Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner's Blog

Ford Recalls over 250,000 Vehicles for Defective Door Latches

By Karl Long of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Product Liability on Monday, March 30, 2020.

Ford recently issued a safety recall for approximately 250,000 vehicles in the United States to address defective door latches. The affected vehicles are the 2014-2015 Ford Fiesta, 2014-2016 Ford Fusion, and 2014-2016 Lincoln MKZ. Ford says the vehicles have door latch designs that can crack and fail, especially in areas with high ambient temperatures, including Texas. Cars in the following states are affected by the door latch recall: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

Man Files Lawsuit Against Local Pub after Violent Beating and Stabbing Incident by the Pub's Bouncer and His Friends

By Angelina Wike of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Negligence on Friday, March 27, 2020.

On March 2, 2020, a resident of Humble filed a complaint in the Harris County District Court against Bender Square Partners, Lopez Venture Group LLC doing business as Shamrock's Pub, its bouncer Salomon Wyatt, and others. The man alleges assault and battery, negligence, and premises liability against the defendants, among other causes of action.

Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Handicapped Minor Alleging Sexual Abuse and Rape

By Jonathan Sneed of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Negligence on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

On March 3, 2020 a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 14-year-old girl with developmental disabilities alleging that she was sexually abused and raped over the course of several consecutive days on her school bus. This tragic event occurred approximately one year ago in Fulton County, Georgia where it is alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse and rape only three to four rows behind the driver of a small special-needs school bus. According to the lawsuit, the girl underwent several days of repeated abuse before the driver reportedly "noticed something" occurring on the bus.

Pharmaceutical Recall Due to Medication Possibly Causing Seizures

By Ciro Samperi of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Product Liability on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S., Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for two specific lots of Phenytoin Oral Suspension USP, 125 mg/5 mL both in 237 mL bottles. The two lots included in the recall are numbers: 327874 and 327876, both of which carry an expiration date of December 2020. The medication is used to treat conditions typically found in epileptic patients: grand mal and psychomotor seizures.

Are Texas DUI Fatalities Spiraling Out of Control?

By Michelle Rice of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Car & Truck Accidents on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

Texas has one of the highest rates of driving under the influence (DUI) traffic fatalities in the country. Thousands of accidents involving a DUI driver occur every year resulting in crashes and death. The Texas Department of Transportation gathers data from traffic accidents across the state. In 2017, there were 3,721 deaths, 17,546 suspected serious injuries, 80,621 non-incapacitating injuries, and 156,686 possible injuries due to drunk drivers in Texas. Recently, it was announced that Harris County in Houston, Texas has one of the highest rates of DUI fatalities in the state. It has been found that approximately 30% of all fatal crashes involve a DUI driver.

Patient Receives $12.75M after Device Breaks during Brain Surgery

By Imrana Manzanares of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Product Liability on Monday, March 23, 2020.

Michael Brassloff was 71 years old when he underwent surgery to remove a benign tumor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. During the procedure, the two-millimeter tip of a carbon dioxide-cooled laser probe snapped off after it was inserted through a hole in Mr. Brassloff's skull. As a result, the pressurized carbon dioxide drilled directly into Mr. Brassloff's brain. The force was eight times more powerful than that of a nail gun.

Suit Filed Against Hyundai after Airbags Fail to Deploy

By Muhammad Aziz of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Product Liability on Friday, March 20, 2020.

A La Porte woman was severely injured when the airbags on her 2013 Hyundai Genesis failed to deploy after being struck in an auto collision. The lawsuit arises out of the events that took place in September 2019. Plaintiff, then 68, was traveling on W. Fairmont Parkway in Harris County, Texas, when she was struck by a driver who ran a red light. The impact of the collision caused her vehicle to spin out of control, coming to rest only after hitting a concrete light pole. As a result, Plaintiff sustained serious injuries and was transported to Clear Lake Regional Hospital via EMS.

Three Killed in Separate Hit-and-Run Crashes

By Kelly Viktorin of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Car & Truck Accidents on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

March 16, 2020, marked a deadly night in the Houston-area resulting in three fatal hit-and-run crashes. A man pushing a bicycle was hit and killed at West FM 1960 near Humble. Authorities say the driver of a Chevrolet truck was speeding when he hit the victim, dragging him underneath and driving away. A constable patrolling the area chased down the driver, who was taken to jail. According to officials, the suspect showed signs of intoxication. The suspect was charged with DWI with a child passenger and failure to stop and render aid resulting in death.

Business Interruption Coverage for COVID-19?

By Randy Sorrels of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Commercial Litigation on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

In response to growing concerns of community spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), sports organizations, local schools, and even the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo have ceased operations for the foreseeable future. As businesses consider the human and health impact of this global pandemic, a common question raised is how any business interruptions and related financial losses may be covered by their insurance policies. Whether your business has drastically experienced economic loss or has temporarily closed its doors due to city-wide closures or travel restrictions, you may find relief from your insurance coverage provider.

When Are The Safest And Deadliest Driving Times In Texas?

On behalf of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner posted in Car & Truck Accidents on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Houston can be a dangerous place to drive. Despite law enforcement's best efforts, the number of automobile-related fatalities continued to rise in 2019. While a collision may seem unpredictable, many factors contribute to fatal collisions, particularly on certain days and times. Using past crash data, patterns can be identified to inform people of safer and deadlier times to drive.

Blog