The structural collapse attorneys at Denena & Points remark that over the past year, Harlem in New York City has seen a sequence of dangerous building collapses that has left residents, construction industry experts, city officials, and safety advocates concerned. Among the building collapses are the following incidents:
Our structural collapse attorneys note that contractors and the city that regulates them have a duty to protect workers, local residents, and passersby from the dangers presented by construction and demolition activities. NYC Department of Buildings employees and architects have commented on some of the problems within construction and demolition activity in the city.
The NYC DOB mentioned that it created dozens of new construction safety laws since 2008 to address some of the problems, but that there remains room for improvement. The DOB said it has also created new inspection units to target changes within the construction industry. But at least one architect commented that the agency should assign more inspectors to the areas that have seen an upswing in construction activity.
Industry officials worry that they have seen an increasing tendency to use inexperienced (but inexpensive) workers on construction projects that really require workers experienced with that type of activity and its safety issues and requirements.
Our structural collapse attorneys note that NYC has some of the oldest buildings in the nation. And the small area of the densely populated city make for an ongoing sequence of demolition of old buildings to make way for newer ones. Until dangerous safety issues are fully addressed, the city could continue to see injuries and fatalities from sudden building collapses.
Read more about the fatal Columbia University warehouse collapse in our in-depth article.
The Houston accident lawyers at Denena & Points understand that few events cause more distress than having your child seriously injured in a traffic accident. After the accident, your first concern will be to ensure that your child obtains necessary medical treatment. In the emotional turmoil following the event, you likely won’t consider just how quickly the medical expenses might add up, or how you could pay them. Your main concern will be doing all that you can to help your child recover.
Our Houston accident lawyers realize that you will want to make sure that those responsible for your child’s injury are brought to justice and that responsible parties are held accountable so that you can obtain the just compensation that your child deserves for the traumatic accident injury. You might not realize that claiming damages following a child’s injury in a wreck is a somewhat different process than for a similarly injured adult.
For one thing, the statute of limitations is different. The statute of limitations is the time by which the law requires you to file a case in court, or your injury claim will be dismissed. The law recognizes an adult as being fully capable of making the decision to file a case and to accept a settlement for a case. Therefore, the statute of limitations requires an adult to file a personal injury case in Texas within two years following the accident.
Texas law does not give the same recognition of inherent competence to a child under 18 years of age. So Texas law gives a child until two years after the 18th birthday to file a personal injury claim. A minor child’s statute of limitations runs two years, but not from the date of the injury. A child’s statute of limitations runs two years from the date that the child achieves adult decision-making competence under the law.
Basically, you could decide to pursue an accident injury compensation claim on behalf of your minor child. Or you could wait and let your child decide whether or not to pursue a claim. But our Houston accident lawyers caution you that the longer you wait to pursue a claim after an accident and injury tale place, the more difficult the case likely will be to prove. Don’t take chances. Don’t wait. If you have a young and injured child, take responsible legal action on your child’s behalf.
To learn more about the necessary steps to achieving a successful injury compensation award, download our Houston accident lawyers’ free book offering essential guidelines to follow after a serious Houston wreck.
The Houston pool injury lawyers at Denena & Points note that the Friday drowning death in a Houston apartment complex pool that had just reopened after winter provides a tragic reminder of the ever-present dangers to children from the water. News accounts reported that 6-year-old Jasmin Brown had been swimming in the pool and went under the water but did not resurface. Adults around the pool pulled the girl from the water, and tried to help her with CPR until first responders arrived. But the 6-year-old did not survive.
Young children face many dangers in the pool, such as depths that could overwhelm their swimming ability and powerful drain systems that could trap them underwater. Apartment pools generally do not provide lifeguards or safety equipment beyond what’s legally required. It’s left mostly up to you to oversee your child’s safety in the water. We remind you of some precautions you could take to help ensure your child’s safety in the pool this summer:
Many accidents are preventable. By taking adequate safety precautions and providing your child with water safety knowledge in advance, you could enhance your child’s safety in the pool. If your child suffers injury in a pool and you need help, contact our dedicated Houston pool injury lawyers for a free and confidential legal consultation. Our skill and experience could provide your path to a fair financial recovery following your child’s undeserved accident.
It’s the end of an era for roller coaster enthusiasts at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. The venerable WildCat roller coaster is being removed from the amusement park and will be notably absent beginning with the 2012 season. Cedar Park notes that the WildCat roller coaster had reached the end of its useful life. Maintenance costs had become prohibitive, ridership had decreased as enthusiasts sought out newer and more exciting coasters, and collisions in recent years had injured WildCat riders.
The WildCat, which began operating at Cedar Point I 1970, once occupied a post right across from the Iron Dragon roller coaster. The WildCat was an 85 second roller coaster ride that offered riders four-passenger cars that raced along the track at 40 mph. In 2008 and 2011, riders suffered injuries when some of the Wildcat’s cars collided. The collisions shut down the ride temporarily. And careful consideration resulted in the conclusion this year to finally shut the coaster down permanently. The coaster/’s components are now heading to a recycling plant.
But Cedar Point reassures patrons that they won’t be disappointed by the loss of the WildCat. In its place, the amusement park has developed Celebration Plaza, which will feature Luminosity, a spectacular light show designed to light up the night. New paint and lighting systems throughout the park will enhance guest experiences at Cedar Point according to spokespeople for Cedar Point. And a new water slide and animatronic dinosaur exhibit complete the year’s upgrades.
Roller coaster enthusiasts respect Cedar Point as the park that once held the largest number of roller coasters at 17. Currently, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA holds the record with 18 roller coasters. The most recent coaster opened just last summer in July 2011.
Cedar Point’s decision to remove the WildCat is a responsible step in the face of the aging coaster’s increasing propensity to malfunction and cause injuries. The injuries suffered in the 2008 and 2011 collisions on the WildCat were relatively minor. But roller coasters, with their high speeds and even higher drops can easily cause fatal injuries if not properly designed, maintained, and operated.
Aging coasters, particularly the relatively rare wooden ones, have the highest maintenance costs and issues. So our roller coaster injury attorneys realize that Cedar Point took the wisest course when it took the aging Cat coaster out of service. That action might have prevented countless further injuries and even some fatalities.
If you or a family suffers injuries on a roller coaster or other amusement park ride and you need help addressing your mounting medical costs and extended period of time out of work recovering from your injuries, contact our roller coaster injury attorneys for a complimentary legal consultation.
At Denena & Points, we are among the small handful of injury attorneys in the nation to have actual, hands-on experience successfully obtaining large financial recoveries for victims injured or killed on roller coasters. Our well-hones legal skills and practical knowledge could help you obtain the financial recovery you need to move forward after your roller coaster accident. Call us toll free at 877-307-9500 or use our online contact features to make your appointment for a free legal consultation.
Houston motorcycle accident lawyers bring your attention to a tragic motorcycle accident over the weekend in Montgomery County. Sunday afternoon, the rider of a Harley Davidson who was reportedly driving quite safely and observing all traffic laws and rules of the road, suddenly experienced “drift” and crashed.
The Houston man had been coming out of a curve on FM 149 close to Majestic Oaks near FM 1488. A witness said that the rider had been going straight coming out of the curve but then began to drift to the right, which caused him to hit a driveway, become airborne, and crash and roll. Rescue workers tried to revive the man, but he died at the scene. The rider was reportedly wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
Our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers realize that many otherwise careful drivers can unexpectedly lose control of their vehicles on curves. This might result from a speed greater than the vehicle can bear on the curve. Bikes particularly can experience a loss of control on curves if they hit a bit of loose gravel, wet road conditions, small road obstacles, or even slight irregularities in the pavement.
Often when drivers try to compensate for a deviation from their intended course, they might experience an oversteering or an understeering event. Our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers point out that this can happen when a wheel not controlled by power steering begins to rotate more slowly than other wheels, perhaps because of braking. The wheel will continue on a course other than the one indicated by the steering position and the vehicle might begin to drift or spin.
Some of the powerful Harley Davidson bikes are noted for a phenomenon bikers have come to call “the Harley death wobble.” It’s a vibration that can take suddenly hold of the bike at speeds in excess of 70 mph. The vibration decreases rider control over the vehicle and can lead to fatal crash.
It may be some time before accident investigators pinpoint the precise cause(s) of the Houston man’s Harley Davidson crash. But the fact that the bike began to drift and then crashed as the Harley came out of a curve gives some direction to their inquiries in the matter.
A witness that had been on the road behind the Harley for some time pointed out that the bike’s rider drover carefully, did not exceed the speed limit, and obeyed traffic laws. So the cause of the crash might be found (among other possible causes) in the inherent driving qualities of the particular Harley bike, a slight over-correction or under-correction coming out of that curve in the road, or even some loose gravel or other slight obstructions in the pavement.
Learn more about the infamous Harley death wobble in our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers’ article at this link.
Texas school bus accident attorneys relate that a major school bus accident near Seguin, TX on Friday brought a school bus, an 18-wheeler, a Chrysler PT Cruiser, and a Ford Focus into contact with injurious results. The 18-wheeler driver received transport to the hospital in critical condition after the accident. 13 people were injured in the multi-vehicle chain reaction wreck that started when the 18-wheeler clipped the PT Cruiser, sending it spinning into the path of the school bus, which was then rear-ended by the Ford Focus.
But no one died in the fiery wreck that left an appalling picture of highway disaster at Texas 123 and Lange Road. Our Texas school bus accident attorneys point out that part of the reason for the relatively minor injuries suffered by the school bus occupants could be the new safety equipment on board that particular bus. Seguin ISD put into service 4 new buses just weeks ago.
Ana Ley and Michelle Casady of the San Antonio Express-News reported that those 4 Seguin ISD school buses enjoyed the benefit of upgraded safety features that included laminated glass windows, flame retardant bus seats, a body that can separate from the frame in the event of accident, and a roof designed to support 1.5 times the bus’s weight. These new safety features were put to the test in the Texas 123 wreck when the bus flipped over and experienced a fire.
The bus driver and an 8th grade student remained hospitalized after the wreck with injuries not believed to be life threatening. The director of student transportation for Seguin ISD said that bus did exactly what it was designed to do in the event of a wreck. The safety features of the bus minimized injuries that could have been far worse under the circumstances, and avoided fatalities in the fiery crash.
Our Texas school bus accident attorneys emphasize that the survival of the students and their bus driver in the horrific wreck is an illustration of the benefits upgraded safety features and equipment can provide in vehicles.
The water park injury attorneys at Denena & Points note that the hot weather has already arrived here in Texas, and families are planning blissful getaways to water parks both near and far. The United States is home to more than 1,000 water parks and that number grows each year.
But the water park amusement industry is one that didn’t even exist just a few short decades ago. Back in my day, we might take a canoe out on the lake, ride a few waves on the coast, or play in the local creek. But high-speed water tube slides and drop slides hadn’t even been imagined yet. Trying a new stunt from the high dive at the local pool was about the most excitement we might expect in the summer. Yes, looking back, it was kinda sad.
But now you don’t need to learn a new dive, plan a new stunt variation, or practice it to perfection to experience a new thrill in the water. Now all the thrills are planned for you.
Our water park injury attorneys point out that many water park rides rely on similar concepts to those behind the roller coasters and extreme rides in other amusement parks. Many rely on gravity to propel you through the ride, and use the water to carry you and lubricate the “track” for you. On a typical extreme water slide, you’re the roller coaster train and the slide is the track. The water might be the oil that greases a train’s wheels.
Summer fun in the water is no passive activity these days. Now it’s very physical. Riders in good physical condition with some stamina and skill fare best on the latest generation of extreme water park rides. But water parks don’t restrict riders according to their physical condition, although that might not be a bad idea. So every age, size, weight, condition, and physical variation (within minimal height and age restrictions) might be found on any ride.
Our water park injury attorneys emphasize that the design principles applied to a water park ride might follow sound engineering parameters but fail to account for variations in a rider’s ability to maintain proper posture and control during a ride. Just as a roller coaster train needs to remain properly positioned on a track as gravity pulls it through its course, so a water slide rider needs to maintain proper positioning on the slide to avoid injury.
A water slide doesn’t offer you any restraint bars, safety belts, or shoulder harnesses to keep you in place. Once you drop into the slide, you’re basically on your own. It’s up to you to maintain the correct posture, control, and position to enjoy the ride and exit it safely. If you become twisted, turned around, or catch a limb on part of the ride, the resulting loss of control over your speed and trajectory can lead to serious or even fatal injury.
Each new advance in extreme water park ride thrills might pose previously unknown hazards to riders. Designers, product testers, and inspectors can only pinpoint some potential problems before the ride begins actual operations under the full range of rider variation. In effect, our water park injury attorneys realize that you become the final product safety tester and guinea pig.
Should you become injured on a water park ride, you might be eligible to obtain just financial compensation for your injuries from water park owners, ride designers and manufacturers, and/or ride operators, among others. An experienced water park injury attorney like Tony Denena or Chad Points could help you identify the precise cause(s) of your accident, who’s liable for your injuries, and how you could effectively present your injury compensation claim. Let us help you obtain the just financial recovery that you deserve after a needless water park accident and injury. Call us today for your free legal consultation. Or use our online contact forms to schedule a consultation at your convenience.
Pearland injury lawyers note that on Friday evening, a northbound 18-wheeler struck a Toyota Camry broadside as the car was trying to cross northbound lanes of Highway 59 at Cottonwood Road. The Toyota ended up in the median. 4 teen girls occupied the Camry. One of the teen passengers, Gabrielle Garcia, died from her injuries at the scene of the tragic accident. The driver and another passenger received air transport to the hospital with serious injuries. Another passenger received minor injuries. The 58-year-old truck driver did not receive injuries from the crash.
News accounts mention that police were still investigating the accident days later, but do not comment on the possible causes of the crash. Did one of the drivers run a light or a stop sign? Fail to yield right of way?
An accident victim’s ability to obtain financial compensation for the heavy costs resulting from a truck accident depends strongly on an accurate determination of the causes behind the wreck. Texas, like many states, follows a doctrine of modified comparative negligence. Under this doctrine, a victim found to be at least 50% at fault for causing the accident can’t obtain compensation from other parties to the accident.
If you’ve been injured in a wreck, and you need to know if you’re eligible to obtain monetary compensation from the other parties involved in the accident, contact our Pearland injury lawyers for a free and confidential legal consultation. We could help you pinpoint the causes that contributed to your wreck, the liability that might be shared by various parties involved, and the steps you need to take to protect your rights and financial interests after the accident. Call us toll free at 877-307-9500 or use our online contact features to schedule your case evaluation consultation.
Texas City injury attorneys note that if a negligent truck driver injured you, you could sue the truck driver and usually the truck owner as well for the financial harm you’ve suffered. The costs of your medical bills, ongoing medical costs due to your injuries from the wreck, lost wages, and damaged vehicle can all be sought from those responsible for causing those expenses.
For example, Texas City is suing 45-year-old truck driver Kevin Sandles and truck owner Willie Sandles on behalf of city taxpayers to recover the large sum (already more than $100,000) spent in worker’s compensation when the truck crashed with a police vehicle and injured the officer inside. Texas City claims that the truck failed to yield the right of way to Officer Joshua Roberts. Texas City also claims that the truck driver drove his vehicle in a reckless manner, failed to properly control his speed, and failed to watch for other vehicles.
The city says that the truck’s owner should have known that Kevin Sandles was a reckless and unsafe driver who was unfit to be entrusted with driving a heavy truck. Our Texas City injury attorneys point out that the Texas City police officer apparently has not yet recovered from his extensive injuries from the crash, as the already large amount of worker’s compensation benefits paid to the injured officer is expected to increase while the litigation is underway.
Texas City has a team of municipal attorneys to help prosecute their claim for compensation from the truck driver and truck owner. If you’ve been similarly injured because of truck driver negligence, you have an equal right to seek the financial damages you need to pay for the burdensome expenses from the wreck. But you probably don’t have a team of attorneys on staff to handle the claim for you.
If you’ve been injured and need help prosecuting your claim, you should seek the counsel of a Board Certified Texas City injury attorney with extensive experience in handling such injury accident claims. At Denena & Points, our experienced Texas City injury attorneys have earned their Texas Board Certifications in personal injury law through extensive trial practice and top tier client service and case results. We’ve been successfully handling claims for injured victims of negligent truckers for more than 12 years.
Our legal expertise and skill could be your key to a successful financial recovery on your claim. Contact us for a free initial legal consultation and case evaluation at 877-307-9500. Or use our convenient online contact features to schedule your free consultation. Let us help you obtain the full financial recovery you deserve for your needless injuries.
Balcony collapse lawyers announce that the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio has published the results of the first study based on nationwide data relating to injuries received in balcony fallsthat resulted in emergency room visits.
The study used data for 1990 through 2006 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission). The study analyzed data relating to balcony (and porch, deck, veranda, patio, and terrace) falls among both children and adults aged 18 years and over. Researchers concluded that stricter laws and building codes are needed to make climbing on balcony barriers more difficult for children. Our balcony collapse lawyers note that some of the study’s key findings include the following points:
If you’ve been injured in a fall from a balcony or other collapsed structure and you would like to learn about your legal options for seeking just financial compensation, contact our experienced balcony collapse lawyers for a free and confidential legal consultation. The Board Certified personal injury lawyers at Denena & Points are among the very small percentage of the nation’s lawyers to have actual hands-on experiencing handling balcony fall cases for injured clients. Our valuable practical experience could be your key to a successful financial recovery after your traumatic fall.