From school kids riding on bike paths, to the avid bicyclists on the roads, there are a lot of bike riders in The Woodlands. Unfortunately, all too often, bike riders are struck by cars. Even wearing a helmet and other protective gear, a bike rider may suffer severe injuries if struck by a car. According to the NTSA, bicyclists accounted for 2.2 percent of all traffic deaths in 2016. Bicyclist deaths occur most often between 6 and 9 p.m. and in urban areas. The vast majority of bicyclists killed are male. The NTSA provides these pointers to avoid bike accidents: • Ride a bike that fits you—if it’s too big, it’s harder to control the bike. • Ride a bike that works—it really doesn’t matter how well you ride if the brakes don’t work. • Wear equipment to protect you and make you more visible to others, like a bike helmet, bright clothing (during the day), reflective gear, and a white front light and red rear light and reflectors on your bike (at night, or when visibility is poor). • Ride one per seat, with both hands on the handlebars, unless signaling a turn. • Carry all items in a backpack or strapped to the back of the bike. • Tuck and tie your shoe laces and pant legs so they don’t get caught in your bike chain. • Plan your route—if driving as a vehicle on the road, choose routes with less traffic and slower speeds. Your safest route […]
Unfortunately, the U.S. leads all other countries in plant explosion deaths. For residents and plant workers located in Pasadena and Deer Park, the danger of plant explosions is a reality of life. High temperatures, high pressure applications and caustic substances can be a recipe for serious injury or death. Although workers compensation rules can sometimes severely limit recoveries by injured workers, it is important to thoroughly investigate the issues of whether the explosion was caused by a defective product, or by the negligence of the employees of company other than the injured worker’s employer. These issues can make a huge difference in the injured worker’s recovery. For these reasons, it is important that the injured worker consult an experienced lawyer before signing any documents after being injured in a plant explosion. The attorneys at Wham & Rogers have experience handling plant explosion cases and have roots in the Pasadena area. Mark Wham is a graduate of Sam Rayburn High School and Rene Rogers attended Deer Park High School. Attorneys with Wham & Rogers are available by appointment at 2600 South Shore Blvd Suite 300, League City, TX 77573.
How dangerous is distracted driving?
Distracted Driving Is a Factor in 15% of injury crashes 10% of fatal crashes and 15% of injury crashes in 2015 were distraction-affected. In 2015, there were 3,477 people killed and an estimated additional 391,000 injured in crashes involving distracted drivers. Cell phone use causes as much impairment as driving drunk People are as impaired when they drive and talk on a cell phone as they are when they drive intoxicated at the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08%. Cell phone users are 5.36 times more likely to get into an accident than undistracted drivers. https://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/drivers-on-cell-phones-are-as-bad-as-drunks/ Texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times Text messaging increases the risk of crash or near-crash by 23 times. Sending or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, long enough to cover a football field while driving at 55 mph Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you in an accident than drunk driving. It takes an average of three seconds after a driver’s mind is taken off the road for any road accident to occur. Reading a text message while driving successfully distracts a driver for a minimum of five seconds each time. The average speed in the US is about 55 mph. Taking five seconds to read a text in this time means that the driver travels the length of a football field without looking at the road. When you text while driving, the time that you spend with your eyes off the road increases […]
Mild traumatic brain injury and post-concussion syndrome
One-third of all concussions are missed in emergency room examinations If you were “dazed” or “confused” following an accident, and are suffering from symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, headaches, trouble sleeping, blurred vision or ringing in your ears, you may have suffered a concussion. A mild traumatic brain injury is defined as a brief period of being “dazed or disoriented,” or a brief loss of consciousness. Statistics show that 33% of concussions are missed in emergency room examinations. One reason for this is that mild traumatic brain injury does NOT show up on a CT scan or an MRI. Standard neuroimaging will identify large focal contusions or hemorrhage, but conventional CT and MRI testing does not identify diffuse axonal and vascular injury, both of which are major drivers of poor clinical outcome after traumatic brain injury. Sharp DJ, et al. Practical Neurology 2015;15:172–186. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2015-001087. Traumatic brain injury has been identified as a health epidemic Traumatic brain injury has been identified as a health epidemic by the World Health Organization and the United States Centers for Disease Control. Each year over a million American suffer concussions Each year in the U.S., 1,000,000 people suffer concussions; 300,000 of these result in serious, long term injuries. Centers for Disease Control, Report to Congress on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In the United States: Steps to Prevent a Serious Public Health Problem. Mild traumatic brain injury can have long-lasting symptoms A mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have serious and long-lasting symptoms, especially in persons […]
What caused my house to flood?
One obvious answer is Harvey. However, the process of developing a subdivision is a process that must safeguard against extreme weather events. The area around your home and subdivision must be taken into account in designing a residential development. And each neighborhood must be designed to drain properly under heavy rains. The developer’s duty of prudent development includes thorough study and analysis, and taking design and engineering steps to ensure proper drainage, to protect the area against high water events. There are many reasons a home floods other than “it just rained too much.” Wham & Rogers, PLLC is beginning the process of examining these reasons to determine if more should have been done in the development and construction in The Woodlands and surrounding areas. If you have any concerns about your home and subdivision, please call for a free consultation.
Why You Need Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Texas
Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark Wham talks about why underinsured motorist protection is so important in the State of Texas.. Wham and Rogers, PLLC – Texas Injury Attorneys (832) 592-1108. Underinsured motorist coverage is possibly the most important car insurance you can buy in Texas. Under Texas law, the minimum allowable liability auto insurance coverage is only $30,000. You can imagine that auto accident victims routinely incur more than $30,000 in losses, damages, and medical expenses. Therefore, if you are seriously injured in an auto accident., then underinsured motorist coverage will provide additional coverage to compensate you for your losses and injuries. Injury Lawyer (832) 592-1108 Call our office for a free consultation. We have offices in The Woodlands, Tx and help clients in Montgomery County, Harris County, and the Greater Houston area. From Our Blog When are punitive damages available in Texas? Questions to ask your personal injury lawyer. What to do after a car accident that is not your fault.
When Are Punitive Damages Available?
What are punitive damages and what purpose do they serve? When are they available in a personal injury case? Mark Wham address the issue of punitive damages in Texas in the video below. Wham and Rogers, PLLC – The Woodlands, Tx Board Certified Injury Lawyers (832) 592-1108. Punitive damages are sometimes awarded to discourage reckless behavior. For example, any person who makes a reckless decision to drive while intoxicated, or to drive several miles per hour over the speed limit is putting us all in danger. When one reckless individual or entity is forced to pay punitive damages, then we are all safer because a message has been sent. Punitive damages tell the community at large that certain conduct will not be tolerated. A large monetary fine or penalty will force others to think about other ways to conduct business without engaging in that kind of behavior. Free Consultation (832) 592-1108 If you have been injured in an accident and would like to speak to an attorney, then give us a call at (832) 592-1108. We help auto accident victims, 18-wheeler accident victims, clients who have been victims of a wrongful death action, and all serious injury victims. Our Recent Articles Colossus Software & Injury Claims Texas Good Samaritan Law Houston Daycare Accident Lawyer
Personal Injury Protection Coverage in Texas
How does PIP coverage in Texas compare to MedPay Coverage? Which is better? The Woodlands, Tx Board Certified personal injury lawyer Mark Wham explains. Wham and Rogers, PLLC – (832) 592-1108. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and MedPay are two important types of auto insurance coverage. What Does PIP Cover? PIP covers the driver and all passengers in your car regardless of who is at fault in causing a collision. PIP generally covers reasonable and necessary medical bills. It also covers 80% of lost wages up to the limits of your specific PIP coverage. PIP payments are not subject to subrogation, which means that you can recover your PIP expenses (from the insurance company) and then recover those same expenses from the Defendant driver, without needing to reimburse your insurance carrier. What Does MedPay Cover? Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay) will cover your reasonable medical expenses up to your MedPay limits. However, MedPay does not provide any coverage for lost wages. Unlike PIP coverage, MedPay is subject to subrogation. In other words, if you receive MedPay insurance payments for your medical expenses, then you will have to reimburse your insurance company if those same medical expenses are awarded in your lawsuit settlement. This is why many attorneys will tell you that PIP coverage is actually more beneficial than MedPay coverage. Have You Been Injured? The Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyers at Wham & Rogers, PLLC are here to help. Call our office for a free consultation at (832) 592-1108. Articles from Wham & Rogers Texas Good […]
Colossus Software and Personal Injury Claim Evaluations
Colossus is a controversial software that some insurance companies are using to evaluate personal injury claims. Wham and Rogers, PLLC – Board Certified Trial Lawyers (832) 592-1108. What Is Colossus? Colossus is a software program used by insurance companies to evaluate personal injury claims. About half of the major insurance companies use this type of software when adjusting injury claims. Since programs like Colossus have been put in use, insurance companies have consistently valued injury claims in smaller and smaller amounts. The insurance companies contend that Colossus makes claims adjusting more efficient by providing a set payment range for each type of injury. However, no two injuries are identical. Every injured person will face different circumstances and each injury will have varied effects on the lives of certain individuals. This is why an experienced lawyer can make a huge difference in the outcome of your claim. The personal injury lawyers at Wham & Rogers know that injuries can’t be quantified by some software, and we will fight to make sure that you are compensated fairly for all of your injuries. Call (832) 592-1108 Call our office for a free consultation. We would be glad to help. Wham & Rogers, PLLC is located in The Woodlands, Tx. We serve The Greater Houston Area including Harris and Montgomery Counties. You may also be interested in The Woodlands Car Accident Lawyer Truck Accident Lawyer in The Woodlands The Woodlands, Tx Wrongful Death Attorneys
The Texas Good Samaritan Law Explained
Question: If you injure someone while rendering emergency aid to them; are you legally liable for that injury? This is the question answered by the Texas Good Samaritan Law. One question that comes up is what happens if I break someone’s ribs while rendering CPR? Am I liable for those broken ribs? Mark Wham addresses this in the video and article below. Wham and Rogers, PLLC – Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyers in The Woodlands, Tx (832) 592-1108. Am I Liable? If you witness an injury accident, can you render aid without the risk of being sued? If you perform CPR and you accidentally break the injured person’s ribs during the process, are you legally responsible for that injury? The Texas Good Samaritan Law protects citizens who render aid to another person during an emergency. CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE, TITLE 4., CHAPTER 74. MEDICAL LIABILITY, SUBCHAPTER D –http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CP/htm/CP.74.htm Sec. 74.151. LIABILITY FOR EMERGENCY CARE. (a) A person who in good faith administers emergency care is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent, including a person who: (1) administers emergency care using an automated external defibrillator; or (2) administers emergency care as a volunteer who is a first responder as the term is defined under Section 421.095, Government Code. What Does the Good Samaritan Law Promote? This law promotes the Texas public policy of encouraging Texans to help our fellow citizens when they are in need of emergency care. Free Consultation (832) 592-1108 […]