A woman was struck and killed by a train in Leander on November 18. Train accidents aren’t as common as other types of Texas vehicle accidents, but they happen more often than you might think. Keep reading to learn more about the deadly train accident and the facts around Texas train accidents from Ramos James Law, Austin accident injury lawyers.

The Deadly Texas Train Accident

A woman was found dead in Leander after being struck by a CapMetro train on Saturday, November 18. The accident happened near US Highway 183 between Farm-to-Market Road 2243 and Sonny Drive.

Police received a report of a train-pedestrian collision at around noon on Saturday. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a woman dead. Officers believe the woman was crossing a railroad bridge on foot when she was struck by the train. There is reportedly a bus bridge for walking between the Lakeline and Leander stations. 

At the time of the collision, only the engineer and conductor were on board the train.

The woman has yet to be identified, but she has been described as a white female of unknown age.

The accident led to delays for both trains and traffic on Saturday. 

This collision was one of two vehicle accidents seen in Leander on Saturday. Later the same day, a motorcyclist was killed in a crash on US 183.

Train Accidents in Texas: What You Need To Know

Train accidents are one of the most uncommon types of vehicle accidents seen in Texas, accounting for less than one-tenth of one percent of all Texas crashes. Still, these accidents aren’t unheard of. In 2022, there was one train accident roughly every thirty hours in the state. More than two-thirds of those accidents occurred in urban areas compared to rural areas.

Thankfully, the majority of Texas train crashes aren’t deadly. In 2022, around 5% of train accidents in Texas resulted in a fatality. While that might seem low, that means that train accidents are far more dangerous than your average Texas car accident. In 2022, less than one percent of all vehicle accidents were fatal. This makes Texas train accidents at least five times deadlier than the average accident.

As a driver or pedestrian, there are steps that you can take to reduce your likelihood of being involved in a train crash:

Pedestrian Train Safety Rules

• Only cross the tracks at designated areas
• Look both ways when approaching a railroad crossing
• Stay as far from the rails as you can, at least four feet
• Don’t walk between the rails
• Don’t walk on the tracks in undesignated areas
• Avoid listening to loud music or being distracted while walking near tracks

Driver Train Safety Rules

• Stop, look both ways, and listen before rail crossings
• Never drive around a lowering railway gate
• Never ignore train warning signals
• Leave 15 feet between your car and the gate or stop sign at an active crossing
• Never stop on the tracks
• Wait for gates to fully rise and lights to stop before crossing after a train
• If your car stalls on the tracks, get everyone out right away and call for help

If you’ve been involved in a Texas train crash, you can reach out to an Austin accident injury lawyer for help seeking financial relief.

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Source: KXAN

After a sexual assault, the first avenue that most of us think of for getting justice is the criminal justice system. However, there are certain shortcomings to this process. First, you may not be able to prove in criminal court that what you suffered was assault. Second, even if your abuser or attacker is convicted, that doesn’t mean you’ll get any financial assistance for the difficulties you face.

If you suffered a sexual assault in Austin and are now suffering negative emotional and financial consequences, a personal injury lawsuit may be able to offer you financial relief. A sexual assault personal injury lawyer in Austin can help you determine what you’re owed and how to get it.

What Counts as Sexual Assault in Texas Civil Court?

In Texas criminal court, in order to hold someone accountable for sexual assault, you will need to prove that their actions fell into the legally defined category of sexual assault in the state. 

Civil court works a little differently. 

Rather than proving that what you endured was sexual assault under the law, you only need to prove what harm was done to you, by whom, and with what intent. This is because the burden of proof is lower in civil court. Even if your attacker was let off in criminal court, you may still be able to hold them liable in civil court for the harm they’ve done.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for Sexual Assault?

Different types of harm have different limits on how long you have to file a suit in civil court. For most personal injury cases, you will have two years from the point the harm was committed to file a lawsuit for relief. However, it’s important to note that exceptions may be made in special circumstances. 

If you’ve held back from filing due to personal and emotional difficulties, the court may agree to hear your case even if it’s been longer than two years. You should talk to a personal injury attorney with experience handling sexual assault cases to learn whether or not it’s too late to file a claim.

Filing a Lawsuit for Sexual Assault With Help From an Austin Personal Injury Attorney

A sexual assault can impact every aspect of your life, from your ability to make and keep friends to your ability to do your job. By filing a personal injury lawsuit for sexual assault, you can fight for financial compensation for the suffering and expenses you’ve faced as a result of your attacker’s wrongdoing. 

If you’ve suffered a sexual assault in Austin, you don’t have to face the process of seeking financial recovery on your own. With help from an Austin personal injury attorney with experience in sexual assault cases, you can defend your rights to compensation. Get help from the compassionate, trustworthy sexual assault attorneys at Ramos James Law, PLLC.

If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault in Texas, reach out to the Austin sexual assault attorneys at Ramos James Law, PLLC, for help seeking financial relief.

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One person died and a child was left hospitalized following a two-vehicle crash in southeast Travis County on November 5. Keep reading to learn more about the Travis County crash and child car accidents from the team at Ramos James Law, PLLC, Austin personal injury attorneys.

The Travis County Accident

According to the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS), a child was injured and an individual was killed in an accident near Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on Sunday, November 5. Authorities and emergency personnel with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and ATCEMS responded to the crash just after 5:30 in the morning.

The collision occurred on Farm-to-Market Road 812 near COTA Boulevard. Details regarding the crash are limited, but ATCEMS confirmed that two vehicles and three people were involved in the crash. 

One person was pronounced dead on the scene, and a child whose age has not been reported was transported to a nearby children’s hospital with potentially serious injuries. Another individual on the scene refused transport from ACTEMS.

Images from the scene show at least one white pickup truck with significant damage to the left side of its front end.

Officials with TSCO posted on social media at 6:46 a.m. that lane closures related to the accident would last for several more hours.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation by police, with DPS serving as the lead investigating agency.

If your child has been involved in a car accident, you can ask an Austin personal injury lawyer for help seeking financial relief.

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Source: CBS Austin, KXAN, FOX7

Five people died in five separate auto accidents in Travis County starting on Saturday, October 21, and ending on Monday, October 23. This is a considerable spike compared to the average number of deadly crashes Travis County sees per year. 

Keep reading to learn about the deadly accidents and facts surrounding deadly accidents in Travis County from the team at Ramos James Law, your Austin accident lawyers.

The Deadly Travis County Accidents

The first deadly accident happened on Saturday near Manor, Texas. Two vehicles were involved in a crash at 13601-14125 North State Highway 130 in the northbound lanes, according to a post by emergency responders. One adult was pronounced dead on the scene and another was transported to a hospital with potentially serious injuries.

The second accident occurred at around 5 a.m. on Sunday, October 22. A pedestrian was on the Interstate 35 frontage road at Braker Lane in Austin when they were struck by a car. An adult died on the scene, according to emergency responders.

The third accident also happened on Sunday at around 9:37 a.m. in nearly the same location as the first deadly accident. The accident was at 13601-13749 North SH 130 service road, northbound. Again, one adult was pronounced dead on the scene.

The fourth accident occurred later the same day just before 3:40 p.m. in Austin. The accident happened at the intersection of Corpus Christi Drive and West Parmer Lane and involved two vehicles. One person was pronounced dead on the scene and another was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The final accident happened on Monday just before 1:30 p.m. on the same highway as the first and third crashes. Two vehicles were involved in the crash on State Highway 130 service road, southbound, at Maha Loop in southeast Travis County. Emergency responders initiated CPR on one adult, but the individual succumbed to their injuries on the scene. Two more adults were evaluated for minor injuries but refused hospital treatment.

How Many Deadly Accidents Happen in Travis County?

With five deadly accidents happening in such quick succession, you might be asking yourself just how many fatal crashes happen in Travis County. The answer might not be as high as you think. 

In 2022, there were just 162 deadly accidents in Travis County. That’s one deadly accident roughly every 31 hours. While each death is a tragedy, that still only represents about 1% of all Travis County accidents. This means Travis County accidents are slightly more dangerous than the state average, but five deaths in three days is still very high.

If you’ve been involved in an Austin accident, reach out to an Austin accident lawyer like those on the team at Ramos James Law for help.

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Source: CBS Austin, KXAN, KXAN, CBS Austin, FOX7

A man was arrested following a deadly wrong-way crash in Austin on October 5. Wrong-way crashes are not common causes of car accidents, but they can be incredibly hazardous. 

Learn about the Austin car accident and the danger of wrong-way accidents from the team here at Ramos James Law Austin personal injury attorneys.

The Deadly Austin Car Accident

On Thursday, October 5, a man was arrested by Austin police after allegedly causing a deadly wrong-way accident near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The 44-year-old man is facing a second-degree felony charge.

The accident occurred in the early morning on East State Highway 71. The now-arrested driver was traveling west on the highway in a white Ford Excursion when he lost control of his vehicle and began driving east in the westbound lanes. 

In the 1500 block of the highway, the Excursion struck a black Nissan Rogue that was traveling westbound. The Nissan struck another vehicle as a result; the Nissan driver was killed in the crash.

Witnesses told authorities that they saw the Excursion traveling the wrong way at a high rate of speed prior to the crash. 

After the crash, the man accused of causing the wrong-way accident was seen walking away from the crash with injuries consistent with the incident. He later admitted to police that he had been driving the Excursion and had fled the scene. He also admitted that he had been drinking alcohol before driving. A field sobriety test was conducted, and the man was arrested for intoxication manslaughter.

How Dangerous Are Wrong-Way Crashes?

Wrong-way crashes might not be in the top-ten when it comes to causes of car accidents, but they’re still more common than you might think. In 2022, wrong-way crashes on one-way roads happened about once every seven hours in Texas. 

Out of all of those accidents, less than 100 resulted in a fatality, accounting for roughly 7% of all Texas wrong-way crashes. While that might seem low, it’s still incredibly hazardous. Out of all Texas car accidents, less than 1% are deadly. That gives you some idea of how much more dangerous wrong-way crashes are in comparison. In fact, wrong-way crashes are roughly ten times deadlier than the average car accident.

How To Avoid Wrong-Way Crashes

The best way to avoid any sort of accident is to consider what causes those accidents. In the case of wrong-way accidents, there are a few common factors that contribute to the likelihood that a person will drive the wrong way on a one-way road:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Driving while distracted
• Driving in poor weather conditions
• Driving with poor visibility
• Detours
• Road signage issues
• Mechanical failures
• Advanced age

While there’s nothing that you can do to avoid some of the top causes of wrong-way crashes, you can do your part to only drive while you’re focused and able to see clearly.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an Austin car accident, an Austin personal injury attorney can help you make a claim for financial relief.

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