David Davis, a former KUSI anchor and reporter who had just recently retired from the television station, was killed in a car crash in Texas.

About the Fatal Texas Crash

According to FOX 5 San Diego, David Davis was on a cross-country road trip when he was killed in a traffic accident near Dallas, according to a report released by KUSI on Wednesday night. The time of the occurrence is unclear.

Davis joined the KUSI team in January of 2003. He has anchored in four states and won several awards for his work, including coverage of the Jeffrey Dahmer capture and week long 9/11 reports from New York, said KUSI.

He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he earned his degree in communications. According to KUSI, he was married and had two children.

KUSI released a statement about Davis’s passing, saying the following: “We pass along our condolences to the Davis family and all those he touched here in San Diego.”

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 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.

A Texas teenager had died after a head-on collision in New Mexico, authorities say.

About the New Mexico Crash

New Mexico State Police identified the victim’s body on Monday as 19-year-old Fabian Mendoza of Denver City.

According to the KWTX, Mendoza was driving on U.S. 62/180 on Saturday, when he crossed into another lane of traffic, crashing head-on with a pickup truck southeast of Hobbs.

Mendoza was rushed to a Lea County hospital, and he later died of his injuries from the crash.

State Police have also released that there was a passenger in Mendoza’s car at the time of the crash, who suffered serious injuries, and the driver of the pickup truck was also brought in for medical treatment.

Authorities have said that the cause of the crash is still being investigated.

Highway Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 37,150 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017 (down about 0.8 percent from 2016)
• This decrease is the first decline in traffic fatalities since significant increases were recorded in 2015 and 2016
• Vehicle miles travelled is projected to have increased about 1.2 percent
• The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles travelled is projected to be 1.17 (down from 1.18 in 2016)

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.

August was a busy month for auto recalls with more than 250,000 individual vehicles being called back for defects. Below are the five largest auto recalls from August.

Top Five Auto Recalls Issued in August

1. 154,000 Dodge and Jeep Vehicles

August saw only 11 new car recalls, and only 6 included a number of vehicles over 4 figures. Fiat Chrysler had the largest recall of August, involving more vehicles than any of the other recalls combined. Dodge Grand Caravans and Journeys, Jeep Compasses and Cherokees had insufficient coating on the rear brake caliper pistons. This could lead to air pockets and less effective rear brakes.

2. 2012-15 Ford Focus Electric, 2013-15 Fusion Energi, C-Maz Energi

Ford recalled about 49,000 Ford Focus Electric, Fusion Energi, and C-Max Energi electric cars. Each vehicle was equipped with 120-volt convenience charge cords that, unfortunately, catch fire when used with an AC outlet that is not a dedicated circuit, or is corroded, or damaged. You should bring in your Ford for new charge cords, which includes a thermistor that identifies overheating.

3. 12,800 Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and Ram Vehicles

An issue concerning the powertrain control module affected almost 167,000 FCA vehicles. A chip in the module may fail, causing the vehicle to stall, or not start. You can bring your vehicle in to a dealer and they will replace the powertrain for free.

4. 2018 Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, GLS-Class

About GLE and GLS-Class SUVs from Mercedes were recalled in August. These Mercedes vehicles are affected by a very similar to the FCA vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons weren’t correctly coated, which again causes gas to be released temporarily into the rear brake hydraulic circuit, reducing braking abilities. And as with FCA, Mercedes dealers will bleed the rear brakes for free.

5. 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, 2017-18 Passat

About 84,000 Volkswagen vehicles also had brakes issues with the brake caliper mounting bolts. The work for dealers, however, is a lot more complicated here for this issue.  The fix includes everything from inspecting the brake-caliper bracket bolt tightness, replacing and re-torqueing the bolts to checking calipers, fasteners and bleeder valve components to inspecting the parking brake cable for Passats specifically.

Contact an Experienced Vehicle Defect Attorney

Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator’s life in jeopardy. Unfortunately there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free legal consultation — our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Two families are filing lawsuits in the name of their 16-year-old daughters, both of whom were killed in a car crash believed to be the result of drunk driving.

Details of the Fatal Drunk Driving Accident

The families have filed wrongful death lawsuits by the families of Chloe Robinson and Salma Gomez.

According to the authorities, the two Antascocita High School students got in the car of 17-year-old Jagger Smith who was drunk. Both girls were killed in the car crash that ensued.

Smith was sold alcohol at a convenience store in Humble a few hours before the crash, according to investigators. The store clerk is also implicated in the lawsuit for selling alcohol to a minor. Smith’s mother, and the parent company to the convenience store where Smith was sold alcohol are also named in the lawsuit.

Smith’s mother, Shelly Smith, is included in the lawsuit because Jagger Smith is a minor, and therefore cannot be sued.

He store clerk, Gumaro Campos, is known to sell alcohol to minors, says the Robison family’s lawyer Randy Sorrels. The store clerk, also known as “Romeo,” is facing charges for selling alcohol to minors.

Texas Texas 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 Texas Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced 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.

According to authorities, a passenger train crashed into a dump truck in Fort Worth on Saturday and at least 2 people are dead.

Details of the Train Crash

Arlington Police responded to a call just before 12 p.m. on Saturday. The crash occurred on Calloway Cemetery Road between a Trinity Railway Express train and a commercial truck. The two people that died were in the truck.

A Fox 5 report also revealed that 11 people on the train were injured in the crash and have been hospitalized. 2 of them were reported to be in critical condition while 3 others sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

According to The Dallas Morning News, train passengers were brought to a local strip club to use the restrooms, and then a shuttle bus arrived to take them to Fort Worth.

The cause of the crash is still unclear.

Texas Train Collision Statistics

• According to statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 2,105 highway-rail grade collisions occurred in 2017.
• About 64% of all 2017 railroad collisions occurred in only 15 states.
• Texas was ranked #1 in 2017 in railroad collisions at 232 collisions and #3 in fatalities at 13 deaths.

Contact an Experienced Railroad and Train Injury Lawyer

Injuries caused by railroad and train accidents are oftentimes severe and in some cases deadly. Medical bills, lost wages, and other damages can be obtained by suing the negligent parties involved, which may include the train or railroad company. You deserve to be compensated for your injuries. If you or a loved one were injured while riding on a train or while outside of a train, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Experienced train accident attorneys are available to take your call and evaluate your claim 24/7, nights and weekends. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide.

Police are investigating a wrong-way car crash caused by a YouTube star known as “McSkillet” that killed himself, a woman, and her 12-year-old daughter in San Diego this week, WCVB reported.

Details of the San Diego Head-On Collision

According to Officer Jake Sanchez, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol, the driver, whose real name is Trevor Heitman, was driving a black McLaren 650S in the wrong direction Thursday when it crashed head-on with an SUV in San Diego County.

Heitman, 18, was speeding when the crash occurred.

The San Diego Coroner confirmed that Heitmann was killed after crashing his car while driving in the wrong direc+tion, along with two others.  The victims in the SUV were listed as a 43-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl, but they were not named by authorities.

Heitman, under the name “McSkillet”, is a popular YouTube personality with almost 900,000 subscribers.

He first gained popularity as a player of Counter Strike: Global Offensive, a first-person video game. He was later known for trading “skins,” which are digital files used to customize the appearance of the game’s players.

Sanchez said it is also believed that Heitman was involved in an incident that took place earlier that day at an elementary school.

In a statement, Ashley Falls School said that on Thursday afternoon “a car drove through the side gate and an individual got out of the car and threw an item at a door, breaking a window.” No one was injured in that incident.

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.

Four teenagers were killed on an Indiana highway when they were struck by a vehicle as they attempted to push a broken down SUV down the road.

Details of the Fatal Indiana Accident

According to FOX News, Cara Shelby, 37, was driving nine children between the ages of 12 and 16 to a slumber party when her Chevrolet Suburban broke down about one block from the house. Several children got out to push the SUV the rest of the way to their destination when the SUV was struck by another vehicle.

Three of the teens, Nevaeh Law and Jenna Helton, both 14, and Brittany Watson, 15, died at the scene. A fourth teenager, 16-year-old Martin Martinez, was pronounced dead on arrival to Methodist Hospital.

Four other juveniles were injured in the incident.

The driver of the other vehicle was identified as 24-year-old Elizabeth Watson. It is unclear if she will face any charges.

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.

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.