Austin Legal Blog

How To Keep Children Safe From Furniture Tipping and Collapsing

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in blog on Monday, January 29, 2018.

You may think of your home as the safest place for your children. However, parents have to work to make sure that expectation becomes truth. Homes with infants require special care, such as covering outlets and removing choking hazards, but even older children and toddlers need a few crucial household adjustments to stay safe.

As babies grow and become more mobile and curious, you will probably find yourself running around to remove them from a potentially dangerous situation. One of the biggest threats in your home may, in fact, be your furniture.

Should the property owner have protected you?

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in blog on Sunday, January 14, 2018.

If you have been a victim of a violent crime, you may be running over the details in your head. It's common to second-guess yourself but it is not helpful at all. What might be useful, however, is looking at the circumstances where you were attacked and how the crime might have been prevented.

This is all about "negligent security" or the failure of a property owner to do the most basic things necessary to prevent crime. There is a high standard for the responsibilities of property owners in Texas to protect visitors on private property. But you may be entitled to compensation under certain circumstances. It's important to have an experienced negligent security attorney review your case.

What is Apple's Do Not Disturb While Driving App?

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in blog on Monday, January 8, 2018.

Distracted driving is the leading cause of auto accidents in the U.S. and is an ongoing concern as accidents caused by distracted drivers continue to rise. This fall, the tech mogul Apple introduced a new app to promote safe driving called Do Not Disturb While Driving. Advocates say it can help prevent distracted driving.

The feature prevents users from receiving messages and calls while driving. If the device owner chooses, the app lets contacts know the phone owner is driving by sending them a customizable message.

Is your vehicle's sunroof at risk of exploding?

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in Car Accidents on Friday, November 24, 2017.

Sunroofs are no longer just the province of luxury vehicles. These days, most car models have a sunroof option. Some even boast panoramic versions that span half the ceiling.

While it is indeed a luxury to enjoy the sunlight, views and fresh air, sunroofs have a downside: They could be ticking time bombs.

What responsibilities do stores have to Black Friday shoppers?

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in Injuries on Friday, November 10, 2017.

If you're like many shoppers in the Austin area, your plans for the day after Thanksgiving may include going out to stores to take advantage of Black Friday deals. So, you might be preparing for this big shopping trip and how to make it as enjoyable and productive as possible.

How your Black Friday trip ends up going could also be impacted by how stores prepare for this big shopping day. This includes what steps they take to ensure your safety.

Texas Finally Bans Texting While Driving; Local Ordinances Go Further

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in blog on Thursday, September 21, 2017.

On Sept. 1, a statewide ban on texting while driving went into effect in Texas. Still, there may be some confusion about what kind of phone use is permitted behind the wheel, as local municipalities, including Austin, enforce stricter phoning-while-driving ordinances.

Here's a quick breakdown for drivers in Central Texas.

Semi roadcheck exposes safety concerns

On behalf of The Bratton Firm, P.C. Attorneys at Law posted in blog on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.

Anyone driving down Interstate 35 is used to a steady stream of semis with deliveries in tow. Like other road safety issues, it’s such a common occurrence that most drivers forget about the inherent dangers cars face in sharing the road with much larger vehicles. Semis can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and they need more time to stop and more space to turn. Given the laws of physics, if a car collides with a truck, it can be catastrophic.

Thankfully, serious car-semi accidents are not a common occurrence—but it does happen, and significant injuries are often a result. Truck drivers carry a regulated commercial driver’s license in effort to improve highway safety. Trucks are also subject to regular inspections, including the annual the annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck this June.