Overturned Semi Closes Highway 59

Houston truck accident attorneys have been surprised by the number of big-rig accidents this week. Accidents involving 18-wheelers do happen from time to time, but it seems that there has been a sudden influx of accidents this week in the Houston area.

The third big-rig accident this week in the Houston area occurred Wednesday afternoon, and shut down the Southwest Freeway for at least 6 hours, halting traffic and making a general mess of the area.

An 18-wheeler unexpectedly overturned at about 10:30 a.m. in the southbound lane of the freeway, just past the I-45 exit. It is unclear what caused the driver to lose control of the truck, causing it to overturn, but it caused all lanes of the Southwest Freeway to be closed for about 6 hours. Luckily, there were no subsequent accidents or injuries as a result of the big-rig accident and closed freeway lanes.

Houston truck accident lawyers are relieved that despite the increase in big-rig accidents this week, there have been no fatalities and only one injury. When an 18-wheeler is involved in an accident, the possibility of causing subsequent accidents is great. Because of the sheer size and weight of a big rig (the average big rig is 70-80 feet long) the potential for ensnaring other vehicles into an accident is much higher than if a car or SUV loses control and overturns in the middle of a highway. In this case, despite traffic being unbearable for several hours while the overturned truck was removed, it is very fortunate that there were no subsequent accidents or injuries as a result of the big-rig accident.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, call Houston truck accident attorney Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney with over 26 years of experience service the Houston and South Texas communities. Joe Stephens will expertly handle every aspect of your case on both a personal and professional level. You may also fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Contact Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need.

Driver Injured After Running Under 18-Wheeler

Houston truck accident lawyers know that accidents frequently happen in a merge situation. When two vehicles are merging into one lane, it is easy to get distracted and lost sight of other vehicles in your path.

Early this morning, a woman was critically injured after her car ran underneath the end of an 18-wheeler truck. The accident happened at about 2:30 a.m. on the I-10 eastbound feeder at Sawyer. According to Houston police, the big rig driver was approaching a red light at Sawyer just as the woman was exiting the vehicle.

She was driving a PT Cruiser, which slammed into the back of the big-rig and became wedged underneath the flatbed of the truck. She apparently did not see the truck approaching the red light and couldn’t stop in time.

The woman, whose identity has not yet been released was taken to the nearby Ben Taub hospital and reported to be in critical condition. It is unknown whether the woman was driving under the influence of alcohol, as is often the case in late night crashes, but initial reports seem to indicate that the woman just didn’t see the truck.

Houston truck accident attorneys would like to caution drivers to always use caution when driving- even late at night when you think there aren’t many vehicles on the road. Truck drivers particularly log late hours and are often on the road late at night. Accidents that involve cars running into trucks are particularly damaging to the cars and drivers of the cars because of the sheer size and weight of big-rig trucks. Always use caution when driving, even if you think the roads are empty—an unexpected vehicle can always appear, and if you are not prepared for it, critical circumstances can occur.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car or truck accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney who is also a Houston car accident attorney, with over 26 years of experience serving the South Texas community. He will expertly handle every aspect of your case on both a professional and a personal level. You may also fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Contact Joe Stephens today to get the advice and help you need.

Big Rig Accident Shuts Down I-45 at Airline

Houston truck accident attorneys have seen a lot of bizarre accidents over the years, but even they were surprised by the strange events that took place Tuesday on I-45 at Airline. All the lanes in both directions of the I-45 were shut down for hours as cleanup took place to remove a big-rig gravel truck and repair a damaged sign.

At about 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening, at the height of rush hour traffic, the trailer of a gravel dump truck became lodged and stuck on an overhead freeway sign. The driver of the truck said that the hydraulic lift must have been activated, and he didn’t realize it until the trailer collided with the freeway sign.

It took accident crews about 4 hours to remove the big-rig from the freeway, and it was hauled off at about 9 p.m. The I-45 however had to remain closed overnight since the exit sign that the gravel truck crashed into was damaged. The sign had to be removed because safety crews were concerned that the sign was in a precarious state after the crash, and had the potential to fall onto the freeway.

The entire structure that holds the freeway sign was expected to be removed overnight, and the freeway lanes were slated to be open Wednesday morning in time for rush hour traffic. The Truck Enforcement division of the Houston Police Department is investigating the incident and the gravel truck driver may be held responsible for the cost of the freeway repairs.

Houston truck accident lawyers are relieved that despite the mess this incident caused, that there were no injures. The incident caused hours-long traffic snares, which was frustrating to Houston drivers, but it is fortunate that despite the traffic delays, there were no subsequent accidents, and no one was hurt.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is an experienced Houston injury lawyer with over 26 years of service to the Houston and South Texas communities. You may also fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Call Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need. 

18-Wheeler Crash Kills 2 In Walker County

Houston truck accident attorneys know that when a large truck or 18-wheelers are involved in an accident, the results are usually catastrophic and often fatal. Because of their enormous size and corresponding weight, if an 18-wheeler collides with a car, the car is often obliterated, causing devastating fatalities.

In Walker county on Wednesday, two people were killed in an accident involving an 18-wheeler truck. The accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. on Interstate 45 South between Madisonville and Huntsville. The two people involved in the accident died at the scene, almost immediately. The Texas Department of Public Safety is still investigating the accident, and has released very little information about the incident.

There are some facts about 18-wheeler trucks that Houston truck accident attorneys think it is important to understand to be able to comprehend why accidents involving these trucks are usually so detrimental. The average weight of an 18-wheeler truck is 40 tons, or about 80,000 lbs, and this is without cargo. Depending on how much and what type of cargo the truck is hauling, the weight can increase greatly.

18-wheeler trucks are usually about 70-80 feet long, taking up much more space than an average car, truck or SUV. This means when an 18-wheeler is involved in an accident, it has the capacity to crash into several vehicles at once because of its length.

Because of their enormous weight, 18-wheelers take much longer to stop than an ordinary motor vehicle—about 40% longer than an average car or pickup truck. All of these factors combine to make accidents involving 18-wheelers much more dangerous than other motor vehicle accidents. When driving near an 18-wheeler, drivers are cautioned to keep these statistics in mind, and give the big rig drivers more space. This way, if an accident does occur or an 18-wheeler has to stop suddenly, it will have the time and the space to do so, helping to cut down on the risk of involving other vehicles on the road in an accident.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 712.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney with over 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities. He will expertly handle every aspect of your case on both a professional and a personal level. Alternatively, fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Call Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need.

Crash With Semi Leaves One Fatality, 6 Injured

Houston truck accident attorneys know that an accident involving a Semi, usually leads to serious injuries and often fatalities, because of the sheer size and force behind the weight of such a large truck. In San Antonio on Friday evening at about 6p.m., a woman was killed in a crash with a semi that ended in a fiery blaze.

The woman was carrying six passengers in the car with her when the wreck occurred. There were three children and three adults in the car when it somehow collided with a semi tractor-trailer on I-35 near the AT&T Parkway. The car crashed into the back of the semi truck and became stuck and wedged under the back of the vehicle, and then burst into flames.

Several onlookers and other people at the scene of the accident were able to extricate the six passengers from the blaze, but they were not able to save the driver because she was most closely wedged under the truck.

According to the truck driver, Ed Trammell, the car tried to maneuver between his truck and the guardrail at the side of the highway. Despite this testimony, police report that it is unclear which vehicle struck the other one.

Juan Trevino, a passerby who assisted with the rescue relayed his experience of the emotional event: "They were just jumping up and screaming, 'save my Mom, save my Mom! And the flames were burning her. We tried to put it out with fire extinguishers that we got from other vehicles and the store, but we couldn't do nothing else. Flames got out of control and that was it."

Trammel, the driver of the truck is in shock about the crash, and plans to give up driving a truck. "It kills me. I'll have nightmares for a month," he said. "I've never had an accident where it killed somebody. Been driving since '84 and always said if I have an accident that kills somebody I'm going to quit. And that's it.”

One of the passengers in the car, a teenager, was taken to a nearby hospital with minor neck injuries. The other survivors of the crash are expected to make a full recovery.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Houston truck accident, call Houston truck accident attorney Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 today for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is an experienced Houston injury lawyer who will expertly handle every aspect of your case, on both a professional and personal level. You may also fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will contact you within 24 hours to set up your free consultation. Call today to get the advice and help that you need.

Agreement with Mexico Could Increase Risk of Houston Semi Accidents

A recent agreement between the United States and Mexico to allow long-haul truckers to operate between the two countries could increase the risk of Houston trucking accidents involving trucks and drivers from south of the border.

Houston semi accident attorneys understand the complexities involved in representing victims of serious and fatal trucking accidents. Multiple victims, out-of-state truck drivers, commercial insurance carriers and large commercial truck leasing and maintenance companies can all complicate claims. Add to that an endless series of state and federal regulations and it takes a Texas injury lawyer experienced in handling commercial trucking accident claims to look out for the well-being of you and your family.

Such complexities will only be exacerbated when an accident involves a Mexican driver or trucking company. And, while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration insists Mexican operators will be subjected to the same safety regulations, the recent rash of serious and fatal bus crashes tells us all we need to know about the federal government's commitment to providing the kind of resources that would be necessary to ensure compliance. 

The new agreement will lift tariffs Mexico put in place two years ago. As a result, U.S. companies are expected to increase shipments.

“The agreements signed today are a win for roadway safety and they are a win for trade. By opening the door to long-haul trucking between the United States and Mexico, America’s third largest trading partner, we will create jobs and opportunity for our people and support economic development in both nations," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  "I thank President Calderon and Secretary Perez-Jacome for their leadership and for their partnership as we build a safer, more prosperous future for North America and the world.”

The previous cross-border trucking program was terminated in March 2009. As a result of meetings addressing safety and other concerns, the U.S. government says Mexican trucks must comply with all FMCSA standards and must use electronic monitoring to track hours-of-service compliance. Officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation are also charged with inspecting each trucker's log book. Drug testing samples will also be tested by U.S. labs. Drivers must also be tested on English language skills and the ability to read U.S. traffic signs. 

If you have been involved in an accident in the Houston area, contact The Stephens Law Firm for a free consultation to discuss your rights. You may also request your free copy of Attorney Stephens' books, the Texas Accident Bible, A Survivor's Legal Guide and Hiring the Right Attorney. Call today at 713-224-0000 or <a href="http://www.joestephenslaw.com/contact.html">contact us through this website</a>.

Tanker Accident Involving Houston Semi Illustrates Risk of Dangerous Loads

A Diboll trucking accident spilled hot asphalt across the road, leaving the trucker with a broken arm and a head injury, according to Channel 9 News. The driver reportedly rounded the corner too quickly, causing his load to shift. He lost control of the truck, which overturned in the parking lot of a Chevron Station.

Thankfully, no innocent bystanders were hurt in the accident. However, veteran Houston trucking accident lawyers understand that injuries caused by loose or dangerous loads are a common result of Texas trucking accidents.

The 29-year-old driver was hauling a load of asphalt ready mix. As much as 3,000 gallons of the substance leaked from the tanker, where it was being heated to a temperature of 300 degrees. The resulting mess had to be covered with dirt and allowed to harden before it could be removed from the road several days later. Clean-up crews were also concerned about the contamination of a nearby creek.

The driver was transporting the load from Shreveport to Houston at the time of the accident. The truck belongs to EHC Trucking in Houston. The driver could be cited for making an unsafe turn, following the completion of the investigation.

Tankers can be particularly dangerous, both because of instability caused by sloshing liquid and because of the hazardous nature of many liquid loads. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a study on cargo tank roll stability, which found 482 fatal cargo tank rollover accidents in a six-year period.

Driver error was responsible in about three-quarters of all cases. Fifteen percent of fatal accidents involved driver distraction -- fewer than 10 percent involved weather. Perhaps most alarming, only about 15 percent occurred on the freeway -- meaning many more occurred in more residential areas. Running off the edge of the road was the number one cause of tanker rollovers.

The report found simulators would better permit drivers to receive the training necessary to properly react to a tanker emergency. However, the training has not been broadly adopted because of the expense of simulators.

Katy Accident Lawyer Joe Stephens, a personal injury trial law specialist, offers free consultations to accident victims in the Houston area. You may also request your free copy of Attorney Stephens' books, the Texas Accident Bible, A Survivor's Legal Guide and Hiring the Right Attorney. Call today at 713-224-0000 or contact us through this website.