valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | August 14, 2017 | Auto Accidents, Pedestrian Accident, Personal Injury
It is a common misconception to assume that pedestrians always have the right of way in Texas. Motor vehicles cause much more damage to pedestrians than vice versa in an accident. This fact leads many to believe that motorists must always yield right of way to people walking on crosswalks and in the road. While… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | August 14, 2017 | Personal Injury
Texas is not one of the safest states for pedestrians. In 2016, a total of 678 pedestrians died in the Lone Star State. This is an increase of 21.5% from 2015. Motorists, pedestrians, and third parties have been at fault for these accidents in the past. In the event that a motorist strikes a pedestrian… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | August 14, 2017 | Motorcycle Accidents
“Lane splitting” is the action of driving a motorcycle in between lanes on at least a two-lane highway or urban road. Lane splitting, or lane filtering, has been a long-standing practice by many motorcyclists in Houston, Texas. Those for lane splitting as a legal driving technique believe it increases the safety of motorcyclists by preventing… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | August 14, 2017 | Auto Accidents, Personal Injury
“Whiplash” refers to a specific type of injury to the muscles and ligaments of the neck. When the neck’s soft tissues extend beyond their typical range of motion, commonly in the back-and-forth motion of a car accident, they can sustain injuries. An individual could also get whiplash while playing sports, on an amusement park ride,… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | June 1, 2017 | Auto Accidents
There are many questions you are likely to have after a car accident – not the least of which concerns a potential settlement. If you were not at fault for the crash, the other driver’s insurance company will soon be in contact with you. During this time, it is important to practice smart negotiation tactics… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | June 1, 2017 | Personal Injury, Workers Comp
If you are undertaking a homebuilding project, you may have a significant learning curve in terms of hiring contractors. Houston contractors come with their own rules, insurance policies, and other considerations when they perform work on a private property. As the homeowner, you have specific legal duties toward your contractors and subcontractors. If a contractor… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | June 1, 2017 | Maritime Law, Personal Injury
If you suffer an illness or injury while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, it may be possible to file a claim against the company. This might be the case if your incident stemmed from negligence on the part of the cruise line or one of its employees. Here are three steps to take if you… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | June 1, 2017 | Auto Accidents, safety
Texas’ highways and freeways are some of the busiest in the United States. They see thousands of daily commuters, sightseers, and 18-wheelers every day. Although merging lanes and entering highways are skills drivers learn upon receiving a driver’s license, the rules and realities of this skill can be much different on hectic roadways. Learning the… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | April 10, 2017 | Personal Injury, safety
When you go out to a bar or club for a few drinks with friends, you have a personal responsibility to conduct yourself appropriately. What you may not know is that bars and clubs also have a responsibility. In Texas, state dram shop laws prevent alcohol-selling establishments from selling to overly and obviously intoxicated customers…. read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | April 21, 2017 | Personal Injury
In general, Good Samaritan laws exist to protect people who act in good faith while administering aid to those in need. If you stop at an accident scene to address someone’s wound or attempt to move someone from a fiery building, for example, you are acting as a Good Samaritan. Every state uses its own… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | April 21, 2017 | Auto Accidents, safety
Tailgating other drivers is a well-known act of road rage, but brake checking is another aggression-based action that deserves attention. Brake checking is the act of braking hard in front of a tailgater to dissuade the driver from following too closely. Drivers in front often think they won’t face responsibility for resulting car accidents, but… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | April 21, 2017 | Auto Accidents, safety
During the day-to-day commute, many drivers travel on autopilot. They focus more on their to-do lists and less on safe driving distances. If you’re in the middle of your daily travel schedule, headed off on a trip, or taking the kids to school, safe driving distances are more than recommendations. They represent researched guidelines designed… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | April 21, 2017 | Truck Accidents
Most vehicles have blind spots – breaks in a driver’s field of vision that keep him or her from seeing surrounding vehicles. In consumer vehicles, drivers can often adjust for the blind spot with a quick physical shift or visual aids such as extra mirrors. As the size of a vehicle increases, so does the… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | March 21, 2017 | Personal Injury
If someone suffers an injury on your land as the result of hazardous conditions, he or she may choose to file a premises liability claim. In these claims, the visitors would need to not only prove the hazardous condition caused the injury, but also that the landowner owed the visitor a certain level of care…. read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | March 21, 2017 | Personal Injury
Most states require employers to carry worker’s compensation insurance to cover employee expenses related to on-the-job injuries. Texas, however, does not require coverage. Some employers offer little to no assistance for job-related injuries and illnesses. Our state allows employers to opt into a worker’s compensation insurance program. If you are injured at work, your employer’s… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | March 6, 2017 | Personal Injury, safety, Truck Accidents
Truck part defects, distractions/driver errors, and passenger vehicles can all contribute to big rig truck wrecks. Stricter regulations and public service announcements only go so far in making the roads safer. Today, new technology is stepping in to minimize crash risks associated with human error. Driverless 18-wheelers are still a few years away, but these… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | March 6, 2017 | Personal Injury
While some people crack lawyer jokes with friends and others rub shoulders with attorneys in their communities, many feel nervous about speaking with attorneys at the start of a case. The initial consultation is like an interview. Fit, ease of communication, and honesty matter and will set the tone of the attorney/client relationship. If you’ve… read more
valeria.rodriguez@lawrank.com | March 6, 2017 | Auto Accidents, Personal Injury
In Texas, current insurance laws only require drivers to maintain valid liability insurance to cover $30,000 for injured individuals up to $60,000 per accident as well as $25,000 in coverage for property damage per accident. While personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is not mandatory in the same way as liability insurance, many drivers choose to… read more