In a settlement with the U.S. Military, 3M Co. has agreed to pay $9.1 million in lawsuit alleging that the corporation knowingly sold defective earplugs.

Details of the Defective Military Earplugs

Although the earplugs were meant to be used in combat, the corporation did not disclose defects that would limit the ability of the earplugs to cancel protect against noise, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The defect involves the earplugs being too short for proper insertion into the ear, and will loosen for some people. The payment settles the allegations that 3M and its predecessor, Aearo Technologies, knew about this defect.

“Government contractors who seek to profit at the expense of our military will face appropriate consequences” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad Readler.

3M decided to settle in order to avoid a lengthy legal battle and investigation.

The company said in a statement that they “take great pride in our products and this resolution is not an admission of liability, but simply a decision to move forward with our mission to provide high-quality personal safety equipment products to our customers.”

About Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Depending on the intensity and length of exposure to a sound, noise-induced hearing loss can occur suddenly or take years to be noticeable. Typically, a sound of less than 75 decibels is considered safe. For reference, average decibel ratings for familiar sounds include:

• The humming of a refrigerator: 45 decibels
• Normal conversation: 60 decibels
• Noise from heavy city traffic: 85 decibels
• Motorcyles: 95 decibels
• An MP3 player at maximum volume: 105 decibels
• Sirens: 120 decibels
• Firecrackers and firearms: 150 decibels

Additionally, when hearing loss occurs, doctors classify the severity of the loss by degrees:

Doctors classify hearing loss by degrees.

• Mild hearing loss: One-on-one conversations are fine, but it’s hard to catch every word when there’s background noise.
• Moderate hearing loss: You often need to ask people to repeat themselves during conversations in person and on the phone.
• Severe hearing loss: Following a conversation is almost impossible unless you have a hearing aid.
• Profound hearing loss: You can’t hear when other people speaking, unless they are extremely loud. You can’t understand what they’re saying without a hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Contact an Experienced Product Liability Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury or illness due to a defective or dangerous product, contact Thomas J. Henry. Over two decades of experience handling a multitude of defective product cases and extensive legal and financial resources allow us to provide our clients with truly dynamic legal representation. Thomas J. Henry has a proven track record of achieving real results for clients devastated by recalled products.

Let us help you recover the compensation you are entitled to. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Contact us today for a free case review.

The Texas Department of Transportation showed in their unofficial crash rate estimates from 2018 that the number of fatal crashes has almost doubled this year for 12 Texas counties in the Odessa area.

Details of the Preliminary Crash Projection

About 105 fatal crashes were reported between January and July 2018, compared to the 137 fatal crashes reported in 137. With these statistics, the number of fatal crashes in 2018 is expected to surpass the number of fatal crashes from 2017. The projected outcome, according to Public Information Officer Gene Powell, is 240 fatal crashes by the end of 2018.

Despite many people asking what the TxDOT will do about the rising number of fatal crashes, Powell says that everyone in the community has a responsibility to remedy the situation.

That being said, the TxDOT does have programs in place such as “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” This campaign is a year-long public education effort that aims to make drivers aware of their own unsafe driving habits, and safety tips.

Those unsafe habits included drunk driving, driving while tired, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and speeding.

On June 7, and 29 year-old woman from Midland was killed while riding her bike on highway 191 service road, in addition to two others who were hit by a truck on April 25 while riding on highway 158.

The last day that there was not a fatal crash in Texas was November 7, 2000.

Powell said that the 2018 data will change since reports can be filed within 30 days of a crash. The official statistics from 2017 can be found on the TxDOT website.

2017 Texas Automobile Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,721 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2017, marking a slight decrease from the 3,794 deaths reported in 2016.
• 552 of the deaths reported in 2017 were attributed to head-on collision.
• Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
• An additional 254,853 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2017.
• Based on reportable data for 2017, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 21 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 2 minutes and 4 seconds
  • A reportable crash occurred every 59 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Automobile Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

Seven Washington relatives, including five children, were among the eight killed Monday in a head-on crash in eastern Oregon. The family members were on their way to Las Vegas for an end-of-summer trip, according to another family member.

Details of the Fatal Oregon Crash

According to reports, the fatal crash occurred when a 1999 Toyota 4Runner crashed into the family’s new 2016 Toyota 4Runner.

Eight people died in the crash: the seven family members in the newer SUV and the lone person in the other SUV. The driver of the other SUV was identified as Mark Robert Rundell, 48, of Prairie City.

A family member of the seven related victims, Jessie Tate, stated that his family is devastated by the unexpected deaths of his sister and her children. He said that he first learned of the crash from other relatives and says that he later called his father who told him, who had been involved.

“She was outgoing, personable, made friends everywhere she went, and her kids took after her,” Tate said. “They all just cared about everyone around them.” Oregon State Police, who are investigating, said the driver traveling alone veered into opposing traffic on the two-lane highway while heading west and collided with the SUV carrying the family.

The collision is among the deadliest state crashes in recent years. Five people were killed in a two-car crash near Salem in October. One driver involved was later charged with manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and other charges in the collision that killed a mother, her three children and her niece.

National Auto Accident Statistics

Traffic fatalities in the U.S. jumped for the second straight year in 2016 despite a dip in crash deaths linked to distracted driving, according to data released by federal highway safety regulators.

1. Some 37,461 people died in vehicle collisions in 2016, the highest annual tally since 2007, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration figures. The 5.6 percent rise in traffic deaths last year came after a 8.4 percent spike in 2015, which was the largest annual increase since the mid-1960’s.
2. Fatalities from distracted drivers, such as those texting, fell 2.2 percent last year.
3. Deaths linked to other risky behaviors such as speeding, drunk driving and not wearing seat belts contributed to an overall gain in fatalities.
4. Total vehicle-miles-traveled increased 2.2 percent last year while the fatality rate grew 2.6 percent to 1.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to the agency. Miles driven gained 2.3 percent in 2015.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced Corpus Christi car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported an increase in pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. in 2016, reaching a total of 5,987 deaths. Stay in shape this summer while keeping yourself safe with these tips when sharing the road with vehicles.

Safety Precautions for Runners and Pedestrians

1. Make Yourself Visible – Increase your visibility to passing vehicles by wearing light-colored clothing and reflective material. Always carry a flashlight or wear a clip-on LED light if you choose to walk or run at night.

2. Face the Traffic – Be sure to walk or run while facing oncoming traffic, and stay towards the edge of the road if there is no sidewalk.

3. Look both Ways – It is a simple rule that can often be forgotten when you’re preoccupied with your workout — look both left and right twice before crossing the road to ensure there are no approaching vehicles.

4. Cross Streets at a Corner – Pedestrian injuries are more likely to occur mid-street. It is best to cross at a corner or a pedestrian crosswalk whenever possible, as drivers are likely to be more aware of their surroundings in these areas.

5. Avoid Distractions – While many people prefer to walk or run while using headphones or earbuds to listen to music, these devices cause you to be less aware of your surroundings and miss auditory signals that alert you of dangers.

6. Beware of Parked Vehicles – Be alert if you are passing near or through parking lots. These areas can be dangerous for pedestrians because there are blind spots for drivers backing out of parking spaces. Use caution whenever you are around parked vehicles in neighborhoods, as well.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

In 2014, there were 4,884 pedestrians killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States. An additional estimated 65,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes. The following pedestrian accident statistics for 2014 are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes.
• Alcohol impairment was reported in 48 percent of all fatal pedestrian crashes.
• Eighteen percent of pedestrian fatalities involved a hit-and-run driver.
• Pedestrians were killed more often in the dark (72 percent) than in daylight (24 percent).
• Nineteen percent of children 14 and younger who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians.
• California lead the nation in pedestrian fatalities (697), followed by Florida (588) and Texas (476).

Hit By a Car or Truck? Contact Our Team of Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

If you or a loved one were hurt after being struck by an automobile, you may be entitled to compensation. Our team of experienced pedestrian injury lawyers are available 24/7, nights and weekends to evaluate your claim. We will help you recover the maximum amount of compensation and bring the negligent driver to justice. In addition, you won’t pay a thing unless we win your case. Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys has a track record of achieving record-breaking verdicts, settlements, and judgments for clients.

Extensive legal and financial resources allow our attorneys to put you in the best position possible to recover the damages you deserve. Contact us today for a free case review. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide.

Pastor Chengiu Huo of Chinese United Methodist Church in San Antonio died in a head-on crash on Texas 158 last Tuesday.

Details of the Runnels County Crash

The crash occurred between Abilene and San Angelo when 22-year-old Taron Gipson was driving south on State Highway 158 and went off the road.

The preliminary crash report reveals that Gipson then turned back onto the road and crashed into 51-year-old Chengiu Huo’s vehicle, which was traveling north.

Gipson reportedly was not wearing a seatbelt, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Huo and one passenger were also killed in the crash. Police stated that the other passenger, an Alamo Heights High School student, sustained serious injury and was taken to Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo. According to officials, everyone in Huo’s vehicle was wearing a seatbelt.

The crash is currently still being investigated.

Texas Auto Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision.
• Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
• An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016.
• Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced Corpus Christi car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work

Two men are dead after a multiple-vehicle collision on Texas 36, officials say.

About the Fort Bend County Collision

The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office has reported that five vehicles were involved in the crash late Sunday. Authorities responded to the collision just before 8:30 p.m. at Texas 36 and Long Lane, west of Rosenberg. Life Flight helicopters arrived by 9:23 p.m. to transport injured individuals to hospitals.

According to Sgt. Danny Beckworth, a vehicle, which was either a pickup truck or a Ford Explorer, crossed over the middle lane and caused a head-on collision between the two vehicles. Both of the men driving the vehicles were killed in the crash.

Beckworth also reported that collision caused three other cars to crash behind it, but did not cause life-threatening injuries to those drivers. Following the crash, the highway was shut down.

Texas Auto Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,721 people were killed in traffic collisions in Texas in 2017, marking a slight decrease from the 3,794 death reported in 2016.
• 1,950 of the deaths reported in 2017 were attributed to crashes that occurred in rural areas of the state.
• Head-on collisions were responsible for 552 deaths in 2017.
• Based on reportable crash data for 2017, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic collision in Texas every 2 hours and 21 minutes.
  • A person was injured every 2 minutes and 4 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 59 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Automobile Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury after being involved in an auto accident, contact Thomas J. Henry immediately. Our experienced auto accident injury attorneys are available to respond to car crashes at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. We will take immediate action on your case.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Remember, your choice does matter. Contact us today for a free legal consultation. Attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Gumaro Munoz Campos, an Atascocita shopkeeper, is facing multiple charges after two teen girls were killed in a crash while riding with a minor driver to whom Campos sold alcohol.

Details of the Atascocita Drunk Driving Accident

According to WMUR, the 29 year-old is facing one count of Sale of Alcohol Beverage to a minor, which is a misdemeanor. A conviction could see up to a year in jail, a fine of $4,000, and suspension of liquor license for up to 180 days.

Police say at 12:30 a.m. on July 25, along the 18300 block of Timber Forest, near Atascocita Road, the two teen girls were killed in a car crash. Before the crash, Jagger Smith, 17, purchased MD 20/20. He drove drunk and crashed, claiming the lives of Salma Gomez and Chloe Robinson, both 16.

Police reports say the car hit a tree so hard that the car was torn in half.

Smith could face up to 40 years in jail if convicted on two counts of intoxication manslaughter.

Drunk Driving Accidents and Arrests

A series of prosecutions involving establishments that break state liquor licensing rules or serve alcohol to teens or impaired patrons have occurred in Texas.

With 3,776 drunk-driving deaths in 2016, Texas ranks as one of the top states for drunk-driving crashes.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston saw 89 fatal drunk-driving crashes, the most fatal DUI crashes in Texas of 2016.

Contact an Experienced Automobile Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury after being involved in an auto accident, contact Thomas J. Henry immediately. Our experienced auto accident injury attorneys are available to respond to car crashes at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. We will take immediate action on your case.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Remember, your choice does matter. Contact us today for a free legal consultation. Attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Teens may be cautious while they’re learning to drive; however, a new study suggests they’re behaviors become much more reckless once they are allowed to hit the road without an adult in the car.

Study Confirms Years of Research into Risky Behaviors Taken by Young Drivers

Plenty of previous research has shown that new drivers have a lot more accidents than people with experience.

The current study helped to identify when teen driver is at its riskiest by using cameras and sensors inside cars. These cameras were used to identify driving habits for parents and children over a period of nearly two years, starting when teens got their learner’s permits.

The study found that when teens first had their permits, their chance of being in a crash or nearly missing a collision as well as their odds of exhibiting risky driving behavior like speeding, swerving, and slamming the brakes were similar to the adults.

However, within the first year of getting their licenses and driving without a parent or adult present, they were more than six times more likely to crash or narrowly escape collisions than the adults, and they were also almost four times more likely to exhibit risky driving behaviors.

Adolescent drivers have always been recorded as having disproportionately higher crash rates than other driver age groups, accounting for six percent of licensed drivers in the U.S. but nine percent of fatal crashes. The study provides further insight to these high crash rates.

Breakdown of the Study’s Findings

The study included 49 girls and 41 boys who were all 16 years of age on average. During the study, teens drove an average of 5,445 miles and a total of about 490,000 miles. Their parents, meanwhile, drove more than twice as many miles. As a group, teens had a total of 148 near crashes, 69 collisions, and 9 crashes that were reported to the police. This translated into an average of 2.4 incidents per driver.

By contrast, parents had a total of 84 close calls, 28 collisions, and 2 crashes that were reported to the police. This translated into an average of 1.2 incidents per driver. Teens also had a total of 18,378 incidents of risky driving, which translated into roughly 108 events per driver. The parents, meanwhile, had 5,272 incidents of risky driving, or about 59 per driver.

For young drivers, the highest rates of crashes, near misses and risky driving occurred in the months immediately after they got licenses and started hitting the road without a parent in the car.

It is also important to note that beyond its small size, the study also wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how parents’ presence in the car might directly improve teen driving safety. Researchers also didn’t follow teens long enough to see how their driving records might change with a few more years of experience.

National Traffic Accident Statistics

According to the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 35,485 people were killed in auto accidents in the United States in 2016, marking a 5.6-percent increase from 2015.
• Of those killed in auto accidents in 2016:
  • 22,639 were occupants of passenger vehicles
  • 5,495 were pedestrians
  • 5,029 were motorcyclists
  • 829 were pedalcyclists
  • 665 were occupants of large trucks
  • 235 were listed as other or unknown
• Injury estimates for the year have not yet been made available.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

Two men are dead following a collision between a passenger vehicle and an ambulance near Rockport, Texas.

Details of the Fatal Accident

According to KWTX, a car containing two men headed to work struck an ambulance on a rural South Texas highway early Tuesday, causing both vehicles turned over.

Both men died at the scene before dawn on Highway 25 near Rockport, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Sgt. Nathan Bandley says that the driver of the car failed to yield at stop sign, and hit the ambulance, which had just dropped off a patient at a Corpus Christi hospital.

Two emergency medical personnel on board the ambulance also sustained serious injuries, although they are not believed to be life-threatening.

Texas Automobile Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision.
• Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
• An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016.
• Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Commercial Trucking Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury after being involved in an 18-wheeler accident, contact Thomas J. Henry immediately. Our experienced commercial trucking injury attorneys are available to respond to semi-truck accidents at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. We will take immediate action on your case.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Remember, your choice does matter. Contact us today for a free legal consultation. Attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

A 17-year-old Atascocita High School student has been deemed responsible for a drunk driving accident that killed two of his classmates.

About the Drunk Driving Crash

According to reports, Jaggar Clayton Smith is being charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter. Deputies say that the classmates were Salma Gomez and Chloe Robison, both 16-years-old. They were in Smith’s 2008 Nissan Altima when he was speeding southbound in the 18300 block of Timber Forest.

Authorities report that Smith’s speed caused him to lose control of the vehicle and slam into trees in the median, splitting the car in half. The front half of the car rotated clockwise and stopped in the median, while the back of the vehicle continued to spin southeast and hit another tree.

Robison was sitting in the back, and it was reported that she died at the scene.

Gomez, who was seated in the passenger side, died after being taken to Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital.

Smith was taken to Houston Northwest Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries. Authorities have reason to believe that Smith was drinking.

Statistics of Alcohol-Impaired Driving

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), almost 29 people in the United States die in alcohol-impaired vehicle crashes every day (one person every 50 minutes in 2016).
• Drunk driving crashes claim more than 10,000 lives per year.
• In 2010, the most recent year for which cost data is available, these deaths and damages contributed to a cost of $44B per year.

Contact an Experienced Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.