Alex R. Hernandez Jr. - June 2019

Teens Are Taking to the Roads

What Parents Need to Know

School’s out for summer, and teens are sure to be enjoying their extra free time. However, if you’re a parent to one of these students, it’s best to give them a talk about road safety and responsibility. The number of young drivers involved in serious accidents skyrockets this time of year. But by knowing the risks, you can keep your child from being a part of these frightening statistics. LET’S TALK ALCOHOL The numbers don’t lie — 12.6 percent of Texas high schoolers reported drinking and driving in 2011, one of the highest rates in the country. That’s why it’s so important to talk to your teen about the risks of drinking and driving. Not only could they be charged with a serious crime, affecting their chances of employment and getting into college, but they are also far more likely to cause a deadly accident. Even if you are confident your teen doesn’t drink, this is a worthwhile conversation to have — they can act as a deterrent for their friends who might make the mistake of getting behind the wheel. DNT TXT N DRV Distracted driving is a huge problem for adults and teens alike. But the inexperience of young drivers combined with social pressures makes this a particularly dangerous risk. Texting, checking social media feeds, taking selfies, and making calls can all lead to serious accidents. There are apps like OMW and It Can Wait that can remove the temptation, but it’s also important to emphasize to your teen that multitasking while driving is never worth it. Construction Injuries Know the Cost With summer comes peak construction season. Soon, many Texans will set out to support their families —donning their hard hats, harnesses, and reflective vests. But sometimes this safety equipment isn’t enough. When fellow workers, foremen, or safety officials cut corners or fail to follow strict safety guidelines, catastrophic injuries can occur. COMMON CONSTRUCTION-RELATED INJURIES Anything from improperly secured scaffolding to machinery and crane accidents can lead to life-altering injuries that can threaten your family’s livelihood. Broken bones, electrocution, severe burns, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injuries — the cost of these wounds goes well beyond hospital bills. Worse still, these sorts of severe accidents are painfully common. DEADLY STATISTICS According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), more construction workers die on the job in Texas than in any other state. On top of that staggering statistic, there are those who survive their workplace accidents but have to live with their injuries for the rest of their lives. In either case, it’s important for families to seek compensation from the negligent person(s) responsible.

LAWSUITS FROM BEYOND Let’s HopeThere’s a Courtroom in the Afterlife

We pride ourselves on being a country where everyone receives a fair trial. And while that’s not always the case, even the craziest claims still have to be heard in some capacity by a court of law. As you can imagine, this can result in plenty of spooky high jinks in the courtroom. Let’s take a look at some of the more baffling court cases in recent memory.

DEAD MAN TALKING

In something straight out of a Coen brothers movie, a New York man had to sue The New York Times on three separate occasions to get them to stop reporting that he was dead. In all fairness, it seemed like an honest mistake prolonged by the ineptitude of his public counsel and a whole lot of terrible coincidences all rolled into one. Juan Antonio Arias just so happened to share the same first and last name as one “Juan Arias” who had met his untimely demise. After it was reported in a Times article, the living Arias accidentally had his own date of birth and Social Security number added to the death certificate of his now deceased namesake in a terrible mix-up from the coroner. As a result, he sued on three occasions after his lawyer missed certain deadlines to turn in proper documents. Thankfully, the issue was resolved, but not before he had his credit cards and Medicaid revoked after appearing to be dead. An unnamed New York resident — just what on earth is going on in New York? — claimed that the house they’d recently purchased was horribly and cripplingly haunted by unseen forces. The poltergeist was said to disrupt their daily activity, and the plaintiff was suing on the grounds that the home was notorious in the area for being haunted and had a reputation as such; therefore, it should have been disclosed to the buyer before closing. They won. That’s right; the court ruled that the seller misled the plaintiff and should have disclosed the nature of this potentially harmful house. Shockingly enough, this type of thing is required to be disclosed when selling a house in New York. Well, at least a buyer will have peace of mind knowing that they got a sweet new pad and a ghoul for pennies on the dollar. SOLEMNLY SPOOKED

2 | www.alexhernandeztriallaw.com

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