A study released this week by the AAA’s safety foundation shows that teens driving with their friends in the car is much riskier than driving alone or with an adult. This study is one of the first that has been done since changes were made in driving laws in many states, which began in the mid-1990s. Many states now restrict teens from driving with passengers under the age of 21 and prevent driving at night.

The study was based on teen crashes that occurred between 2007 and 2010. The study found that a 16 or 17 year old’s risk of death when carrying one passenger younger than 21, and no adults, increased 44 percent when compared with driving alone. The risk is double that when carrying two passengers under the age of 21, and quadruples when carrying three or more young passengers. However, the risk of a teen driver dying in an accident when driving with a passenger aged 35 or older decreases by 62 percent.

The good news is between 2000 and 2010, the number of 16 and 17 year olds involved in fatal crashes fell by more than half each year. Much of the credit for those declines is attributed to graduated licensing laws, more seat belt use, less drunk driving and better car safety equipment. Among those young teen drivers who were killed between 2000 and 2010, 40 percent had at least one passenger under the age of 21 and no older adult passengers.

This new study shows just how distracting young passengers can be to teen drivers. If you have a young driver in your family, consider what rules you want to put into place about driving with other young passengers or alone – that can make a huge impact on the odds of a crash occurring.

Have you been involved in an accident that was caused by a teen driver? If so, you could have a cause of action against that teen. Call the Dallas car accident attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529 to learn more.

Every year in the United States about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs. About twenty percent of those require medical attention. Among children, those between the ages of five and nine have the highest rate of dog-bite related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many of those bites are from the family dog. However, there are ways to keep your children safe around your dog.

It helps to keep your children in mind before choosing a dog for your family. If your child is young and is scared of dogs, it may not be time to add a dog to your household. Also, special care should be taken before you bring a dog into a household with infants and toddlers.

Once you feel your family is ready for a dog, consult with a veterinarian or a breeder to see what might be the best breed of dog for your household. Before purchasing or adopting a dog, spend time with it. See if the dog is gentle with your children and if they feel comfortable around him or her.

After you’ve decided on a particular dog, get it spayed or neutered, which can reduce aggressiveness. Spend time training the dog and getting it used to your family. Teach the dog how to behave submissively. Don’t wrestle or play other aggressive games with your dog, or the dog might think it’s acceptable to wrestle with young children.

Has your child been bitten by a dog? By law, the dog’s owner could be held liable for any injuries suffered as a result of the bite. If you are in the Dallas area and have suffered a dog bite due to the negligence of a dog’s owner, contact the Dallas dog bite attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529. They will help you learn more about receiving compensation for your injuries.

Although it’s not something that’s talked a lot about, electricity causes thousands of deaths and fires each year. There are more safety measures to prevent property damages or electrocutions from occurring than in decades past, so many people feel more comfortable around electricity and take risks they shouldn’t. May is National Electrical Safety Month, which is designed to bring about awareness of electrical hazards.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, about 53,000 home fires occur each year because of an electricity malfunction. Also, about 400 deaths are caused when people are electrocuted by consumer products. However, this doesn’t have to happen. Here are some safety tips to prevent electrical accidents:

• Don’t plug in too many plugs in one outlet. This could cause a short, which may lead to a fire.
• Keep smoke alarms on every floor of your home, and also in every bedroom.
• Don’t play with light sockets, outlets or electrical cords. If you have young children, use child safety plugs in outlets.
• If you need to unplug an appliance, don’t yank on the cord – hold on to the plug instead.
• Don’t leave extension cords plugged in outside, particularly older cords.
• Make a family plan for what to do in the event of a fire.
• Don’t allow your children to play near an electrical substation.
• Keep electrical items away from water.

Have you or a loved one been injured by a defective electrical appliance or an electrical problem in your home? If so, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. Contact the personal injury attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529 today.

In today’s world, travel by air is a frequent occurrence for many people. It’s also one of the safest forms of travel. However, aviation accidents do occur, and the results can be horrific. It’s very rare that an airliner is involved in an accident, but crashes involving smaller aircraft and helicopters are not uncommon.

There are many factors that can be involved in an aviation accident, such as poor maintenance of an aircraft, mechanical defects, pilot error and air traffic controller error. Determining what caused the accident is crucial in an aviation accident, since there are so many different parties involved – the pilot, the airline, the air traffic controllers, the airport and the aircraft manufacturer.

Aviation accidents can involve a variety of laws, both state and federal. In theU.S., both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are responsible for overseeing aviation law. The FAA is in charge of the enforcement of aviation-related laws, as well as the oversight of the manufacture, operation and maintenance of all aircraft. The NTSB investigates all accidents that occur and recommends changes in safety procedures for aviation.

Aviation accidents can hurt not only those riding in an airplane or helicopter, but also those on the ground when an accident occurs. One common example is an air show. For example, in 2011 11 people were killed at an air show inReno,Nevadawhen an airplane crashed into the stands.

If you have been injured in an aviation accident, either as a pilot, passenger or a bystander, contact theDallasaviation attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095. We will analyze the accident to determine which party is at fault, and will fight to get you compensation for the accident from the responsible party.

The Barber Law Firm just launched their new website, which is located at www.barberlawfirm.com. The site is easy to navigate and offers consumers who need to choose a personal injury law firm a lot of information about the Barber Law Firm.

One exciting new feature of the website is the Testimonials section. There, previous clients of the firm offer their experiences in working with us in both writing and in video. The new website also prominently features awards we’ve been given from various organizations. Sometimes, it can help to hear from a person who’s worked with us, or an organization in the legal field, in order to make a decision about whether or not to choose us to handle your case.

We have also added a lot of videos to our site, in which we explain answers to a lot of frequently asked questions, such as “What’s a Fair Settlement” and “What to Do When You’ve Been Injured on the Job.” These videos can help explain answers to common questions that clients may be curious about but don’t want to take the time to call a law firm and ask.

The new site also gives a lot more ways to connect with us. First, there’s a page in Spanish to reach out to potential Spanish-speaking clients. The website provides a handy link both to a form to email us, as well as a link to write an email from your own account. Phone numbers and contact information for all of our offices are easily accessible.

We hope you like the new site. Feel free to provide us with feedback on it. If you are looking for a personal injury law firm in the metroDallasarea, contact the Barber Law Firm. We are eager to help you get the compensation you deserve for your accident.

A 24 year old construction worker fromPlanodied Wednesday after being hit by a forklift while working on the construction site for the newParklandhospital. The worker suffered internal injuries, and was transported to the currentParklandhospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officials from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating the accident. The investigation could last six months. According to OSHA officials, the construction company is cooperating with the investigation. The construction project began in 2010 and is expected to be completed by July of 2014.

Workers, such as the man in this accident, who are injured while working on the job, are entitled to fair compensation for their injuries, pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses and more. Under federal law, most employers are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Under the workers’ compensation program, injured workers are then entitled to receive compensation for medical expenses and lost wages that are due to time off from work because of the injury. If an employee is permanently injured, he or she could receive extra compensation, depending on the injury.

Have you been injured in an on-the-job accident? If so, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. However, workers’ compensation cases can be complicated. If you have been injured on the job, contact aDallasworkers’ compensation law firm that will help you get all the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact the Barber Law Firm today at 817-329-5095 to learn more.

Tragically, a police chase in theDallas area Monday morning ended in a fatal crash which took the life of an innocent father of three.

The accident occurred after police inGarlandwere called to the scene of a domestic disturbance about 4:30 a.m. When police officers arrived, the suspect was sitting on the driver’s seat of a car, slumping over. Police broke the window, waking him up. The suspect sped off, dragging the officer who broke the window. The police chased the suspect, and he crashed his vehicle into a small truck less than a minute later, killing the driver instantly. The suspect was pulled from his vehicle, which was on fire, and transported him to the hospital in critical condition. He will most likely be charged with murder, among other charges.

Unfortunately, accidents caused by high speed police chases are not uncommon. According to the NHTSA, approximately 400 people each year are killed in high speed police pursuit cases. Approximately 40 percent of all high speed police chases end in collisions and 20 percent end in serious injuries or death. Although the fatalities frequently involve innocent bystanders or the suspects, police fatalities are often a result. On average, approximately one percent of police officers who die in the line of duty do so in vehicle pursuits.

In this accident, there was probably nothing the innocent victim could have done to avoid the accident. He was driving through a green light at a normal rate of speed when the suspect hit him at an extremely high rate of speed. However, there are some steps you can take to avoid being caught in a police chase. Be alert while you are driving. This includes using your rearview and side view mirrors frequently to check the vehicles around you. Don’t use your cell phone or other electronic devices that could distract you from the road. Also, don’t use headphones or any other device that could result in your not hearing police sirens.

If you’ve been an innocent victim of a high speed chase inDallas, contact theDallascar accident attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095. We will analyze your case to determine if you have a cause of action against one of the parties involved.

Childproofing can be an overwhelming job for new parents. The list of potential dangers can seem never ending. However, the Consumer Products Safety Commission has compiled a helpful list of 12 safety devices it recommends to make your home safe for children.

First, be sure to install safety latches or locks for drawers or cabinets that contain any medicines, cleaners, matches or lighters, knives, or other sharp objects. To help prevent children from entering rooms that contain dangers, use door knob covers or door locks.

Water can be dangerous in several ways for children. First, use anti-scald devices for faucets and shower heads. If you have a pool or spa, completely surround the pool or spa with a tall fence with self-closing, self-latching gates.

In order to prevent injuries from falls, use corner and edge bumpers to prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges. Safety gates can prevent children from falling down the stairs, or can keep children from entering rooms. To prevent falls from windows, balconies or decks, window guards and safety netting should be used.

There are also a lot of hidden dangers for kids. It’s also important to install carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning or fire injuries. Although many parents don’t think about it, window blinds can pose strangulation hazards. It’s important to use a tassel on each cord. Many parents also don’t consider the dangers of furniture or appliances tipping over onto children. Be sure to anchor the products to the floor or attach them to the wall. Electrical outlets can also pose a risk of electrocution – be sure to use outlet covers or outlet plates.

Although childproofing may seem overwhelming in the beginning, with the right safety devices you can ensure your home is safe for your children. If your child has been injured by a dangerous device, you may have a claim against the manufacturer or the retailer of the product. Contact theDallasproduct liability attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095.

Scientific advances the past few decades have brought us wonderful medications that can drastically improve the lives of those patients taking them. However, simple mistakes in prescribing or administering such medications to patients have taken countless lives. Unfortunately, medication errors have been estimated to account for about one-quarter of all medical malpractice cases. Often, those medication errors turn out to be fatal.

There are many types of medication errors that can occur in the prescription, distribution, or administration of different types of drugs. These mistakes can be made by any medical professional, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists or pharmacy technicians.

Some types of medication errors include:

• Giving      the wrong dose. A doctor may prescribe the wrong dosage, which could      result in an underdose or an overdose. A nurse could fail to administer      the correct dosage. Or, a pharmacist may fail to correctly fill or label      the prescription, which could result in the wrong dose.
• Interactions      among drugs.  Sometimes, if a      patient is taking more than one medication, those medications could      interact with each other in a dangerous way. This could occur if a doctor      failed to ask a patient if he or she was taking prescription drugs. Or      pharmacists may fail to note that a patient was prescribed two drugs that      could interact.
• Receiving      the wrong drugs.  This could      happen in a variety of ways. A doctor may write down the wrong drug. A      nurse could administer the wrong drug. A pharmacist could accidentally      grab the wrong drug when filling a prescription.
• Failing      to warn about a drug’s side effects.       Many drugs come with very serious side effects, which could affect      patients in dangerous ways.

Have you or a loved one been a victim of a medication error inDallasthat resulted in injury or death? If so, you may have a potential claim against a health care professional. Contact the medical malpractice attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 972-231-5800. We will work hard on your case.

A new study shows that young women in the U.S. who choose to drink and drive are now at an increasing risk of being involved in a fatal accident. In 1996, men had double the odds of a fatal crash as women with the same blood-alcohol level. However, in 2007, the gap had closed, and now men and women with high blood-alcohol levels have the same risk of fatal crashes.

Researchers aren’t clear why more young women who are drinking and driving are being killed, but they believe it may be because women are taking more risks while driving than in previous years. Unfortunately, between 1996 and 2007, the risk of a fatal car crash doubled for sober men drivers as well. Researchers believe this is because distracted driving is on the rise.

Also, although this shouldn’t come as a surprise, regardless of a driver’s age or gender, his or her risk of being killed in a car accident increases as their blood alcohol levels rise. Drivers with a blood alcohol level between .02 percent and .049 percent, which is well below the legal limit of .08 percent, faced a three times higher risk of being involved in a fatal crash than sober drivers.

Accidents attributable to drunk driving are especially tragic, because they are so senseless, and because everyone of driving age should know the dangers of drinking and driving. However, thousands are killed in the U.S. each year by drunk drivers. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident in which alcohol was a factor, call the Dallas personal injury attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095. We will work hard on your behalf to obtain compensation for your injuries.