Mattox Law Firm PLLCMattox Law Firm PLLC2024-02-28T20:24:58Zhttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1404047/2023/10/cropped-site-icon-32x32.jpgOn Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=493972024-02-28T20:24:58Z2024-02-28T20:24:58Zmore likely than not that the semi-truck is technically to blame for the collision. In such cases, there is one factor is more likely than any others to be the underlying cause of a crash.
Semi-truck drivers can make mistakes like anyone else
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) looks into crashes between semi-trucks and other vehicles to understand the trends in such collisions. Those trends can then inform safety policies and statutes.
When looking at the crashes caused by semi-trucks, driver error is the number one cause of such collisions. Specifically, commercially licensed professional drivers often make mistakes about their conduct at the wheel. They may misjudge what speed they can safely maintain given road conditions and the local speed limit. They might make a mistake about how much space they need when completing a turn at an intersection.
Approximately 38% of all semi-truck crashes occur due to errors in a commercial driver's judgment. It is worth noting that the second leading cause of crashes caused by semi-trucks involves recognition errors. Distraction and a failure to properly monitor surroundings cause another 28% of all semi-truck crashes.
Those involved in collisions caused by semi-trucks may have a very complex insurance claims process ahead of them. In some cases, it may be necessary to take action in civil court. People can sometimes file a lawsuit to secure appropriate compensation after a crash that could have catastrophic consequences for the people in the smaller vehicle.
Understanding the causes behind semi-truck crashes won't necessarily help people avoid them but may help them feel more confident when taking action after a collision.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472272022-06-10T09:55:56Z2021-09-29T20:49:03ZBankruptcy is a complex legal process that comes with its share of benefits -- and a few drawbacks. On the downside, bankruptcy can have a negative impact on your credit. The good news is, however, no matter how much damage it does, you can always build your credit back up again.
Depending on the type, bankruptcy will remain in your credit report for 7 or 10 years. During this period, its impact will lessen with time. That being said, you can take certain proactive steps to rebuild your credit after your bankruptcy.
Consider taking a credit-builder loan
It is normal to feel nervous about taking a loan after declaring bankruptcy. However, a credit-builder loan comes with a feature that can help you rebuild your credit with minimal risk. This facility works more like a loan in reverse. Instead of getting the loan upfront, you make monthly payments to a lender-managed account. At the end of your payment period, usually 1-2 years, you have the money credited into your account.
Consider a secured credit card
Payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO score. It’s fairly easy to get a secured card, which requires you to deposit an amount equal to your credit limit in the lender’s bank. Then, use the card judiciously and make all your payments on time. This is one of the best ways of demonstrating that you are financially responsible, and will eventually allow you to obtain unsecured credit once again.Bankruptcy can give you the relief you need to start over on a clean financial slate. While there’s no magic trick that will immediately repair your credit after your bankruptcy, the situation is only temporary. With the right steps, you can turn your credit right back around]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472202022-06-10T09:56:06Z2021-09-28T13:37:04ZAccidents happen all the time. If you are hurt as a result of another person’s mistake, you may be eligible for compensation for your damages. However, pretty much every personal injury case involves the legal concept of negligence.
Negligence is the idea that an accident and your injuries were caused by another party and that they were, at least in part, avoidable. To prove that someone was guilty of negligence you must show three things:
You were owed a duty of care
As already mentioned, you must begin by proving that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This usually means that both you and the defendant had a relationship that required the defendant to act in a manner that safeguarded your safety. For instance:
Every motorist has a duty to operate their vehicle safely
Every property owner has a duty to keep the premises reasonably safe for guests
Every doctor has a duty to give their patients a certain standard of treatment
Someone's duty of care to another is largely based on the circumstances.
The duty of care was breached
Next, you must prove that the defendant breached their duty of reasonable care towards you. In other words, you must prove that the defendant acted in total disregard for your safety. Depending on the circumstances of your injury, a breach of duty may include:
Reckless driving
Failure to control a pet in a public area
Treating a patient while intoxicated
The breach of duty resulted in specific damages
Finally, you must prove that the defendant’s breach resulted in specific losses or damages. Most often, these losses stem from physical and emotional injuries occasioned by the accident. Losses may include the following:
Medical treatment costs
Pain and suffering
Lost income/income potential
Have you suffered injury as a result of someone else’s mistakes? To hold the other party accountable, you must prove these crucial elements of negligence so you can build a successful case and receive the compensation you deserve.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472172022-06-10T09:56:13Z2021-09-20T14:37:15Zpay down medical bills that were not covered by insurance and that they could not afford upfront. Medical debt is unusual in the sense that, many times, people were not planning on incurring a medical bill at all but have to because of an urgent situation.
Moreover, patients hardly ever know the overall price for their treatment, much less their out-of-pocket share, until long after they have already received their care. Sticker shock is a real possibility, and it may seem like there is nothing a Houston-area resident can do about it.
Patients have options for dealing with significant medical bills
There are ways to negotiate a medical bill.
Many hospitals and providers have programs that can afford financial relief to patients who need the care but just do not have the means to pay. At a minimum, some providers will offer a payment plan at 0% interest.
It is also important for people to remember that, like other service providers, medical providers may have some room to negotiate on the price for their services.
For example, providers routinely offer insurance companies substantial discounts. Asking for a deal early and often may help reduce a bill to an amount that a family can afford.
Throughout the process, it is worth keeping in mind that medical bills are not as high of a priority as the mortgage, the car payment and important utility and insurance payments.
Also, it is almost never a good idea to charge a medical bill to a credit card. Doing so may get an aggressive bill collector off a person’s back, but it does not make the bill go away and it will mean very high interest rates.
Bankruptcy may be the best option to get rid of medical bills
Although negotiation with a medical provider is always possible, the difficulty families may run into is that providers do not have to negotiate their bills. They can choose to draw a hard line, demand full payment and even threaten legal action.
In other cases, other financial problems, like a job loss or disability, may make negotiating a medical bill impractical.
Oftentimes, the best way of dealing with medical debt is to file for bankruptcy protection. A successful bankruptcy can allow a Houston resident to receive a legal discharge from his or her medical bills, meaning he or she does not legally have to pay them.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472152022-06-10T09:56:20Z2021-09-20T14:30:56ZSlip-and-fall accidents are such that even a victim himself may downplay his own injuries when asked about them.
Traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries are possible after falls
Texans should be thankful when they or their loved ones can walk away from a fall, as too often that is not the case.
Falling is one of the leading causes of serious spinal cord injuries. Although the extent of the injury depends on a number of circumstances, a severe spinal cord injury can mean a person must live the rest of her life paralyzed.
While not every spinal cord injury leaves a person immobile, they all almost inevitably cause some serious medical complications that frequently require long-term treatment and care. This care alone can cost millions of dollars over a person’s life.
Falls also frequently cause moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, particularly in children and older adults. As is the case with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries can leave a person with permanently debilitating physical, cognitive and emotional problems that may require ongoing treatment and constant care.
Other injuries from slips and falls are also serious
Fortunately, not every slip and falls ends with a brain injury or spinal cord injury. Still, other injuries like broken bones, soft tissue injuries and the like can require expensive treatment and put a person out of work for months.
No matter the extent of their injuries, victims of slips and falls should receive full compensation for all of their losses. They should be well aware of both their legal rights and their alternatives.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472132023-10-04T06:41:44Z2021-09-16T03:45:24ZHowever essential your house, car and other assets seem, they are all replaceable. Your health is not. Yet, it is easy to get into a situation where the assets you own harm your health. The debt you accrue to pay for stuff can wreak havoc on your mental and emotional wellbeing. That, in turn, can weaken your body’s immune system leaving you more open to physical health problems.When you visit the doctor, they sometimes give a temporary solution such as painkillers. These do not treat the cause of the problem. They stop you from having to think about it for a while. The same applies to many debt solutions financial institutions offer. Transferring debt to a new loan or credit card will not resolve your debt. It lets you forget it for a while.The only way to cure something is to tackle the source. That is where a Chapter 7 bankruptcy could come in.
Chapter 7 takes away the source of your pain
When you opt for Chapter 7, you ask the court to erase your unsecured debts such as credit cards, personal loans and medical bills. If you're allowed to move forward with your filing, you may have to sacrifice assets in return.You may be able to keep things such as your home, car and furniture if you can bring the outstanding payments on them up to date and agree to repay those debts in full. If you are unsure if you will meet all future payments, it may be best to let them go. Otherwise, they will continue to cause you stress and anxiety in the future.Giving up things you worked hard for is not easy. Yet, consider the alternative. If you continue with debts that overwhelm you, it becomes ever more likely your health will suffer. When that happens, you will need to shell out more money on medical bills, worsening your financial situation further. Filing for bankruptcy cannot guarantee good health, but it can make it more likely.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472112022-06-10T09:56:33Z2021-09-16T03:42:53ZThe days of people spending Saturdays washing their cars are long gone. Most now take them to a carwash. Yet, doing it yourself gives you vital information about the mechanical state of your vehicle.
Mechanical faults can lead to crashes. For instance, if your wheel fell off because the wheel nuts were loose, you would crash. If your brakes failed because its hose leaked, you would crash. Cleaning and polishing your ride requires you spend time looking at your vehicle inch by inch. When you crouch down at ground level brushing the dirt off your tires, you will notice a loose wheel nut. You will spot the frayed brake hose when you have your head under the hood polishing the engine block.
Proving the percentage of fault is crucial in a Texas car crash
If you get injured in a car crash, the more fault you can attribute to the other driver, the better. The amount you can claim will go down for every percentage of fault they can attribute to you. For example, say that you need to recover $100,000 to pay your medical bills. If the other driver’s insurer can show you were 20% to blame for the accident, you can only get $80,000 maximum, leaving you with a $20,000 shortfall.Percentages of fault are even more critical when both drivers are equally to blame. If they can show you were more than 50% to blame, you might be unable to file a claim against their insurance.Finding a mechanical fault in the other driver’s car that they were unaware of could be the difference between getting adequate compensation for your injuries or being left paying out of pocket.]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472092022-06-10T09:56:40Z2021-09-01T09:44:12ZChapter 7 bankruptcy protection last Friday. He filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Indiana, and he listed almost $6 million in debts and liabilities and only about $2 million in assets.
A common occurrence
Rich sports stars are famous for going bankrupt. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, nearly 16% of NFL players file for bankruptcy by their twelfth year of retirement. They examined NFL players drafted between 1996 and 2003.
Not the usual NFL bankruptcy
What sets this bankruptcy apart from the usual lavish spending of those that file is that Mr. Brackett lived a modest lifestyle. After his football retirement, he earned an MBA from George Washington University in 2013, and only about $1.5 million of the listed debts are personal liabilities. The rest are business loans and liabilities from his shuttered restaurants. By all accounts, had the last year and a half of economic craziness not happened, Mr. Brackett would not have needed to file for bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy escape hatch
For Houston, Texas, residents that find themselves deep in debt with no way out, bankruptcy can be an escape hatch. It offers a fresh financial start that is used by many of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the U.S. It is simply a financial tool.
]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472062022-06-10T09:56:46Z2021-08-26T09:40:23ZThe fatal accident
According to the Houston Police Department, the fatal accident occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday near the Westheimer exit on Highway 6. A driver, who was reportedly driving under the influence, tried to make a U-turn on Highway 6 directly in the path of a motorcyclist.
The aftermath
As a result of the U-turn, the rider collided with the vehicle. He was pronounced died at the scene by first responders. The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the crash, and drunk driving charges are pending, though not officially charged yet. HPD did not indicate whether the driver was arrested, only that he was suspected of drunk driving.
Options after a fatal motorcycle accident
For those in Houston, Texas, that have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, there are options. First, one’s options are not dictated by whether the negligent driver is charged with a crime. While getting justice through the criminal justice system can happen, often it does not. This is why accident victims can hold negligent drivers accountable through a personal injury lawsuit. Even if the rider dies, their family can bring a wrongful death lawsuit against that driver as well. And, if alcohol or drugs were involved, victims and their families may be entitled to additional punitive damages from the negligent driver.
]]>On Behalf of Mattox Law Firm PLLChttps://www.themattoxlawfirm.com/?p=472042022-06-10T09:56:52Z2021-08-20T11:18:05Zno longer able to pay their credit card bills, they may wonder what can happen.
The first month
If a person misses a credit card payment, they will receive a late fee. The missed payment may also affect their credit score.
Two to three months of missed payments
If a credit card payment is more than 30 days late the credit card holder will be reported to the credit bureaus. The missed payments can remain on a person’s credit score for up to 7 years. In addition, each month will rack up additional late fees. The card issuer will also usually block the consumer from making any additional purchases and the interest rate may increase up to 29.99%. This is when a person will also start receiving annoying phone calls from their credit card company.
Four months or more
After not paying a credit card bill for several months the balance will be charged off by the credit card company. This means that the balance is sent to a collection company. A person’s credit score can be ruined, and it can be impossible for a person to get more credit for at least 7 years. In addition, a person will need to pay taxes on the canceled debt.
A legal professional who is skilled in bankruptcy can help their client when they are falling behind on their bills. They understand how the debt process works and can help their client get back on their feet. They can review the bankruptcy options that can help and make sure their client is able to start fresh.
]]>