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 the first six weeks of opening, with approximately 203,000 travelling the new road. However, SH 130 Concession Co. spent $1.4 billion building the toll road and less than half the number of expected drivers could mean financial trouble for the company.

The first death on the 85 mph toll road was reported in November. There have also been reports of vehicles colliding with wild animals such as deer and hogs.

Utah has the second fastest road in the nation with 80 miles per hour speed limit.

Faster speeds could mean more accidents and injury risks to drivers and their loved ones. If you or someone you know has been involved in a vehicle accident, call Texas accident attorney Sean Chalaki at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki at 1-87-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500. For more information, see our website at http://www.dfwlegaladvice.com/car-accidents.html .

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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 Texas, had only 774 alcohol-related driving fatalities in the same year.

Despite the problem, Texas has not been quick to pass tougher DWI laws in the current session.

Organizations like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) have long called for Texas to include more sobriety checkpoints and even require ignition interlocks in the vehicles of DWI offenders. Such devices would prevent vehicles from starting if the driver is impaired.

Thirty-eight states already have sobriety checkpoints and 16 have interlock laws.

Rep. Stefani Carter of Dallas has filed one bill allowing more judges to issue search warrants for blood draws in DWI arrests. However, the bill has not had the required public hearing in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee which would allow the bill to move forward.

As Texas continues to lead the country in alcohol-related fatalities, the risks to all Texas drivers is greater. Dallas DWI accident attorney Sean Chalaki can assist you. Call Sean Chalaki at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki toll-free at 1-877-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500. For more information, read his website at http://www.dfwlegaladvice.com/dwi-accidents.html .

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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 tires on some 2013 Altima sedan models may be over or under-inflated, which increases the risk of crash.

The company blamed the problem on a malfunctioning pressure regulator at its plant in Mississippi. Nissan said the problem has been corrected. The company will notify owners of the vehicles in question beginning May 3.

Therefore, it is critical when you are in an accident that it is investigated thoroughly. There may be a party at fault that might not be obvious. There could be a manufacturer problem which caused or contributed to the damages in your accident.

Dallas product liability attorney Sean Chalaki at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki will thoroughly investigate your accident. All responsible parties will be identified and held accountable. If you have been involved in an accident, call Sean Chalaki toll free at 1-877-9DFWLAW or locally at 972-793-8500. Read more information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones in the case of a vehicle crash at http://www.dfwlegaladvice.com/car-accidents.html . 

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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 parties through the court systems. 

For example, if you are driving down 75 in Dallas and another driver fails to stay in their own lane and hits you causing damage, then you could have a civil litigation case against the driver at fault. Experienced personal injury attorney Sean Chalaki can help you recover damages you’ve lost as a result of the driver’s errors on the road.

The majority of civil cases can be settled out of court, with a strong negotiating attorney. However, there are some cases that do go to trial for resolution, which means the case will enter the civil litigation process. Each state has their own specialized rules of procedure for civil litigation and it is critical you have an experienced attorney to handle all the steps for you. Some of the rules and procedures can be very complex and time-consuming and one missed step could mean your case is thrown out and you get nothing.

Criminal Litigation

Another type of litigation is criminal litigation. This does not involved two private parties, but instead the government prosecutes an action against individuals who have committed crimes against society or broken criminal laws. It is possible that a criminal case can also have a civil litigation aspect to it. For example, the state can hold a criminal accountable for his or her crime through criminal litigation, but the injured party can also file a civil suit in an attempt to recover damages from the person at fault.

A well-known instance of this is the O.J. Simpson trial in the 1990s. O.J. Simpson was acquitted for the murder of his wife and her friend in criminal litigation, because the jury found there was reasonable doubt to his guilt. However, the families of the victims then sued O.J. Simpson in civil litigation in an attempt to recover damages for losses like pain and suffering. The family won the civil case and the jury in the civil trial awarded the families of the victims millions of dollars. Therefore, even criminal cases can lead to civil litigation. Experienced Dallas attorney Sean Chalaki may be able to help you in your civil case.

Administrative Litigation

The final form of litigation is Administrative Litigation. Administrative litigation involves administrative agencies resolving disputes regarding their administrative rules and regulations. An example would be a worker’s compensation claim. A worker’s compensation claim must first attempt to be resolved through administrative litigation. If the party is not successful, then there could be other options available in civil litigation.

Attorney Assistance

If you have been harmed by another party and believe you might have cause for a civil case, contact experienced personal injury lawyer Sean Chalaki of the Law Office of Sean Chalaki and he will help you navigate through the murky and sometimes confusing waters of litigation and the court system to give you the best chance of recovering compensation for your injuries. Call him toll-free at 1-877-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500 or find out more on his website at www.DFWLegalAdvice.com .

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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 21^st in the nation in traffic congestion for 2012, which is a big improvement over just three years ago when Dallas was ranked 5^th. The good news could be short lived because Dallas traffic is already up 2 percent during the first three months of 2013, which could be attributed to greater employment numbers.

Some of the Dallas roads also made the 2012 annual list of “Worst Roads in America”, including LBJ Freeway, which most Dallas drivers know was full of construction and delays for all of 2012 because of the massive widening construction project. In 2011, LBJ Freeway barely made the list coming in at #100 out of 100, however in 2012, LBJ Freeway had climbed to the #62 Worst Road in America.

The study said the stretch of LBJ Freeway that measures the worst is the 16 miles between Valley View Lane to Kingsley Road going eastbound. In fact, the study estimates on Fridays at 5 p.m. it takes 47 minutes to go 15 miles.

Interstate 35 in Fort Worth comes in even higher on the list for 2012 at #35 on the Worst Roads in America list. The worst part is Interstate 35W around Rosedale Street where a 10-minute commute usually takes 30 minutes.

The more time Dallas drivers spend on the road, the higher the chance of accidents. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident or other personal injury incident, contact experienced Dallas personal injury lawyer Sean Chalaki at the Law Office of Sean Chalaki toll-free at 877-9DFWLAW or 972-793-8500. Visit the website to learn more at www.DFWLegalAdvice.com .

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