New Year’s Eve Safety Tip!!

If you plan on drinking, do not drive. Protect yourself and others as well. In an effort to ensure everyone celebrating the New Year get home safely, AAA Texas is once again offering Tipsy Tow service which provides a complimentary ride and vehicle tow up to ten miles from the point of pick up to all members and non-members. Ask for a Tipsy Tow by calling 1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357) Please share this with friends and family to keep...

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I am an Ice Day Victim....What should I do Now???

What to do, What to do, Whaaaat to do!!! My Vehicle was damaged but it was not my fault:         "If you vehicle was damaged because of your garage or covered parking collapsing:"         1.   "If you have comprehensive auto coverage" you can simply claim it with your auto insurance.          2.   "If you only have liability insurance and live in an...

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ICE, ICE, BABY ICE, 7 Safety Tips for Dallas Icy weather!!!!

What to do tonight!!!    1.If you do not have a garage, dry your windshields and get some cardboard and put them on top of your windshield. Secure it with your windshield wipers.     2.  Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels.   3.  Get some warm chocolate and find a good movie to watch.   Tomorrow Morning!!! 4.  Stay HOME Hero!!!       Best way to prevent...

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What is Negligent Entrustment?

Negligent Entrustment It is possible you can be held liable for injuries in a vehicle accident even when you are nowhere near the accident when it occurs. Protect yourself by understanding the legal doctrine called “negligent entrustment”. If you allow another person to drive your vehicle when you know or should have known they are incompetent of driving. For example, if you allow a 15-year-old unlicensed driver to drive your vehicle and...

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What does “No Fees if No Recovery” on our Advertising mean?

What does “No Fees if No Recovery” on our Advertising mean? It means our office works on a Contingency Fee agreement. A Contingency Fee agreement means if there is no recovery, you are not responsible for our Attorney Fees, Court Costs, and Litigation Expenses. All those expenses along with your Medical Expenses are paid from your share of any settlement. However, it is important to note that your medical bills are not related to our fees and expenses,...

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Tougher DUI laws recommended nationwide

Today the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that all 50 states lower the legally drunk threshold from 0.08 blood-alcohol content to 0.05. The agency believes lowering the limit would save about 500 to 800 lives every year across the nation. Alcohol-related car accidents currently kill approximately 10,000 people every year in the United States. Furthermore, drunk driving is the cause of about a third of all traffic deaths. At the...

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Downtown Dallas 4-year road construction project begins

A four-year $798 billion road construction project begins this week in a huge effort by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to improve traffic flow through Downtown Dallas and the Mixmaster where Interstate 30 and Interstate 35 connect. The area currently ranks among the 17 most congested roadways in Texas. Specific construction improvements include several new bridges along Interstates 30 and 35E across the Trinity River and widening...

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Distracted driving causes more deaths than reported

Distracted driving likely contributes to many more deaths on the roads than what has been previously reported, according to a new study released by the National Safety Council. The study reviewed 180 fatal vehicle crashes from 2009 to 2011 where there was compelling evidence the driver operated a cell phone at the time of the crash. Out of the 2011 crashes, only half of them were marked statistically as an accident where the driver used a...

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What Happens in a Litigation Case?

If you have been hurt in an accident, Dallas personal injury attorney Sean Chalaki can help you as you attempt to recover compensation for your losses, which can include expenses such as medical bills, lost wages and even pain and suffering. In the majority of cases, a settlement will be reached outside of the courtroom. However, there are some cases where a fair settlement cannot be reached out of court and therefore must move into litigation....

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Former fireman sues DFW city for injuries

A former fireman is suing the city he worked for when he was injured on the job claiming the city is refusing to pay for his recovery. Reports say the 31-year-old man filed a lawsuit against University Park seeking up to $1 million in damages to help recover costs he sustained because of a back injury in 2011. According to reports, he injured his back while trying to lift a patient onto a stretcher in 2011. Because of the injury, he has received...

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Motorcycle fatalities down slightly in Texas

Texas motorcycle deaths dropped by 6 percent in 2012, according to reports by the Texas Department of Transportation. The department says in 2012, 460 people lost their lives in motorcycle or scooter accidents in the state, compared to 488 in 2011. Over half of those killed were not wearing helmets. Even though motorcycle fatalities decreased from 2011 to 2012, the number of Texas motorcycle accident deaths has increased by a whopping 54...

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Why are my insurance premiums so high?

Insurance companies set their rates based on how likely they believe a person is to file a claim. If they believe you are more likely to file a claim, then your insurance premium will be higher. If the insurance company believes you are less likely to file a claim, then your insurance premium is lower. Some factors insurance companies consider are obvious such as person’s driving record for vehicle insurance and a person’s medical history for...

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Texas traffic lower than expected on nation’s fastest road

It was big news when it first opened. The nation’s fastest roadway allowing drivers to travel at historic maximum speeds of 85 miles per hour opened in Texas in October. However, months later, developers are disappointed in the driver turnout so far. In fact, less than half the number of expected drivers have traveled the road. The Texas 130 toll road, which runs between Austin and Seguin, generated $2.6 million in toll revenue during...

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Texas legislature slow to move on proposed DWI laws

Several new bills aimed at reducing the number of DWI accidents on Texas roads are moving slowly through the Texas Legislature this session. The slow movement could mean the bills have little chance of becoming laws this year. Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related fatalities. Of the 3,016 Texas road fatalities in 2011, 1,213 or 40 percent were alcohol-related. In comparison, California, with approximately 12 million more residents than...

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Nissan recalls vehicles due to faulty tires

If you are in a Dallas vehicle accident, one of your first questions might be who caused the accident? Did another driver cause the accident? Who is at fault? In some cases, fault might even lie with a manufacturer of parts on your vehicle or another vehicle involved in the accident. For example, Nissan Motor Company recently announced a recall of 123,308 Altima sedans because their spare tires may be faulty. Nissan reported the spare...

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What is Litigation?

Litigation can sound like a scary legal word. But what is it exactly? Litigation is simply the resolution of disputes through the court system. There are three types of litigation:  civil litigation, criminal litigation and administrative litigation. Civil Litigation Civil Litigation matters are what we primarily deal with here at the Law Offices of Sean Chalaki in Dallas. Civil litigation is the resolution of disputes between private...

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Dallas commuters wasted 20.6 hours on roads in 2012

The average Dallas commuter spent 20.6 hours sitting in gridlocked traffic in 2012, said an annual national study released last week. However, there was some good news for Dallas, according to the study. In 2012 Dallas was ranked 21st in the nation in traffic congestion for 2012, which is a big improvement over just three years ago when Dallas was ranked 5th. The good news could be short lived because Dallas traffic is already up 2 percent...

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If you were injured in an auto accident, what is the difference between a First Party and Third Party Claim?

If you were injured in an auto accident, what is the difference between a First Party and Third Party Claim? Dallas Car Accident Attorney Sean Chalaki  When you are involved in an accident there are two major types of auto insurance claims:  a First Party claims and a Third Party claims. How do you know which one to file and what is the difference? First, let us look at the definition of each. “First party” refers to...

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Texas one step closer to new texting law

Last week, the Texas House voted to approve a new law making texting while driving illegal in Texas, one of only 10 states in the nation which still legally allows texting while driving. The bill passed 98-47 and still requires final Senate approval. The new law would give a $100 fine to any Texas driver caught texting while behind the wheel. Opponents of the law worry about possible racial profiling and giving police too much power. Others...

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