Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer

Truck Wrecks

• Road crashes the leading cause of death for U.S. oil & gas workers
  May 16, 2012

  
  Houston highway crash lawyers note that over the past decade or so, the number of Americans killed in road crashes has declined substantially, from an average approaching nearly 40,000 per year to its present level of approximately 30,000 victims per year. But the proportion of those fatalities that involves large, commercial trucks has been climbing. And oil & gas field workers are suffering a disproportionate number of the highway fatalities. In the last 10 years, these industry workers have experienced over 300 fatal highway crashes. 33% of the industry's work fatalities come from highway crashes, as opposed to 20% across all other U.S. occupations.
   
  Government transportation officials, oil & gas industry workers, and other concerned individuals point to oil field exemptions from U.S. highway safety rules that permit industry truckers to work longer hours than those permitted in other industries. Oil field drivers say that the industry uses these exemptions to pressure them into driving for hours after they have already worked shifts without rest that were 20 hours or more. Our Houston highway crash lawyers point out that many oil field workers have been killed or injured killed in a highway crash on their way back to the company from the field after long shifts when their drivers fell asleep at the wheel.
   
  The U.S. NTSB last year stated that it "strongly opposed" these 50-year-old oil field exemptions that permit extra long hours because the exemptions raise the risks of road accidents. Safety advocates warn that these risks are only growing as "fracking" becomes the industry drilling technique of choice. Fracking requires the use of millions of gallons of water per well, much of which has to be trucked in. This leads to many more oil field trucks, with many more severely fatigued drivers behind the wheel, than more traditional drilling techniques.
   
  Under pressure from oil & gas industry officials in one of the few U.S. industries to experience job growth in a weak economy, Congress has refused to repeal the exemptions that safety advocates warn lead to unnecessary injuries and fatalities. As the industry booms, government inspectors and regulators have difficulty overseeing the burgeoning number of drilling sites. A New York Times analysis of over 50,000 industry inspection reports indicated that the number of drilling rigs increased more than 22% in 2011 from 2010, yet the number of work site inspections fell by 12%.
   
  And the industry boom, coupled with government regulators' inability to keep up with the growth, has been accompanied by an alarming trend. Our Houston highway crash lawyers emphasize that fatality rates among oil & gas workers increased 15% just between 2003 and 2004. Recent CDC investigations have discovered that not only are more industry workers dying per year, but also the fatality rate continues to increase along with the relative risk of the occupation.
   
  And as work shifts increase in length, more inexperienced workers are hired for high-paying industry jobs, and older rigs are reopened for use, the high fatality rates show no sign of declining. A full third of these industry fatalities relate to highway crashes caused by fatigued industry drivers. This worrisome statistic speaks for itself. Industry exemptions that allow oil truck drivers to drive longer hours after longer shifts results in hazards for industry workers and others who share the roads with them.
   
  Learn more about what steps you should take in the event of a serious truck crash by downloading our Houston highway crash lawyers' free and informative book from this web page.
  

• Fatal Friday Houston U.S. Postal Service 18-wheeler collision with SUV
  May 13, 2012

  
  Houston truck crash lawyers note that Houston's KTRK reported that a U.S. Postal Service 18-wheeler truck was involved in a fatal collision with an SUV in NW Houston on Friday. Reportedly the fatal truck crash occurred in a residential area around 4 p.m. at 13100 Misty Willow and Misty Willow Place.
   
  Two female occupants of the SUV suffered injuries from he postal truck crash. One woman later died at the Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. The extent of the other woman's injuries was not specified in news accounts of the deadly truck crash. The 18-wheeler driver was able to walk to an ambulance.
   
  Reports of the fatal postal truck crash did not mention the cause(s) of the wreck. Should we discover further pertinent news regarding the factors involved in the deadly collision, we will post them here. Learn your important steps to take following a collision with an 18-wheeler: download our free book containing crucial information on how to protect your rights and interests following a wreck. 
   
  The thoughts and prayers of our Houston truck crash lawyers are with the injured victim of the postal truck wreck and with the bereaved friends and family of the woman who tragically died in the collision.
   
  

• Update on Sunday's Texas school bus and fire truck injury accident
  May 10, 2012

  
  The Texas school bus accident attorneys at Denena & Points note that Texas DPS has given more details on the school bus and fire truck crash that occurred near Leona, Texas on Sunday. You may recall that the accident sent 13 people, mostly high school students, to local hospitals. The school bus had bucket seats and seat belts to provide additional safety for passengers.
   
  Our Texas school bus accident attorneys suspect that the additional safety features might, in part, explain why the accident that destroyed the front of the bus resulted in only relatively minor injuries. Apparently, all 13 injured victims of the wreck have already been released from the hospital.
   
  Texas DPS now says that the school bus involved in the wreck crashed into all three fire engines at the scene of the accident rather than just with the one fire truck mentioned in previous accident accounts. DPS Trooper Joel Smith mentioned that he had initially responded to a passenger truck fire caused by a transmission that caught fire.
   
  The vehicle fire also ignited a grass fire just off of I-45. 2 of the Leona Volunteer Fire Department engines were already at the scene of the fire when a third fire truck arrived at high speed and initiated a U-turn on I-45 to reach the grass fire. A sheriff's deputy initially tried to prevent the fire engine's U-turn.
   
  Reportedly Trooper Smith observed the approaching Ector ISD school bus collide with the fire truck making the U-turn, and then continue along I-45 for a moment before subsequently striking the other two Leone fire trucks.
   
  Our Texas school bus accident attorneys are relieved to hear that the injured victims of the wreck are already recovering at home. We remain curious to learn what the accident investigators will finally determine are the contributing factors to the multi-vehicle wreck. Texas DPS mentioned that while authorities issued no traffic citations at the scene of the school bus and fire truck wreck, the investigation into the accident was still in process.
  

• Texas school bus - fire truck wreck injures 13 students & 1 firefighter
  May 08, 2012

  
  Texas truck wreck lawyers note that an Ector County school bus conveying 33 horticulture students back to Odessa following a field trip to Huntsville State Park crashed on I-45 on Sunday with a Leona Volunteer Fire Department truck that had responded to a fire. The collision occurred between Centerville and Leona on I-45, and sent 13 students and one volunteer firefighter to local hospitals for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.
   
  Reportedly, the fire truck that suffered the collision was responding to a fire in a truck alongside the interstate when the school bus collided with it. The front of the school bus was crushed. The cause of the traumatic school bus and fire truck crash remained under investigation by authorities. Apparently, the driver of the fire truck did not see the school bus as he attempted to reach a fire.
   
  The students from the Ector County school bus found food and shelter for the day at the Centerville school district until another Odessa school bus could come pick them up. The journey home began around 5 p.m. According to accounts of the accident, some autistic and special needs students were among those who weathered the I-45 wreck.
   
  For helpful information on the steps to take to protect your rights after a collision with a truck, download from this web page our Texas truck wreck lawyers' free book on making a successful truck accident injury claim.
  

• Man receives maximum penalty for killing man in Texas DWI wreck
  May 04, 2012

  
  Louis Gerardo Nieves, 24, received the maximum sentence of 20 years and a $10,000 fine from a jury for the May 2011 intoxication manslaughter death of Alejandro Raya, 45, in an I-30 wrong way drunk driving crash. The Texas DWI accident injury attorneys at Denena & Points mention that according to evidence produced by the prosecution, Nieves had drunk at least 10 beers at a downtown Ft. Worth club before he stepped into his pickup truck and drove east in the westbound lanes of I-30. Nieves crashed head-on into a westbound tanker truck hauling over 7,000 gallons of fuel. The wreck exploded the tanker truck into a fiery inferno.
   
  The fire killed Mr. Raya, who was trapped in his tanker truck by the wreck, and burned part of the support structure of a bridge at I-30. Mr. Raya was a father of three and a dedicated family man who had been in the process of helping to plan his daughter's quinceanera shortly before the fatal trip that claimed his life.
   
  Our Texas DWI accident injury attorneys note that the damaged bridge required repairs at a cost approaching $700,000. And two lanes of the highway remained closed for months as structural repairs were completed.
   
  Nieves blood alcohol concentration was measured approximately 40 minutes after the wreck. It measured at 0.23, almost three times the legal limit in Texas. Shortly after the crash, Nieves spoke to WFAA in an interview. He admitted remembering drinking 10 beers, but he said he had no memory of the crash or the fiery explosion of the tanker truck.
  Not long ago, Texas lawmakers responded to the crisis of deadly drunk driving wrecks in our state by passing tougher laws that increase penalties for DWI crashes. The jury viewed Nieves' WFAA interview interview during the trial. And Texas' new, and stronger, drunk driving penalties enabled the jury to give Nieves the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 for his crime. He must serve at least 10 years of his sentence before coming up for parole.
   
  Read our Texas DWI accident injury attorneys article here for more information on Texas drunk driving penalties.
  

• I-10 tanker truck wreck & spill leads to evacuation & highway shutdown
  May 03, 2012

  
  Kelvin Brooks, 29, reportedly admitted to Texas DPS troopers that he had fallen asleep at the wheel of the tanker truck he was driving. And when he awoke to find himself veering off the roadway, he over-corrected for the error and lost control of the ethanol-filled tanker truck. The truck rolled over several times and came to rest in the median between the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-10 between Hamshire and Winnie in Jefferson County, Texas. Our Houston truck wreck lawyers note that the site of the wreck is about 70 miles east of Houston. The tanker truck rollover wreck and hazardous cargo spill occurred about 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
   
  Kelvin Brooks was hauling the tanker truck full of combustible fuels for Channelview-based Tideport Distributing, Inc. He received transport to a local hospital to be treated for bruises and a cut. He was released after a few hours and then departed the Houston area for parts unknown.
   
  The tanker truck wreck ruptured the tanker. The ethanol in the tanker spilled across the highway, forcing crews to close both the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-10 while they cleaned up the spill. I-10 was not reopened until after the evening's rush hour, and drivers were asked to divert to Highway 90. Some traffic had to be diverted onto the grass to reach the I-10 feeder roads.
   
  The spilled fuel (reported in amounts varying from 1,500 gallons to 8,000 gallons - in any case, a lot of fuel) created a highly combustible and explosive hazard. Our Houston truck wreck lawyers emphasize that the spilled chemical is also a dangerous respiratory irritant. Consequently, homes and businesses within about a two-mile radius of the spill were evacuated for most of the day. And nearby Hamshire-Fannett High School remained under a "shelter-in-place" order for several hours as the immediate danger from the spill was contained. No explosion, fire, or injuries were reported.
   
  Containment of the ethanol spill and its dangers involved sealing the ruptures in the tanker, and then drilling into the tank to pump the remaining fuel into another, intact truck. Cleanup crews covered the spilled fuel with flame retardant foam to inhibit fire dangers, and then pumped the hazardous chemical into another container. Our Houston truck wreck lawyers were pleased to learn that the grassy median area where the tanker truck landed after the wreck will be dug up and decontaminated according to Texas DPS. Personnel and equipment from local refineries responded to the scene to help in the cleanup.
   
  The extra step of digging up and decontaminated the area is actually a very responsible act. You might remember our Houston truck wreck lawyers' articles on the ongoing hazards and injuries caused to workers from a 1980 truck wreck and chemical spill in Australia. In that case, authorities simply buried the hazardous materials at the site of the wreck and did not fully disclose the extent of the danger. The danger apparently included the spill of hazardous radioactive materials. Workers involved in the 1980 cleanup have experienced ongoing health problems, and workers digging at the site just recently as part of a highway upgrade project became ill and received hospitalization for what some doctors are calling radiation exposure.
   
  Our Houston truck wreck lawyers laud our Texas DPS and clean up workers for taking the extra, responsible step of digging up the contaminated site to minimize the dangers from the spill both to present and future generations of Texans. We're all for keeping Texas as clean, beautiful, and hazard-free as we can.
  

• Truck driver dies in fiery US 290 crash on Monday
  Apr 30, 2012

  
  Houston truck accident attorneys note a tragic, fatal truck wreck that claimed the life of a truck driver on Highway 290 today. The driver of a heavy asphalt truck apparently struck a concrete highway barrier, which flipped the truck onto its side and trapped the driver in the cab of the rig.
   
  The big rig wreck occurred after 1 p.m. on US 290 near Hegar Road. The truck's load of hot asphalt spilled across the pavement, and the wreck ignited in a fiery blaze as the driver remained caught in the crushed cab. The truck driver died at the scene of the inferno. A witness reported that nothing was left of the truck's cab after the blaze.
   
  Crews closed all westbound lanes of 290 for several hours to clear the wreck, clean up the asphalt spill, and repair the damaged pavement. Eastbound traffic was confined to the shoulder. Authorities are in the process of investigating the cause of the tragic truck wreck.
   
  The Houston truck accident attorneys at Denena & Points have the family and friends of the victim in their prayers tonight. We hope that investigators are able to help them find closure by uncovering the cause of the tragic, fiery wreck.
  

• Pickup truck hits school bus head-on in Harris County; at least 11 injured
  Apr 27, 2012

  
  Harris County school bus accident lawyers note a frightening school bus accident. On Thursday afternoon as a Huffman I.S.D. bus carried elementary students home in NE Harris County, a pickup truck suddenly veered from its lane for as yet unknown reasons and crashed head-on into the bus. The accident occurred on FM 2100 near FM 1960. The school bus was stopped in FM 2100 at the time of the accident.
   
  The 43-year-old driver of the pickup truck received air transport to Memorial Hermann Hospital. And at least 10 students received minor injuries in the head-on crash. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. You might know that driver fatigue, medical conditions, driver distraction, equipment failures, and intoxication have all been known to cause vehicles to suddenly veer dramatically from their lanes.
   
  Our Harris County school bus accident lawyers convey best wishes to the injured students for safe recoveries from their injuries and our hopes that their future travels will be free from such frightening accidents. Learn more about school bus accidents and what is being done to prevent them by reading this linked article.
  

• Baytown crash involving 18-wheeler claims 1 life & injures 2 others
  Apr 25, 2012

  
  Baytown accident attorneys note a tragic and deadly collision on Texas 146. Shortly after 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, a man driving a Honda Civic northbound on Texas 146 near Baytown tried to pass an 18-wheeler.
   
  The 18-wheeler was in the process of changing lanes at the time that the Honda tried to pass and it clipped the rear of the Honda. The Honda Civic spun into the southbound traffic on Texas 146 near Massey Tompkins. A southbound Ford Explorer then crashed into the Honda. The collision claimed the life of a passenger of the Honda Civic. The Honda's driver received air transport to the Texas Medical Center at Memorial Hermann. The driver of the Ford Explorer also received transport to a hospital for her injuries. News accounts did not report the truck driver's condition nor whether the truck stopped for the accident.
   
  Our Baytown accident attorneys express condolences to the unfortunate Honda passenger so untimely killed in the early morning collision. Our deep sympathies go out to family and friends of the victim of the tragic accident. We have the injured victims of wreck in our thoughts and prayers as they recover in the hospital.
   
  Learn what you can do if you or a family member suffers in a truck-related collision. Download our helpful free book on steps you need to take to protect your rights and interests after an accident.
  

• Almost 125 injured as 2 Dutch commuter trains crash head-on
  Apr 22, 2012

  
  Katy, TX train accident lawyers note that in Amsterdam, as in many European cities, residents rely heavily on commuter trains for daily travel. On Saturday, two such trains serving metro Amsterdam suddenly crashed head-on. News reports did not discuss the cause of the terrible train wreck, if the cause is even known yet.
   
  Around 125 people reportedly received injuries from the head-on train crash. No fatalities had yet been reported, but 13 people suffered life-threatening injuries, while more than 40 others received severe injuries. About 70 people received injuries counted as minor. Witnesses said that emergency response teams arrived to the scene rapidly and managed the response very well. They saw injured commuters with head injuries and others limping away from the disastrous wreck.
   
  Cranes lifted some of the injured victims from the wreckage of the two trains. Rescue workers guided other victims to waiting ambulances in protective wraps. The thoughts and prayers of the Katy, TX train accident lawyers at Denena & Points remain with the injured victims and their families as they cope with the aftermath of this horrific train crash. Learn the steps you need to take in the event of a serious vehicle crash. Download our informative book; it's free on this web page to our readers.