Intoxicated Driving Study: Harris County, TX and DUI Crashes
The first reported drunk driving accident in the United States happened in 1904. Automobiles were still very new technology when these matters started to arise, and yet similar incidents started to be published with increasing frequency. Further evidence that people love to drink in exotic situations and locales, as though we needed any more confirmation....
A Quick Refresher on Texas Dram Shop Law
Texas dram shop cases are seldom cut and dried. It's an important element of tort law; after all, bars and restaurants that over-serve their customers deserve to be held accountable for putting profits before safety. While the intoxicated individual most certainly owns a significant share of the responsibility—failing to observe his or her own limits,...
The Case of Caden Nieneker: How Do Texas Dram Shop Laws Relate to House Parties?
On the surface, house parties seem like a great idea. However, they can have downsides: Food and drinks may run out, the bathroom line can get ridiculous, some people don't know when to stop drinking (often with disastrous results), and depending on your guest list there's a risk of illegal underage consumption that's better controlled...
The “Bad” Truck Driver in a Chehalis, WA I-5 Truck Accident
On January 6, 2017, there were two accidents on Interstate 5 in Chehalis, WA. According to reports, on the southbound side of the highway, an SUV collided with a pedestrian who was attempting to cross the road. In that accident, the 15-year-old pedestrian was killed. Naturally, this accident slowed traffic in both directions. A short...
Walk the Line: Pedestrians and the Texas Transportation Code
Texas is a pretty driving-intensive state, given its span of almost 270,000 square miles. Texans are used to sort of sprawling out horizontally, which means a lot of vehicular travel to get from living space to work space to activities and leisure destinations. That said, we're not without our share of pedestrians. They're not as...
Sometimes Professionalism is at Odds With My Natural Inclinations
I often describe myself as "reluctantly professional." That is to say, I value professionalism, I understand the importance of being professional and courteous, and I strive to hold myself to a high standard therein. But while I always am professional in my interactions with our clients, other firms, defendants, etc., that doesn't mean I don't...
Back the Blue by Getting a DUI
In the wake of the cowardly and deadly ambush on Dallas City and DART officers on July 7th, there has been a remarkable outpouring of support for the police in the Metroplex. The community has raised funds for the families of the 5 officers who were killed, as well as for the 9 wounded officers...
Why The Law Lets You Sue Bars for Drunk Driving Accidents
This country has a big with drunk driving accidents, but we also have another problem that people rarely talk about—least of all in the news. I'm talking about bars and other licensed alcohol providers that over-serve their customers, who then get into the very accidents that we've been talking about. In this post, I'll briefly...
