(CNN) - Nine people -- including six student athletes and their coach -- were killed in a fiery crash between a pickup truck and a van carrying members of the University of the Southwest's men's and women's golf teams, officials said Wednesday.
The crash happened around 8:17 p.m. Tuesday just outside Andrews, Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety said."A Dodge 2500 pickup was traveling southbound on FM 1788. A Ford Transit passenger van registered to the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, NM was traveling northbound on FM 1788," the DPS said in a statement. An earlier notice from the agency misidentified the pickup as a Ford F-150.
"For unknown reasons, the Dodge pickup drove into the northbound lane and struck the Ford passenger van head on," DPS Sgt. Steven Blanco said. "Both vehicles caught fire and burned."
Six students and one faculty member aboard the university van were killed, the DPS said. The driver and a passenger in the pickup truck also died.
If you need a wrongful death attorney in Texas, call Stanley & Associates
Many times when a death of a loved one occurs due to the negligence of another, a civil lawsuit is not the first thing on your mind. However, it is very important that a tough, experienced, and compassionate attorney gets involved at the start of the case. Evidence needs to be protected and circumstances need to be figured out.
Stanley & Associates has represented clients across Texas and throughout the United States for over ten years. Our firm has successfully won thousands of cases during this time.
Our Dallas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means no fee unless we win. Call Stanley Associates at 844-227-9739
Delaying medical treatment is one of the major arguments used by insurance companies to deny paying a claim or to severely reduce its value. Even if you go to the ER immediately, but do not go to a doctor for a month, that can be a Gap in Treatment (insurance term). The insurance company will say that if you were in pain, you would have seen a doctor immediately. Many times, these gaps are created because you assume the pain will go away, or you think you can’t afford a doctor visit. Our law firm allows clients to treat under a letter of protection. This allows you to get the medical attention you need without paying until the case settles. It is very important to contact us or the doctor if you are not being seen by a doctor and you are still feeling pain.
No medical treatment can severely affect your personal injury case. We are arguing for your pain and suffering. This is separate from your property damage award. The medical records and bills are evidence of your injuries and pain and suffering that are related to the collision. It is extremely important to make sure that you see a doctor if you are feeling any pain that might be related to the accident.
Different insurance companies treat cases differently. We have years of experience with these companies and can take the steps necessary to negotiate your case properly. Remember, the insurance company is representing the driver that hit you. They are NOT ON YOUR SIDE.
If you have been injured in an auto accident in or around Dallas, contact Stanley & Associates for your free case consultation. Stanley & Associates has represented clients across Texas and throughout the United States for over ten years. Our firm has successfully won thousands of cases during this time.
Our Dallas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you owe us nothing unless and until we win your case.
If you have passengers with you, check on them first. After seeing if everyone is okay, call 911. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Whether the police arrive or not, many insurance policies require that you call 911 to file an accident report. Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses.
Some people only take pictures of their car but taking pictures of everything is even better! Take photos of all cars involved, street lights and signs, the entire scene of the accident, injuries, and license plates. Take pictures of driver's licenses and insurance cards for liability purposes. These photos are a huge plus to have on your side.
You can talk to the police officer, but do not make any kind of statement to the insurance company. Consult with an attorney prior to speaking to the insurance companies. They are building their case against you. It is our job to speak on your behalf and to provide the very best outcome for you. Your job is to focus on recovering from your injuries because your well-being is what matters the most to us.
It is common for whiplash to set in hours or even a day or two after you've just been hit in a car wreck. Bruising can take days or weeks to become apparent. When you've been hit, your body absorbs a lot of trauma - even your brain. Be cautious and get a proper evaluation from a medical professional even if you feel nothing at the time.
Before you go live or do anything else, you need to hire a personal injury attorney. Stanley & Associates will guide you through the process from the moment you've been hit until the very end.
Long story short, get hit, take pics, and go to treatment. Let us deal with the insurance. Like Matthew McConaughey says, everything will be "alright, alright, alright".
The judge and constitutional law professors will tell you about your "civic duty" - to go down to the courthouse for jury duty. To get paid ten dollars a day to take off work and help decide whether or not someone goes to jail, or to decide if someone has to pay.
Just thinking about a trial after a traumatic personal injury can be daunting. That's where our personal injury attorneys can assist you.
Most personal injury cases will settle before a trial. Talk about a weight lifted off your shoulders!
We call a jury to the courtroom and go to trial when an insurance company has refused to pay enough money to settle the case.
In Texas, it is against the law for someone to drive without valid car insurance. During a trial, you cannot mention Allstate, GEICO, or any insurance company - even though they will pay for their insured driver's negligence.
A jury is who will decide which person was negligent in a car wreck. They will also get to decide how much money the injured person will receive as compensation for this process. It can take years to get to trial.
When the final trial date comes, you won’t hear anything about car insurance. It will just be the other driver at court. But their car insurance provided their lawyer and will pay any amount awarded by the jury.
A summons for jury duty is always a surprise and hardly ever fun. But jurors are an integral part of the trial process and the role should not be taken lightly.
The science of whiplash is well-accepted today. But we are now finding out about injuries to the brain that can occur during a car wreck. Traumatic brain injuries, or TBI for short, are at the forefront of scientific and medical research. Concussions sustained by football players have helped advance these studies in recent years.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a TBI is a damage to the brain that causes brain dysfunction caused by a blow or other traumatic injury to the head or body. If it can happen during a football game with a player wearing a helmet, it can happen to you in a car wreck.
When you are in a car accident, the force of the impact is disbursed throughout the car and its occupants. Mayfield Brain and Spine says that “during the impact of the accident, the brain crashes back and forth inside of the hard skull causing bruising, bleeding, and tearing of nerve fibers.” Watch the video below to see a collection of crash tests. Pay close attention to the test dummies for an idea of what your body may experience during a car wreck.
Most clients are unaware that they might have damaged their brains in a car wreck. Some signs and symptoms may include confusion, blurred vision or dizziness, changes in irritability or emotional disturbances, poor attention, memory loss, fatigue, headaches, and other symptoms.
A traumatic brain injury could set in after the car wreck when the brain swells, which is called a secondary injury.
Traumatic brain injuries should not be taken lightly. Seek emergency medical care if there are any signs or symptoms of traumatic brain injury after a car accident or other traumatic injury to the head. A mild injury to the brain requires prompt attention and an accurate diagnosis.
Immediately after the accident!
You will be focused on recovery and physical therapy. Your attorney will worry about everything else. Stanley & Associates has made it easier than ever to hire an attorney. We offer free consultations and will answer any questions you have. Call 972-833-8000 or send us a message.
