Thursday afternoon, a tractor trailer loaded with 30,000 pounds of cardboard was involved in an accident, shutting down the Dallas North Tollway for hours. The accident occurred when the truck began travelling too fast, crossing all three lanes of Tollway traffic. The truck then pushed an SUV through a concrete barrier and into the southbound side of the highway. The truck fell over and landed on top of another vehicle. The drivers of the other vehicles were transported to area hospitals. The driver of the semi truck was not injured.

Large commercial trucks are far more likely to be involved in fatal vehicle accidents than passenger cars, partially because of their large size in comparison to other vehicles on the road. Every 16 minutes in theU.S., a person is injured or killed in a semi-truck accident. Surprisingly, the majority of large truck accidents occur in rural areas during the daytime, and on weekdays. Most also occur on dry roads in good weather.

Sadly, accidents caused by fatigued and overworked truck drivers are not uncommon. Most accidents between a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle end up badly for passengers in the smaller vehicle. If you have been injured in a crash caused by a fatigued truck driver, you may be entitled to compensation from the trucking company. Your compensation could include money for medical expenses, damage to your vehicle, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

If you have been injured in a tractor-trailer accident, contact theDallastractor trailer attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 972-231-5800. Our attorneys will provide you with a free consultation and will work hard to obtain compensation for your accident.

Last week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood proposed the first guidelines for reducing distracted driving, which is becoming an ever-increasing problem in theU.S.The NHTSA released the guidelines for automakers, which aim to offer criteria for the types of electronic devices and the number of those devices used within a vehicle.

The guidelines are issued in three phases, and they are currently in Phase I. Phase I applies to light vehicles, such as cars, minivans, SUVs and pickups. In Phase I, guidelines are suggested that help automakers make use of electronics that are not as likely to distract the driver with tasks that aren’t required for the operation of the vehicle. Phase I also recommends any electronic devices within the vehicle not require the use of the driver’s sight and touch for long periods of time.

Specifically, the guidelines recommend that any in-vehicle electronic devices reduce the complexity and task length required by the device; any off-road glances required to operate the device be limited to no more than two seconds; limit the operation of any device to only one hand; and limit the amount of inputs required for device operation. Phase I also recommends that some in-vehicle features be disabled unless the car is in park, such as Internet browsing, 10-digit phone dialing, texting, social media browsing, and GPS destination entry by address. Phase II and III are going to look into electronics that aren’t yet part of the vehicles but do serve as distractions, as well as voice-activated controls.

Tragically, distracted driving is killing thousands of Americans each year. If you have been injured in an accident by a distracted driver in theDallasarea, call the personal injury attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095. Our experienced attorneys will work hard on your case.

Tragically, a woman was killed in Dallas this week when her SUV crashed, rolling over several times. The accident occurred when the woman, who was speeding, clipped the curb with her tires. The SUV traveled about 100 feet, then started flipping. The woman was ejected before the vehicle stopped. She died at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle suffered only minor injuries.

Unfortunately, SUVs have been known in previous years to be susceptible to rolling over. Fortunately, technology changes have made SUVs safer than ordinary cars. According to studies, someone driving a 2009 car is almost twice as likely to die in a rollover accident as someone driving a 2009 SUV.

Emerging technology, primarily electronic stability control, has been the biggest factor in reducing the death rates for SUV drivers. Electronic stability control is a computer system that helps drivers maintain control on slippery roads and during sudden maneuvers. Electronic stability control is now available on all SUVs sold in the U.S. In addition, more stable designs have decreased death rates from SUV rollovers.

Today, SUVs have some of the lowest death rates due to crashes and are considered safer than large cars – only minivans are considered safer in a crash. However, keep in mind that if you have an older SUV without the safety features the newer SUVs have, you could still be at risk during a crash. That’s why it’s particularly important to always wear your seat belt and don’t speed.

If you have been injured in an SUV rollover in the Dallas area, contact the Barber Law Firm. Our personal injury attorneys have significant experience in dealing with automobile crashes and fighting for the rights of those who are injured. Call us today at 972-231-5800.

Dallas had some precipitation this morning, although temperatures were above freezing in the metropolitan area. However, a winter weather advisory went into effect for Denton, Collin, Parker, Fanin and Lamar counties over the weekend through this morning. Although this winter has been mild, you should review these basic winter weather driving tips to avoid being involved in an accident should the streets become icy.

The most important winter weather safety tip is to slow down. Driving too fast for the road conditions plays a major role in fatal crashes, especially during the winter. Even if you have snow tires, exercise extreme caution and drive slower than you normally would if the roads are slick.

It’s also important not to follow too close. Tailgating is another common cause of winter weather accidents. The closer you follow the car in front of you, the less time you have to react. At a minimum, leave one car length between you and the car in front of you for every 10 miles per hour you are travelling.

It’s also important not to drive when you are tired during dangerous road conditions. If the roads are slick, it will take all of your concentration to stay safe. If you are already tired, you are at a serious disadvantage. Call someone who can pick you up or pull over somewhere safe for a quick nap.

Have you been involved in an accident in the Dallas area due to slippery streets or icy weather conditions? If so, contact the accident attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095. They will work hard to help you obtain compensation from the negligent driver who caused the accident.

Tragedy struck a Dallas area family the other day when a mother accidentally ran over her son with her vehicle. The mother was dropping off her two children at their grandmother’s house before heading to work. She saw her daughter get out and head towards the house, but didn’t see her four year old son. She started backing up to look for her son, but didn’t realize he was bent over behind her vehicle until it was too late. The boy suffered critical injuries and was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately he passed away.

Unfortunately, backing accidents are common – they cause about 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries per year. Backing accidents are especially common with SUVs and children under the age of five. However, if you follow a few simple rules, the majority of backing accidents can be avoided.

First, know where your vehicle’s blind spots are. For larger vehicles, blind spots can be significant. Remember that your mirrors cannot show you everything while you are backing. Before you back up, consider doing a walk-around or use a spotter who can tell you if it’s clear. When you are choosing a parking space, think ahead – choose a space with an easy exit if possible. If it’s possible to avoid backing up, and if you are in an area where backing up could be dangerous, park so backing up won’t be required. Finally, if you are in an area with small children, either visually locate the children before backing up, do a walk around, or ask a spotter if it’s clear before backing up.

If you have small children, consider a long term solution. You may wish to install rear vision camera systems, which can help you see the rear of your vehicle with no blind spots. If you have a new vehicle, practice backing it up so you get used to the way it reverses before you are in a situation where you have to reverse.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a backing up accident? If so, contact the Dallas personal injury attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 972-231-5800. We will help you get compensation for your injuries.

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that a surgery will be successful. Your body may not have responded as expected during surgery, or complications could have arisen that could not have been anticipated. However, sometimes surgeries are unsuccessful because the surgeon or hospital was negligent. It’s been estimated that hundreds of thousands of people die in theU.S.alone each year because of negligence by health care providers.

In order to succeed in a medical malpractice case, a plaintiff must show the doctor or other health care professional was negligent in providing medical care, that negligence was the cause of some injuries, and that damages occurred as a result. When performing surgery, surgeons are required to use the same degree of skill and care that a surgeon of a similar type of specialty would use under the circumstances. If the surgeon fails to follow medical standards and provides substandard care, malpractice occurs. It can make a difference whether your surgery was performed on an emergency or an elective basis – if the surgery occurred because of a medical emergency that arose, your treatment will be different than a surgery that has been planned for months.

It’s important for a qualified medical malpractice attorney to meet with you to discuss whether you may have a medical malpractice case. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can review your records and consult with experts to determine whether your surgery outcome was the result of poor treatment or not.

If you believe you have been the victim of medical malpractice, and you’re in theDallasarea, contact the Barber Law Firm at 817-329-5095 to learn more about your legal options.

Hundreds of Texans die every year in motorcycle crashes, and many more are injured. About one out of every five motorcycle crashes result in head or neck injuries. Statistics show that head and neck injuries account for a majority of serious and fatal injuries to motorcyclists. Statistics also show that head and neck injuries can be reduced by wearing an appropriate helmet. According to the CDC, helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69 percent. In a crash, a rider who is not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die from a head injury than someone wearing a helmet. Hundreds of lives could be saved in the U.S. each year if all riders wore helmets.

 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.

A Dallas meat packing plant, the Columbia Packing Co., has recently come under fire for contaminating a Dallas area creek which flows into the Trinity River.

 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.