We’re happy to bring you the Fall 2008 Texas Law Alert in this new blog format. This article and the following short blog entries are all part of this fall’s Alert. Each Alert brings you easy-to-read tips and articles on everyday legal topics.

Despite this modern age of marketing and advertising, the best source of our new business is word-of-mouth. We are grateful that many of our clients and friends feel confident in recommending our firm.

Unfortunately, when people need a good lawyer, they often do not know where to turn. If you or someone you know has been injured and needs legal help, contact us for a free case evaluation.

Automobile Insurance Essentials

Most of us who drive know we must have insurance on our automobiles, but not all of us know what this insurance does and does not cover.

After an Auto Accident

Simple, practical advice about what to do after you’re involved in a car wreck or auto accident.

Advice for the Injured

No one wants to be injured in an accident, and no one wants to have to hire a lawyer to pursue a claim against the person who injured them. However, people are occasionally injured and have to pursue a claim.

Travel Safely on Airlines

While passengers in a plane can hardly prevent a crash, they can take some common-sense steps to make sure that they survive any crash that may occur.

Dog Owners Be Advised

Some dog owners believe they cannot be liable if their dog attacks someone, unless it has attacked someone else before and therefore the animal is known to be dangerous. The Texas Supreme Court has recently made clear that this is not accurate.

Dangerous Drugs

Although the majority of drugs are safe and effective, many are dangerous to certain users.

Visit our archive of past Texas Law Alerts.

Personal Injury Tips

No one wants to be injured in an accident, and no one wants to have to hire a lawyer to pursue a claim against the person who injured them. However, people are occasionally injured and have to pursue a claim. If this has happened to you, keep in mind the following tips.

Be Careful Whom You Talk To

As strange as it may sound, you have to be careful whom you talk to about your injuries. Of course, you are going to talk to family members and friends about what happened. Out of concern, many of them will offer you all kinds of advice about your medical care and legal matters. Although they are well-intentioned, your family and friends are not usually doctors or lawyers, and, even if they are, their advice may not be correct. Instead of relying on advice from nonexperts, rely on a doctor and a lawyer you trust to help you make medical or legal decisions.

When speaking with your doctor, keep the focus on your condition. There is no need to hide the truth–if your doctor asks if you have a lawyer, tell him you do. However, keep in mind that it is the doctor’s job to care for your body, and the lawyer’s job to handle your case. There is no need to volunteer more than you have been asked. Also, make sure that your doctor knows immediately about any change in your medical condition.

BE VERY CAREFUL when speaking with an insurance adjustor who works for the insurance company of the person who caused your injuries. No matter how friendly he seems or how much he says he wants to help, he works for your opponent and is trying to pay you as little as possible. The best tactic is to tell the adjustor to call your lawyer.
Keep Good Records

If you are being treated for injuries, you will generate a lot of paperwork, much of which is relevant to your case. If you can keep your records in good order, this will help your lawyer tremendously.

Of course, keep copies of medical records, especially your bills, from all of your doctors and other healthcare providers. Records from your health insurer are also important.

If you have missed time from work and are trying to recover for your lost wages, a pay stub showing how much you would have earned can be valuable, as is a statement from your employer telling how much time you have missed from work. Income tax returns from current and prior years are also helpful, allowing a comparison between what you earned before you were injured and what you earned afterwards.

In addition to this, keep any documents that you receive from an insurance company, whether your own or the insurer of the person who caused your injuries. If you receive anything in the mail that looks as if it is related to your case, hang onto it.

Help Your Lawyer to Help You

Finally, don’t overlook the obvious. Make sure that your attorney has your current address and phone number, and let him know if they change. Your lawyer will do everything possible to give you plenty of notice about things he or she may need, and you will have to meet any deadlines the court might impose.

If you need to speak with your lawyer, make an appointment. This ensures that your attorney will have time to speak with you and will be prepared to discuss your case. Lawyers have other clients and other commitments, and “dropping by” without notice may waste your time.

Keeping all of these things in mind will help your case go as smoothly as possible and help to ensure that you recover everything that you deserve.

Some dog owners believe they cannot be liable if their dog attacks someone, unless it has attacked someone else before and therefore the animal is known to be dangerous. The Texas Supreme Court has recently made clear that this is not accurate.

The case involved a salesman who was making a delivery to the owner of three dogs. When the door opened, the dogs attacked the salesman, who was badly bitten. As the dogs were attacking the salesman, the owner did nothing to try to stop them.

The salesman sued, and the owner argued that because the dogs had never been vicious before she could not be liable for the injuries they caused. On appeal, the supreme court disagreed. It ruled that because the owner saw the dogs attack, she should have taken reasonable steps to try to call off the dogs or otherwise stop them from attacking the salesperson. Because the evidence showed that she did not do so, she could be liable.

Pet owners should be prepared not only to take reasonable steps to protect people from attacks by their pets, but also to take reasonable steps to stop such attacks should they begin.

Dallas Lawyer Shares Knowledge

Dallas Lawyer Dan Street and his legal team welcome you to their new blog. The new blog will be covering all areas of Dallas law that we find useful and informational to our current clients and our potential clients.

A History of Success in Legal Matters

The Dallas law firm STREET LAW FIRM brings to the table more than 50 years of handling personal injury and wrongful death cases with a 99.9% winning percentage. Very few personal injury lawyers or personal injury law firms can match that percentage of cases won.

Our Areas of Expertise in Dallas Law

The areas of expertise for these Dallas lawyers are airplane crashes, boating accidents, dangerous products, motorcycle accidents, sexual harassment, slip-and-fall, animal bites, bus accidents, hospital negligence, non-subscriber cases, trip-and-fall, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, car wrecks, medical malpractice, pedestrian accidents, train wrecks, and wrongful death.

Dallas Law Firm That Provides Assistance

Dan Street and his team are experts in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death and Texas law and they into to share their knowledge with you through interesting and timely blog posts. The blog posts may answer some of your questions regarding the law or they may cause you to realize that you need to retain a lawyer. These blogs will bring you insight into your rights, as well as insight into cases that you may find are similar to your own.

Our Legal Team Is Here for You

Come join the Dallas law firm of the STREET LAW FIRM as they begin their voyage into the world of blogging. And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need a personal injury or wrongful death lawyer, please contact one of our personal injury legal team today. They will be glad to help you in anyway they can, and the initial consultation is always free.