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 a New Year happy.

If you or your loved ones were involved in a DWI/DUI car accident, contact Dallas accident attorney Sean Chalaki at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki at 1-877-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500. For more information, visit www.injurylawyerofdallas.com

Happy New Year!

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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 apartment complex", get ready for a headache.  Get the apartment complex's insurance information at all cost.  They will try to tell you that they are not liable and for you to claim it on your own auto insurance. Tell them you still have the right to report and claim the incident with their insurance company.  Your claim should be the apartment complex failed to properly maintain the premises prior and after the ice storm.  

         3.  "If your roof or garage clasped on your vehicle and you only have auto liability insurance:"  Depending on your homeowner's policy, your vehicle may be covered as a property damage under your homeowner's insurance.  

        4.  "What if my vehicle was parked outside, someone hit it and ran away, and I only have Liability Insurance?" Unfortunately, your only solution would still be your homeowners insurance depending on your coverage. 

Slip and Fall:

    "I fell inside or outside the store because it was wet or icy:"  Slip and fall cases are complicated cases to cover in a single blog therefore, call me on case by case basis and I will do a free initial consultation with you.  However, if you are injured please get the appropriate medical treatment. 

Collisions:

    1. "I was involved in a car accident because someone cut me off:"   Unless, you have a police report or a witness that can testify to the other person's fault, it is difficult to prove your case without having contact with the other vehicle.  Therefore, your collision coverage under your own auto insurance is your best bet.  As far as your bodily injuries, under Texas law you will have a difficult time claiming your injuries under UM/UIM coverage because there was no contact.  However, there are various cases where contact can be established through other methods, call the office for a free initial consultation and I will discuss your options. 

    

    2. "I was involved in a car accident with median, wall, or a pole:" Collision coverage claim under your own auto insurance is your best option unless you feel like there was a default on the premises. 

     3.  "I was involved in a car accident while at work or in the scope of my employment:"  You can make a worker's compensation claim with a worker's compensation attorney.  Call our office and we will discuss your rights. 

    4.  "I was in a car accident with another vehicle and it was not my fault:" www.dfwlegaladvice.com to obtain additional information.  Read our previous blogs.  Or Simply call the office at 972-793-8500 or (877) 9DFW-LAW for a free initial consultation with the Dallas Car Accident Lawyer.  The injury lawyer of Dallas is here to evaluate your case appropriately and discuss your rights and options.  You can also email us with additional questions from our website. 

Law Office of Sean Chalaki P.C.

Address:

5220 Spring Valley Road Suite 406, Dallas TX 75254

Phone:

MAIN: 972.793.8500

TOLL FREE: 877-9-DFWLAW

FAX: 800.991.6288

E-mail: contactus@dfwlegaladvice.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Law-Offices-of-Sean-Chalaki-PC

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dfwInjurylaw

Law Blog: http://injurylawyerofdallas.blogspot.com

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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 a collision is not to go out in the ice.  However, if you have to leave the house because the world is about to end, wait until the conditions improve.  Do not leave early in the morning, wait until the sun melts some of the ice or the city sprays sand(salt) on the ground. 

5.  How to leave home!!!
     15 minutes before you leave turn your vehicle on and turn on the heater and the window defroster (if your vehicle is in the garage make sure to leave part of the garage door open).  Check your tailpipes make sure they are free of ice.  Scrape the melted ice from your windshields.  Clear the roof of the car from any melted ice. When you are ready to hit the road, shovel around your wheels and under the front and rear bumpers to clear away any ice or snow.

6.  Slow Down Turbo!!!
     Now that you have to leave home and didn't listen to our first advice, at least slow down.  Driving in other people's tracks slowly prevents you from hitting new ice.  Slow down on the bridge, turns, private road, roads less traveled, and while you are getting out of the garage.

7.  Good Driving habits in Ice!!!
     Do not slam on the brakes, it will lock your brakes, try tapping it really slow.  Watch out for black ice. Wear your seat belt. Do not accelerate of the line or while turning.  Do not jerk your steering wheel.  If you slide turn the wheel in the direction that the rear of your car is sliding.  Do not do any sudden lane changes.  Keep your distance from all vehicles.   Be on the look out for other vehicles sliding into you. Did I mention stay home!!!

In Case of a Collision!!!

Told you Stay Home...

  1. Put your hazard lights on immediately.   Check yourself for injuries and call 911.
  2. If safe take pictures of the scene of the collision and the vehicles involved in the accident.  Then immediately move your car to a safe spot. (It's important to move to a safe spot so you do not get hit by other people, as it is hard for others to stop in ice.)
  3. Exchange insurance information, Driver License, and contact information until the officers show up.
  4. Make sure the officers report the collision and give you a report number. 
  5.  If no officers shows up to the scene of the collision, ask the other person write down what happened and sign it.
  6. If you are injured have your vehicle towed and leave with the EMT.
  7. If you are driving yourself home make sure to check if the vehicle is safe to drive.

Dallas car accident attorney Sean Chalaki is here to assist and answer any questions that you may have. Stay off the ice and I hope you have a great holiday.  Visit www.injurylawyerofdallas.com for additional information.

Please do note that the material here should not be relied on to prevent a collision.   The material here is general information and an opinion of the individual and does not guarantee any results or outcome. The material here is not legal advice and does not create any attorney-client relationship.  

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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 they cause an accident. Then most likely you will be responsible for the damages due to negligent entrustment.

To establish a vehicle owner’s liability under negligent entrustment, the injured person must prove the following:

1.      The owner entrusted the vehicle to the driver

2.      The driver was unlicensed, incompetent or reckless.

3.      The owner knew or should have known the driver was unlicensed, incompetent or reckless

4.      The driver was negligent in the accident in question

5.      The driver’s negligence proximately caused the accident.

One example is a case called Bedford vs. Moore in Texas in 2005. The court upheld a negligent entrustment verdict against the owner of the gravel company because the company failed to perform a driving history on the drive. If the company had looked into the driving history, the company would have seen several transgressions on the driving report.

Furthermore, the driver showed up that morning with a bandage on her head after spending all night in the emergency room which could have also made her driving questionable that day. Therefore, the company’s owner was held liable for the accident that the employee caused because of negligent entrustment.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and you need to know who is legally responsible, Dallas accident attorney Sean Chalaki can help. Contact him at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki at 1-877-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500. For more information, visit http://www.dfwlegaladvice.com/car-accidents.html .

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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, and you are individually responsible for them no matter what the outcome of the case will be.  Contact Dallas Injury Lawyer Sean Chalaki for additional information regarding your car accident.

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