Waco Texas Legal Blog

As an older American living in Texas, you face a higher risk of falling than those younger than you, meaning you are more susceptible to environmental hazards and other obstructions that younger people may be able to easily avoid. At Hunt & Tuegel, PLLC, we understand just how often falls are a factor in senior hospital visits, injuries and fatalities, and we have helped many older Americans who suffered because of someone else’s actions or negligence pursue appropriate recourse.

According to the National Council on Aging, slip-and-fall accidents are now responsible for more than 800,000 hospitalizations, 2.8 million injuries and 27,000 fatalities every year. Furthermore, falls are now the leading reason older Americans visit hospitals, and they are also the top cause of fatal injury among older adults. Just what is it about aging that places you at such a high risk for falling?

While the overall crime rate in U.S. cities has been trending down over the last couple of decades, the United States far outstrips other developed nations in the number of deaths resulting from gun violence. Mass shootings, such as those seen over a recent two-day span in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, have become a nearly daily occurrence, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Since 2013, there has been a total of 1,855 mass shootings in the U.S., with 108 incidents in Texas alone. Over the past three years, according to research, there has been nearly one mass shooting incident per day in the United States. In 2016, a leap year, there were more U.S. mass shootings, 382, than there were days in the year. As of September 20th, there have been 263 days in 2018 and 262 mass shootings in this year alone.

Among researchers, there is some disagreement as to what constitutes a mass shooting. Some disregard certain types of incidents, such as domestic violence or gang-related shootings. According to some organizations, the shooter must kill four or more people (excluding himself or herself) in order for the incident to count as a mass shooting, but the Gun Violence Archive counts an incident as a mass shooting if the shooter injures at least four people, even if they survive the injury.

Having your identity stolen by an identity thief can be a nightmare. It is even worse when the perpetrator uses your name to commit crimes. An identity thief using your name could be convicted of a number of crimes, but those convictions will go on your record, which will be noticed by Texas employers when you approach them for work. If an identity thief has left your good name in tatters, there are important steps you should take to reclaim your identity.

First, anyone who has been victimized by identify theft should seek the help of a defense attorney. A piece run in USA Today also recommends that you contact your local police and the office of the district attorney to discuss the issue of your identity theft. Additionally, file a report that describes that have been victimized. You will likely need legal counsel as you carry out these activities.

Going to a doctor for any reason means you are putting your health in the hands of a professional and you need to trust that they will act appropriately. What happens when that trust is violated?

This question of trust and responsibility has come to a head for a gynecologist formerly employed by The University of Southern California. The doctor in question is the subject of a lawsuit filed on behalf of 51 women against the university alleging sexual abuse over the course of his 30-year career at the school. The basis for the case, and the reason USC can be held civilly liable for the actions of an employee, lie in the provisions and interpretation of the federal statute known as Title IX.