Introduction​ The number of children and adolescents in this country who sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) is staggering.  A half  million youngsters each year are taken to emergency rooms with head injuries from falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports, and abuse.  Approximately 165,000 of these children will be hospitalized with 20,000 suffering moderate to severe symptoms. TBI is the leading cause of death in children ages 0-4 and adolescents ages 15-19.  Further, it is estimated that 145,000 adolescents ages 15-19 are living with lasting cognitive, physical, or behavior effects of traumatic brain injury (Center for Disease Control, 2015).  Why are these

How Texas law works to hold those who provide the booze liable for the cruise,and what you need to know about who can be liable – and why. Few things are more frightening on Texas roadways than drunk drivers. We know the menace they represent and the carnage they cause. Texas has some pretty tough criminal laws in place to punish those who offend. And they’re getting tougher. That’s a good thing! But we also have a pretty salty statute that can impose civil liability (meaning money damages) on those who hold the bottle and pour the drink. And that’s

A Brief Overview Losing someone you love is difficult under any circumstance.  When the loss of a loved one happens through the careless acts of another person or corporation, it can be devastating.  Deciding whether to file a wrongful death claim is a very personal and often difficult process.  No one can make the decision for you and your family.  I often counsel grieving family members on what’s involved and what to expect in a wrongful death lawsuit, and whether a case would be viable given the facts of their situation.  For my clients, having a general understanding of the

Pedestrian and bicyclist rights and how the law strolls and pedals along with them. The kids are back in school, so the crosswalks are “little-one chaos.” The weather in Texas is getting cooler, so cyclists are hitting the asphalt without fear of heatstroke. All in all, it’s a great time to be outdoors. Save one reason. There’s your best friend Joe (and lots of other Joes) cruising the roadway (while texting, eating and more) like his own private autobahn. In other words… Reckless and distracted drivers. So what’s the law in Texas? Do automobiles always have the right-of-way? What are

How Texas law works to hold those who provide the booze liable for the cruise,and what you need to know about who can be liable – and why. Nursing home liability in Texas and what you need to know. This is a tough topic. You love your parents and grandparents. They’ve spent their lives loving and doing for you, and you’ve watched them slowly grow older with grace and courage. But now it’s time. They need help on a daily basis and finding the right assisted living facility is a critical decision. You want their needs met, and most of

How Texas law works to hold those who provide the booze liable for the cruise,and what you need to know about who can be liable – and why. How Texas law can impose liability on you for accidents caused by someone driving your car…and how you steer clear of it. (Pun intended.) “I just need to run a quick errand, and I won’t be gone long. Can I borrow your car?” Sounds harmless. No big deal, right? You want to be a good neighbor, friend, relative…whatever the case may be. But before you hand over your keys to your best

A How-To: Avoid injuries, minimize liability and protect guests from harm. (It’s generally considered poor etiquette if invited guests have to leave your home by ambulance.) Just what does Texas law say when it comes to the liability of homeowners for conditions on their property? This area of law is well-established but often misunderstood. Here are the basics: First and foremost, realize that you (as the homeowner) are NOT an insurer… Just because someone is injured on your property does not make you automatically liable. Sometimes best friend Joe’s common sense, good judgment and hand-eye coordination simply vacate the premises,

How Texas law bites back hard with liability for pet owners, and what you can do to help stay out of the legal doghouse. Since there’s absolutely no way your gentle, loving and loyal dog could ever-ever-ever harm anyone, this article is about all those other dogs out there. But on the off-chance your adorable pooch has a really bad day (or feels some peer pressure), here’s what Texas law says about your liability should Fido turn Bito… As an owner of a dog, you can be held “strictly liable” under the law (meaning automatically liable!) IF: 1) Your dog previously bit a