standard, and that in Europe drunken driving deaths have decreased by more than 50% in 10 years. (Source: CBS 11 news, Dallas, 5/14/13)
Contact the Pearland DWI Accident Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC with Your Questions about Serious Injuries caused by a Drunken Driver
Texas law provides harsh penalties for drunken drivers, especially for repeat offenders. If a drunken driver has injured you or your loved ones and you need to learn what to do, feel free to contact the Pearland DWI accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC anytime. We’re available at 281-369-4363 or through our “Get Help Now” online contact form. We provide a FREE initial case evaluation consultation to discuss your case and answer your urgent questions. And you have no obligation to hire an attorney. Contact us today.
Big Rig Jackknifes, Spills Fuel in Another I-10 Downtown Houston Wreck
Friday morning around 3:30, an 18-wheeler carrying combustible lacquer and fire hydrant fluids reportedly took a curve at excessive speed, lost control, hit a concrete barrier, spun, and jackknifed on I-10 in downtown Houston. The 18-wheeler crash damaged the big rig’s cab and spilled over 100 gallons of diesel fuel onto the busy I-10 artery. Authorities closed several lanes of I-10 for hours while HAZMAT crews cleaned the spill. The 18-wheeler driver received a citation for failure to maintain a single lane. (Source: Courtney Gilmore, KPRC click2houston.com, 5/10/13)
Overturned Big Rigs almost a Daily Sight on I-10 in Downtown Houston
We note that a lane citation seems a minor penalty for an act that could have resulted in a major fireball on I-10. The Houston 18-wheeler accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC mention that it was just about a day ago that we wrote about another big rig driver who lost control of his vehicle and ended up spilling rolls of paper all over I-10. The wreck tied up traffic for hours. 18-wheeler wrecks are becoming so common on the interstate that you could practically bank on annoying delays in your daily commute from drivers who take curves, ramps, and lane changes too fast.
And our Houston 18-wheeler accident attorneys note that many of these big rigs are not only carrying their own diesel fuel, which could spill and ignite in a wreck or a rollover. They are also carrying as their cargo substances like oil, gas, and lacquer that could erupt in a ball of flame in a serious crash. When you drive I-10, you’re at risk from these fast-traveling behemoths.
Contact the Houston 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if a Big Rig has injured you or Your Loved One
We believe that needlessly injured 18-wheeler accident victims deserve strong advocacy and protection of their rights against the big trucking companies and powerful insurance companies that seek to minimize the value of their losses. We could help you hold those companies accountable for the losses that a careless truck driver has inflicted on you.
Call us today at 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a FREE initial legal consultation to discuss your injuries. We will meet with you face to face to hear your story. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And our in-depth knowledge of 18-wheeler accident injury claims could help you make informed decisions about your future following a serious accident.
Deadly High Speed FM 88 DWI Crash Claims Life of Innocent Teen
Last Friday afternoon around 3, 17-year-old Maria Cecilia Lopez was checking her mailbox when an out-of-control pickup truck struck her at high speed in a deadly DWI crash. The accident occurred on FM 88 north of Weslaco near Mile 12 Road in Hidalgo County. The white pickup truck also knocked down a telephone pole and slammed into a tree. The driver and his passenger received transport to Valley Baptist Medical Center for their injuries. Ms. Lopez died at the scene of the high speed DWI crash.
Texas DPS troopers blocked part of FM 88 for several hours to investigate and clear the scene of the accident. Texas DPS troopers have arrested Lucio Mario Rodriguez, 25, and charged him with intoxication manslaughter in the tragic and untimely death of Ms. Maria Cecilia Lopez. (Source: krgv.com, 5/3/13)
The Pearland, TX wrongful death attorneys offer their sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ms. Maria Cecelia Lopez.
Texas leads the Nation in Drunken Driving Crashes by a Large Margin
Our Pearland, TX wrongful death attorneys note that Texas has seen an alarming increase in the number of pedestrian deaths from motor vehicle drivers in recent years. Texas street design and the state’s car-centric culture are partly to blame. But many of these needless pedestrian deaths are due to drunken drivers. Despite educational campaigns and increased penalties for DWI offenders, Texas continues to vastly outpace the rest of the nation in DWI crashes.
Contact the Pearland, TX Wrongful Death Attorneys at Denena Points, PC when You need Help after a Pedestrian Accident
We provide you with a completely free and confidential legal consultation to discuss the specific accident and your potential for fair compensation for the needless harm you’ve suffered. Hold drunken drivers financially accountable for their crimes. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And our more than 15 years of experience holding guilty drivers accountable for their actions could help you recover after a tragic pedestrian accident has changed your life forever.
Rising Number of Texas Pedestrian Deaths, 2 from Recent Vehicle Crashes
Monday night around 8 p.m., our Galveston pedestrian injury lawyers sadly note that a man walking beside eastbound U.S. 290 in Houston was struck and killed by the driver of an 18-wheeler. The 18-wheeler driver apparently did not see the pedestrian walking on the elevated highway in time to prevent the accident.
And a day before on Sunday afternoon, 8-year-old Jazmin Alvarez was tragically stuck and killed by a vehicle as she walked with a group of children to a local store in Conroe, Texas. The driver that struck her, Byron Smith, reportedly did not have time to stop as the young girl ran out into the road in her enthusiasm to reach her destination.
Our Galveston pedestrian injury lawyers note that Texas is not a particularly friendly state to pedestrians and bicyclists. Generally, Texas with its wide expanses is all about cars. So the number of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and deaths is rising. And all over the nation, the high risk of motor vehicle crash injuries and fatalities remains a problem for more vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists.
In 2010 for instance, the U.S. NHTSA says that 4,280 pedestrians died and approximately 70,000 received injuries in motor vehicle crashes. 620 bicyclists died and another 52,000 were injured by vehicles in that year.
Pedestrians and bicyclists account for around 14% of traffic fatalities, yet they make up 12% or less of all trips, revealing the disproportionate risk they face on the roads. More than 20% of bicyclist injuries and fatalities occur at night, when drivers have more trouble seeing them in time to avoid an accident. The risk is similar for pedestrians at night.
The hearts and prayers of our Galveston pedestrian injury lawyers are with all the injured victims and the family members of tragically killed victims of Texas motor vehicle crashes. Click the link to learn about important pedestrian safety tips that could help save you and your loved ones.
Contact the Galveston Pedestrian Injury Lawyers at Denena Points, PC if You need Help after a Serious Injury Accident
We offer you a free and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your specific accident and evaluate your potential financial recovery for your injuries. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. Reach us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form.
Gulf Seamen Injury Risk Serving Vessels for U.S. Busiest Port, Houston
A Houston Chronicle article (by Kiah Collier 5/3/13) pointed out what you might already know: that Houston is the busiest port in the United States. This means that seamen face a high risk of injury in the waters off of the Port of Houston. Partly because more vessels are there more of the time, because of traffic congestion in the relatively narrow Houston Ship Channel, and because of the huge number of refineries and chemical and oil storage facilities flanking the Channel.
The Port of Houston Hosts the Second Largest Petrochemical Complex in the World, a Complex full of Combustible Materials
Our Gulf Coast maritime accident lawyers note that the 25-mile network of docks making up the Port of Houston also host the second largest petrochemical complex in the world. This complex contains the refineries, chemical plants, and storage tanks producing and storing products for shipment around the world. Predictably, over 60% of the ships docking at the Port of Houston service the petrochemical industry.
The Texas City disaster in 1947, which has received a lot of attention recently due to comparisons with the recent deadly explosions in West, Texas, reveals the inherent risk to seamen. In 1947, a ship loaded with ammonium nitrate exploded, killing approximately 600 people in one of the worst industrial disasters ever.
The Gulf Coast maritime accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC note that for the past 20 years at least, the Port of Houston was the destination for more imports than any other U.S. port. And for 14 consecutive years, Houston’s port has imported and exported more foreign cargo tonnage than any other U.S. port. The Port of Houston moves more than 230 tons of cargo each year through the Houston Ship Channel, a 54-mile waterway created by dredging the area’s bayous and swamps. The Ship Channel connects the Port of Houston to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Jones Act could provide Compensation for Seamen injured on the Job
If you’re a U.S. seaman injured on the job while serving a vessel moving cargo to or from the Port of Houston, your work is inherently dangerous. And you should know that the Jones Act (the U.S. Merchant Marine Act of 1920) entitles you to have your medical bills paid by your employer. But the requirements for collecting compensation under the Jones Act can be complex, and in many cases, seamen have looked to the wrong provisions of the Act to help them, and therefore they lost their cases.
An injury or wrongful death claim under the Jones Act is better handled by a Gulf Coast maritime accident lawyer with experience in the complexities of the Jones Act and general maritime law. For instance, your employer might be liable for the costs of your injury under the Jones Act doctrine of unseaworthiness, a doctrine of negligence that basically means that you worked under inherently unsafe conditions on the job. An experienced Gulf Coast maritime accident lawyer could be of great benefit to you as you try to obtain fair financial compensation for the needless harm you suffered on the job.
Contact the Gulf Coast Maritime Accident Lawyers at Denena Points, PC if You’re a Seaman or Offshore Worker or a Family member of Someone Injured on the Job in the Gulf of Mexico
We provide a free and confidential legal consultation to discuss your accident in-depth and evaluate your potential eligibility for financial compensation for your needless injuries. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And our more than 15 years of experience successfully representing injured clients and their family members could guide you to a full financial recovery for the needless harm you’ve suffered. We don’t charge you any attorneys’ fees unless we WIN your case, so there’s no financial risk to you. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us anytime through our convenient online contact form.
Texas Motorcycle Crash Deaths Down in 2012, but Among Highest in U.S.
May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, and the Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding drivers of other vehicles to use extra caution around motorcycles. The DPS push augments the TxDOT “Share the Road” and Look Twice” campaigns that target driver awareness of small vehicles and motorcycle safety. TxDOT credits its motorcycle safety campaigns for some of the drop in Texas motorcycle fatalities in recent years.
Our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys sadly note that 460 people died in motorcycle crashes in Texas in 2012, down from 488 in 2011. Texas is one of only 16 states to see a drop in motorcycle fatalities in recent years, though Texas still is among the top three states in the overall number of motorcycle accident fatalities. 2012 numbers, when finalized, are expected to reveal that more than 5,000 motorcyclists died on U.S. roads last year. And Texas, even with its declining numbers, picks up almost 10% of that total.
The Texas DPS and TXDOT urge particular caution at intersections and when changing lanes, two of the places where most motorcycle crashes occur. In half of all Texas motorcycle accidents with another vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle claims to have not ever seen the motorcyclist prior to the wreck. Our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys point out that research studies demonstrate that drivers of larger vehicles often don’t perceive the smaller vehicles. They’re keeping watch for vehicles their own size or larger.
Motorcycles account for fewer than 3% of the vehicles on our roads, yet they make up 13% of traffic deaths. And 89% of Texas motorcycle crashes cause injury or death.
Learn More about Motorcycle Safety and What to Do after an Accident
Download our FREE guide with the 4 most important do’s and don’ts for motorcycle accident injury claims. Don’t hesitate to contact our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys for a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss your specific motorcycle accident injuries.
We could evaluate your potential eligibility for a fair financial recovery from the accident and guide you through some of the next steps you need to take to protect your rights and gather evidence for your claim, Put our more than 15 years of experience on your side. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us anytime through our online contact form.
Popularity of Rock Climbing Walls and the Increase in Serious Injuries
You’ve probably seen the rock climbing walls. They’re everywhere now: at amusement parks, on college campuses, in gyms, at children’s camps, and at other recreational facilities. Our amusement park injury attorneys note that the walls vary greatly in their size and complexity. But the dangers of falls, lacerations, and broken bones that they present to climbers are there whatever the size of the wall.
Because of the harness used by climbers, head injuries are less common than you might expect. Most people who fall from the climbing walls land on their feet. Very hard. So the most usual injuries according to a study by concerned physicians in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine are sprains, strains, and fractures to the foot, ankle, and leg. Many of these injuries are serious enough to require emergency room visits and hospitalization.
Emergency Room Visits from Rock Climbing Increased 63% from 1990 to 2007
About 9 million people climb these rock walls each year, and the number of serious injuries related to falls from them is increasing. From 1990 through 2007, data from the U.S. NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) showed that 40,282 climbers received emergency room treatment for injuries from their climbing adventures. The average of 2,237 such injuries annually doesn’t tell the full story. Because the rate of annual injuries from the recreational sport increased by 63% from 1990 to 2007.
Part of the reason for the increase in injury numbers is that the climbing walls are often just one attraction in a much larger facility, leaving the rock walls and their climbers without sufficient staff attention. In addition, our amusement park injury attorneys point out that the facilities do not necessarily have staff adequately trained in climbing wall safety. The Executive Director of the Climbing Wall Association, Bill Zimmerman, indicated that facilities with rock climbing walls could reduce the risk of injury through risk management procedures, and staff orientation and training regarding climbing techniques and procedures.
Better Risk Management and Staff Training could Prevent Injuries
Mr. Zimmerman mentioned that some facilities might spend $1 million on the climbing wall itself, but then won’t spring for the paltry $10,000 or $20,000 to get their staff properly trained. We note that a severe injury could cost the facility or its insurers $1 million or more, so it’s wise to get at least one staff member (who could train the others) fully trained on climbing wall safety.
Falls from the climbing walls accounted for almost 78% of the reported injuries. Most falls were from heights of 20 feet or less. But around 34% fell from greater heights. More than half of those who fell from 20 feet or more required hospitalization. In fact, our amusement park injury attorneys emphasize that about 11% of injured rock wall climbers required hospitalizations, a high percentage for recreational sports injuries. (Sources: Kristina Fiore, ABC News Med Page Today, 7/26/2009 and Michael Popke, AB Newswire, October 2009)
Contact the Amusement Park Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if you need Help after a Serious Injury
We offer you more than 15 years of personal injury expertise and a free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss the specifics of your accident and your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery for your needless injuries. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. Let our experience and legal knowledge help you recover.
Learning to Drive a Stick Shift Performance Vehicle at a Texas Cemetery
OK, our Pearland auto accident attorneys realize that if you drive every day, you tend to take driving for granted. You could practically do it in your sleep. (In fact, some people do. They tend to crash.)
But we reiterate from time to time that driving is actually a fairly complicated task, involving on average 20 complex decisions to make per mile driven. Our Pearland auto accident attorneys point out that this hidden complexity in an everyday task that virtually everyone does is why drunken drivers so often cause really nasty accidents when their impaired judgment leads to an error in decision-making (or to a gross failure to recognize the need for a complex decision).
And when you want to add another level of intricacy to the already demanding task of driving, you can drive a stick shift, or a manual transmission vehicle. My first car was a stick shift and a performance vehicle. I have to admit that it handled more precisely and responded more fluidly to my driving needs than my current automatic transmission. And having to use the manual transmission and a clutch pedal tended to keep my attention more firmly focused on the driving task than my current nondescript automatic transmission.
Learning to drive a manual transmission wasn’t easy. The school’s “simulators” in our Driver’s Ed course were all automatic transmissions. And my simulator didn’t work anyway. So I just put my hands on the fake steering wheel and pretended to drive. The ancient teacher with the megalithic beehive hairdo never noticed the difference.
At the time, I was that rare teenager who wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about driving at all. So naturally I ended up with a vehicle more complex than average to operate. My dad took me out to the local cemetery to teach me to drive the thing. The cemetery was one of those vast urban complexes with acres upon acres of winding roads and very little traffic (we understand that the departed tend to wisely leave their cars behind when they seek peace). I guess my dad figured that if I royally screwed up while I was trying to master the stick shift, we’d be in the right place.
As it turns out, teenagers these days are apparently even less enthusiastic about learning to drive than I was. Fully a third of them still haven’t applied for their drivers’ licenses by the age of 19. (Kudos to the lot of you, by the way. If we had better public transportation where I live, I would gladly ditch my vehicle and my license instantly.)
Well, apparently this trend of fewer drivers and fewer car owners worries both the Ford Motor Company and an insurance company. After all, our Pearland auto accident attorneys must ask, “who needs car insurance if they don’t have cars?”
So Ford and Hagerty Insurance have teamed up to lure reluctant young people to the wheel through a program that offers hands-on training in operating a stick shift with the added lure of classic and collectible cars. (Source: Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, 4/26/13) (Classic and collectible cars which our Pearland auto accident attorneys incidentally mention are completely differently from the indistinguishable, generic vehicles actually available on the market and which the hapless victims of the program will probably end up driving).
Our Pearland auto accident attorneys do laud the effort to provide thorough training in the fine art of operating complex manual transmission vehicles. Though fewer of these stick shift cars are built now, if you end up with one, you really need to learn how to drive it properly. A shifting or pedal error could quickly be fatal. And not every beginning manual transmission driver has a patient, good-humored dad and a large, convenient cemetery nearby.
Just in Case: Learn What to Do in the Event of a Serious Accident
Click to download your FREE, in-depth guide to the steps you need to take to protect your rights and to maximize your chances of a full financial recovery for your injuries in the event that a negligent or distracted driver causes a wreck. And if you have questions about what to do after an accident has harmed you or your family member, don’t hesitate to contact us.
The Pearland auto accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC offer a FREE, no obligation legal consultation to discuss your specific injuries and evaluate your potential for a full financial recovery. Call us direct at 281-369-4363 or just fill out our easy online contact form. Let us help you recover.