Tragically, a man from Midlothian died from injuries he suffered last week in a crash at an intersection in Grand Prairie. The man was riding on a motorcycle when a van pulled into his path. After colliding with the motorcycle, the van collided with a Chevrolet pickup. The motorcyclist was transported by helicopter to a Dallas hospital after the accident. Police are still investigating the accident.

Unfortunately, accidents that may not be all that serious if involving automobiles can be deadly when a motorcycle is involved. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries because of a motorcycle accident, call Kris Barber, Dallas motorcycle accident attorney to learn more about your legal options. Contact him today at 817-329-5095.

Recently released statistics show that 24.1 percent of all drivers in Dallas County are uninsured. Among Texas’s largest six counties, that is the highest percentage of uninsured drivers in the state. These statistics are surprising since state law requires that drivers maintain minimum levels of coverage. The state has also maintained a three-year initiative designed to reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

Texas requires drivers to maintain minimum insurance coverage. The minimum coverage amount is $30,000 for each injured person ($60,000 per accident), and $25,000 in property damage. Texas has a program, called TexasSure, which allows police officers and county tax officials to electronically confirm whether a Texas vehicle has insurance coverage. The program is aimed at preventing drivers from using counterfeit insurance cards or canceling insurance coverage later.

If a driver is found to be violating the insurance laws, the first conviction can result in a fine between $175 and $350. Later convictions may result in fines of between $350 and $1,000, a driver’s license suspension, or even impoundment of your vehicle.

It’s imperative for all drivers to obtain uninsured motorist insurance coverage. This insurance is designed to protect you if you’re involved in an accident with a vehicle that doesn’t have insurance coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage doesn’t add much to the costs of most insurance premiums, and it can be crucial in the event of an accident.

Have you been involved in an accident in the Dallas area? If so, contact Dallas automobile accident attorney Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm today at 817-329-5095. He will provide you with a free consultation on your accident case.

Determining fault is very important following a car accident. The party who was at fault typically has to pay for the other party’s medical expenses, damages to his or her vehicle, and other expenses.

Fault is determined by figuring out who was negligent. Sometimes fault is obvious. Both parties involved in the accident will submit their claims to their insurance companies. The insurance companies will determine who they believe is at fault by examining the scene of the accident or photographs, talking to eyewitnesses, and reading the police report. If one of the insurance companies involved believes the driver it covers is at fault, it may offer a settlement to the injured victim. If that settlement is accepted, the case is over.

If the insurance companies do not agree on who is at fault, they may do arbitration or mediation. In those situations, the arbitrator or mediator would determine who was at fault. A last resort is taking the case to trial. At trial, evidence regarding fault would be presented, including testimony from eyewitnesses to the accident, expert witnesses, a police officer at the scene, and perhaps the parties involved in the accident. Following the presentation of the evidence, a judge or jury will determine whether the defendant was negligent or not. If the jury finds the defendant was negligent, it will award appropriate damages to the plaintiff.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident in the Dallas area, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. An experienced attorney can help you work through the issues surrounding your injury and can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call Dallas automobile accident attorney Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 to learn more.

After a personal injury accident occurs, it can be very confusing to figure out who is responsible for paying your damages. Will any of your personal insurance policies cover the accident? What about the policies of any other parties involved in the accident?

Most automobile, homeowners’, and commercial liability insurance policies contain coverage for medical expenses incurred after an accident without regard to who was at fault for the accident. This coverage in automobile policies typically applies to the insured’s family members and the vehicle’s passengers only, while homeowners’ policies and commercial policies cover only visitors to the premises.

Health insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, or disability insurance carriers usually will pay benefits arising from accidental injuries. However, if you file a personal injury claim against another person or a business and that claim succeeds, then the insurance provider will probably require you to repay these benefits to the company. If the accidental injury is primarily your own fault, then only health insurance (such as through your employer), worker’s compensation, or medical payments coverage may apply. If you are in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, you can be compensated by your own “uninsured motorist” coverage (if you have it) applying the same general rules as insured drivers.

Dealing with your insurance company or companies, as well as any other party’s insurance company after an accident can be frustrating. If you have been involved in an accident in the Dallas area, contact Dallas personal injury attorney Kris Barber at 817-329-5095. He has extensive experience in working with insurance companies and can help protect your rights.

Soft tissue injuries are a very common result of automobile accidents. Soft tissue injuries include damage, such as sprains, strains, tears and soreness to the tendons, muscles and ligaments. Car accidents often cause damage to the body’s soft tissues because of the crash impact and the sudden jolting of the body. That impact can cause soft tissues to stretch, which frequently results in damage. That damage can include pain, limited mobility and swelling.

A big problem with soft tissue injuries is they are hard to diagnose. They can’t be found on an x-ray. It typically takes several hours, or sometimes even days, for a car accident victim to experience symptoms of a soft tissue injury. That means it can take time for victims to get the proper treatment. This also means that often accident victims with soft tissue injuries are viewed skeptically by the opposing parties in an accident case.

Whiplash is a very common type of soft tissue injury. Whiplash occurs when a person is in a vehicle that is hit from the rear, causing the head of the accident victim to jerk forward and back, causing a lot of pressure on the neck. Some symptoms of whiplash include headaches, neck pain, stiffness, and sometimes shoulder and back pain. Whiplash can cause spinal damage, joint problems and constant pain.

Automobile accident victims who suffer soft tissue injuries due to another driver’s negligence can recover money for medical expenses, pain and suffering and more. If you believe you have suffered soft tissues injuries, such as whiplash, in an automobile accident, contact Dallas personal injury attorney Kris Barber of the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 to learn more about protecting your legal rights.

In Houston last week, a cab driver was transporting two passengers from a dialysis center when he crashed into a stalled tractor trailer, killing both passengers. The driver was injured in the wreck. According to witnesses, the driver was speeding and weaving before veering off the road and into the truck.

Taxi companies, as well as bus companies, passenger trains, airlines, and other transportation companies, are called common carriers under the law. Common carriers must use a high standard of care for their passengers. In many cases, taxi companies can be held liable for the actions of their drivers, especially if it can be shown the company was negligent in hiring the driver. In many cases, a driver may have a bad driving record but have been hired anyway.

It can often be difficult to determine liability in a taxi cab accident or other common carrier accident. In some situations, cab drivers own their own cabs, so they are solely responsible for damages in an accident. In other situations, taxi drivers rent their cabs from the cab owner, and both the driver and the company can be held liable. In some cases, the cab companies own the taxis and employ the drivers, which means the cab companies are liable for the actions of the taxi driver. If the accident was caused by a manufacturer’s defect with the vehicle, or by the actions of another driver, another party could be held liable for the accident.

Taxi accidents can be difficult to litigate. It may be hard to determine which party is responsible, or finding which insurer against which to pursue a claim. If you have been involved in a taxi accident or an accident with another common carrier, contact Dallas accident attorney Kris Barber. He will work hard on your behalf to determine the responsible party and to hold that party accountable for your injuries. Call him today at 817-329-5095 to learn more.

Texas House Bill 242, which imposes harsh penalties for texting, sending instant messages, or checking emails while driving, may soon become law. The bill is awaiting Governor Perry’s signature.

Under the new law, anyone who violates the ban on texting, messaging, and emailing could face a fine of up to $200 and up to 30 days in jail. If their actions cause serious injuries to, or the death of, another person the driver could face 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Currently, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso already have bans on texting while driving.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2009, 3,308 crashes were caused by cell phone usage while driving in Texas alone. Among those crashes, 41 people were killed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that distracted driving, which includes cell phone use, was to blame for 20 percent of traffic deaths in the U.S. in 2009. In 2005, distracted driving was to blame for only 10 percent of traffic deaths. Currently texting while driving has been banned in 33 states.

Texting while driving is especially dangerous for teens, most of whom are not experienced enough drivers to handle any outside distractions while driving. However, 50 percent of teens admitted to texting while driving in a survey. Some studies have shown texting and driving to be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

Have you been involved in an accident with a driver who was texting at the time of the accident? If so, the driver could be held legally responsible for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. Call Dallas personal injury attorney Kris Barber at 817-329-5095.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. between the ages of 3 and 14. Unfortunately, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about three out of four car seats are not installed correctly.

The first step in making sure your child is correctly placed in a car seat is figuring out which seat is right for your child. From birth up until a child reaches age one and at least 20 pounds, your child should be in the back seat in a rear-facing car seat. Between ages one and four, your child should ride in a forward facing car seat in the back seat. After your child outgrows that seat (around age 4 and 40 pounds), the child should ride in a booster seat in the back seat. Under Texas law, the child must ride in a booster seat until he or she reaches the age of 8 or is taller than 4’9”.

Besides insuring you have the right type of seat, you should also be sure that the seat you buy is the safest. Purchase one with a five point safety harness. Don’t buy a used seat if you don’t know the history of the seat or if it has visible cracks or a missing label. You may also wish to see the ratings of various car seats at www.nhtsa.gov.

After you make sure you have the right car seat for your child, the next step is to have it properly installed. In Texas, there are Child Passenger Safety Technicians who provide free safety checks and one-on-one training on car seat installation. You can find one at www.texasclickitorticket.com.

Car safety seats are the primary defense we have for our child if we are ever involved in an accident. If you’ve been involved in an accident in the Dallas area, contact Dallas personal injury attorney Kris Barber at 817-329-5095 to learn more about your legal options.

Tragically, an average of 10 teens die every day in teen-driven vehicles in the United States. The deadliest time of the year for teen drivers is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, because more teens die in car crashes during this time of the year than any other. This period is sometimes referred to as the “100 Deadliest Days”.

According to data from Allstate Insurance, the two most accident-prone roads for teens in Dallas are I-635 and I-35E. On I-635, there were 1,489 crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 from 2006 until 2010. On I-35E, there were 1,162 crashes involving teen drivers from 2006 until 2010.

So how do you keep your teen drivers safe on the roads this summer? First, remember that you are a role model. Show your teens safe driving habits and seat belt use. Discuss the consequences of using drugs or alcohol while driving, and let them know this behavior is completely unacceptable. Let your teen do as much practice driving while you are supervising as possible. Drive in a variety of settings, including heavy traffic, daytime and nighttime, urban and rural settings, and bad weather.

You may wish to set firm rules about certain situations your teen may encounter while driving. You should consider restricting the passengers your teens can have in the car. Having more passengers, particularly other teens, is very distracting for a new driver and can lead to carelessness. You should also limit night driving – most teen crashes occur between 9 pm and midnight. Finally, restrict a teen’s cell phone usage while driving.

If you take certain precautions now, your teen stands a much greater chance of staying safe on the roads. If you are involved in a Dallas car accident with a teen driver, contact the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 today to learn more about your legal rights.

Most of us have driven while we were sleepy at one time or another. However, recent studies show that driving while drowsy is much more common and dangerous than previously thought.

A 2010 study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drowsy driving was a factor in one in six deadly crashes. Drowsy driving was also a factor in one in eight crashes in which a vehicle occupant was hospitalized. These numbers are much higher than previous estimates.

According to the study, sleepiness can cause drivers to have slower reaction times, impaired vision, and delays in processing information. Previous studies have found that being awake for more than 20 hours can cause an impairment equal to a blood alcohol level of .08 percent, or the equivalent of being legally drunk.

About one-third of Americans have admitted they have fallen asleep behind the wheel in the last year. Over half have said they have driven while drowsy. Shockingly, over a quarter of adults have admitted to driving despite being so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open in the previous month.

Experts recommend that you quit driving if you have trouble focusing, keeping your head up, an inability to remember the last few miles driven, if you are yawning repeatedly or are missing exits or traffic signs. If you are exhibiting those behaviors, stop driving and if possible, take a short nap. Drinking caffeinated beverages can also help.

Have you been involved in a Dallas accident that was caused by a sleepy driver? If so, contact Dallas automobile accident attorney Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 to explore your legal rights.