It is worth remembering that sometimes things do work out for the best if you do the right thing. This point was driven home by a recent case involving a Texas truck driver and an unsafe load.
The truck driver was fired because he refused to take to the highways driving a load of steel that was not properly secured and was therefore dangerous. The company’s president told him he could either drive the company’s truck or drive his own truck home. The trucker refused to take the unsafe load and was fired the same day.
The trucker sued, claiming that he was fired solely for refusing to perform an illegal act. At trial, the jury agreed. Contributing to its verdict were a number of facts, including the following:

•    This was not the first time the driver had complained about having to drive a dangerous load.
•    The company admitted that it knew next to nothing about the federal regulations governing trucks and their loads.
•    The driver had previously received a ticket for transporting an unsafe and illegal load, about which he had complained.
•    When another driver took the same unsafe load the trucker had refused to take, part of the load came loose and slammed into the driver’s cab.

The trucking company tried to discredit the trucker’s stance and to portray him as being in it for the money, but the jury credited his testimony that he had been trying to do the right thing and be a good role model for his kids. The jury awarded the trucker $267,000, even though he had suffered only $7,500 in lost wages. Those of us who drive on Texas highways can only hope that the trucking company got the message.

Although no one would argue that balancing your checkbook is a fun way to pass an evening, balancing it every month is important for several reasons.

Bouncing Checks Is Expensive

Banks make much of their profit on bounced check charges and overdraft fees, and these charges and fees keep going up. They can also have a negative effect on your credit rating, making borrowing for everything from a house to a car to a vacation more expensive. Balancing your checkbook every month (and keeping good records of ATM withdrawals, fund transfers, etc.) helps make sure you don’t write checks you can’t cover, saving money.

Mistakes Happen

Although not common, banks sometimes make mistakes on your statement. If you balance your checkbook every month, you can find these mistakes early, when they are easier to correct.

Stop the Bad Guys

Finally, as much as we hate to think about it, fraud and identity theft are on the rise. While rare, it is possible for others to siphon off funds from your bank account without your knowledge. If you go over your records every month, you can discover this kind of problem before you lose too much of your hard-earned money.

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.

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.