There are two main types of helmets – three-quarter and full face. Whichever you choose, make sure it meets U.S. Department of Transportation standards. If it does, it will have DOT lettering on the back of the helmet that should not be easily removed. Make sure your motorcycle helmet fits snugly, and has no defects like cracks, loose padding or frayed straps. Finally, it’s important to make sure the helmet is secured tightly on your head – if it flies off during a crash it can’t protect you.

 You should also consider face protection while you are riding. A face shield can help protect you from dirt, rocks, bugs and more that can be very distracting for motorcyclists. When choosing an eye shield or face shield, make sure it’s free of scratches, gives a clear view and is able to fasten securely.

 If motorcyclists use the proper equipment, they can greatly reduce the chances of an injury if they’re involved in an accident. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident in the Dallas area, contact the Dallas motorcycle accident attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 972-231-5800. Our firm will work hard to fight for your rights.

 State and federal investigators recently found an unauthorized underground pipe leading from the back of the company’s slaughterhouse directly to the creek. The investigators determined that pig blood was flowing from the slaughterhouse to the creek. In addition to the blood, industrial waste such as pig hair and flesh and plastic gloves was found to be flowing into the creek as well.

 The company claims it was only notified about the problem on January 19 and immediately cooperated with officials. It claims a clog in the sewer line caused the flow to backup into an overflow pipe in the drainage area. It also claims that the city was aware of the problem for 41 days before notifying the company.

 The investigation began when an individual taking pictures of a nearby creek noticed what appeared to be blood flowing into the water near the plant. The person let the Dallas County Health Department know, which then took its own pictures and began investigating the situation.

 Companies have a duty to the public to avoid harming us through their manufacturing processes. They also have a duty to manufacture products which are safe for the general public to use in the manner in which they were intended. If they fail to meet that duty, and an individual is harmed, that person can seek compensation from the company for injuries. In this case, if a person were made sick by the contamination of the creek, and could prove the illness was caused by the contamination, the meat packing plant could be held liable.

 Have you been injured by a company’s negligent actions? If so, contact the Dallas personal injury attorneys at Barber Law. We will work hard to hold the company responsible for its negligence. Call us today at 972-231-5800.

Economic damages are monetary damages that are suffered by the injured party. Economic damages is a broad term, and it can include the loss of income because of the injury (both past and present), damage to property, medical expenses (both past and present), the loss of future income because of the injury, and any other extra monetary expenses suffered as a result of the injury. In addition, economic damages can include a variety of other expenses incurred directly or indirectly as a result of the injury, such as any special vehicles or transportation or any special home helpers required because of your injury.

Non-economic damages are damages that can’t be measured in monetary terms. Some common economic damages include mental anguish caused by the injury, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium (awarded to a spouse for the loss of companionship), and more.

The damages to which a personal injury victim is entitled depends on the facts of the case and they can vary greatly from case to case. Have you suffered an injury in the Dallas area caused by the negligence of another party? If so, contact Dallas personal injury attorney Kris Barber at 972-231-5800.

The insurance company may make an initial offer to settle after receiving all required documentation.  If after negotiations, the insurance company offers a fair settlement that you agree to, then the case is over. You sign a Release and receive a check from the insurance company.  This process generally takes 6 – 8 months from the date of the accident, but can vary depending on the length of medical treatment you receive.

However, if the settlement offer is inadequate and the insurance company won’t budge, you may choose to pursue the case further, such as by filing a lawsuit.  Once a lawsuit is filed, it could take a significantly larger amount of time.  Due to the busy schedule of most courts, trials usually occur between 1 and 2 years after the lawsuit is filed.

Once the suit is filed, both parties will investigate the claims in a process called discovery. Discovery could include taking depositions from the parties involved, or seeking additional documentation on the accident. After discovery is completed, both sides may begin settlement negotiations or enter into mediation prior to trial. Most personal injury cases settle prior to trial.

Have you been involved in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in the Dallas area? If so, you could have a potential case. To learn more, contact Kris Barber, Dallas personal injury attorney at the Barber Law Firm. He has experience both with case settlement and with trials. Call him today at 817-329-5095.

Hospital malpractice can include any type of negligence that may occur in a hospital or outpatient setting, and it can be committed by any hospital employee but is usually committed by a health care professional. There are a variety of types of hospital malpractice. Some include errors during surgery, medication errors, a failure to prevent infections, and health care professionals failing to do what they are supposed to, such as the failure to monitor a patient, the failure to diagnose a condition, or the failure to order tests.

Malpractice by a doctor usually occurs either when the doctor failed to do something (such as order extra tests), or made an outright error (such as prescribing the wrong medication). Doctor malpractice can occur in addition to hospital malpractice, or can be a separate issue.

Doctor malpractice and hospital malpractice issues can be complex to sort out. Do you suspect your doctor or hospital committed malpractice? If so, contact Dallas medical malpractice attorney Kris Barber at 817-329-5095. He will provide you with a free consultation and will help give you peace of mind about your legal situation. Contact him today to learn more.

Tenants of the complex said that had maintenance problems been fixed, neither the fires nor the roof accident would have occurred. Tenants had complained about the electrical problems in the past, and a 2010 inspection found problems with the roof.

Under Texas law, tenants have the right to demand that the landlord repair any condition that materially affects their health and safety. By renting the property, the landlord guarantees that the unit will be a fit place to live. You may, however, agree with the landlord that you will make some needed repairs. Also, the landlord doesn’t have a duty to make repairs if you caused them through an accident, abuse, or anything other than normal wear and tear.

If the landlord fails to make repairs to protect your safety, you should notify the landlord by registered mail. The landlord should then make an effort to repair the property within a reasonable time. If the repairs do not occur, you may be entitled to terminate the lease, fix the problem and deduct the expense from your rent, or get a court order demanding the repairs be made.

If you have been injured due to a property owner’s failure to keep his or her property safe, contact Dallas premises liability attorney Kris Barber of the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 today. He will work hard to obtain compensation for your injuries. Contact him today to discuss your case.

Currently, seat belt usage in Texas is at an all time high among individuals in cars. However, statistics show that pickup truck drivers are not using their seat belts regularly. In Texas, one out of every two pickup truck drivers killed in a traffic crash was not buckled up. The number of trucks involved in fatal crashes in Texas was about 20 percent higher than the number of cars involved in fatal crashes.

There are a couple of reasons officials believe that pickup truck drivers are less likely to buckle up than other drivers. First, pickup drivers often believe they are safer because they are driving a larger vehicle. However, according to TxDOT statistics, pickup trucks tend to roll over during crashes and sling passengers that are not buckled up out of the windows. Another reason pickup truck drivers are less likely to buckle up is because more pickup trucks are driven by younger males, a demographic that is in general less likely to buckle up than other groups of individuals.

Although traffic fatalities have decreased between 2003 and 2009, traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 44 in Texas. In 2009 alone, more than 3,000 people died in fatal collisions in Texas, and just under 50 percent were not buckled up. In addition to the safety reasons to buckle up, if you fail to buckle your seat belt, you could receive a ticket for $250 or more.

Have you been involved in a pickup truck accident in Texas? If so, contact Kris Barber, Dallas automobile accident attorney at 817-329-5095. He will help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your accident.

Last week, Texas governor Rick Perry vetoed legislation that would have banned texting while driving. The bill would have punished anyone found to be texting while driving with a fine of up to $200 and up to 30 days in jail. If their actions resulted in injuries to another person, the driver could have faced 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Governor Perry failed to sign the bill because he believed it represented an effort on the part of government to micromanage the behavior of adults.

Another series of bills that failed to become law were aimed at preventing drinking and driving. A Texas representative sponsored a bill that would have suspended the driver’s license of anyone convicted of a fifth DWI offense. She plans to try again during the 2013 legislative year. Another bill that didn’t pass was tougher on drunk drivers – it would have revoked the drivers’ licenses of anyone convicted of a second drunk driving conviction.

However, one bill that may become law that deals with DWIs is the Abdallah Khader Act, which would increase the penalties for some drunk drivers. In some DWI cases in which the victim is left in a vegetative state, the maximum penalty would be 20 years in prison instead of 10. In misdemeanor DWI cases where the driver has a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or higher, the maximum penalty would be a year in jail instead of six months. The bill was named after a two year old who was left in a vegetative state after a repeat drunk driver hit his family’s car.

Accidents caused by texting and driving, or drinking while driving, are especially tragic because they could so easily be prevented. If you have been injured in an accident caused by the bad behavior of another driver, contact Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm. Call him today at 817-329-5095.

OSHA offers tips for construction workers on staying safe while on the job site. First, always be careful when using scaffolding on a construction site. Over 4,000 workers are injured and 50 are killed each year from scaffolding accidents. Make sure the scaffolding is set on sound footing and is maintained. The scaffolding should not be altered in any way. It should not be used in bad weather or if covered with snow, ice, or any other slippery material. Scaffolds should only hold the weight they were designed for.

Always wear the right personal protective equipment for the job, which can include protection for the face, eyes, hands, feet and head. Before using, make sure the equipment is maintained and that it fits properly.

Electrical accidents are also a frequent source of injuries for construction workers. Do not put ladders or other equipment or materials within ten feet of power lines. Maintain all electrical tools and equipment in safe condition. Make sure that damaged electrical cords are replaced quickly.

Have you been injured in a Texas construction accident? If so, contact Dallas construction accident attorney Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm. Call him today at 972-231-5800 to find out more about construction accident cases.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatalities from distracted driving are on the rise. The proportion of fatalities reported with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009. A big portion of the increase can be blamed on cell phones and the increased popularity of texting or emailing while driving.

In Texas, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, about 25 percent of crashes involve driver distraction. In 2009, over 100,000 vehicles were involved in accidents in Texas involving driver distraction, and 408 of those crashes were fatal.

Although cell phone usage, including talking and texting, is one of the most common causes of distracted driving, there are many other driver distractions that can cause a driver to wreck. Some of the more common causes of distracted driving are eating, smoking, talking to others in the car, or using a GPS device or a radio. In 2009, 3,308 crashes in Texas were attributed to cell phone usage. In 41 of those accidents, at least one person was killed.

Have you been injured in a Texas accident that was caused by a distracted driver? If so, you may be able to recover damages for your injuries from that other driver. Contact automobile accident attorney Kris Barber at the Barber Law Firm at 972-231-5800 to learn more.