Fort Worth Injury Attorney Blog

An Irving fire truck that was parked to protect workers after one traffic accident was hit by another driver in a pickup truck early Monday morning.

Police believe the driver of the pickup may have been intoxicated.

The fire truck was working as a "blocker," parked a few hundred yards behind single-vehicle rollover crash on southbound Walton Walker Blvd. just north of Highway 183.

At approximately 3 a.m., the pickup driver was traveling south on Walton Walker and struck the fire truck from behind.

Firefighters had to pry open the wreckage to free the two men in the truck both of whom were injured.

No firefighters or emergency workers were hurt.

If you are injured as a passenger in a wreck, you are almost always entitled to recover money for your injuries. If the driver of your vehicle is at fault, you can file against their policy, and if another driver was responsible, you can file on theirs. Additionally, there may be multiple supplemental coverages on your drivers or your own policy that I can help you recover.

Call my office today at 817-885-8000 for a free case evaluation and a no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. I have been fighting for injured Texans for over 30 years and will get you the maximum amount of money possible. The sooner you call, the sooner I will start working hard for you.

The driver of a Fedex delivery truck, Khaled Abushaaban, was tragically killed yesterday when a drunk driver in a pick-up truck hit his truck head-on on Highway 114 in Irving.

The FedEx truck was split open by the impact and packages were strewn across the highway and into the median, where the vehicle came to a stop.

Abushaaban was a father of a young daughter; his wife is pregnant with a second. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. I wish people would realize that the dangers of driving drunk are real and tragic. It seems like every day another North Texan is being killed in collisions with drunk drivers. It makes me sick.

If you or a family member has been the victim of a drunk drivers despicable and dangerous behavior, call me at (817) 885-8000 and I will help you recover every penny available for your injuries or loss.

I have written about how many insurance companies use illegal and improper handling claims practices Now Travelers has jumped on the bad behavior bandwagon.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, not known for criticizing insurance companies or big businesses, just ordered Travelers Insurance to stop airing a deceptive TV advertisement.

Thursday's cease and desist letter says the ad wrongly tells Texas homeowners to purchase additional vehicle insurance or risk losing their homes if they have inadequate insurance after a traffic accident.

The truth is that state law already protect homeowners, so "it is improper for Travelers to scare Texans into buying insurance they may not need, " Abbot explained.

Under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Travelers could be liable for up to $20,000 for each airing of the ad.

I'm disgusted with Travelers over trying to rip off Texas consumers. Is it not enough that this megabillion dollar corporation already rakes in billions of dollars every year in premiums? Is not enough that they refuse to offer fair compensation to the innocent victims of their drivers' negligence? Now they are scaring people into paying them even more so they can make even bigger profits?

I am currently fighting with Travelers on several cases. In one of them, it is refusing to pay for my client's shoulder surgery that has been recommended by two different doctors. My poor client, David, is unable to work and his pain is unbearable. But of course Travelers only cares about their own bottom line, so it is requiring David to go through very painful physical therapy which is not helping and which both doctors have said will not heal him. I'm fighting hard and I won't stop until my client gets the medical treatment he needs and the maximum recovery he deserves.

If you have been injured in a car wreck, e-mail or call me today at 817-885-8000.

I just got back from running a marathon in Oregon, my fifth marathon in the last five months, so you know I'll go the distance for you.

As I have written about numerous times in the past, something needs to be done to convince motorists that driving drunk is dangerous and stupid. Over 12,000 people die every year as a result of drunk driving -- one-third of all traffic fatalities.

Fortunately, several states have taken a few steps to combat the problem. One adopted by
Texas and five other states allowsthe families of people killed by drunk drivers to put up signs at the spot of the crash to both honor their relatives and to remind people of the danger that drunk driving creates. Across America, makeshift memorials dot two-lane roads, highways and interstates, sad tributes to people killed in crashes. Some feature crosses, teddy bears or flowers. Others have Bibles or pictures of the victim.

Continue reading "Drunk Driving Victims Allowed To Be Honored in Texas " »

A 14-year-old girl was tragically killed this morning when 18-year-old Denmark Van Savier crashed into a light pole in the center median of a six-lane divided road in Dallas. The deceased was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car and killed instantly. The five other passengers were taken to the hospital and the driver, Van Savier, is still in critical condition. Van Savier will likely be charged with intoxicated manslaughter and intoxicated assault since he was drunk when he hit the pole.

Accident such as these are so senseless because they could be avoided if people would simply obey the law. Drunk driving is inexcusable. So many of my client's have been hurt by drunk drivers and it makes me sick. I have a young daughter and couldn't imagine if I lost her to a drunk driver. I have no sympathy for drunk drivers and do everything I can to make them pay for the damage they cause.

The young girl who died in this accident could of likely been saved if she was wearing a seatbelt. Texas law now requires all passengers to where seat belts, even the people riding in the back seat. I wrote an article a few weeks ago about the "Click it or Ticket" campaign that the state of Texas sponsors every year. Wearing a seatbelt will not only save your life, it can save your pocket book.

If you have been hurt by a drunk driver call me and I will fight hard for you. I have been helping people for over 30 years and know how to make drunk drivers pay for hurting you.

Most people assume that the worst drivers are either the youngest or the oldest.

But a new study released this week shows that while older people are driving more, they are causing fewer collisions.. Overall, the fatal accident rate for drivers over 55 has dropped by 37% in recent years. And drivers over 80 had an even sharper decline, with fatal accident rates dropping 47%.

Continue reading "Study Finds Elderly Drivers Safer" »

A serious crash on U.S. 287 near the intersection of Blue Mound Road near Alliance Airport this morning seriously injured the occupants of the two vehicles involved, including two children who were ejected. They were rushed to Cook Children's Medical Center.

Two adults were rushed to Harris Hospital for treatment.

It is not clear at this point how the wreck happened, but it is possible that the children were not seat belted or restrained by a booster seat. I previously wrote about the new law that became effective on September 1, 2009 that requires drivers with children younger than 8 and shorter than four feet nine inches to secure them in booster seats.

Drivers with children: Obey this law. It will protect your kids -- and save you a lot of money. The second ticket will cost you $250.00.

I'm currently representing a charming mother and her five children who were seriously injured by a careless teenage driver. The teenager drove across the highway median into oncoming traffic and hit my clients head on! The mother and all of her children were rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. thankfully, all of the family survived after several traumatic days at the hospital. One of the daughters was in a booster seat when the wreck occurred. The impact of the wreck was so violent that the seat actually cracked! The booster seat saved the little girls life and allowed her to come away from the accident without any permanent physical injuries. the authorities stated that if she hadn't been in the seat the little girl would have likely died. The guilty drivers insurance company didn't want to pay for all of my clients injuries, so I've recently filed a lawsuit against them. I plan on making the insurance company pay for not cooperating with my clients. I've been able to obtain large verdicts for my clients in the past and I'm confident that I will be able recover the maximum amount for the mother and her five children.

If you or a family member has been the victim of a car accident, call me at (817)885-8000 and I will help you recover the maximum amount for your injuries.

Police are still searching for the driver of a Mazda Tribute who was involved in the hit-and-run accident that killed a U.S. Marine on Texas Highway 183 in Irving.

The driver of the Mazda hit Evan Sanchey as he was walking across the street and sped off without stopping. Evan was rushed to the hospital, but the doctors were unfortunately unable to save him.

Hit-and-run accidents often happen when the person driving does not have auto insurance. At least 25% of Texans are now driving without auto insurance, even though it is required by state law. We have seen far too many cases when we think the negligent driver is insured because he has proof of insurance at the scene. However, he may have only made the first month's payment merely to obtain an insurance card, had the policy voided by other circustances, or the insurance card may have been a fake.

There are ways to obtain compensation for your injuries if you have been involved in a hit-and-run. Please call us to discuss your case in more detail.

Continue reading "Texas Hit-and-Run Drivers Are A Major Problem" »

A charity event ended tragically last week when Andrew Vanderberg and 87 year old Donald Krusemark were killed while taking a lap around the track at the Texas Motor Speedway. Carter BloodCare had rented the track for a donor appreciation even in which avid blood donors had the chance to take driving lessons from professional racing drivers. Krusemark, a Navy veteran of World War II, was among more than 100 people who were participating in the donor even. Vanderberg was a professional racing driver that had donated his time to help support the charity event. As the pair was racing around the track, a tire on their Corvette exploded and caused the car to spin out of control and crash into the retaining wall. Both Krusemark and Vanderberg left behind loving families that were devastated by the accident.

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things most of us will ever have to endure. This is especially troubling when you know that someone else is to blame. If you have lost a loved one due to the actions of another, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you bring the culprit to justice. Nothing can bring back your loved one, but I can make sure the person responsible is held accountable for their actions.

A young Fort Worth woman was arrested Tuesday DWI after she ramped her car off the toll booth at the DFW Airport.

Yasmine Villasana, 22, sped through the toll both and hit the median which sent her car flying over the entire toll booth! What in the world was this woman thinking? Villasana walked away from her "General Lee" jump with only minor injuries. Thankfully, no one else was injured in the accident. The video of this wreck is unbelievable!

It's scary how irresponsible people can be when they get behind the wheel after drinking. Senseless accidents such as this could easily have been avoided if people would simply obey the law and not drink and drive.

I recently had a client who was side-swiped by a drunk driver at 7:30 a.m. on I-20. The insurance company initially denied my client's claim and wanted to pay her nothing for her injuries. I fought hard for her and was able to get her a $52,500 settlement, the maximum insurance available from the other driver and my client's Underinsured Motorist and Personal Injury Protection benefits.

If you have been hurt by a drunk driver, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries. Call me at (817) 885-8000 and I will fight hard to make the insurance company's pay for your injuries.

Wednesday morning, a small Nissan side-swiped an 18-wheeler, causing the big rig to hit the median and flip over into the oncoming lanes. The wreck happened on the Dallas Tollway near Beltline Road in Addison. There was six cars inolved and after watching the video, it's amazing that no one was seriously injured.

The driver of the small Nissan tried to switch lanes and caused a huge wreck that stopped traffic for hours. Side-swipe cases happen all to often on busy highways. Drivers are impatient, distracted on their cell phones, and are just sometimes lousy drivers and end up causing huge wrecks like this.

I'm currently representing a client who was sideswiped by an 18-wheeler. The driver of the tractor trailer dropped his drink on the floor, reached down to pick it up and took his eyes off of the road. When he finally looked up, his 18 wheeler had moved to the right lane and crashed in the side of my client's vehicle. To make matters worse the 18-wheeler driver sped off after the wreck! My client was seriously injured. I have filed suit to get my client compensated for the damages she and her family have suffered as a result of the collision.

Insurance carriers often refuse to pay for the majority of the damages victims suffer in car wrecks. Please call a> and I can help you rrecover for all all the damages you've suffered.

Rolando Martinez, 28, from Paris, Texas died yesterday afternoon from injuries he received just late Saturday night in a crash on North Main Street in Cleburne.

Police say alcohol may have contributed to the wreck.

Martinez was one of five men from Paris who were inside a Chevrolet Suburban when their SUV drove off onto the shoulder, spun around, and then flew up into the air before falling into the ditch on the other side of the road. All five passengers were ejected.

Three of the men remain in critical condition at John Peter Smith Hospital.

What a horrible and unnecessary story.

I have had to represent many people injured in one vehicle collisions like this one over the last 30 years

One of my clients, whose first collision case was just about to settle, was injured in a second crash when the car he was a passenger spun out and crashed into a concrete median. I am now representing him and a fellow passenger in a lawsuit against the driver. Below is a photograph of the car they were in.

Many people mistakenly believe that they can only collect money from other drivers and if they are a passenger and their driver causes a wreck, they have no recourse. This happens in family settings all the time. If you are hurt because of the negligent driving of any another person, you have the right to be compensated.

For example, I just concluded a case where my client was a passenger in a drunk woman's car. His neck sprain case settled in May for the total available insurance policy of the driver and an additional large sum of money. I was pleased that my client was extremely happy with his settlement.

If you have been hurt because of any other driver's negligence, please call my office today at 817-885-8000 or fill out this form for a free case evaluation. We are here to help get you the settlement you deserve.

I was just hired to represent a handicapped woman who was hit by an RV last month while waiting on the sidewalk ramp in her wheel chair. My client was hurled on to the pavement and suffered a concussion, two fractured ribs, disc protrusions in her lumbar spine, a fractured hip, a punctured lung, and lacerations. Then the driver of the RV had the audacity to keep going.

Fortunately,a witness was able to chase the driver down six blocks down Rosedale and make him return to the scene. Thank you.

Here is a mock up we created to show the adjuster how the collision occurred using photos of the actual wheelchair and RV.

The driver's insurance company initially claimed that its driver said the woman saw him turning and chose to run her wheel chair into the side of the RV. That's ridiculous. It's a shame that insurance companies make it so difficult for an injured person to be compensated.

After representing this woman during her recorded statement yesterday and obtaining the 911 tape from an eyewitness, the adjuster agreed to pay my client for her damages,

I was pleased that this woman called us back after we gave her a ride home and she said:

"Mr. Berenson is an excellent attorney. He was so aggressive with the insurance company. And he has a very nice and helpful staff that was willing to go the extra mile to make me feel comfortable. Tell him thank you."

If you need an experienced attorney , give me a call and we can discuss your legal options.

A recent study has just revealed an average of 38 drivers die a day as a result of not wearing a seat belt. The Transportation Department is kicking off its annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign in hopes of increasing the percentage of people who wear seat belts.

I am pleased that 92.9% of drivers in Texas used their seat belts last year, but think that number should be 100%. Statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that those least likely to buckle up are teens and young adults, males, nighttime riders, motorists traveling on rural roads and motorists riding in pickups.

The "Click it or Ticket" campaign is the result of the government's efforts to enforce harsher penalties on motorists who don't buckle up. Statistics clearly show that wearing a seat belt can double your chance of survival in a car wreck. I think the "Click it or Ticket" campaign is a great way to raise awareness of the benefits of wearing a seat belt. I've been handling car wreck cases for over thirty years and know from experience that you are far less likely to be injured if you are wearing a seat belt.

More than 10,000 police officers around the nation will be cracking down to enforce the seat belt laws this Memorial Day, so remember to buckle up. It could save your life.

More sad news to report: 17-year-old Brandon Simmons was tragically killed Saturday night when he was hit by a drunk driver in Venus. As if this weren't bad enought, the driver then fled the scene.

My deepest sympathies go out to the Simmons family as well as any other family which has lost a loved one due to the actions of a drunk driver. Drunk driving is a huge problem; drunk drivers kill more than 1,500 people each year just here in Texas.

Fortunately, police apprehended the driver and charged him with intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid. The driver has a prior DWI conviction.

I ride a bicycle to stay in shape and I find it horrendous that innocent people are so senselessly killed by drivers, especially drunk drivers.

National Bike Month is a Reminder to Texas Bicyclists to Practice Safe Riding
I would like to remind bicyclists to exercise these safety precautions when on the road:

• Wear a helmet (this can reduce traumatic brain injury risk by up to 88%)
• Obey traffic laws
• Pay attention to the motorists and pedestrians around you
• Use a bicycle headlight if you are riding at night
• Wear clothing that makes it easy for motorists see you
• When cycling next to parked vehicles watch out for drivers opening their doors to exit
• Ride in the same direction that traffic is headed
• Stay out of driver's blind spots so that they can see you
• Make sure you have a bicycle mirror
• Watch out for vehicles at cross streets, parking places, and driveways
• Don't swerve when looking behind you to check traffic
• Make sure your bicycle is properly maintained

Unfortunately, bicyclists are at high risk of serious injury whenever they are hit by a car, truck, motorcycle, or bus. The medical costs for treating spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, disfigurement, and other catastrophic injuries can be unaffordable unless you receive the bicycle accident compensation that you are owed.