By now, most people have likely seen the terrifying video footage that captured the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. This fertilizer plant explosion only adds to what has been a difficult and tragic week.   But as is expected, the good people of this great state are responding to do their part to assist those in need as evidenced by blood drives popping up in communities throughout the state. I have no doubt these charitable efforts and more will continue as long as the citizens in West need our assistance. Like many who routinely drive I-35 between Dallas and Austin, a pit stop in West is a cherished tradition for many in our firm. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to the West community and all the family members affected by this tragedy.

A wrong way driver on Interstate 635 in Dallas collided with two SUV’s early this morning causing injuries to six people. Investigators believe the car accident occurred at approximately 4:15 this morning, when a truck was traveling east in the westbound lanes of traffic where it then collided with the SUV’s. Witnesses state that the driver of the truck fled the scene of the accident on foot, and the passenger in the truck claims he does not know the driver. Six individuals in the SUV’s involved in the car accident were injured, including a four month old child. One of the passengers was seriously injured in the accident. Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

It is being reported that two workers were killed earlier today when a crane collapsed at the UT Dallas campus. Initial reports indicate that the crane fell while it was being dismantled. Also, it is being reported that strong winds as high as 50 mph were blowing in the area of the campus at the time due to a storm in the area. The two deceased employees were from an outside construction company, and no one from the university was injured. Witnesses report hearing loud screams and loud crashing signs. We will continue to follow this story, particularly the ongoing investigation into the cause of this horrific workplace accident.

The Dallas personal injury attorneys at Wilson Trosclair and Lovins have vast experience in representing families of injured or killed workers. In fact, we are currently representing the family of a worker killed while assembling a radio tower as well as the family of a worker that fell to his death while at a construction site. If you or a family member suffered an injury while at the workplace, you deserve the level of representation that our Dallas personal injury attorneys will provide you. Call us today at 214-484-1930.

A large fire is currently burning at the Magnablend Chemical Plant in a Waxahachie, Texas. The exact cause of the fire and whether anyone was injured is unknown at this time. The major concern at the moment is the release of dangerous chemicals into the air as a result of the fire. In fact, children and teachers at Wedgeworth Elementary were instructed to remain indoors. Workers can be seen trying to remove containers from the area of the fire, but witnesses are saying that the fire is spreading quickly. Firefighters are on the scene, but one truck has already become engulfed by the fire.
Wilson Trosclair & Lovins will continue to follow this story and provide updates as information become known.

Driver negligence is not always the sole cause of a car accident. Sometimes the design or maintenance of roadways can play a role. Residents of East Dallas are complaining that the design of the roadway where Lemmon Ave merges with Haskell Ave is causing a large number of car accidents in their neighborhood. One townhome owner reported two cars colliding with his home this summer alone. Residents of the neighborhood also have pictures of an SUV turned on its side and another SUV that ran over a fire hydrant. Residents claim over 100 car accidents in their Dallas neighborhood over the last decade. They believe all these accidents are due to the way Lemmon Ave curves into and merges with Haskell Ave, bringing multiple lanes of traffic together without any of the merging traffic having a stop sign. The City of Dallas is looking at solutions, such as repainting traffic lanes and better signs, but residents believe the only solution is to stop the traffic from Lemmon Ave before the merge, which Dallas is reluctant to do because of potential congestion problems that would create. Click on the video below for more on this story.

What this story highlights is that the causes of accidents may be more complex then they appear on the surface, and without an experienced car accident attorney, parties liable for your injuries may not be held accountable. If you have questions about a car accident, call the Dallas and Austin personal injury attorneys at Wilson Trosclair & Lovins today at 214-484-1930.

According to research conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute , there has been a sharp decline is car wrecks at intersections with red light cameras. Throughout the state of Texas, car wrecks declined 25 percent at intersections with red light cameras operating for a period of two years.  In Dallas, car wrecks declined by 38 percent, and in Houston car accidents declined 28 percent.  Corpus Christi did not follow this pattern, however, with a slight increase in car wrecks at intersections with red light cameras. This report certainly did not silence critics of red light cameras. Many critics still believe red light cameras only serve as tools to generate revenues, and other critics point out that over the same time period as this study, the frequency of car wrecks in general have declined.  In fact, Robert Stein of Rice University, who also studied red light cameras, notes that antilock brakes, fewer older cars on the road, and more less people driving due to the recession also factor into the decline of intersection accidents.  Whatever the cause, a reduction in car wrecks at intersections if a good thing.  Simply look at any intersection in town, and you will likely see debris from a not too distant car wreck casued by drivers running red lights, failing to yield the right of way, or simply failing to opay proper attention. If you have been injured in a car wreck, call the Austin and Dallas car wreck attorneys at Wilson Trosclair & Lovins today at 214-484-1930.

Texas State Troopers recently participated in Roadcheck, which is a nationwide effort over three days to inspect as many commercial trucks and buses as possible.  The goal of Roadcheck is to “raise the bar for safer trucks, buses, and drivers” and thereby make our roadways safer.  This is done by inspecting every major component of the 18-wheelers and buses as well as testing brakes, tires and lights.  Recognizing that truck driver fatigue and inattention is one of the major causes of trucking accidents in Texas and throughout the country (in fact it is estimated that truck drivers play a role in 9 out of every 10 trucking accidents), drivers were required to produce their log books to make sure they were in compliance with driving time regulations. While the results of this year’s inspection are not known, last year over 65,000 commercial trucks or buses were inspected, and this year inspections are expected to exceed 75,000.  In Texas alone, nearly 7000 trucks and buses were inspected last year with nearly 25 % of those trucks being removed from the roads due to serious safety violations, and an additional 160 drivers were removed from the roadways due to faulty log books or invalid driver’s licenses.  Roadcheck is clearly an important step to keeping our highways free of dangerous trucks, thereby reducing the number of injuries and fatalities that result for trucking accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a press release advising drivers to ensure that their tires are properly inflated considering the recent increase in temperatures.  Unfortunately, most drivers do not pay close enough attention to their tire pressure, and as a result, failing to keep tires inflated at the proper pressure leads to unnecessary car wrecks and deaths. This is especially true in the summer time where heat stress on the tires and improper inflation can be a deadly combination.  Add to this unnoticed wear and tear on aging tires and it leads to more car wrecks and becomes a dangerous scenario for our roadways.  In fact, the NHTSA reports that between 2005 and 2009 alone, approximately 3400 people died and another 116,000 people were injured in auto accidents directly attributable to tire related events. Other than keeping our roadways free of car wrecks, drivers that properly maintain their tires get the added advantage of increased gas mileage.  The NHTSA’s timing for this press release comes at the right time as the temperatures in Dallas and the rest of Texas begin to skyrocket and families pack up the car and head out for summer vacations.  For more on the press release, click here. 

There are too many unnecessary injuries and wrongful deaths due to avoidable acts of negligence on our roadways.  If you have been injured due to another driver’s negligence, call the Dallas car wreck attorneys at Wilson Trosclair & Lovins today at 214-484-1930.