You may think that your accident was minor and there is no need to file a police report. At Springer & Lyle, we are concerned about people who fail to file a police report only to later discover they were harmed and have medical problems because of a negligent driver causing the accident. Texas Law Has Requirements for Filing a Police Report After an Accident Texas law requires you to report an accident if anyone was injured or killed, or if the vehicle has been so severely damaged it cannot be “normally and safely driven.” Thea report shall be given by “the quickest means of … [Read more...]
Can I File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit on Behalf of a Loved One?
No amount of money can compensate for the loss of a loved one. Grief is compounded when the death was caused by the negligence of another. If you were financially dependent upon the deceased, the wrongful death may cause your life to dramatically change. At Springer & Lyle, we care about you and work diligently to obtain for you the compensation you deserve. What is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit? Under Texas law, wrongful death is when: A person dies from an injury and,The injury is caused by another person's or entity's "wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness, … [Read more...]
When Divorced Parents Disagree Over Their Children’s COVID-19 Vaccination
The nation has suffered greatly from the COVID-19 pandemic with the loss of hundreds of thousands of people who died from the dreadful virus. Current news reports that almost as many people are dying every day from the illness today as died a year ago. The difference is that this year, almost 100 percent of those who get sick and/or die are people who have not been vaccinated. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved vaccinations for children ages 5 and up. This has created a controversy between many divorced parents due to their disagreement about whether to … [Read more...]
Truck Tire Blowout Accidents
If you have ever had a blowout while driving on the highway, you know how frightening it can be and how difficult it is to maintain control of your 3,500-pound vehicle. That loss of control is magnified when the blowout happens to an 80,000-pound loaded semi-truck. The truck tire blowout and subsequent loss of control can cause the semi to jack-knife, serve into the lane of oncoming traffic, or even cause a fire. Even if the driver maintains control of the vehicle, tire debris can fly around and cause damage to other nearby vehicles. In some cases, a blow-out can happen due to no … [Read more...]
The Holidays and Your Estate Planning
It may seem strange to associate estate planning with the holidays. It is actually a great time to assess your family’s situation, its changing needs, and how that affects how you want your assets distributed when you die. As Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend in 1789, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” The only uncertainty is when death will happen. Whenever that is, it can give you peace of mind today to know that you have left instructions so that your wishes will be carried out. Important Questions to Ask Before Your Holiday Celebration … [Read more...]
Divorce: How to Manage the Holidays
The holidays are coming. Before you know it, you will be making decisions for your family about how to manage the holiday schedule. If this is your first holiday season after your divorce, you may find it difficult to juggle activities, to determine which parent the children will be with at which times, and to carve out a holiday routine that is as close to normal as possible. At Springer & Lyle, we want to help parents co-parent their children during the holiday season in ways that alleviate stress. You can combine your standard traditions with new ways of celebrating so the season is … [Read more...]
Pets and Distracted Driving
When you think of distracted driving, you probably think about talking on the phone, texting, eating, using the rear-view mirror for grooming, and other similar activities. You may not think about how a driver can be distracted by pets to such a degree that an accident occurs. How Pets Can Distract Drivers If a pet quietly lies down in the back seat and sleeps until the driver arrives at his or her destination, there will likely be no problems. But there are numerous ways in which a pet can distract the driver. Some examples are: The pet moves back and forth across the … [Read more...]
Are All Assets Community Property?
When a married couple in Texas divorces, the law presumes that all property accumulated during the marriage is community property, which means it is owned jointly by both parties and should be divided equally between them. But all property may not belong to the community. One party may claim some assets as their own separate property. The law requires them to prove an asset is their own separate property by clear and convincing evidence. Assets Considered Community Property Assets that were accumulated during the marriage that are considered community property according to law … [Read more...]
What Happens When Someone Dies Without A Will in Texas?
If someone dies in Texas without a will, the Texas Estates Code governs how the estate is distributed. A person who dies without a will is said to have died “intestate.” The law provides complicated guidance as to how property of a person who dies intestate is divided. The important thing to remember is that the estate does not automatically go the state but is distributed among the decedent’s closest relatives. Property Exempted from Intestate Estate Distribution Laws Some types of property are exempted from the Texas Estates Code distribution laws that apply to the estate of someone … [Read more...]
Holiday Travel & Accidents
The most dangerous times to travel are from late November to early January. More people are on the road between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than at any other time of the year. Families travel to different cities to be together. You may drive across town to attend a party. It is just common sense that the more vehicles that are on the road, the likelihood of crashes increases. Before you get behind the wheel, the American Automobile Association (AAA), National Safety Council (NSC) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all have suggestions to make your travel safer during this … [Read more...]