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PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER DALLAS, TEXAS |
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| OVER FOURTEEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION IN TEXAS __________________________________ DESIGNATED A "SUPERLAWYER" IN TEXAS MONTHLY MAGAZINE |




| PERSONAL INJURY NEWS Toyota Recalls More Dangerous Cars That Could Lead to Injury Toyota's recall troubles continue to grow, with the total number of vehicles affected by two recalls involving gas pedals growing to at least 5.3 million. The latest addition to the recalls was announced Wednesday, with 1.1 million vehicles added to the 4.2 million recalled in November to fix a problem in which the gas pedal can become caught on the edge of the removable floormat. That problem can cause the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. A separate recall of 2.3 million vehicles announced last week -- involving accelerator pedals that can stick on their own -- is being expanded to include an undisclosed number of vehicles in Europe. In most cases, the same vehicles are involved in both recalls. It was not immediately clear how many different vehicles, in total, are part of the two actions. Motorcyclist Hit By 18-Wheeler In Accident Settles Lawsuit A motorcyclist injured in a collision with a tractor-trailer received a $1 million settlement. In 2008, trucker Nicholas Robles was hauling a flatbed trailer when he made a right turn and collided with motorcyclist Gerri Dorsett. Dorsett, then 47, sustained arm and knee fractures. She also suffered a concussion, which she claimed wiped out her memory of the crash. Due to her injuries, she has been unable to work since the accident. She sued Robles and the owner of the truck, Juan Robles (doing business as Robles Trucking), alleging the trucker made an unsafe wide right turn. The defense argued Dorsett was speeding and shouldn't have tried to pass on the right. The case ultimately settled for the limit on the defendants' insurance policy. Patient Paralyzed After Spinal Tap Wins At Trial A man who is paralyzed from the waist down after receiving a spinal tap recovered $10.9 million. Thomas Colombrito developed a hematoma at the lumbar puncture site, which compressed his spinal cord, causing paralysis. Two days later he underwent emergency surgical decompression to no avail. Colombrito claimed that Dr. Sireesha Janga failed to discontinue anticoagulants before the spinal tap. Colombrito also sued Dr. Richard Torres for failing to follow up on an MRI. The jury found Janga 51 percent liable and Torres 4 percent liable. The hospital and neurologist who delivered the spinal tap were found 45 percent liable, but they settled before trial. Due to settlement credits and award caps under Texas law, the jury's $22.5 million award was reduced. Tire Maker To Pay for Death of Crash Victims A jury awarded $11.9 million for a head-on crash that killed six children and injured three others because a Michelin tire allegedly detreaded. In 2006, Jesus Guzman Reyes was driving his pickup truck with his wife and three children. He lost control and struck an oncoming sport utility vehicle that was carrying the six children. The plaintiffs claimed that a leaky roof at a Michelin plant allowed water to enter the tires during manufacturing, which caused air bubbles to form and weaken the tire. Michelin denied that the tire was defective, claiming that the tire damage occurred during the crash, not before it. Defense counsel argued that Reyes was to blame for the crash, but the jury found otherwise. Slip and Fall Accident Results in Plaintiff's Verdict A jury awarded $856,855 to a man who claimed he sustained severe back injuries when he fell in a grocery store. Candelario Becerril bumped against the chrome rail separating the check-out lines as he was shopping at a Brookshire's grocery store in Pittsburg back in 2006. The rail collapsed, sending him to the floor. He said he sustained lumbar disc injuries. A year later, he underwent a laminectomy, discectomy and fusion surgery, but he said he continues to need pain medication and epidural injections. Becerril sued Brookshire's, alleging the store failed to properly maintain and inspect the area where he fell. Brookshire's argued Becerril's injuries were caused by an on-the-job accident a few years earlier. School District Must Pay For Rear-End Collision With Car A man who claimed he sustained multiple disc injuries in a collision with a school district-owned vehicle recovered $61,113 after a jury trial. In 2006, Russell Durst, then 40, was rear-ended by a vehicle owned by the United Independent School District of Laredo and driven by district employee Eduardo Botello. Durst said he suffered four herniated cervical discs and two bulging lumbar discs. He sought $110,000 in damages for his medical expenses and pain and suffering. The defense disputed Durst's injury claims, arguing that he was still able to lift weights following the accident. The defendants' medical expert opined that Durst only sustained soft-tissue injuries which should have resolved in two or three months. Jury Awards 100k To Woman As A Result of Car Accident A jury awarded $100,000 to a woman who claimed she will have to eat puree for the rest of her life due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. In 2006, Ann Martin was a passenger in a car when it was rear-ended on Highway 35 in Waco. The impact caused the airbag to deploy and hit Martin's jaw. She sustained a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injury and damage to her right knee. She underwent knee surgery a year later, but claimed the TMJ injury has permanently affected her ability to eat solid foods. Martin brought an underinsured motorist claim against Allstate Indemnity Company, her driver's insurance carrier, seeking compensation for her injuries. Allstate contended that Martin's injuries weren't as severe as she claimed. See More Personal Injury News..... |