Get The Best Legal Information about Virginia Accidents

Pedestrian struck, injured in Raleigh

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A woman has been injured after being struck by a vehicle in Raleigh, NC. The woman was crossing the intersection of Duraleigh and Pleasant Valley roads around 7 p.m. When the car struck her. Authorities say her belongings were scattered in the road. The driver of the car was not injured and. Police haven't said whether the man will be charged in the incident.

Our thoughts go out to the woman. We wish her a speedy recovery. No pedestrian should ever be in a dangerous situation like this one, but sadly, this incident is all too common. In the winter time especially, when night falls early, drivers are distracted and not looking out for pedestrians in the road way. Many people making their way home by foot are in much greater danger after night falls. We can only hope this woman makes a full recovery in spite of another's carelessness.

The reality is that many people choose to walk or jog after dark. If you decide to go for an evening walk, always obey traffic laws. Cross streets using the crosswalk, and do you best to stay within a well lit area. If possible, wear clothing made from reflective fabric to make your presence known on the road. When exercising, don't just put on your headphones and zone out – you'll need all five senses to be fully aware of the traffic around you.

Drivers should also take extra care when traveling at night, particularly through neighborhoods. Always obey speed limits and traffic laws, and yield to crossing pedestrians. It could save a life.

Father At Fault for Serious Injuries to Children in York, Virginia Car Accident

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Two children were injured when the vehicle they were passengers in crashed in York, Virginia (VA).The accident occurred at the intersection of Hampton Highway and Yorktown Road when their father, who was operating the motor vehicle, allegedly ran a red light.

The negligence of the father in this accident is two-fold and quite inexcusable. He ran a red light to make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic – doing so alone is not only illegal, but cavalier; doing so with children in the car intolerable. It is not acceptable to be so careless with the lives of those who are so innocent and completely dependent on those adults responsible for their care. The second strike against this father is that he failed to secure his youngest child in a child restraint seat.The toddler was ejected from the car upon impact with the oncoming vehicle.

We hope that these children have a full and complete recovery from their injuries. Their father was charged for multiple offenses as a result of his actions full of careless disregard. Some may wonder if these injured children have rights under the law to recover something for their horrific injuries. Can they have a voice? Under Virginia law, they do. In cases such as this, they are entitled to pursue a personal injury claim to recover compensation for their injuries.

To learn more about how to file a claim on behalf of an injured child, please feel free to view this free consumer report from a personal injury attorney in Virginia.

View Larger Map

Three Injured in Downtown Norfolk, VA HRT Bus Crash

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

After an SUV slammed into an HRT bus at the intersection of St. Pauls Boulevard and Main Street in downtown Norfolk, Virginia (VA), three people went to the hospital for treatment of crash-related injuries. Speaking with WAVY-TV 10 after the accident at around 2 pm on February 8, 2012, a Hampton Roads Transit spokesman said the bus operator was uninjured and it was unknown whether the people who did sustain injuries were bus riders, pedestrians or the driver and passengers in the SUV.

View a larger map of where an SUV hit an HRT bus in downtown Norfolk, VA, injuring three passengers.

Police have determined, however, that the individual behind the wheel of the SUV was the at-fault driver. Whether that individual will face criminal charges is unclear, but staying out of court would not excuse the at-fault driver from being held liable for injuries in civil lawsuits.

If the people hurt in the bus-SUV accident find themselves facing high medical bills, long periods out of work and signiicant lost wages while recovering and participating in physical therapy, or any kind of disability, they should contact a Norfolk personal injury attorney to discuss their legal options for receiving compensation.

EJL

Chapel Hill, NC Crash Victim Calls Distracted Driving a 'Prescription for Tragedy'

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A victim of a Chapel Hill, North Carolina (NC), car accident is being proactive about getting drivers to focus more on controling their vehicles and less on distracting activities while behind the wheel. The woman was walking to class one day when she was hit by a car. Witnesses claim the at-fault driver was talking on a cell phone at te time of the wreck, but nothing was ever proven.

View Larger Map

While the victim is unable to remember the details of the 2010 accident, she still suffers headaches, difficulty speaking and fatigue. She has not suffered in silence, however, testifying during a legislative hearing to argue for a ban on cell phone use while driving. The injured woman has also worked in the community to inrease awareness that any other activity done while driving can cause a driver to become distracted and that it only takes a second for a tragedy to occur.

According to NBC 17, teen drivers are among the most likely to cause deadly car accidents because they get distracted. Racognizing this, state troopers are focusing on edcating young drivers about the consequences of distracted driving. Officers are also stepping up enforcement efforts on I-85, I-95 and I-40.

To learn more about the serious risks associate with distracted driving, take a look at this consumer report written by an experienced personal injury lawyer in Virginia.

PA

Lawyer Blogs About Unfair Provisions of Cruise Ticket Fine Print

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm has written about onerous ticket contract provisions that may restrict or outright deny your ability to pursue damages in court. To learn more, check out "Cruise Line Ticket Fine Print Could Block Costa Concordia Passengers From Pursuing Damages."

PA

Man Run Over, Killed by Pickup on Chesapeake, VA Road

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

The fifth pedestrian fatality in less than two weeks in Hampton Roads occurred in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), on February 7, 2012. According to the Virginian-Pilot, a man lost his life after being run over by a Ford F-150 pickup truck near the intersection of N. George Washington Highway and Townhouse Lane. Neither alcohol nor speed appears to have played a role in causing the deadly accident, but the at-fault driver, who stopped at the scene and called police, said the victim had been lying in the roadway before being struck.

View a larger map on the Chesapeake, VA, intersection where a pedestrian lost his life after being run over by a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

The investigation into the wreck has just begun, but even if no criminal charges are brought against the truck's driver, he may still face some liability if the deceased pedestrians family files a wrongful death claim. While few of the early details point to recklessness by the driver, evidence of negligence such as distracted driving do to cell phone use could turn up.

Deciding to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit is never an easy decision, but when their grief has abated somewhat the victim's family should consider contacting a Virginia personal injury attorney to discuss their legal options.

EJL

Injury Lawyer in Virginia Blogs About Importance of Keeping Your Eyes on the Road

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm has written a fatal Reston, Virginia (VA), pedestrian accident that illustrates the importance of staying vigilant and keeping your eyes on the road at all times. If you don’t, the consequences can be devastating. To learn more, read "Taking Your Eyes Off the Road Has Consequences."

PA

$90M Mesothelioma Verdict Based on Evidence of Conspiracy by Manufacturers and Employers

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

After hearing evidence for five weeks, a jury in McLean County, Illinois (IL), awarded a retired pipefitter who developed mesothelioma after spending years working with asbestos insulation a total of $89.6 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The defendants -- Honeywell International Inc., Pneumo Abex, Owens-Illinois Inc. and John Crane Inc. -- were found to have participated in a conspiracy to conceal the dangers asbestos fibers posed to employee and to have failed to warn workers about, or protect them against, breathing in airborne asbestos.

These videos explain what mesothelioma is, how it develops and what symptoms the incurable disease causes:
.

Unsurprisingly, Owens-Illinois, which was a leading manufacturer of asbestos products for much of the middle of the last century, has vowed to fight paying its share of the verdict. The company denies having known and kept silent about deadly occupational illnesses linked to workplace exposure to asbestos. As a Virginia (VA) personal injury and wrongful death attorney who has represented dozens of mesothelioma sufferers, however, I know that corporations that made and used asbestos insulation learned of the risks as early as the 1930s.

Because I specialize in helping former railroad workers pursue FELA claims against railroads, I have learned that many, if not most, corporations went out their way to continue using materials and enforcing work procedures and policies that unnecessarily imperiled their employees' short- and long-term health. I also know that because mesothelioma can develop as long as 40 years after asbestos exposure, cases of the fatal lung disease will continue cropping up in retired railroaders, shipyard workers, military personnel, factory workers, plumbers and former members of all professions for decades to come.

While claims for punitive damages cannot be brought under the provisions of the Federal Employers Liability Act, the law does hold employers who acted negligently in unsafely exposing employees to asbestos to strict liability. That law, and welcome verdicts like the one in Illinois, go a long way to holding companies responsible for the pain and suffering they caused workers they failed to adequately protect.

EJL

Packaging Mistake Sparks Pfizer Birth Control Pill Recall

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Approximately one million packs of birth control pills have been recalled by drug maker Pfizer Inc. The company claims the pills weren't packaged correctly, raising the chance of unplanned pregnancies for women who relied on the pills.

Brand name Lo/Ovral-28 and generic equivalent norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol products are being pulled from pharmacy shelves. Any women with prescriptions for those hormonal contraceptives should check their birth control right away. Lot numbers of affected packs can be found on the Pfizer website.

The pills come in packs that mix 21 active active tablets and 7 that are inert. Women are supposed to take a certain pill on a specific day. Pfizer has explained that order and number of active and inert tablets got mixed up. According to the company, the design of its packaging line allows for incorrect placement of the pills and the mechanical system for detecting defective packs could miss one “very, very infrequently.” Plant workers could also miss problem pill packs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not received any reports of unintended pregnancies from women who used recalled packages of birth control pills.

It's scary to think that prescribed contraceptives might not work as intended. If your own borth control is affected by this recall, consult your doctor. If you believe you may have become pregnant as a result of this packaging error, consult an attorney.

CD

Driver Pleads Guilty in Crash That Killed Air Force Officer in York County, VA

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Some justice has been served in a case of reckless driving that left one man dead. A Gloucester, Virginia (VA), man was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to causing the death of a U.S. Air Force lieutenant when he ran a red light at the intersection of Battle Road and Route 17 in York County. The serviceman had been stationed in Norfolk and was a short drive from home when he was struck and killed.

View Larger Map

The victim’s family should contact a personal injury lawyer in Virginia to discuss their legal options. Even though the at-fault driver has been punished in a criminal court, that does not preclude the family from pursuing damages through a civil lawsuit.

To learn about the applicable laws related to wrongful death accidents, take a moment to read this consumer report written by a wrongful death lawyer in Virginia.

PA

Unrestrained Children Seriously Injured in York County, VA Car Crash

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A 2-year-old and 7-year-old wound up hospitalized with serious injuries after their father ignored a stop signal while making a left-hand turn from Route 134/Hampton Highway onto York Road in York County, Virginia (VA), and hitting an SUV and pickup truck. WAVY-TV 10 reported that the toddler was ejected from the car as a result of the first collision. Neither child was restrained in a car seat or with a seat belt, according to Virginia State Police.

Toddler ejected, second child also injured in York, County, VA crash

The father who caused the accident now faces charges of running a red light, reckless driving and not restraining his children in his moving vehicle. It may take months following this February 2, 2012, multivehicle accident for those charges to result in any criminal punishment. It may take even longer for the irresponsible and negligent father's children to recover from their injuries.

As Virginia personal attorneys and parents, we can only hope for speedy healing and that everyone who learns of this wreck takes away three important lessons. First, no one should ignore red lights or stop signs. Failing to yield the right of way practically guarantees a crash will occur.

Second, anyone making a left-hand turn must take the time to ensure the lanes he or she must cross are free of approaching vehicles. Too often, left-hand turn accidents prove deadly.

Last, and most importantly, anyone responsible for transporting a young child has a legal responsibility and personal duty to ensure the young one in their care is secured in a size- and age-appropriate car seat. Virginia requires safety seats for infants and toddlers and booster seats until the age of 8.

EJL

Virginia Man Killed by Car While Helping Semi Driver

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A 69-year-old man from Mineral, Virginia (VA), was killed in Reston on February 1, 2012, when, according to the Washington Post, he was helping a tractor-trailer driver back out of a parking lot. The victim stepped into Fox Mill Road and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the vehicle, who stated he didn’t see the man in the road, has been charged with failure to pay full attention.

View Larger Map

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim who was just doing a good deed. Even though speed and alcohol do not appear to have caused this tragic car accident, the driver can still be held liable for causing a wrongful death. While money will not bring a loved one back, the family may be eligible for damages based on lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress, among others. Contacting a Virginia car accident attorney will help them determine their proper course of action.

To learn more, read the information provided by a trusted Virginia wrongful death attorney regarding what to do if you have lost a loved one in an accident.

MH

I-81 Rear-End Collision Between Tractor-Trailers Leaves One Driver Dead

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog, Kevin Duffan reports on a fatal accident near Lexington, VA, in which one semi ran into the back of another big rig that had stalled and stopped in a traffic lane. . To read more, click over to “Trucker Dies in Rear-End Collision on I-81 in Rockbridge County, VA.”

EJL

Brazilian Blow Out Products Unsafe for Consumers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Popular hair straightening products sold under the Brazilian Blowouts brand name by GIB LLC have been found to contain formaldehyde despite being labeled as being free of carcinogenic chemical. To learn about the risks associated with the hair styling products, visit "Brazilian Blowout Creator Admits Health Risks Are Associated With Products."

CD

Man Struck, Killed by Vehicle in Hampton, VA

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A man has died after being struck by a vehicle in Hampton, Virginia (VA). The 60-year-old pedestrian was attempting to cross Victory Boulevard around 6:45 in the evening of January 30, 2012. He was hit by a Yellow Cab Company 2008 Chevy Uplander. According to the Virginian-Pilot, the man was rushed to Riverside Regional Medical Center but died shortly after his arrival.

The pedestrian lived on Victory Boulevard, so it is easy to imagine he was just minutes from home. This news must be devastating for his family. As Vrginia car accident and wrongfu death attorneys, we send our condolences to them during this difficult time.

At this time of year pedestrians are at great risk for getting into a car accident. Many drivers are still commuting home from work at the hour when this fatal wreck occurred, and those drivers are not always paying close attention to pedestrians attempting to cross the street. Sadly, more accidents are claiming the lives of local pedestrians: the prevous day, a young woman was also killed in Hampton after being struck by a vehicle.

CD

Speed Cited as Cause of Crash in Moundsville, WV

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Speed is listed as the principle cause of a car crash that claimed the lives of two men from Glen Easton, West Virginia (WV). The at-fault driver was reportedly speeding in a 40-mph zone when he lost control of his Pontiac Grand Am and crashed into a Progressive Bank at the corner of Lafayette Ave and Eighth Street. The driver and a passenger died in the wreck.

Police were called to the scene after another passing motorist saw the accident and subsequently ran over debris left behind.

View Larger Map

Police would not speculate how fast the driver was going before crashing, but an investigation is ongoing. It is clear at ths time, however, that the driver was acting unsafely. It’s frustrating to read about fatal accidents that may have been prevented if the at-fault driver had been more cautious and obeyed the posted speed limit. Unfortunately, as this accident illustrates, passengers can lose their lives because a driver in whom they placed their trust was reckless.

Nothing will bring back the innocent victim, but a personal injury lawyer in West Virginia may be able to help family member pursue some semblance of justice through a wrongful death claim. To learn about what damages can be sought in this type of suit, take a look at this page of frequently asked question answered by an experienced wrongful death attorney.

PA

Understanding Virginia Uninsured Driver Insurance and Hit-and-Run Accidents

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Elsewhere on this site, my Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney colleagues and I call uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage the most important protection your automobile insurance policy provides. While mandatory UM/UIM coverage increases your premiums, we don't stress its necessity and benefits because we want you to give more money to insurance companies. Quite the opposite.

Carrying uninsured motorist coverage ensures you will receive some compensation if you, a family member named on your policy or a passenger in your vehicle suffers injuries in any accident. Even if that wreck is caused by a hit-and-run driver police never manage to track down, your UM/UIM coverage compels your own insurer to provide compensation for medical bills, lost wages and, if applicable and within the coverage limit, pain and suffering. Expenses related to repairing property damage to your car, truck, SUV or van -- or replacing the vehicle if it gets declared a total loss -- can also be recouped with an uninsured motorist claim.

I have already written at length in answering the most common questions Virginia drivers and accident victims have about UM/UIM coverage. I urge you to click over to that FAQ for fuller details, but let me list here some of the essential facts about uninsured motorist coverage:

Every licensed driver in Virginia who takes out an automobile insurance policy is required to carry a minimum of $25,000 worth of UM/UIM coverage.
Premiums for uninsured motorist coverage are kept low in Virginia by annual $500 payments people without full insurance make to the state's Department of Motor Vehicle. The fees are deposited in an Uninsured Motorist Fund that can be tapped to reimburse insurers and injured individuals.
You can add more than the minimum UM/UIM coverage to your policy. We recommend $50,000.
Your premiums are very unlikely to increase if you file a UM/UIM claim.
Filing a UM/UIM claim with your insurance policy holder does not prevent you from filing a civil lawsuit against, and pursuing additional compensation from, the driver who caused the accident.

To expand on that last bullet point, by law, any uninsured or underinsured motorist sued for damages must be provided a defense and insurance coverage up to the amount of your available uninsured motorist coverage despite having no or inadequate insurance. This means that your own policy pays the liability for the at-fault hit-and-run or otherwise irresponsible driver but the driver cannot benefit from that "borrowed" coverage. Admittedly, this is complicated. The UM/UIM rules confuse and confound, but they offer the only legal recourse for protecting you and your loved ones from economic ruin when hit by an uninsured driver on a Virginia street or interstate.

Should you ever become the victim of a crash caused by a driver so irresponsible that he or she doesn't have insurance or stop at the scene, you'll be glad to have your own policy's UM/UIM coverage as a safety net.

EJL

Ten Injured When Amtrak Train Collides With Semi in Michigan

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s Railroad Accident/FELA Lawyer Blog, Rick Shapiro reports on Amtrak accident at a grade crossing in Michigan (MI) that left 10 people, including the train’s engineer and a conductor, injured. Rick notes that the collision with a tractor-trailer stuck on the tracks happened even as railroad companies, including CSX and Norfolk Southern, are fighting federal requirements to install crash-avoidance technology on trains and tracks. To read more, click over to “Amtrak Crash, Derailment in Michigan Leaves 10 Injured.”

EJL

Several Injured in Five-Car Wreck on I-64 in Norfolk, VA

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A five-car accident was so bad that it shut down I-64 in Norfolk, Virginia (VA). According to WAVY-TV 10, several people involved in the wreck sustained Injuries.

The stage for the accident was set when a car's driver pulled over to change a flat tire. The stopped car was then hit by another car that wound up hitting a Jersey wall, That second car was hit by a third car, and a fourth car that slowed down because of the accident was rear-ended by a fifth car.

View Larger Map

When many cars are involved in an accident that leaves several injured, victims should speak with a personal injury lawyer to discuss their leagl options. Trying to get compensated for your injuries can be tough enough in a typical accident involving two vehicles, but the challenge increases exponentially in a chain-reaction car wreck.

To learn what you need to do after a chain reaction crash, take a look at this article written by an experienced injury lawyer in Norfolk.

PA

Medical Schools Announce Increased Focus On Traumatic Brain Injuries

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) have come together to announce a new focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) – two of the most common injuries suffered by disabled veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The new concentration on these two injuries and ailments was announced by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden at Virginia Commonwealth University as troops from nearby Fort Lee cheered on the announcement.

Over 135 medical schools and osteopathic medicine schools have pledged their commitment to this initiative, which strives to increase both training and research related to brain injuries and traumatic stress.

According to recent reports, as many as 360,000 returning veterans have suffered a serious head injury while on active duty. Of those, about 90,000 veterans will require ongoing treatment and care for their head injuries. As many as one out of two servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has at least suffered a concussion. More serious injury victims struggle with headaches, mobility issues, memory problems, sleep disorders, and other issues.

Before the announcement, Michelle Obama visited patients at a nearby Veterans’ Administration hospital.

Man Hit, Killed by Yellow Cab in Hampton, VA

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s VA/NC Wrongful Death Lawyers Blog, Randy Appleton reports on a deadly pedestrian accident in Hampton, Virginia, that stands as the fourth crash in an 8-day period in which a person standing by the side of a highway or crossing a street was struck and killed by a vehicle. To read more, click over to “Two Fatal Pedestrian Accidents in Hampton, VA in Two Days.”

Pedestrian hit by cab in Hampton, VA identified

EJL

Boones Mill, VA Teen Killed in Car Crash

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A 17-year-old passenger was killed in a Franklin County, Virginia (VA), car crash.

According to the Franklin News-Post, the teenaged driver of a Mercury Cougar lost control of her car on Route 122 and struck four other vehicles before running off the road and slammng into a building. The at-fault driver had been speeding around a curve and crossed over the center line into the path of oncoing traffic.

A total of four people were also injured in the accident. Those survivors were transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and police continue to investigate the wreckaccident.

View Larger Map

The injured victims may have grounds to pursue damages through personal injury claims, and the family of the teen who died could potentially pursue a wrongful death suit. To learn about what types of damages could be obtained from an accident involving a reckless driver, take a look at this consumer report written by an experienced personal injury attorney in Virginia.

PA

Single-Vehicle Truck Accidents Double in Last Year

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

While the number of serious traffic accidents and traffic accident fatalities dropped considerably in the last year, the number of single-vehicle truck accidents doubled between 2010 and 2011. The significant rise in this type of big rig accident has many safety advocates and truck industry officials concerned about how we can successfully prevents these types of accidents in the future.

According to National Transport Insurance (NTI), who analyzed truck accident data between July 2010 and October 2010, and July 2011 and October 2011, the number of single-truck accidents doubled during the second period. Almost 50 percent of these truck accidents either involved speeding or fatigued drivers.

CEO of NTI Tony Clark commented on the new report by saying the numbers should encourage the trucking industry to improve its safety record by focusing on vehicle maintenance and preventing sleepy, distracted drivers.

This truck crash information was contained in NTI’s Major Accident Investigation Report, which was released by the National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC). The study’s authors believe that the first step in understanding truck accidents and preventing truck accidents is making certain that truck industry officials, truckers, and owner-drivers read the report and familiarize themselves with the common causes of truck accidents.

Small Plane Crash Landing in Suffolk, VA Highlights Risks for Pilots and Passengers

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

January 26, 2012, could have been deadly for a commercial small plane pilot and his passenger who had planned a quick from Suffolk, Virginia (VA), to Cambridge, Maryland (MD). Fortunately, both George McClellan of McClellan Aviation Services and Jesse Johnson Jr., who is the husband of Suffolk's mayor, walked away uninjured from their crash landing at Suffolk Executive Airport.

According to WAVY-TV 10, the men's twin-engine, six-seater plane experienced mechanical problems with its front landing gear that kept the nosecone wheels from deploying. As the following video shows, a gentle touchdown and a level-headed decision to burn off as much fuel as possible before attempting the emergency landing prevented both injuries and a fire:

Plane makes emergency landing in Suffolk, VA

As a Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury attorney whose law firm has represented plane crash victims, I know that equipment failures due to poor design, manufacture and maintenance are a leading cause of crashes that leave pilots and passengers injured and dead. What exactly caused the landing gear to stick for the Suffolk men remains under investigation. If a product defect or negligence by a third-party hired to keep the plane in good repair is found, the plane's owner could have grounds for filing a claim to receive compensation for property damage.

EJL

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese May Have Caused Injury Before Being Recalled

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

On September 30, 2011, Kraft Foods issued a voluntarily product recall of 137,000 cases of Velveeta Shells & Cheese Single Serve Microwaveable Cups that were shipped throughout the United States due to “the possible presence of small, thin wire bristle pieces.” A press release states there had been not injuries reported, but it appears now that someone may have been injured.

Shortly before that corporate recall, a Kentucky (KY) man ate a bowl of the macaroni on September 21, 2011. Eight days later he was having surgery becauser a CT scan showed a small metallic sliver, which was still present, had perforated his small bowel and caused peritonitis. A part of his small bowel had to be removed. WSMV-TV 4 reports that the man and his wife filed a lawsuit in January 2012 against Kraft Foods, requesting $6.5 million in damages.

Although this particular case was in Kentucky, it is very possible that Virginia (VA) residents could have been affected because the product in question was distributed across the United States and do not have a printed expiration date until March 2012 at the earliest. So please check to be sure you do not have the recalled product in your home.

If you believe you or a family member ingested this product and had medical issues as a result, please contact a Virginia product liability attorney to discuss your legal options. Even if you used the product last year, it is not too late to seek legal help.

This article in which a Virginia product injury attorney offers more information regarding defective and faulty product claims.

MH

Charges Expected Against Teenager Who Caused t. Albans, WV Wreck

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A teen in St. Albans, West Virginia (WV), is expected to be charged for causing a car wreck that injured four people, including a 4-year-old child.

The accident occurred on Hughes Creek Road when the 18-year-old driver of a Ford F-150 failed to stop at a stop sign and hit a 1997 Monte Carlo driven by a 17-year-old from Cedar Grove. The at-fault driver had an 18-year-old and her child in his pickup.

View Larger Map

According to the Charleston Gazette, all four people involved in the accident were transported to CAMC General Hospital, where they were treated for head, neck and back injuries.

The driver of the pickup reportedly told authorities he had been drinking vodka prior to the car accident. As a result of the crash, he is facing likely charges for having no insurance, holding an improper vehicle registration, driving with a suspended license and driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The injured victims should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer in West Virginia to discuss their legal options. Since the allegedly at-fault driver has no insurance, the victims should talk to their lawyers about filing a claim against their own policies in order to get compensated through the uninsured motorist portion of their coverage.

To learn more about uninsured motorist coverage, check out this consumer report written by a West Virginia personal injury attorney.

PA

A Deadly Week for Virginia Pedestrians

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s VA/NC Wrongful Death Lawyers blog site, our colleague Kevin Duffan reports on three deadly pedestrian crashes in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Hampton, VA, that all occurred within a 7-day period of late January 2012. Kevin notes that drivers must always watch out for people standing beside or crossing roads. To read more, click over to “Pedestrian Accidents on Southeastern Virginia Roads Claim Three Lives in Single Week."

EJL

Deadly Week for Virginia Pedestrians

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

One Deadly Week for Virginia Pedestrians

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Woman Injured in I-77 Accident in West Virginia

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A vehicle breakdown appears to have set the stage for a two-car accident I-77 in Mineral Wells, West Virginia (WV), that left one woman with serious injuries. When a woman’s car slowed down and stopped on the interstate, according to the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, another car's driver failed to avoid the stalled car and crashed into her from behind.

View Larger Map

The injured woman was taken to Camden Clark Medical Center, where it was determined that she suffered from multiple fractures and internal injuries. She was then transferred to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown for advanced treatment.

Many questions about this wrec remain to be answered. For instance, was the driver who failed to stop and slammed into the woman’s vehicle distracted in some way? We will have to wait to see what the accident report reveals.

The victim in this accident should speak with a personal injury attorney in West Virginia to discuss their legal options. To help, here are some relevant frequently asked questions we have been asked by personal injury clients:

Virginia Trucker Killed in Tractor-Trailer Accident on I-85

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A Chesterfield County truck driver was killed in a traffic accident on Interstate 85 South early on Wednesday morning, January 18.

According to local news sources, 58-year-old Gary Wilkerson was driving a UPS truck on the interstate outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, when he lost control of his vehicle while driving across a bridge. His cab slammed into the median and came to a stop, while the two trailers he was pulling fell off of the bridge and onto the roadway below. Wilkerson was thrown from the cab and onto the roadway. It is not clear if he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the truck wreck.

The Virginia man had worked for UPS for twenty-five years. At the time of the crash, Wilkerson was completing a delivery route between Richmond, Virginia, and Charlotte. Wilkerson’s two adult daughters said that Virginia State Police informed them of their father’s death at around five in the morning on Wednesday. They told reporters that their father had always been a cautious driver. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

The Virginia truck accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton send their condolences to Wilkerson’s friends, family, and loved ones.

Truck Blows Tire, Causes Accident in Albemarle County, Virginia

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Two Virginia drivers required medical attention for injuries following an accident on Route 20 near the intersection of Forrest Road in Albemarle County, Virginia.

According to Virginia State Police, a dump truck was traveling along Route 20 outside of Charlottesville when one of the vehicle’s tires blew, causing the driver to lose control of the truck. The vehicle swerved out of its lane and struck a sedan before running off of the road and into the woods, finally coming to a stop when it struck a tree. The sedan also left the roadway and drove deep into the woods.

Emergency workers extracted the dump truck driver was extracted from the vehicle. Both drivers were transported by ambulance to the University of Virginia Medical Center for treatment. Both have since been released with non-life-threatening injuries.

Both sides of the two-lane highway were closed as police investigated the accident and cleaned up the wreckage, causing slow traffic in both directions on Route 20. Police say that the Virginia truck accident was caused by the blown tire, not driver error, and that no charges would be filed related to the crash.

The Virginia truck accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton wish both drivers a swift and complete recovery.

Woman Killed in Hampton, VA Pedestrian Accident

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A woman died after being struck by a car in Hampton, Virginia (VA). The Virginian-Pilot reported that the woman was hit by a 2008 chevy Cobalt after falling into N. King Street around 4:41 am. Police responded to the scene, where the woman was pronounced dead.

Our thoughts are with victim's family. This kind of senseless accident is always difficult to cope with. As a car accident attorney, I've seen far too many pedestrians hit by drivers who are distracted or careless.

View Larger Map

Drivers out in the earliest morning often don't give pedestrians the attention they need. If you're a morning pedestrian, try to wear clothing made from reflective materials to highlight your presence on the road. Follow traffic signals just like you would if driving and cross at corners and marked crosswalks. Watch out for drivers turning right on red, who may not expect pedestrians in the roadway.

To learn more about Virginia's pedestrian laws, read this article.

CD

Virginia Man and Brother Die in Log Truck Collision

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A Virginia man and his brother were killed in a Friday night accident involving a logging truck on a dark road.

According to local news sources, 58-year-old Willie Duncan of Virginia and 57-year-old Willie Deas of South Carolina were driving on Powell Road in Georgetown County at around 9:30 p.m. on Friday night when the truck accident took place. According to South Carolina police, the collision occurred when the commercial logging truck was in reverse and backing into a private drive. The two men approached in a Chevrolet Corvette and could not stop in time to avoid a crash.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene of the truck accident, which took place in the Sampit community. It is unclear if the driver of the logging truck was injured.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team is investigating the accident. No charges have been filed and no rulings have been made as authorities collect evidence and await test results. It is not clear if the logging truck driver has a history of traffic violations or accidents.

The Virginia Beach truck accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton, send their heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of Duncan & Deas.

Compensation Offered to Costa Concordia Survivors

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

When the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground the island of Giglio, thousands of passengers were forced from their cabins to flee for lifeboats. It was a vacationer's worst nightmare -- a shipwreck that left dozens injured, at least 16 dead and 16 missing. Now, the ship's owner and operator, Carnival Cruise Line subsidiary Costa Crociere line is offering to compensate passengers for their suffering. The company has asked each survivor to accept 11,000 euros, or $14,460, and payment for five counseling sessions in return for not filing lawsuits. The cruise line will also reimburse passengers for the cost of cruise tickets and travel expenses, as well as lost luggage and personal items.

Many passengers have reportedly refused the offer, feeling that the monetary settlement would come nowhere close to compensating them for edical expenses, pain and suffering. Others have noted that a handful of sessions with a therapist would do little to help them deal with lingering problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

No amount of money can make the psychological trauma go away, but Costa Crociere needs to do it can to address passengers' physical, emontional and economic struggles stemming from the shipwreck. It is irresponsible for the cruise line to think a one-size-fits-all payment will do the job.

If you're ever in a situation like this, it's best to consult with an attorney about your legal options. Blindly accepting the first offer a company makes is never the best idea.

CD

Four Killed in Wrong-Wa Crash on U.S. 50 in Maryland

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

On a lonely stretch of U.S. Route 50 in Crofton, Maryland (MD), just north of the Virginia (VA) state line, four people lost their lives in a wrong-way crash. A car carrying three teens was crossed into the path of oncoming traffic and struck another car head-on. The driver of the wayward vehicle and two teen passengers were killed instantly, and the other driver died on the way to the hospital.

As Vrginia car accident attorneys, we have been exposed to the horrors of wrong-way crashes and know how devastating they can be for victims and their families.

Horrors of Wrong-Way Driving

The National Highway Safety Administration estimates that wrong-way drivers cause approximately 3 percent of accidents each year and that wrong-way crashes are five times more likely to occur during the early morning hours, as the Maryland accident did.

Any parent who loses a child will most likely suffer serious grief and depression. Wrongful death of a child is also hard on Virginia personal injury attorneys. However, securing compensation for family members and being able to ease their pain and worry if even by a small amount is worth it.

CT

The Top 18 Causes of Truck Accidents in the United States

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

You were injured in a Virginia truck accident – but who was really at fault for the crash? The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), examined 141,000 truck accidents across America in order to discover what the most common causes of truck accidents were when the truck, trucker, or truck company was at fault.

Here are the results:

Truck brake issues/equipment failure.
Driving too fast for the conditions
Trucker is not familiar with the area.
The condition of the road.
Driver is using over-the-counter drugs.
Driver is not watching the road/inadequate surveillance.
Trucker fatigue.
Trucker pressured by employer.
Driver broke a traffic law.
Driver inattention.
Distracted driving.
Truck-tire failure.
Trucker tailgating.
Truck jackknifes.
Cargo shifts in truck.
Driver medical problem.
Trucker using illegal drugs.
Trucker under the influence of alcohol.

If you have been involved in a serious commercial truck accident, it is extremely important that you understand the underlying cause of the crash – whether it involves your actions, the actions of the trucker, or the negligence of the trucking company. A Virginia truck accident lawyer may be able to help you understand your case. To request a free, private consultation with a Norfolk personal injury attorney, contact Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton today.

Virginia on Pace for Record Number of Teen Traffic Deaths in 2012

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In her latest post to our firm’s Norfolk Injuryboard blog site, personal injury lawyer Emily Mapp Brannon reports on shocking statistics that indicate deaths among teenaged drivers and passengers in Virginia (VA) more than tripled for the month of January between 2011 and 2012. Emily notes that controllable factors such as speeding and distracted driving, especially texting while driving, caused a majority of the fatal crashes. To read more, click over to “Teen Traffic Accident Deaths Soar in Virginia During January 2012.”

EJL

New Bill Would Limit Virginia Teen Drivers' Cellphone Use

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Police would have a new way to combat distracted driving by ticketing teens who use cell phones while operating a vehicle if a bill being considered by the Virginia General Assembly becomes law. The Virginian-Pilot is reporting that under current law, licensed teens can be ticketed if police pull them over for another offense and drivers with provisional licenses (i.e., learner's permits) can be stopped by police for simply using their phone while behind the wheel.

Not all teenagers will be pleased with this news, but as a personal injury attorney, I applaud our lawmakers for trying to protect teen drivers and those with whom they share the road. I've seen far too many careless accidents taht left people injured or dead.

With technology working its way into virtually every facet of our lives, distracted driving has become an epidemic. Many experts have speculated that distracted driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Teenagers are especially likely to be distracted behind the wheel, given their proclivity for texting.

Teenagers aren't the only drivers who get distracted behind the wheel. With GPS systems, bluetooth headsets and satellite radio come complications. Who hasn't been frustrated with some form of technology while trying to navigate a local street? We are all guilty of driving while distracted, and should take a cue from the teens to put down our cell phones and pay attention to the road.

CD

Injury Lawyer in Virginia Discusses the Importance of Health and Safety Blogs

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Virginia personal injury lawyer Rick Shapiro has posted an article in which he illustrates how exchanging information on health and safety over the internet helped an innocent injury victim recover compensation from the hotel fanchisee whose negligence lead to the man's injuries. Such posts can also help promote safety by holding companies liable for their negligence.

Take a look at "Shattering Glass Coffee Carafes: How Health and Injury Blogs Prevent Injuries and Promote Safety."

PA

One Teen Killed, Others Injured in Virginia Car Accident

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

According to the Franklin News-Post, a 17-year-old boy was killed while riding in a Mercury Cougar with three other teens after school in Franklin County. The female classmate who was driving hit a curve at a high rate of speed and lost control of the car, crossed into oncoming traffic, collided with two other vehicles and ran off the road before hitting a building.

The three surviving teens in the Mercury and the driver of one of the other vehicles were taken to the hospital with injuries.

View Larger Map

Many factors may have contributed to the accident. Speeding surely made it difficult for the young driver to control the car around a curve. She also may have been distracted by something and failed to see the curve in time to reduce her speed. Drivers of any age can become distracted while driving, but teens are particularly susceptible to being distracted by other people in the car, a cell phone, an after-school snack or a song on the radio.

Whatever caused the fatal wreck, many people’s lives were changed forever by this accident -- not only the individuals directly involved, but also their families and friends and the emergency responders called to the scene.

All of the accident victims and their families should contact a Virginia injury lawyer to determine whether a wrongful death or personal injury case should be filed. If it seems wrong for the teens to file a claim against the driver of the vehicle in which they were riding, read this information from a car accident attorney to understand why a claim should be filed even if a friend was driving.

MH

Beyaz: New Name Same Dangerous Birth Control Pill as Yaz, Yazmine and Ocella.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

As more and more young women are pursuing careers and higher education they are turning towards birth control to postpone having a family. 2.3 American women are currently taken oral contraceptives often called “the pill.” Modern medicine has created a number of different types of oral contraceptives that women can take and most are very safe and effective.

However one company, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, creates a set of contraceptive pills —Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella — that have been found to have particularly dangerous side effects. Although they have different names they are the same dangerous pill. The problem is the key chemical ingredient, drospirenone which is combined with estrogen. No other oral contraceptive (or birth control pill) contains the drug. Now they are peddling a new pill called Beyaz. Made of the same it simply adds folic acid (vitamin B-9) to the Yaz formulation which does nothing to lessen the side effects.

How Dangerous? Studies show that:

Women are twice as likely as men to develop gallstones
Heart attack
Stroke
Pulmonary embolism
Deep vein thrombosis
Gallbladder disease.

After that laundry list of terrible side effects why would any women even ever risk taking Yaz, Yazmine or Ocella when there are so many others to choose from? As a Virginia (VA) dangerous drug attorney I know that most woman simply don’t know about the dangers. To make matters worse the pills are particularly dangerous because they have been marketed to young women with misleading advertising and false claims.

If you are currently taking one of these pills you should consult with your doctor about finding an alternative birth control method. Don’t become a victim find out more by reading our free dangerous drug guide: What to Do If Hurt by a Prescription Drug.

CT

New York Elevator Accident: Possibly Caused by Maintenance Work

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

How many elevators have you ridden in your lifetime? Dozens, maybe hundreds? The fear most people have is that the elevator will get stuck between floors. Causing them to be trapped for an unknown length of time maybe even wedged between strangers for the duration. However a much worse fate was in store for a young advertising executive in New York, New York (NY).
Tragically Suzanne Hart was killed at a 26-story Manhattan office tower during an elevator accident.

After some investigating by the New York City’s Buildings Department it seems that this was no freak accident instead maintenance work may have contributed to the accident.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney I know that injuries can occur anywhere but when the injury is caused by another person or company’s negligence then you may have a chance to recover for your loved one. This may be a wrongful death case in which a wrongful death attorney should be hired so that her family can decide whether to take the property owner to court. Usually property owners have liability insurance in the event someone is injured or killed on their property.

CT

Virginia Truck Attorneys Needed to Sort out Tractor-Trailer vs. Tractor-Trailer Accident

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

It was a case of tractor-trailer on tractor-trailer wreckage that left a truck driver injured and traffic snarled for miles on Interstate 95 (I-95) in Virginia (VA). What caused these mammoth vehicles to collide? The driver of the first big rig tried to stop suddenly for slow traffic on the interstate when he lost control careening into a second tractor-trailer. The second rig then ran off the interstate and overturned while crashing down an embankment. The first tractor-trailer jackknifed, blocking the right lane and shoulder but luckily no other vehicles were struck.

The victim of the truck accident was taken to the hospital for injuries and we hope he recovers fully. As a Virginia (VA) tractor-trailer injury lawyer we sometime take injury cases where the tractor trailer driver was the one harmed, such as in this case.

Depending on whether the at-fault rig was commercially or privately owned will make a huge difference in the direction this injury case will take. Because there are many liability, underinsurance and separate insurance policies involved in any trucking business, tracking down the insurance sources or proper trucking company that may be responsible can be an overwhelming burden. If you have been injured in a Virginia (VA) truck accident read our free truck accident guide: What To Do If Hurt in a Truck Wreck.

CT

Car Wreck in Louisa County, VA Causes Loss of Life

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A serious car wreck on U.S. 522 in LouisaCounty, Virginia (VA), took the life of an innocent driver. The fatal head-on collision occurred when the 19-year-old driver of a 2002 Dodge crossed the double line boundary on the highway and hit a 1998 Subaru. The Subaru's driver was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Daily Progress.

View Larger Map

Our deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family. Losing someone you love is one of the most difficult experiences anyone has to go through, but the pain is made even worse when the loss is sudden and may have been caused by the reckless actions of another person.

We do not know what exactly caused the Dodge driver to cross into the path of oncoming traffic. Was he distracted or drowsy? We will have to wait and see what the accident report reveals.
If it turns out the driver was careless or negligent, the victim’s family may have grounds for a wrongful death claim.

To learn more about what types of damages can be pursued in a wrongful death claim, take a look at this article written by a wrongful death lawyer in Virginia.

PA

Man Wanted in West Virginia Hit-and-Run Accident Finally Captured

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A man who was on the run after a Wayne County, West Virginia (WV), wreck that seriously injured three people has been arrested. According to WYMT. The 27-year-old suspect was found hiding in a closet in a Huntington Avenue apartment after police spent several days searching for him.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect was wanted not only for the car accident, but also for running out of a courtroom in August of 2011. His reason for leaving the scene of the car crash was that he did not wat to be arrested on his outstanding felony warrants. He also misled authorities by giving a false name and social security number.

View Larger Map

Now that the suspect has been arrested, he is facing charges of driving with a suspended license, failing to report an accident, three counts of leaving the scene of an accident where bodily harm was caused and three counts of failing to render aid to the injured.

The victims of the hit-and-run accident should consult with a personal injury attorney in West Virginia to discuss their legal options. The recklessness and disregard for human life prominently displayed by the hit-and-run driver would be taken into consideration when pursuing damages for personal injuries.

To learn more about what to do after being the victim of an accident caused by a driver who bolts the scene or has no insurance, check out this consumer report written by an experienced injury attorney.

MH

Richmond, VA Woman Seriously Injured While Crossing Street in Norfolk

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Sincere Brooks of Richmond, Virginia (VA), might, just for a moment or two, consider herself lucky to have only sustained a serious knee injury when a car hit her as she used a crosswalk to get across Tidewater Driver in Norfolk on January 16, 2012. Despite her pain, suffering, lost wages and hospital bills, she survived the pedestrian accident and should recover. As a fatal car crash on I-64 later the same week reminded everyone, people on foot too often lose their lives when hit by a moving vehicle.

This report from WVEC Television tells Brooks' story:

Brooks told the station that she waited for the walk signal before stepping into the street near the Walmart at Southern Shopping Center. That would mean the driver who struck her had a red light that the person either ignored or spotted too late to stop at a safe distance from the intersection. The facts of the matter remain unclear, however, because the at-fault driver did not identify him- or herself to Brooks or the other motorists who rendered assistance after the accident.

Whoever crashed into Brooks left the scene without taking responsibility for causing her injuries. In other words, this was a hit-and-run pedestrian accident that left a woman badly hurt and temporarily unable to walk or even sit without experiencing pain and muscle spasms.

Norfolk police are asking anyone with information about the wreck to call 1-888-LOCK-U-UP and share details that could help them track down the at-fault driver.

Attorneys with our Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury law firm have helped numerous pedestrian accident victims in Norfolk receive compensation from the people who hit and hurt them. We wish Brooks a speedy and full recover and hope that the driver responsible for her suffering is identified and held to account.

EJL

Death Toll From Italian Cruise Ship Disaster Rises as Cruise Line Offers Insulting Deal to Victims

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Fifteen people are now confirmed dead from the Costa Concordia cruise ship wreck, and 17 people remain missing. Given the amount of time that has passed since the January 13, 2012, accident, it is, unfortunately, likely that few of the missing passengers and crew will be found alive.

It’s a heartbreaking realization and incredibly frustrating to watch this horrible event unfold. What’s so infuriating is that the cruise ship wreck probably could have been prevented if the ship’s captain had been responsible. The captain has been charged with multiple counts of manslaughter, abandoning ship, unsafely steering the cruise ship too close to shore and causing a shipwreck.

An attorney with the Virginia-based Shapiro, Lewis & Appeton law firm is currently representing two passengers who were injured when the Costa Concordia wrecked. In our investigation of the accident and its aftermath, our stff lawyer learned from a report in the Telegraph that Carnival Cruise, in what appears to be an attempt to dissuade passengers from pursuing damages is offering a 30 percent discount on future cruises. To call that offer insulting would be an understatement.

In fact, that’s exactly what a 63-year-old passenger who survived by sliding from one side of the deck to another to find a lifeboat, said about the offer. "It is a ridiculous and insulting offer. I'm very disappointed in them,” the person told the newspaper.

The 30 percent offer on future cruises does not appear to be very effective. More than 100 passengers have already joined a class action lawsuit due to be filed in Miami, Florida (FL).

Our injury law firm plans to aggressively pursue the interests of our clients who suffered serious physical, emotional and psychological trauma from this cruise ship wreck. Our clients were actually interviewed by 20/20 and Entertainment Tonight about their experiences.

To get a sense of just how terrifying it was on board the Costa Concordia, take a look at this video of passengers trying to evacuate the cruise ship:

PA

Portsmouth, VA Woman Killed While Walking on Shoulder of I-64

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Leaving your vehicle to deal with a roadside emergency like a blown tire can be incredibly dangerous. A sad reminder of this came on January 22, 212, when a Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), woman was hit and killed on I-64 by a vehicle whose driver is now facing reckless driving charges. To learn more, visit "Pedestrian Killed on I-64 in Norfolk, VA."

CD

Tide Train Derails in Downtown Norfolk, VA

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A Norfolk, Virginia (VA), Tide light rail train derailed on January 20, 2012. None of the passengers on board suffered injuries, but the accident raises questions about just how safe light rail trains really are. To learn more, visit "Norfolk, VA Light Rail Train Derails."

CD

Norfolk State University Students Endangered by Tide Light Rail Station?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Students trying to get to Norfolk State University have a variety of modes of transportation. They can drive to campus, take a bus or, now, ride a Tide light rail train at no cost. Free fares make commuting by rail a popular choice, but NSU officials are concerned about tsafety issues posed by the location of the closest light rail station.

Students must cross six lanes of Brambleton Avenue traffic to get to and from the campus to the rail station. Instead of walking one block to use a crosswalk, many choose to cross in the middle of the busy street and just a short distance fro an interstate off ramp. An estimated 50,000 vehicles travel the stretch of Brambleton outside the Tide station each day

No one has been hit so far, but officials say a serious pedestriation accident is sure to occur. Ironically, the light rail station's riginally planned location on the school side of Brambleton would have eliminated many of these safety concerns. However, voicing crime concerns, NSU administrators urged Hampton Roads Transit to relocate the station. Now, the worries have shifted to the pedestrians who put themselves at risk each time they cross Brambleton.

Some have suggested building a pedestrian bridge from the station to the campus. Though expensive, a bridge would quell many of the fears students have.

CD

Pilot, Passenger Permanently Disabled in Plane Crash Receive $11.35M Jury Award

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

When their twin-engine Cessna Skymaster experienced engine trouble, crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from an Atlanta, Georgia (GA), airfield in 2007, it was unclear whether the dermatologist and professional pilot from Ohio (OH) would survive the third-degree burns, broken bones and head injuries they suffered. While the doctor and his fiance pulled through, both were left permanently disabled; the dermatologist returned to his skin cancer specialty practice but has difficulty walking, and the one-time pilot had to surrender her license to fly because lung damage makes her unable to pass a required FAA physical.

In a measure of justice, the man and woman recently received an $11.35 million jury award against the company they had trusted to maintain their plane. Evidence presented by plaintiffs' attorneys Jamie R. Lebovitz and Arthur Allen Wolk at trial showed that Winner Aviation had failed to perform regular required maintenance on the front and rear engines of the couples' small airplane.

This video hints at the complexity of the Cessna Skymater's rear engine and the attention to detail needed to maintain it properly:

As a longtime pilot myself, I know how important it is to keep a plane in proper repair and how much private airplane owners rely on service companies to do this. When paid mechanics fail to identify and fix problems -- and especially when maintenance personnel fail to prevent problems -- anyone injured as a result of that negligence should receive compensation for their medical treatment costs, pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.

EJL

Electrical Accident Disables Norfolk Virginia (VA) Light Rail Train

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Norfolk light rail is quick and efficient but it has had its share of problems. Passengers were forced off the train in Norfolk Virginia (VA) when a power cable snapped causing the train to become inoperable. No one was hurt during the electrical accident and the passengers were safely placed on a bus to reach their final destination.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney I know that electrical shock accidents can quickly become devastating. I hope that all the HRT workers who are on the scene and trying to get the train moving again stay safe. When construction, electrical work or repairs are ongoing, unfortunate accidents such as electrocution, electrical shock, electrical fires, explosions and burn injuries can occur.

It would be terrible for one of those hard working Virginians to become an accident statistic. Such as in one case our firm handled where a young man lost most of the use of his arm and his leg and was very fortunate to survive a 19,200-volt shock. He is being treated by many doctors due to the disabling effects of an electric shock.

CT

Virginia Lawmakers Consider Making Texting While Driving a Primary Offense

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

The Virginia State Legislature is considering a bill that would make texting a primary offense. Police in Virginia would be allowed to pull over drivers for texting. Currently, police are only allowed to pull over drivers if they are committing another violation such as speeding or failing to stop at a stop sign.

The fine for driving while texting would be small, only $20 if it is the first offense or $50 for a second offense.

My Virginia personal injury attorney colleagues and I strongly believe that more laws restricting texting while driving, along with educational programs that teach teens about the dangers of using handheld electronic devices behind the wheel, are needed. Young drivers do not only text as easily as they breathe, they also feel immortal. This is a dangerous combination. Something must be done to limit distracted driving, and all drivers need to understand that no text message is important enough to die for.

As lawyers who focus only on personal injury law, we have been very involved with this issue and even wrote a consumer report about the dangers associated with distracted driving. We support the idea behind this legislation and look forward to watching the bill go through the legislative process, AC

Virginia Personal Injury Attorney Emily Mapp Brannon Appears on ABC's 20/20 With Her Clients: Concordia Honeymooning Couple

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Robert and Megan Mauri were on board the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it crashed off the coast of Italy on January 13, 2012. These Pennsylvania (PA) residents will tell their courageous story on January 20 edition of the news magazine show 20/20. If you miss the broadcast, we are sure that video clips will remain on the web at the link above.

Protecting the honeymooners legal interests was their Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney Emily Mapp Brannon. Emily reports that the couple also has been interviewed by Entertainment Tonight, which will likely air the spot on Friday, January 20, 2012. The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster interview clips with her clients, on their honeymoon, may also be available on the ET website, so check it out.

The newlyweds will tell their harrowing tale of two people in love nearly separated by the cruise ship disaster and who also helped fellow passengers during the disaster's aftermath. Lies told by the captain, abandonment by the crew and lifeboats that were unable to be lowered are only some of the terrifying comparisons with the Titanic's sinking.

Our frm's personal injury attorney is legally advising the couple as to rights. In a disaster this big the Carnival Cruise Lines' Italian subsidiary will be facing hundreds of personal injury and dozens of wrongful death claims, over the unexplained acts of the captain straying off course. Questions are significant about whether personal injury suits can be maintained in the United States or must be brought in Genoa, Italy. Emily will team with Italian attorneys if the legal analysis mandates actions be brought in Italy rather than the United States.

CT

Fall From Segway Causes TBI, Leaves Man Permanently Disabled

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s Virginia Brain/Head Injury Lawyers blog site, Rick Shapiro reports on a $10 million jury award for a Connecticut (CT) man who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling backwards off a Segway. Company representatives, jurors found, acted recklessly in allowing the man to ride the two-wheeled motorized scooter through an obstacle course blindfolded and while not wearing a helmet. To read more, click over to “Segway Fall That Caused Man's TBI Leads to $10M Jury Award.”

EJL

Driver Fled Scene After Wayne County, WV Car Crash, Still Running

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A two-car crash sent three people to the hospital and one suspect on the run. The accident happened on Route 152 in Wayne County, West Virginia (WV), and was said to be caused by a driver’s road rage.

The allegedly at-fault driver was driving erratically when he lost control of the car, careened to in the guardrail and then across the center lane into another car. Two passengers in the suspect’s car were taken to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other car, an elderly gentleman, aso had to be transported to the hospital. The suspect was taken to the hospital, as well, after being found a short distance away but left the hospital without being treated.

View Larger Map

According to local police and WSAZ News Channel 3, the suspect faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of a crime, driving on a revoked license and failure to render aid. As of the date of this posting, the suspect had not been apprehended.

The front-seat passenger in the suspect’s car is still listed in critical condition while the other passenger had to undergo emergency surgery for a broken leg.

In a case where an accident is fueled by road rage and recklessness, the victims should speak with a personal injury lawyer in West Virginia to discuss their legal options. When a driver shows disregard for the law and, as a result, injures multiple people, he should be held liable for the pain and suffering inflicted on the victims.

To learn about what types of damages can be pursued in a personal injury claim, read this article written by an experienced personal injury attorney who is licensed in West Virginia.

PA

Electrical Accident Disables Norfolk Light Rail Train

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Norfolk light rail is quick and efficient but it has had its share of problems. At first passengers were thought to be forced off the train in Norfolk Virginia (VA) when a power cable snapped causing the train to become inoperable.Later it was discovered that an engineer accidently backed off the rail and derailed. No one was hurt during the electrical accident and the passengers were safely placed on a bus to reach their final destination.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney I know that electrical shock accidents can quickly become devastating. I hope that all the HRT workers who are on the scene and trying to get the train moving again stay safe. When construction, electrical work or repairs are ongoing, unfortunate accidents such as electrocution, electrical shock, electrical fires, explosions and burn injuries can occur.

It would be terrible for one of those hard working Virginians to become an accident statistic. Such as in one case our firm handled where a young man lost most of the use of his arm and his leg and was very fortunate to survive a 19,200-volt shock. He is being treated by every type of doctor you can imagine due to the disabling effects of an electric shock.

CT

Passenger Critically Injured in Suffolk, VA Crash That At-Fault Driver Fled

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A passenger ejected from and trapped under a car that rammed into a guardrail in the 2200 block of East Washington Street in Suffolk, Virginia (VA), was medevaced to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital late on the night of January 17, 2012. What caused the single-vehicle accident is not yet known because the driver fled the scene of the crash before police and emergency medical personnel arrived. WAVY-TV 10 is reporting that authorities "are following some leads" in an effort to get answers.

View a larger map of East Washington Street in Suffolk, VA, where a passenger suffered critical injuries in a car accident.

Tracking down the driver will allow police to determine whether criminal charges related to the accident should be filed. That outcome seems likely, since not staying at the scene after causing a wreck that results in injury, death or property damage is itself an offense under Virginia law. Identifying the driver is also important because it will allow the injured passenger to seek compensation for medical treatments, lost wages and, possibly, pain and suffering from the at-fault driver's insurance company.

As Virginia personal injury attorneys who have helped hundreds of traffic accident victims recover monetary awards from at-fault drivers who have tried to avoid liability and responsibility, we know that all drivers who hurt others can and should be held accountable and through the civil justice system.

EJL

Cement Truck And Ambulance Collide In Fatal Buckingham County Crash

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Virginia State Police do not believe any charges will be filed following a deadly crash between a privately owned ambulance and a cement truck in Buckingham County, Virginia. The fatal Virginia truck crash took place on Route 20 on Friday, January 6.

The driver of the ambulance, Timothy Southern of Waynesboro, Virginia, died at the scene of the truck accident. The medic traveling in the ambulance, Heath Davis, was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries and is in stable condition. The patient traveling in the ambulance, 82-year-old Howard Watson, was flown by medical helicopter to the University of Virginia Medical Center, but died soon after arrival. It is unclear what his medical condition was prior to the truck accident and what his cause of death was. The driver of the cement truck was not seriously injured.

Virginia police are investigating the fatal truck collision, but say that the head-on crash was caused by the ambulance driver. The cement truck driver does not appear to be at fault and probably will not face traffic citations. It is unclear whether the ambulance was speeding or using its sirens at the time of the crash.

The Virginia truck accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton send their condolences to the victims of this tragic crash as well as their loved ones.

Sentencing Continued in Virginia Car Wreck that Killed Three People

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

The sentencing for drunk driver from Norfolk, Virginia (VA), who caused a fatal car wreck in August 2010 has been continued. Two other passengers suffered serious injuries in the wreck that happened when the speeding driver missed a turn and allowed his car to hit a guardrail and several trees before smashing into the front porch of a home. Authorities and emergency responders could barely distinguish a vehicle out of the damage, according to DelmarvaNow.com.

The driver’s blood alcohol content was more than three times that of the legal limit of .08. In addition, the car was estimated to be going 100 mph at the time of the crash.
The driver was convicted on three counts of involuntary manslaughter, with the jury recommending that he be sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The family of the victims should consult with a personal injury lawyer in Virginia to discuss their legal options. The reckless behavior of this at-fault driver could be grounds for wrongful death claims and potentially punitive damages. To learn about what type of damages can be pursued in a Virginia wrongful death suit, read this consumer report written by an experienced wrongful death attorney.

PA

Tire Blowout Cited as Cause of Charlottesville, VA Dump Truck-Car Accident

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our law firm’s Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog, attorney Kevin Duffan reports on a crash near Charlottesville, VA, in which a tire blowout on a dump truck sent that vehicle and a small car off Route 20 and into the woods. Drivers in both vehicles sustained serious injuries. Kevin stresses that the investigation into the wreck should include an analysis to determine whether the tire that failed was defective in design or by manufacture. To read more, click over to “Dump Truck Accident Near Charlottesville, VA Injures Two.”

EJL

At-Fault Driver Flees Hospital After St. Albans, WV Accident

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A Charleston, West Virginia (WV), man has a warrant out for his arrest after he fled the hospital after causing a car accident that badly injured another driver. The wreck took place at the intersection of Spring Street and Kenawha Terrace in St. Albans.

According to the Charleston Gazette, the man made a left-hand turn directly into the path of an oncoming car. Both drivers were taken to CAMC General Hospital and treated for injuries. The police reported that they smelled alcohol on the at-fault driver and found an open container in the car with him. The driver was also found to have a revoked license due to a prior driving under the influence charge, and police could not find proof of insurance in the vehicle.

View Larger Map

At the hospital, the at-fault driver became combative with staff and police. Offcers were looking to obtain a warrant to run a blood alcohol test on the driver when he fled the hospital.

The injured victim should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer in West Virginia to discuss his legal options. The at-fault driver reportedly was driving after consuming alcohol, and there is evidence of open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. If the victim is forced to miss time from work, racks up a large medical bills or suffers a decrease in his quality of life, he could have grounds to pursue damages. To learn about what types of damages can be pursued in a personal injury claim, take a look at this page.

Here is some more information about West Virginia drunk driving laws.

PA

Medical Center Reduces Dosing and Medication Errors

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A medical center in Minneapolis, Minnesota (MN), has reduced medical errors by simply making sure that pharmacists participated in the patient discharge process.

Officials decided to seriously look at pharmacy errors after they spot-checked perscriptions for 37 patients sent home from the hospital over a 3-months and found errors in 92 percent of the medication records. Physicians either prescribed a wrong dose, prescribed duplicate medications or omitted needed medications.

To address this problem, the medical center assigned pharmacists to review all discharge orders. After a new spot-check, the medical center discovered that the error rate had gone down to zero. More importantly, the 30-day readmission rate, or the number of patients bouncing back to the medical center, was cut in half.

As a personal injury lawyer in Virginia (VA), I know it takes a lot of courage to publically admit an error and find a workable solution. Some medical centers would rather ignore the problem and hope that nothing serious happens. Unfortunately, it only takes one error to cause a serious injury, or even death.

Attorenys at my firm had the opportunity to represent a client who was given the wrong dosage of a medication and suffered a massive rectal hemorrhage. The man required three hospitalizations to resolve the injury, and we were able to help him receive $200,000 so he could move on with his life without being financially crippled by medical bills.

If you have been harmed because of a mistake made by a pharmacist or doctor, please talk to an attorney. You have options and people available who want to help.

AC

Cruise Ship That Ran Aground in Italy a Reminder That Boats of Any Size Are Susceptible to Accidents

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

The Costa Concordia cruise liner ran aground off Italy’s Tuscan coast resulting, at the time of this posting, eleven deaths, 60 injuries and roughly 29 people still unaccounted for. The captain of the ship has been arrested and accused of abandoning the ship. According to CNN, three of the victims who lost their lives in the January 13, 2012, shipwreck were two French tourists and a Peruvian crewmember.

The ship had embarked from Civitavecchia near Rome on a trip that was scheduled to include stops at ports in France and Spain. The accident was reportedly due to a “reckless maneuver” involving the ship captain steering the cruise liner closer to the coast to allow passengers a better view of the island’s lights. The captain has been detained for abandoning ship and is accused of manslaughter and causing the ship to wreck.

People injured aboard the ship may want to consider pursuing legal action against Carnival Cruise Lines, which owns the Casta Concordia through a subsidiary company. You might be thinking, “Can people actually bring a claim against Carnival since it appears the captain was the at-fault party?” The answer is probably yes. There is a legal doctrine known as respondeat superior that makes an employer potentially liable for the actions of its employee whose negligent or irresponsible actions on the job cause an injury or death to another. Whether this doctrine is applicable depends on where a claim is filed. Another factor is the choice of law provision that is likely to be included in a form cruise passengers had to sign before boarding the ship.

As you can see, the legal process associated with a serious shiwreck or boating accident can be complicated. To learn more about laws related to injuries and wrongful deaths on the water, take a look at this free report written by an experienced boat accident injury attorney.

PA

Virginia Beach Couple Returns Home Safe After Cruise Ship Tragedy

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

As of this writing, six people are known dead and many others remain missing after the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground near a small island off Italy. The ship, owned by a Carnival Crusie Lines subsidiary, crashed because of captain's error. He is now being charged with manslaughter and abandoning the ship while it was still being evacuated.

This incident is such a tragedy for all involved. Thankfully, a couple from Virginia Beach, VA, who were aboard the ship when it wrecked returned home with no injuries. Still, the anxiety from the tragedy caused the couple to cancel their interview with Brian Williams on Rock Center. It's obvious that the emotional toll this accident is taking should not be underrated.

Travelers expect passenger safety to be the number one priority in the eyes of cruise ship companies. Obviously, this is not always the case. Even if one escapes unscathed, there are still plenty of things to worry about. With the cruise liner in crisis, many had no where to turn for emergency passports or to take care of their lost money and credit cards.

Always purchase traveler's insurance when you go abroad. Though insurance can cost between 5 and 7 percent of your trip, it will mean you have someone fighting for your rights as a passenger. Even if accidents like this one are rare, having the peace of mind to enjoy your vacation is worth the money.

CD

Medication Error That Led to Multiple Amputations Results in $12.6M Malpractice Award

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A splenectomy at a very young age to resolve a digestive tract disorder left a Miramar, Florida (FL), girl defenseless against most bacterial and viral infections because the spleen continually filters infectious agents from a person's blood. While standard and extremely safe vaccines existed to provide the protection her body lacked, a medication mistake at a hospital meant she was still susceptible to life-threatening diseases. She did get sick, and treatment of her illness required the amputation of both her arms and legs.

The story could well have ended there -- badly. Fortunately, the girl's mother pursued a medical malpractice case against the hospital and doctors responsible for the child's botched health care and, in early January 2012, won a $12.6 million jury verdict against the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine and a physician. The jurors found that the responsible parties had administered an expired vaccine that was likely to have lost its effectiveness. Because Florida has laws permitting findings of contributory negligence, however, the amount of the medical malpractice award will be reduced by 40 percent. The plaintiffs are also expected to appeal.

The case illustrates two important principles. The first is that health care providers have high duties to provide safe, effective medications and other treatments to patients. When those duties are not met for any reason, such as when an out-of-date or incorrect medication is administered, the doctors and health care facilities whose mistakes harmed a patient can and should be held accountable.

The second lesson is that malpractice and medication error suits can be difficult to pursue and take years to resolve. If you believe you or a family member has been harmed due to medical mistakes or negligence, you should definitely contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options. You should also be sure to only hire an attorney who is willing to spend the time and deploy the expertise needed to achieve the best outcome for you and your loved ones.

EJL

Radioactive Tissue Box Holders Recalled From Bed Bath and Beyond

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Got a runny nose? Think twice before pulling a tissue out of that new tissue box holder just bought from Bed Bath and Beyond. Why? Because some metal tissue holders contaminated with low levels of radioactive material may have been distributed to Bed, Bath & Beyond stores in more than 20 states.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney, I know that defective products can come in all shapes and sizes. Though radioactive tissue boxes are quite rare the cases of many of our clients who had a DePuy artificial hip placed into their body is not. The failure rate for this metal-on-metal hip implant is so high that many patients are left with soft tissue damage, bone loss, metal particles or debris in their bodes, severe pain, inflammation, difficulty walking, joint stress, anxiety and the possibility of needing painful revision surgery to remove the defective hip and replace it with another.

If you have recently purchased a tissue holder from Bed, Bath & Beyond, the model in question is the Ridge Metal boutique tissue holder.Nuclear experts say that "if someone has one of these, they could receive a small radiation dose from it" -- meaning that spending about 30 minutes a day near the box each day for a year would deliver a radiation dose equivalent to a couple of chest X-rays.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and I applaud the integrity of Bed Bath and Beyond for thinking of customers first and profits second. The company said it was asking for customers to return any tissue holders for a full refund.

CT

Chesapeake, VA Pedestrian Struck, Killed by Pickup

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), man has died after being struck in the back by a truck on Military Hghway, the Virginian-Pilot reports. The man was crossing the street of the 2200 block of Military Hwy. around 6:00 pm. He was heading eastbound in an unlit area when he was struck on the left side of his back by the passenger's side mirror of the truck.

Paramedics responded to the scene and initially thought the patient had suffered only minor injuries. An hour later, however, he had succumbed to his injuries. The driver has not been charged.

View Larger Map

Our thoughts are with the victim's family and friends. As citizens, we expect our roads to be safe not only to drive on, but to walk along as well. It sounds as though the area was not properly lit. Safety experts say lighting is key to any safe roadway.

Dark roadways can present safety issues for anyone walking or jogging after work. Many of us make a New Year's resolution to take to the streets in the evening to get some exercise. It's important to always wear light, brightly colored clothing, preferably with reflective fabrics. It's a simple way to make sure vehicles see us on the road.

Click here to learn about other ways to protect yourself as a pedestrian.

CD

Six Hospitalized After Hampton, VA Red Light Accident

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

For the second time in two weeks, police are pointing to a driver's medical emergency as the likely cause of a major traffic accident with injuries in Hampton Roads. The earlier incident occurred in Windsor, Virginia (VA), when a 72-year-old woman passed out and lost control of her car before hitting a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles head-on. Sadly, the woman lost her life.

At the opposite side of the region on January 12, 2012, a 32-year-old SUV driver in Hampton, VA, sped up to a red light at the intersection of LaSalle and Armistead avenues before sideswiping four stopped vehicles and rear-ending another. Five people in the struck vehicles received hospital treatment for minor injuries. The at-fault driver, who has not been charged with any traffic violations, also sustained critical injuries but is expected to survive.

View a larger map of the intersection of LaSalle and Armistead avenues in Hampton, VA, where six people suffered injuries in a six-vhicle accident.

Commenting on the Windsor crash, we relied on our expertise as Virginia personal injury attorneys to note that even medical emergencies behind the wheel do not automatically absolve at-fault drivers from being held civilly liable for the property damage and injuries their out-of-control vehicles cause. For that reason, everyone hurt in Hampton should exercise their rights to pursue compensation from the other driver's insurance company.

The additional reality that other forms of insurance recovery may be possible make it doubly necessary for the crash victims to consult with a Virginia traffic accident lawyer.

The last lesson to take from the wreck in Hampton is that drivers of any age can experience health problems that make it difficult or impossible for them to maintain control. Anyone with a medical condition that can make driving dangerous for themselves or others must stay off the road whenever their health is especially poor.

EJL

Five Truck Driver Safety Issues That Cause Big Rig Crashes

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A significant factor in many Virginia commercial truck accidents is the driver of the truck itself. But what issues do these truckers face that make them dangerous on our roads, highways and interstates? Let’s take a closer look.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) worked together to conduct the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS). This large and extensive study set out to identify exactly why commercial truck accidents take place and what steps the federal government and the trucking industry could take to prevent future crashes. One of the most interesting findings regarded the top five reasons that truck drivers themselves were responsible for serious accidents:

Alcohol (1%)
Illegal Drugs (1.8%)
Fatigue (2.6%)
Unfamiliarity with the Road or Area (3.4%)
Inexperienced Trucking (2.2%)

What can we learn from this information? While federal regulations already exist for many of these issues, including driving under the influence, fatigue, and inexperienced trucking, we may simply not be doing enough to enforce these regulations. For example, while trucking regulations exist to prevent fatigued driving, many believe that these rules should be stricter.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Virginia truck accident? You may wish to speak with an experienced Norfolk personal injury attorney. Call us today to schedule a free, no-obligation meeting.

Pedestrian Hit, Killed by Pickup in Chesapeake, VA

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A seemingly minor accident in which a man walking along the shoulder of a busy highway was clipped by the passenger-side mirror of a passing pickup truck turned deadly in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), on January 11, 2012. The fatal pedestrian wreck happened at around 6:00 pm in the 2200 block of Military Highway. A combination of poor visibility on the rainy evening and a lack of sidewalks appear to have set the stage for the tragedy.

View a larger map of the area where a pedestrian lost his life after being ht by a pickup truck in Chesapeake, VA.

WAVY-TV 10 reported that the driver of the truck stopped at the scene and that emergency medical personnel responded quickly. Although the accident victim's injuries were not originally considered serious, the 45-year-old man passed away shortly after being transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The television station also noted that the man "was wearing dark clothing and was walking east bound in an unlit stretch of road."

That last detail undoubtedly prevented police from immediately filing charges against the pickup driver. Regardless, as Virginia wrongful death attorneys who often represent families of people killed in traffic accidents, we know that "I never saw him" is no defense against liability for taking another's life. We know also know that the driver has probably never felt worse. But that person's regret and lack of criminal culpability cannot and should not prevent his or her insurance company from doing all it can to quickly and fairly compensated the deceased victim's loved ones for their loss.

Sadly, we also note that this man's untimely death continues an unwelcome upward trend in fatal pedestrian accidents. Last year saw the most such accidents in Chesapeake since 2006. We sincerely hope that 2012 does not see similar numbers of deadly crashes involving people on foot.

EJL

Virginia Roads Unsafe, Highway Safety Group Says

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A new report from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety has given Virginia a red rating. Because the commonwealth has less than 7 of the 15 laws that the safety group considers optimal for highway safety, our state has earned a low rating.

AHAS ranked Virginia so low because the commonwealth lacks necessary safety laws, like banning texting while driving. The report also found that the laws on impaired divers were not tough enough. The group also took issue with the lack of an ignition interlock law and lack of mandatory blood alcohol content testing for impaired drivers. Shockingly, the study finds that Virginia's motor vehicle accidents cost the economy $5.2 billion each year.

Virginia ranks among the lowest eight states in the United States. The best rating, green, was given to a total of 17 states, including the District of Columbia. The remaining states received a yellow rating.

It's clear Virginia has a lot of work to do to get our roads on the right track. As a car accident attorney, I know all too well how dangerous our roads can be. It's important for our local lawmakers to take studies like this one into consideration when it comes to analyzing our area's safety. By taking constructive criticism like this, we can prevent lives from being lost. Clearly, there is a lot of room for improvement in our commonwealth. Click here to learn more about Virginia's accident statistics.

CD

Reminder From a Virginia Injury Lawyer: Drunk Driving Is No Laughing Matter

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Police recently arrested a man that they found passed out drunk, behind the wheel in his SUV, According to WSIL-TV, apprehending the suspect was simple because the police found him in the county jail parking lot with a bottle of beer nearby.

The driver had to be taken an entire 20 feet to get into the jail. Once there, he was charged with driving under the influence, illegal transportation of alcohol, having an uninsured vehicle and improper use of registration.

While this story is amusing, drunk driving is not. As Virginia personal injury attorneys, we recently helped four victims of a drunk driving accident who suffered injuries that required treatment over many months. We hope that the money they were awarded after we resolved all of their claims will help them move forward in their lives, unhampered by the stress of medical bills.

We believe that to decrease the damaging effects of drunk driving, people should consider five factors:

Keep an eye on your guests when you host a party.
Support a local chapter of MADD.
Watch your own habits.
Write your local politician about the drunk driving issues and bills that concern you most.
Report suspicious driving to your local police department.

If you or a loved one are suffering from injuries caused by a drunk driver, please speak with an attorney about your options.

AC

Connecticut the 15th State to Require Use of Ignition Interlock Devices for DUI Offenders

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Connecticut (CT) has become one of 15 states to mandate ignition interlock devices for drivers who have been convicted of drunk driving, or driving with a blood-alcohol content above .08. The devices are mandatory for even first-time offenders in the Nutmeg State.

Virginia (VA) is one of 24 states that require the device for repeat offenders or for those caught with an alcohol level of .15 or more.

Ignition interlock devices are about the size of a cell phone, and they are wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A driver must blow into them, and if their alcohol level is above a certain level, the car will not start. In order to make sure it is the driver blowing into the device, many devices now include cameras.

MADD believes that the devices reduce rearrest rates by 67 percent.

We hope additional technology will help reduce drunk driving, a very serious problem on our roads. As a Virginia personal injury lawyer, I am grateful states are taking this issue seriously and using new tools at their disposal to make our communities and roads safer.

AC

St. Albans, WV Car Crash Sends Four People to Hospital

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Four people were seriously hurt in a three car crash that occurred in St. Albans, West Virginia (WV). A driver was on Route 60, heading east and was preparing to make a turn onto at Austin Drive when the car was rear-ended by another vehicle. The impact sent the vehicle into the westbound lane where it was hit by another oncoming vehicle.

According to WSAZ Channel 3, the vehicle that caused the rear-end accident was following too closely, though police have not issued any citations as of the date of this posting.

The car accident caused injuries to four people, with one victim being airlifted to the hospital. The investigation into the multivehicle wreck is ongoing, and citations may be issued in the future.

View Larger Map

In the case of a car wreck where multiple injuries occur, contacting an attorney should be a priority for the injured parties. If the victims are severely injured and end up missing lengthy times of work, they may be able to pursue damages through an injury claim. Medical bills and trauma associated with the crash are also potentially compensable if an injury claim is filed.

To learn more about what to do after a multi-vehicle accident, take a look at this article written by an experienced personal injury attorney.

PA

Virginia Beach Hit-and-Run Victim's Family Speaks

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

An innocent man was killed in a hit and run accident involving a suspect who fled from police in Virginia Beach, VA. The at-fault driver was allegedly involved in a robbery, and police were trying to pull him over. Rather than stopping, the suspect tried to escape apprehension, according to the Daily Press.

The victim’s family has now spoken out about the tragedy and expressed sadness about the disregard the at-fault driver had for the victim’s life.

Even though nothing will bring the victim back, the at-fault driver was captured the next day and charged with felony counts of eluding and hit-and-run, along with homicide.

In cases where a victim loses his or her life due to the carelessness and recklessness of another person, a wrongful death lawyer in Virginia Beach can help the victim’s family establish a case against the at-fault driver. In this case, it appears a man lost his life in a hit and run simply because the suspect was careless in refusing to stop for police. The victim’s family may be entitled to damages for the loss of companionship and the pain and suffering associated with this tragic accident.

To learn about the applicable wrongful death laws in Virginia, read this free consumer guide which was written by an experienced wrongful death attorney.

PA

Medical Emergency Suspected Cause of Windsor, VA Crash That Killed Woman, Injured Trucker

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Police suspect a medical emergency caused an elderly driver to lose consciousness behind the wheel of her car before she crossed into the path of oncoming traffic on U.S. 460 in Windsor, Virginia (VA), and hitting a pickup truck, another vehicle and a tractor-trailer. The woman lost her life, and the commercial truck driver went to the hospital with injures.
Investigators told the Daily Press they do not know whether the 76-year-old Ivor, VA, resident was killed in one of the head-on collisions or died because of her apparent health problem.

View a larger map of the area where a four-vehicle accident on U.S. 460 in Windsor, VA, left one woman dead and a tractor-trailer driver injured.

Regardless of the cause of the accident, the results are truly sad. Every crash carries the potential for tragedy, and this incident on January 3, 2012, could not have ended much worse for one woman and her friends and families. Also, while the trucker survived the collision, he now faces medical bills, lost income from having to take time off from work while recovering and, if his injuries prove serious, potential disability.

The trucker needs to know that even if a medical emergency is determined to be the reason for the wreck, he can still receive compensation through the a-fault driver's car insurance policy. This would be particularly true if evidence shows that the woman knew she had a health condition that could make operating a motor vehicle dangerous. To ensure he does not sustain long-lasting financial injuries in addition to his physical ones, the tractor-trailer operator should consult with a Virginia personal injury attorney.

EJL

consciousness

Waynesboro Man Dies in Crimora, VA Car-Truck Crash

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A 47-year-old man was killed in a car-truck accident that occurred on East Side Highway in Crimora, Virginia (VA).

The deadly crash occurred when the victim’s car collided with a pickup truck that suddenly attempted to make a turn off the highway. A passenger in the truck was also injured, but the at-fault pickup driver and another passenger appeared to be unscathed, according to the Staunton News Leader.

Police suspect speed may have been a factor in the accident and charges are currently pending against the pick-up truck driver, although it is unclear at this time what the charges are.

View Larger Map

Our deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family. It is never easy losing a loved one, but the pain is made even worse when the loved one is taken in an accident that appears could have been prevented if another party was not careless in their actions.

The victim’s family should consider speaking with a personal injury attorney to discuss any legal action that they may be able to pursue. With the pending charges against the pickup truck driver, the family may be able to pursue damages for negligence against the driver.

To learn more about what types of damages may be pursued in a wrongful death suit, take a look at this article written by an experience wrongful death attorney in Virginia.

PA

Driver who Fled Fatal Olney, MD Car Crash Gets 20-year Prison Sentence

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Three Olney, Maryland (MD), teenagers are dead because of the careless actions of a driver who got behind the wheel after drinking heavily. Even though nothing can be done to bring the children back, some semblance of justice was served when the hit-and-run driver was, according to the Washington Post, convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison with 20 suspended. The driver will also be expected to serve 5 years of probation after he is released from prison.

The parents of the innocent victims were happy to see justice served, but the victory was bittersweet. The driver who fled the scene expressed great remorse for his actions.

In a situation where loss occurs, it is hard to see past the pain. However, the families of the victims should consider speaking with an attorney to determine if there is any legal action that can be sought against the driver who fled the scene. Yes, the at-fault driver has received a criminal punishment, but that does not bar the family from seeking civil liability against the at-fault driver.

To learn about what types of damages can be pursued in a wrongful death suit, take a look at this article written by an experienced wrongful death lawyer.

PA

Communications Breakdown Eyed as Cause of Collision Involving Three CSX Trains

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our Virginia personal injury law firm’s Railroad Accident/FELA Lawyer Blog, my colleague reports on a three-train accident involving a rear-end collision, derailment and fire involving toxic substances. The wreck occurred near Valparaiso, Indiana (IN), on January 7, 2011, and two CSX employees sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment. Rick notes that federal investigators have begun seeking a cause for the accident and that if findings turn up evidence of missing or misused communications equipment, CSX could be held liable under the Safety Appliance Act. To read more, click over to “Two CSX Workers Injured in 3-Train Collision, Derailment in Indiana.”

View Larger Map

EJL

Binding Arbitration Too Unfair and Expensive to Protect Workers' Rights

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our Virginia law firm’s Norfolk Injuryboard blog site, my colleague Richard N. Shapiro presents detailed analysis showing how a defense contractor used the requirements and rules of binding arbitration for employee legal claims to deny family members of employees killed in Iraq fair compensation for their losses. To read more, click over to “Unfairness of Binding Arbitration Highlighted in Blackwater Contractors' Wrongful Death Suit.”

EJL

IKEA Recalls Baby High Chairs Over Fall Risks

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

IKEA has issued a recall for a popular high chair sold in their stores. Many have reported a faulty buckle that releases unexpectedly, causing children to fall to the floor. Three children affected by the product have received minor injuries associated with the fall.

The home furnishings chain reports selling 169,000 of the chairs with a manufacturer's date between June 2007 and September 2011 and a supplier number is 17389. The production date and supplier number can be found molded into the underside of the seat. The high chairs were sold in red, blue and white. They have plastic seats with detachable silver-colored metal legs.

If you think you have one of these chairs in your home, stop using it immediately. You can contact IKEA for a replacement seat restraint by calling (866) 966-4532 for information.

As a Virginia personal injury attorney, I've seen the damage defective products can do. These high chairs pose a threat of injury or even potentially death. Infants and toddlers young enough to be using high chairs are incredibly fragile, and a fall to the hard floor could be life-threatening. If your baby has been injured because of IKEA's defective safety buckle, consider consulting with us.

After all, this isn't the first time IKEA has recalled a high chair. As consumers, we expect companies we buy from to fully inspect and test for potential problems like this one. No one should be endangered by the fault of a careless product designer.

CD

Failure to Yield Creates Serious Injuries in Virginia Car Accident

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Half a dozen firefighters and rescue personal worked for over an hour to pull the victim of a truck accident out of his smashed car. The accident happened on route 50 near Elk Lick Road in South Riding, Virginia (VA). A Ford F350 truck pickup pulling a tractor on a trailer failed to yield and pulled right into the path of a small sports car.

The video below shows the actual car surrounded by rescue workers. The victim was a 64-year-old Aldie, VA, man who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney who has worked with hundreds of victims, I can tell you that even if his life was not directly threatened by the accident that his quality of life certainly is. The reason is that while broken limbs and vertebrae may not kill you, the scars will remain with you and may limit your mobility throughout your life.

Age is also a factor in a car accident injury like this. The hard truth is that the older you get, the slower you heal. If the victim had any preexisting conditions, he is also more susceptible to serious injury. In many of our car accident injury cases we have found that when a victim has preexisting medical conditions insurance adjusters try to use it against them.

The best course of action for a Virginia car accident victim is to read our free Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

CT

Virginia Injury Lawyer Published Article on Norfolk, VA Police Recruit Head Injury

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm has written about a Norfolk police recruit who suffered a concussion after being knocked down during training. The injury to the recruit is a haunting reminder of the fatal brain injury that took the life of a Norfolk police recruit in December 2010. Our firm is handling that case. To learn more, read "Police Recruit in Norfolk, VA Treated for Head Injury."

PA

Driver in Virginia Beach Hit and Killed Pedestrian While Fleeing Police

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Raymond Rogers, Jr. was crossing the street at the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road in Virginia Beach when his life came to an abrupt and tragic end. A man suspected to be involved in a robbery was fleeing police when he hit and killed Rogers. Police stopped to try to care for the sturck man, but the impact was too powerful for Rogers to survive.

View Larger Map

One bright spot is that the fleeing driver appears to have been apprehended and charged with felony eluding, felony hit and run and homicide. Virginia Beach Police have not confirmed that the person apprehended is the same suspect from the earlier robbery. However, police have confirmed that the same car was used in both crimes, according to WAVY.com.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Rogers family. It’s infuriating when an innocent life is taken by a reckless, irresponsible driver attempting to evade police after breaking the law.

The Rogers family should consider speaking to a wrongful death attorney in Virginia to discuss their legal options. The at-fault driver is already facing criminal charges, but that does not bar a victim’s family from pursuing civil damages through a wrongful death claim.

To learn more about Virginia wrongful death law, take a look at this free guide written by an experienced wrongful death attorney in Virginia.

PA

Accident on Route 50 in Loudoun County, VA Causes Injuries

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A 64-year-old man is being treated at Inova Fairfax Hospital for injuries after an accident involving a pickup truck in Loudoun County, Virginia (VA).

The victim, who hails from Aldie, VA, hit the trailer portion of the pickup when the truck suddenly pulled out into the roadway near Elk Lick Road. The truck driver was not injured and has been charged with failure to yield the right of way, according to wusa9.com.

View Larger Map

The victim should consider speaking to a personal injury attorney in Virginia to discuss his legal options. If the victim has to miss a significant amount of time from work, racks up large medical bills or suffers a decrease in his quality of life, he may have grounds to pursue monetary damages.

To learn about car-truck accident injury law in Virginia, take a look at this article written by an experienced injury attorney in VA.

PA

DePuy Hip Implants Not Tested Before Being Put on Market

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

When we have health problems, we trust our doctors, pharmacists and drug manufacturers to have our best interests at heart. In a world of advanced, modern medicine, when a device is promised to last, we reassure ourselves that the product will work as intended. Unfortunately, products don't always work as they should. DePuy, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, has recalled its ASR hip implants after the devices have failed worldwide.

The hip implants, designed to last 15 years plus, have been failing after just a few years,the New York Times reports. Many patients developed inexplicable pain. After consulting with surgeons, they discover that masses of dead tissue form near the thighs of many patients.

The recalled hip implants have caused many to reconsider the way new medical devices are sold. Unlike new drugs, implants are often sold without first undergoing extensive patient testing. As long as a device resembles one already on the market, it can be sold without tests. This allows manufacturers to make small changes to a device quickly. But as the changes add on top of one another, the implants begin looking less and less like the original approved product.

Now, people all over the world are facing the effects of the poorly designed device. Hundreds of people have had to undergo early second operations not long after the first implant failed.

If you or a loved one have been injured by a DePuy hip implant, give us a call please contact our offices for a free consultation today.

CD

Tanker Truck Oveturned on Highway 15 in Loudon County, Virginia

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm wrote about a diesel truck that overturned on Highway 15 in Loudoun County, Virginia (VA). Fortunately, no injuries were reported. To learn more, take a look at the story here...

Tanker Truck Endangers Loudon County Neighborhood

View Larger Map

Virginia Injury Lawyer Advises Getting Quality Insurance Coverage

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm has written about Virginia’s ill-conceived policy of allowing some drivers to operate their vehicles without any insurance coverage. It’s a bad policy that routinely results in victims having to bear the burden of paying expenses associated with accidents. To learn more, read "Drivers Ticketed Despite Complying With Virginia’s Ill-Conceived Insurance Law."

Breast Implants Still Causing Harm

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Twenty years after defective breast implants first made news in the United States, women in Europe are now facing a similar problem. The French government has officially advised more than 30,000 women in France who bought Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) implants to have them removed. The implants use industrial-grade, instead of medical-grade, silicone.

The implants have not been connected to any cases of cancer. However, they appear to have an unusually high rupture rate.

My colleagues and I have seen firsthand the devastating effects of a ruptured implant. Our law firm had the opportunity to represent a client who had ruptured breast implants removed by two plastic surgeons in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, VA. After the surgery, she suffered significant problems and deformities. Our medical malpractice law firm took this case all the way to the Supreme Court of Virginia in order to gain justice for our client.

This scandal reinforces the need of an implant registry. While this idea has been suggested for decades, an official implant registry does not exist. Such a registry would give a better idea of the number of complications over time, such as rupture or infection.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury from a surgical error or medical mistake, take a look at this free guide written by an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Virginia.

AC

Boat Accident in Isle of Wight Causes Teen to Drown

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Four days before Christmas, a teenager drowned after a boating accident in Isle of Wight County, Virginia (VA). Relatives of the boaters who talked to the Daily Press did not know if the boaters were wearing life vests.

This tragic death shows how dangerous local waterways can be. Other cases of boating accident deaths in the Tidewater area have happened in similar situations, where those responsible for operating watercraft either exceeded safe speeds, took excessive risks or failed to use safety equipment. In this case, the accident involved several young boaters who took a canoe out on the Pagan River in Isle of Wight.

There is a lot to figure out after a serious boating wreck. There are numerous agencies involved, including the U.S. Coast Guard and insurance companies.

Our boat accident injury lawyers help families of victims who were seriously hurt in these types of accidents with all of the fact finding and paperwork necessary to shed light on one of these troubling events.

To get more information about what to do if you or someone you know what hurt in a boat accident in Virginia, take a look at this consumer report dedicated to boating and water accidents.

JS

VA Beach Cyclist Killed

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A motorcycle rider in Virginia Beach received fatal injuries when he lost control of his bike on December 27, 2011. WTKR reports the investigation of the incident is still pending. Early reports show the motorcycle hit a ditch, resulting in the rider being thrown from the bike.

The fatal motorcycle accident happened at 11:00 a.m. on Crags Causeway in the Blackwater section of Virginia Beach. Although reports do not suggest that other vehicles were involved, local officials will look into the event to find out what factors contributed to this tragic outcome.
Local personal injury attorneys in Virginia know that these kinds of accidents, which happen with unfortunate frequency around Virginia Beach and the Tidewater area, often stem from complex factors.

Poor road conditions and inclement weather are just some of the reasons that motorcycle riders might suffer from roadway accidents. Local personal injury and wrongful death lawyers have set up a resource for riders explaining many of the hazards that cyclists face and how they can contribute to an injury or fatality. Look for more at this InjuryBoard center for consumer information on how to handle these kinds of dangerous accidents.

JS

View Larger Map

Finding The Best VA Personal Injury Lawyers- E-mail Newsletter Sign Up

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

We Give To You...

Up To Date Health & Safety News Delivered Free Via Email

Fill in the form below to get our exclusive health and safety e-newsletters, to receive your free recyclable/reusable shopping bag and to be entered into our drawing for a fantastic flat screen Samsung 32" LCD TV or one of 5 $50 I-tunes gift cards!

*One entry per household. Television will be picked up or delivered by Best Buy at our option.

Iceberg Lettuce Pulled from VA Shelves

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Iceberg lettuce is the latest produce being pulled from shelves because of contamination fears. The lettuce, grown in Arizona (AZ), has been pulled from grocery store shelves in at least six states, including Virginia (VA). Salmonella was found in a field adjacent to the farm where the lettuce was grown.

Though none of the lettuce has tested positive for salmonella, the grower alerted sellers across the country to potential contamination. Kroger and Smith's Food and Drug stores have decided to pull the product from shelves as a cautionary move. Though not an official recall, the Growers Express company wanted to ensure the safety of their customers.

Salmonella poisoning can be incredibly dangerous. There are approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis reported each year, but many more cases go unreported. Experts estimate the actual number of infections may actually be 30 or more times greater. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. The illness can last up to 4 to 7 days. The diarrhea and dehydration can be so severe that it sends some people to the hospital. Older adults, infants and those with impaired immune systems are at high risk.

No one should be subjected to this level of danger when enjoying food purchased from their local grocery store. Salmonella contamination should not be underestimated. Always check for the latest government recalls of contaminated products.

CD

Pedestrian Killed in Virginia Beach During Police Chase

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

A man has been killed in Virginia Beach, VA, after being stuck by a driver fleeing from police. To learn more, visit "Pedestrian Killed by Fleeing Driver."

CD

Safety Violations Lead to Norfolk, VA Discount Bus Company Shutdown

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Double Happyness, a discount tour bus service that transports passengers from Norfolk, Virginia (VA), to Chinatown in New York City has been ordered to shut down by federal transportation officials who have cited the Pennsylvania (PA)-based company for more than 220 safety and recordkeeping violations since 2009. Under the order, Double Happyness hmust take all its motor coaches out of service in order to protect passengers and other people on the highways from fatigued buses drivers and substandard vehicles.

Double Happyness is just one of eight discount bus comapnies that run a total of 13 daily routes from the cities of Hampton Roads to New York. Such so-called "curbside" buses have made news in recent months. In March 2011, for example, 14 people were killed in a tour bus crash after the driver lost control of the vehicle. Other passengers suffered severe injuries.

During the busy holiday season, it can be tempting to save a few dollars by buying a ticket for one of these discount buses. As evidenced by this latest shutdown, the savings are just not worth the safety risk. Many of the drivers work shifts back to back, with no time to rest in between lengthy drives. Additionally, many of the buses are old and poorly maintained.

Curbside bus companies are unreliable at best, and downright dangerous at worst. Consider this shocking statistic: The death rate is seven times higher on a discount bus than on a Greyhound.

CD

Commercial Truck Accident Fatalities Rise 8.7 Percent In 2010

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) had some good news and some bad news in their annual report of United States traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities. While there were fewer car accident deaths last year than in any year since 1949, the number of fatal commercial truck accidents in America soared 8.7 percent in 2010.

Last year, 3,675 people died in accidents involving commercial trucks. The trucking industry responded to the numbers by questioning the cause for the rise in these big rig accident numbers – and added that the poor economy in 2008 and 2009 meant fewer big rigs were on the roads. In addition, they wanted more data and information about the accidents, including whether drivers of passenger vehicles or the truckers themselves were responsible for more wrecks.

Traffic safety advocates responded to the numbers by once again stressing the need for new federal trucking regulations. Currently, proposed new Hours of Service regulations are being considered by the Senate, and many believe that having fewer tired and distracted truckers on the road will help reduce the number of deadly tractor-trailer accidents.

Has your life been affected by a fatal Virginia commercial truck accident? Or have you been seriously injured in a VA big rig crash? It is important for you to know what caused the crash and who is responsible for its consequences. Speak to an experienced truck accident attorney at our Hampton law offices today to learn more about your case.

Plane Crash Leads to Five Deaths

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A family of five took off in a single-engine Socata TBM-700 for a holiday trip with relatives. Tragically, the family’s plane crashed on I-287 in New Jersey (NJ), killing everyone on board.
The pilot was a managing director of a Manhattan investment bank, and the passengers were tthe pilot’s wife and two young children, as well as a co-worker.

The pilot took off from Teterboro Airport with the intention of spending time with the relatives of the husband’s wife. After takeoff, the pilot contacted air traffic controllers about icy conditions but didn't appear to be in distress. Less than 15 minutes into the flight, the plane crashed on the highway and burst into flames.

The loved one’s of the victims remain in shock about this sudden, tragic plane accident.
"I can't believe he's gone," the pilot’s brother told the Wall Street Journal. "I was on the phone with him just last week. I had just gotten his Christmas card in the mail yesterday. ... I know we're all going to miss him. We are all going to miss him."

My deepest condolences go out the victim’s family. Losing someone you love is never easy, but the pain is made even worse when the loss is sudden and occurs during the holiday season.
As a licensed pilot myself, it is difficult hearing about plane accidents. This crash illustrates that even experienced pilots can be involved in serious plane accidents. The pilot in this crash was licensed for a decade. Nevertheless, when the conditions in the sky are troublesome, the risk of a plane accident increases exponentially.

PA

Follow These Tips to Prepare for Winter Road Trips

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

With many traveling for the holidays, it's important that everyone's vehicles are as safe as possible. To learn more about how to ensure this, visit "NHTSA: Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter Road Trips."

CD

AAA Offers Free Rides, Tows for Drunk Drivers

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

With the holiday season comes parties, nights out on the town with friends, and celebrations with family. It is no surprise then that half of all holiday driving accidents involve drunk driving and alcohol. Now, AAA is hoping to keep our local roads safer by providing free rides home for intoxicated drivers. The company will also provide free towing to return vehicles to the drivers' residences.

"Tow to Go" services are available now through 6 am on January 1. The service is limited to intoxicated drivers, not friends or passengers. AAA says it will provide a one-time, one-way ride. Reservations are not accepted, and the service is limited to the Hampton Roads area. AAA membership is not required. So if you're considering having a few drinks tonight, remember to tuck this number into your wallet: (757) 631-1700.

This is the eighth year AAA has offered Tow to Go. As a car accident attorney, I applaud them for graciously providing this service to the community. If they can keep even one drunk driver off the road, the entire community will be safer.

The reality is that holidays and drunk driving are unfortunately linked. More than 11,000 people are killed each year because of drunk drivers, and approximately 4,500 of them are teenagers. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 30 percent of people will be involved in a car wreck involving alcohol in their lifetime. Shockingly, the average person caught driving drunk has driven under the influence about 100 times before they were convicted. Statistics like these make us all the more thankful for AAA's services this holiday season.

CD

Yorktown, VA Man Killed in Hampton Intersection Accident

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

William Hicks, a 22-year-old native of Yorktown, Virginia (VA), was driving an Acura Integra traveling southbound on Magruder Boulevard when a Chevy Silverado attempted to make a left turn onto Hampton Roads Center Parkway. The Silverado crashed into the Integra at the intersection, according to WAVY-TV 10. Hicks lost his life in the accident.

View Larger Map

The investigation into this Hampton, VA accident continues so we do not know yet if the at-fault driver was distracted, under the influence, or simply tried to make an abrupt turn and wound up slamming into the Integra.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Yorktown native and his family. Losing a loved one is a gut-wrenching experience, but the pain is made even worse when the loss occurs during the holidays.

PA

Virginia Driver Killed in Left-Turn Accident in Hampton

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

An attempted early morning left-hand turn became a deadly accident in Hampton, Virginia (VA), on December 21, 2011, when a pickup truck turning onto Hampton Center Parkway collided with a car traveling straight on Magruder Boulevard.

A car's drivr lost his life in a collision with a pickup truck while he was making a left-hand turn in Hampton, VA.

A police spokesperson told the Daily Press that investigators are seeking eyewitnesses to the crash so they can determine the cause of the accident. Among the details officers must determine are whether the truck driver failed to yield right of way before beginning to turn or whether the car driver had a red light.

Regardless of which driver was at fault in the car-pickup accident, the collision illustrates once again how dangerous left turns at busy intersections can be. As Virginia personal injury attorneys who have represented many victims of left-hand turn crashes, we have seen too many times the terrible aftereffects of such collisions. Sadly, a death resulted from the accident in Hampton. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the man's family and friends.

EJL

Amherst County Accident Leads to Loss of Life

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A South Boston, Virginia (VA) resident was enjoying a ride in his Volkswagen Jetta on Virginia 151 when his life came to an abrupt and tragic end. The driver of a Nissan truck suddenly crossed into the northbound lane of 151 and slammed into the victim’s Jetta. The truck overturned and hit a 2003 Nissan Altima as well.

Not only did the accident take a life, but two passengers, a woman and a 3-year-old girl suffered injuries and had to be taken to the hospital.

Our deepest condolences go out to the victim’s friends and family. He was only 48 years old.

Charges are pending against the driver of the truck, according to The News & Advance.com. What caused the truck driver to drift into the opposite lane of traffic remains unknown. Was the driver distracted? Was he under the influence of alcohol or drugs? We will have to wait and see what the accident report reveals.

The Virginia injury attorneys at our law firm have written a report exclusively for the family members of victims who lost their lives in a wrongful death accident. Take a look at the report here.

PA

View Larger Map

'Panic Button' in Cars Might Save Lives

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In a world of cruise control, keyless entry and near-silent electric car engines, it can be more confusing than ever to climb behind the wheel. Though new features are frequently touted as the newest and best, many technologies can complicate emergency procedures for drivers. In many recent car accidents, drivers have felt overwhelmed by the amount of technology available to them.

Recognzing this, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has proposed standardizing the way drivers turn their vehicles' engines on and off. Pushing the new "panic button" would cut off the engine after one-half second. The agency hopes adding the engine shutoff button would prevent confusion on how to stop eany vehicle, especially for people who rent cars or experience accidents or emergencies in vehicles they have just purchased.

Shutoff buttons already exist in many Ford, Chevy, Lexus and Mercedes vehicles, but all models work slightly differently. The standardization NHTSA calls for would eliminate a lot of the panicked thinking during emergencies. Just as lawmakers in the 1980s worked to make seat belts a standard feature in all vehicles, this panic button should be a feature in every car on the road.

CID

Isle of Wight County, VA Rollover Accident That Injured Passenger Blamed on 'Driver Inattention'

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A single-vehicle rollover accident in Isle of Wight County, Virginia (VA), that sent a van driver and passenger to hospitals with serious injuries is being blamed by police on "driver inattention." According to the Daily Press, the December 19, 2011, the wreck at the intersection of Route 258 and Foursquare Road just south of Smithfield occurred when the driver ran off the highway, overcorrected and flipped the van in an attempt to return to the pavement.

A van flipped over in a distracted driver accident near Smithfield, VA, seriously injuring a passenger.

The newspaper also reported that the people in the van had to be cut free by firefighters. The driver sustained life-threatening injuries, but he, and the injured passenger are expected to survive. Long hospital stays can also to be expected.

Any time a car, truck or van rolls over, the people inside the vehicle are at significant risk for serious head, neck and brain injuries. Too often, rollover wrecks cause deaths.

Attorneys with our Virginia personal injury law firm have called on automobile and truck manufacturers to strengthen the roofs of their vehicles to provide better protection when vehicles flip. But even if steps are taken toward improving rollover safety, nothing will better protect drivers and passengers than having people behind the wheel ignore distractions and keep their eyes and minds on the road.

The driver inattention being cited as the cause of the Isle of Wight accident is just another way of saying "distracted driving." The news report on the crash do not specify what distracted the driver, but whether the distraction came from a cellphone, GPS device, fatigue or something else matters little. The lesson to take from the crash is that drivers should make nothing more important than focusing on the task of driving.

EJL

Repeat Drunk Driver Hits, Injures Another Driver Then Flees Scene in Suffolk, VA

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A man with previous convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol is facing a new DUI charge after being arrested for causing an accident with injuries at the intersection of Quay and Elwood roads in Suffolk, Virginia (VA). The Suffolk News-Herald has reported that police also charged the at-fault driver with felony hit-and-run because even though the man stopped immediately after the collision, he fled into a swampy area when officers reached the crash scene and had to be chased and apprehended on foot.

A repeat drunk driver caused an accident with injuries on Quay Road in Suffolk, VA, then fled the scene.

Reports on the December 18, 2011, accident related no details on the extent of the other driver's injuries or the person's health status. As Virginia personal injury attorneys who have represented hundreds of people hurt in wrecks caused by drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol, though, we know that DUI accidents often result in serious injuries. We certainly wish the victim a speedy and full recovery.

Should the person injured by the alleged drunk driver's negligence and irresponsibly need to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover monetary and punitive damages to pay medical bills and replace lost wages, he or she would do well to track the progress of the criminal charges for the at-fault driver. While facts about convictions cannot be entered into evidence during civil cases, information about blood-alcohol content, police reports and even witness statements can be used by an injury lawyer to help a client receive fair compensation.

EJL

Virginia DUI Accident: Car Accident Injuries Affect People Differently

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

As Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys, we see a lot of good people who have been hurt by careless and negligent people, and it’s just not fair. Every once in a while, however, the bad guy gets his just desserts. This was the case after a hit-and-run accident in Chesapeake at the intersection of Indian River and Sparrow Road. The person to blame for the accident was found because the at-fault driver left his car's front bumper and license plate at the scene of the crime.

The driver wasn’t only caught. When officers tracked him down, he was also arrested for driving under th influence of alcohol (DUI).

View Larger Map

Car accidents affect people differently. For example a 19-year-old college student could walk away from a rear-end colision with a sore back for a couple of days and then be fine. The very same type of crash, however, could leave a 55-year-old with arthritis and a history of back surgeries needing emergency room treatment and long-term physical therapy just so he can sit up straight without esperiencing serious pain.

For any questions about car accident injuries you can read our free report The Best Guide to Virginia Car Accidents.

CT

Chesapeake, VA Police Officer Dies During Dive Training: Possible Equipment Defect Suspected

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In a perfect world, all police officers would retire or leave the force on their own terms. But as we all know, it’s not a perfect world. On December, 20, 2011, the Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), Police Department lost a brave officer, Timothy Schock, during routine water search-and-rescue dive training.

Members of the Chesapeake police dive team were conducting exercises in the lake at Oak Grove Park, and Schock was under water when he suddenlly had difficulty breathing. His air tank may have malfunctioned, but the final report has yet to be written. Schock was rushed to a hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.

View Larger Map

Because one of our injury law firm’s research assistants is a former Chesapeake police officer who knew Schock personally, we all send our condolences to his family and friends. He was a good cop and a great man. His death is a loss to the whole community.

We know that even though the officer was killed in the line of duty and while at work, his family may still be able to bring a lawsuit against the company that made the scuba gear if it can be proven that his death was caused by faulty or defective equipment or if the equipment became defective and dangerous because of something the product manufacturer, distributor or seller did to it.

We know his family is grieving right now but we do provide a free guide on Virginia (VA) wrongful death to make sure wrongful death victims receive all the benefits that they deserve.

FMCSA Considers Mandatory Electronic On-Board Recorders For Trucks

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is currently considering a number of new nationwide commercial trucking regulations that they hope will make our roads safer and cut the number of truck accidents and truck accident injuries, including stricter hours of service for truck drivers as well as a sleep apnea screening process for truckers with a body mass index of 35 or higher. Perhaps the most controversial proposed new regulation is required electronic logging systems for all commercial trucks.

Currently, truckers are required by a federal mandate to record their activities on the road – including maintenance, rest stops, and hours traveled. However, critics of the system say that these manual logs aren’t always accurate. At the same time, many larger truck companies have switched over to electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) that have a computer and GPS system track the movement of the vehicle as well as when the engine is running.

Many traffic safety advocates believe that requiring an electronic logging system in every tractor-trailer and big rig would prevent drivers from driving for a longer time period than is legal and therefore prevent fatigued truckers from drifting off behind the wheel or losing concentration while driving. However, opponents of the new regulation say that the EOBRs are not only expensive but they also treat truckers as if they are trying to break rules.

Delivery Truck Driver With Suspended License Strikes Virginia Cyclist

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

According to the Roanoke Times, 46-year-old Norman Richard Marchant was given a 90-day suspended jail sentence and a $500 fine for reckless driving and driving with a suspended license. The Marion delivery truck driver faced these charges after striking and seriously injuring a cyclist on a tour of the East Coast.
The Virginia commercial truck and bicycle collision took place on October 8, when Marchant was driving south on Virginia 100. The truck driver struck 40-year-old Michael Sprick, a German tourist and cyclist. Sprick was rushed to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and other medical issues and has not since regained consciousness. Cyclists he had met during his trip to the United States stood at his side after the wreck until his relatives overseas flew him back to Germany earlier this month to continue his recovery.
At the reckless driving trial, which took place in Pulaski County court, Marchant’s Virginia truck accident attorney stressed that his client felt terrible about the truck wreck and that the crash was unintentional.
The Hampton truck accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton send Michael Sprick and his family the best, as well as wishes for a complete recovery from his injuries.

How Long Does it Take to Recover From Serious Injury?

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A head-on collision in Virginia Beach, VA, left one man seriously injured. A Virginia personal injury attorney discusses the car accident and notes that the victim may never really be okay in a post to our firm's brain injury blog site.

CT

Virginia Beach Head-On Collision Leaves One Person Severely Injured

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A driver involved in a head-on collision near the intersection of Indian River Road and West Orchard Spring Way in Virginia Beach, VA, suffered life-threatening injuries. The accident occurred around 9 pm on December 17, 2011, and the injury victim had to be medevaced to a hospital for emergency, life-saving treatment.

WAVY-TV 10 has reported that the injured person is expected to survive.

Head-on car crash in Virginia Beach badly injures driver

With the immediate threat of death apparently having passed, questions for the injured person and the person's family must turn to matters of paying medical bills, dealing with long-term health care costs for rehabilitation and replacing wages lost to having to miss work while in the hospital and at home recovering. Depending on the nature of the injuries suffered -- details are scant, but mild or traumatic brain injuries are common in head-on wrecks -- the person may never fully return to a pre-accident state of physical and mental health.

Our Virginia Beach-based personal injury attorneys often represent people hurt in head-on collisions and other traffic accidents caused by other drivers' negligence, distraction or impairment by drugs or alcohol. If it turns out that that the person injured in this latest head-on crash fell victim to the poor vehicle operation of an at-fault driver, that person and family member should seek advice on legal options for receiving compensation that will help them recover financially from the accident.

EJL

$1.45 Million Verdict for Seaman Who Developed Mesothelioma

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s Virginia Beach Injuryboard blog site, my colleague Rick Shapiro reports on an important jury verdict for a merchant seaman who developed the fatal lung disease mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos while working on a ship. Rick writes that the case illustrates how companies that take over competitors also become liable for the harms caused to employees by the competitor’s negligence. Another key lesson to take from the outcome of the trial -- a $1.45 million award for the plaintiff -- is that even two months of exposure to a toxic or cancer-causing substance can make a company liable for a former worker’s occupational illness. To read more, click over to “Short-Term Asbestos Exposure Caused Man's Mesothelioma, Jury Finds.”

EJL

Passengers Injured in Harrisonburg Accident

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A vehicle was speeding along Devon Lane in Harrisonburg, Virginia (VA) when the driver lost control, hit a transformer box and then hit a tree. The driver did not suffer any injuries, but one male passenger and two female passengers did suffer injuries.

Harrisonburg police suspect alcohol may have been a factor in the car crash.

One passenger was transported by helicopter to University of Virginia Medical Center while two were taken to Rockingham-Memorial Hospital, according to breezejmu.org.

The conditions of the injured passengers remain unknown at this time, but we hope that they are able to successfully pick up the pieces to their lives. Suffering a serious injury in a car crash can take months or even years to fully recover. Some injuries are so bad that a person never fully recovers. For example, some car wreck victims suffer permanent head injuries that can forever alter the person’s speech, memory, and motor skills.

The victims should consider speaking to an injury lawyer in Virginia to discuss their legal options. Our firm has written a consumer report focused on what victims should do after a serious car accident. To learn more, download the report here.

View Larger Map

Virginia Workplace Injuries Increased During 2010

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has reported that the rate of workplace injuries in Virginia rose in 2010 to 3.3 nonfatal injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time public and private workers. The on-the job injury rte in the commonwealth for 2009 was 3.1.

More positively, workplace fatalities dropped 13 percent from the number recorded during 2009.

Across the entire United States an average of 3.5 out of every 100 workers suffer job-relatedinjuries, with government employees being far more likely than privately employed people to get hurt doing their job.

Most interesting to me as a Virginia personal injury attorney who represent many railroad employees, the private transportation industry had the highest workplace injury rate in the commonwealth, at 5.5 per 100 workers.

Reasons for the increase were not discussed in the report, and I cannot help but wonder how accurate these statistics are. Many workers are reluctant to report injuries because they fear getting fired. Others find dealing with red tape an insurmountable barrier.

Every job has its risks, but workers deserve necessary safety equipment and protections for whatever hazards they encounter. Maintaining a safe workplace can cost employers time and money, but savings realized from preventing injuries and deaths are far greater. Ultimately, most accidents and injuries are preventable. If employers take the initiative to protect their employers in the first place, perhaps the rate of on the job injuries will fall in 2011.

CID

Drivers Need to Stop Using Cell Phones Behind the Wheel

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm’s Norfolk Injuryboard blog site, Virginia personal injury attorney Rick Shapiro expresses his strong support for the proposal from the National Transportation Safety Board to have states enact bans on the use of all handheld and hands-free cell phones by drivers for talking and texting. Rick admits that such a law would cause him to change his own driving habits, but he recognizes that his safety and the safety or others on the road would be greatly improved by putting down the phone and focusing on the road. To read more, click over to “Cell Phone Driving Ban: An Idea Whose Time Has Come.”

EJL

Nine Students Injured in Chesapeake, VA Bus Crash

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), public school bus crash sent nine middle school students to the hospital on December XX, 2011. The bus, carrying 45 students to Hickory Middle ran off the school's access road, Hawk Boulevard, and into a ditch. Authorities aren't sure why the crash occurred, but as the investigation continues, more details will become available.

School bus crashes can be very scary for students. Without seat belts, the crash becomes even more terrifying. Though many parents and safety advocacy groups have argued for the installation of seat belts in school buses, it is not a federal requirement for school-sanctioned vehicles to include safety belts.

The driver and students aboard were lucky to escape relatively safely. Still, our children should feel safe every time they board a school bus. Drivers need to follow all safety laws involving school buses, including stopping when a bus is unloading or loading, and is flashing it's stop sign. With better knowledge of these laws, we can all work to prevent future accidents from occurring.

CID

Baby Seat May Cause Brain Injury to Infants

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A brain injury is nothing to scoff at, especially when it occurs to an infant whose tender brain is in its most delicate stages. An experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney takes a look at why the Bumbo baby seat has been responsible for as many as 45 infant brain injuries.

CT

School Bus Crashes Leave Students Injured in Chesapeake and Hampton, VA

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Two schools. Two buses. Two accidents. Eleven students transported to hospitals with injuries and complaints of pain.

Monday morning, December 12, 2011, was a dangerous time for teenagers across Hampton Roads, Virginia (VA), as buses crashed in school zones at Hickory Middle School in Chesapeake, VA, and at Bethel High School in Hampton, VA. The Hickory bus went into a ditch on the access road for the school, Hawk Boulevard, and the Bethel bus hit six other vehicles in the high school's parking lot. A person in one of those vehicles also went to a hospital to get examined for injuries.

Bus taking students to Hickory Middle School in Chesapeake, VA, runs into ditch

Fortunately, none of the reported or suspected injuries appear serious. More troubling, though, is that the bus drivers apparently caused both of the wrecks. WAVY-TV 10 reported that the Hickory Middle bus driver overcorrected after clipping a concrete shoulder. In Hampton, the Bethel bus driver has been charged with reckless driving, according to the Daily Press.

Full details on the causes of the crashes are not yet available. But if completed investigations show that the bus drivers were at fault for the accidents, that would represent huge breaches of trust by the drivers and the school systems. Parents and students must be able to trust that bus operators wil do their essential jobs of transporting children safely as near to perfect as possible. Any time a bus wrecks due to a driver's negligence, fatigue or, worst of all, drunkenness, seeds of doubt are planted about how safe school buses are.
EJL

Inflatable Jacket Invented to Reduce Motorcycle Crash Injuries

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Necessity is often the mother of invention. For motorcycle riders, it may now mean the difference between life and death. Two companies have created a jacket for motorcycle riders that can inflate like an airbag upon impact. However, improving safety can never make motorcyle riding risk-free

This video shows the new jacket in action:

As a Virginia (VA) motorcycle injury attorney, I have seen serious injuries and deaths result from cars and trucks hitting motorcycles. This happened to one of my clients while he was traveling home from work with his wife on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Both passengers were severely injured in a head-on collision. The wife suffered multiple fractures to the bones of her arm, wrist, tibia, ankle and hand. The husband sustained a severe pelvic fracture and a scrotal injury.

Injuries on motorcycles are almost always devastating and too often occur when another driver just is not paying attention and does not see the motorcyclist. Though the jackets may lead to less-severe injuries, mtorcyclsts will always be at risk until car and truck drivers pay more attention to their driving.

CT

Car Hits Norfolk, Virginia (VA) Student in School Zone

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Every morning, thousands of drivers wind through neighborhood roads on their way to work. At the very same time, thousands of children are also crossing those roads on their way to school. These two worlds sometimes collide tragically when a child is struck by a car.

In Norfolk, Virginia (VA), a child was struck at the intersection of Princess Anne Road and Merrimac Avenue, which is a school zonefor Richard Bolling Elementary.

View Larger Map

As a Virginia child injury lawyer and mother, my heart goes out to the child and her parents. The best VA personal injury attorneys would look at this case and know that the child will have serious injuries that may lower her quality of life for a long time.

A similar case my firm handled in Norfolk involved a school teacher using a crosswalk to get across a street. He suffered a fractured heel and broken lower leg bone when he was struck by a distracted driver. Our key legal strategy involved analyzing VA law pertaining to pedestrians and crosswalks. We were prepared to show the insurance company that the right of way was in favor of the pedestrian and that the at-fault had driver failed to keep a proper lookout. After outlining all of this, we obtained the maximum payout allowable under the at-fault driver's insurance policy.

If you have been injured in pedestrian car accident please read our guide Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

Head-On Manassas Dump Truck Accident Leaves One Dead

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

An out of control dump truck on Lee Highway in Manassas struck a pickup truck and an SUV, killing one driver and injuring others.
According to the Manassas Patch, the Washington Post, and Inside Nova, a 65-year-old dump truck driver from Alexandria, Virginia, lost control of his commercial vehicle while driving southbound on Route 29 on Tuesday afternoon, November 15.

The truck veered into the northbound lanes, struck a Ford F350, and then overcorrected into the southbound lanes before striking a small northbound SUV head-on. The four people in the pickup truck were not seriously injured, though the driver of the pickup truck, a 40-year-old woman from Aldie, Virginia, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver of the SUV, 40-year-old Daniel S. Tulk of South Riding Virginia, died at the scene of the crash.

Virginia State Police are investigating whether or not speed, alcohol, or illegal substances were factors in the crash. At this time, no charges have been filed against the dump truck driver, but police are still collecting and analyzing evidence.

The Virginia car accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton send their condolences to the friends and family of the traffic accident victim.

Advisors & Experts Recommend New Sleep Apnea Federal Trucking Rules

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Is sleep apnea causing fatigued truck drivers and a spike in Virginia truck accidents? According to a new study, drivers with sleep apnea may be 242 percent more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than those who do not suffer from the breathing disorder.
Because of the link between sleep apnea and truck crashes, two different advisory panels for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have suggested that new federal trucking regulations are put in place to protect travelers from sleep apnea-related truck wrecks.
The two groups, the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and the Medical Review Board, suggest that all truckers with a BMI over 35 are screened for the sleep disorder, which is recognized by shallow breathing or long pauses between breaths while sleeping. Those who are diagnosed with sleep apnea would be diagnosed and treated.
Sleep apnea, which largely affects overweight and obese middle-aged men, can lead to chronic fatigue and issues with concentration and alertness.
Trucking companies that have already begun the battle against sleep apnea in their truck drivers report a significant drop in truck accidents, truck accident injuries, and trucker health care costs.
The two advisory panels are now working together to form a more formal recommendation for a sleep apnea screening rule. This next step will likely be completed by the spring on next year.

Teen Passenger Killed in Charles City County, VA Car Wreck

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A parent’s worst nightmare may well be getting a call from police telling them that their child has been injured or killed. Sadly, the parent’s of a 17-year old Virginia Beach, VA, boy received that call in early December 2011 and will be mourning instead of celebrating during the holiday season.

The teen was killed when the driver of the car he was riding in refused to stop for a Charles City County deputy. Instead of pulling over, the driver led the deputy on a high-speed chase and eventually crashed his Audi. Police say charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol are pending gainst the driver.

View a larger map of the area where a Virginia Beach teen died in a suspected drunk driing accident in Charles City County, VA.

It is always a tragedy when a passenger is injured or killed in a car accident, especially one as reckless and negligent as this one. It’s frustrating to know that the passenger was helpless and at the mercy of the driver during the whole ordeal. The family of someone who was killed in an accident faces many costs and challenges, including the following:

Funeral expenses and burial expenses.
Medical bills accumulated after the accident but before death.
Loss of support.
Loss of future income.

The point is that many families are so devastated and left so vulnerable that they just want to get the process over as quickly as possible. It is a mistake and a disservice to a loved one, however, not to pursue a valid wrongful death claim.

As a parent or guardian, being prepared to handle a situation suc as the one the Virginia Beach family now finds itself in will help ensure that you and your family receive proper compensation. To make this easier we have created a free Virginia (VA) wrongful death guide to help you.

CT

Federal Government Considers New Hours of Services Rules for Truckers

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee held a hearing this week to talk about the Transportation Department’s proposed rule to alter the current federal commercial trucking regulations regarding hours of service. The subcommittee heard speakers from the both sides of the issue, including economists, those in the trucking industry, and traffic safety advocates.

The proposed new trucking regulations would reduce the maximum on-duty driving window from 14 hours to 13 hours and reduce the daily driving limit from 11 hours to ten hours. In addition it would require a 30-minute break after seven consecutive hours of driving.

Many in the commercial trucking industry stressed that the proposed new hours of operation regulations would result in a huge blow both to trucking companies and to other retailers who can’t get products as fast as they are needed. An economic analyst added that the new rules could cost $1 billion per year.

However others, including the Transportation Department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, questioned what the cost of a human life is. They believe the new rules would significantly reduce the number of fatigued and distracted truck drivers on the roads and therefore reduce the number of tractor-trailer accidents, truck accident injuries, and fatalities caused by big rigs.

Have you been injured in a Virginia tractor-trailer accident, and you believe that the trucker or trucking company was to blame? Speak with a Virginia Beach personal injury attorney today about your case by calling toll free, (800) 752-0042.

Virginia Beach Teen Dies After Suspected DUI Driver Runs From Cops

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In her latest post to our firm’s VA/NC Wrongful Death Lawyers blog site, attorney Emily Mapp Brannon reports on a tragic accident in Charles City County, VA, that claimed the life of a 17-year-old from Virginia Beach. The teen was a passenger in a car being pursued by a police officer trying to make a reckless driving stop. The at-fault driver, who was severely injured in the wreck, is suspected of being drunk at the time of the one-vehicle crash. To read more, click over to “Teen Passenger Killed When Suspected DUI Driver Fled Police in Charles City Co., VA.”

This map shows where a suspected drunk driver wrecked in Charles City County, VA, killing his 17-year-old passenger.

EJL

Portsmouth, VA Mother Who Suffered Brain Damage Has Malpractice Award From Maryview Hospital Upheld

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

The federal appeals court in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), on December 8, 2011, upheld a $900,000 malpractice award a woman from Portsmouth had won from Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center. In the original case, stemming from a botched Caesarean section conducted to deliver the woman's fourth child in 2005, the woman and her Norfolk attorney, Kim Michelle Crump, relied on expert testimony from an obstetrician/gynecologist to convince a judge that the deliver doctor had made surgical errors and that nurses charged with providing follow-up care were negligent.

Facts presented during the original civil trial and considered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit included the following:

The woman had a history of preeclampsia, which can lead to excess bleeding after delivery.
The delivery doctor had earlier lost a case involving a birth injury caused by his mistakes during a C-section.
Nurses who checked on the woman as she lay in a hospital bed following the procedure missed or ignored monitors showing that her blood pressure was steadily dropping, her heart rate was steadily increasing and her bed sheets were becoming covered in blood.
The woman suffered a stroke that caused permanent brain damage and physical disabilities.
The woman had reached a settlement for her birth injuries and brain damage with the U.S. government, which employed her delivery doctor.

This video provides valuable information about preeclampsia and the risks mothers and babies face if pregnancy-related blood pressure problems are not detected and treated correctly at an early stage:

The court's award will be reduced by the amount of the settlement with the federal government, but the money will undoubtedly go a long way in helping the woman, her children and the rest of her family deal with the aftereffects of the surgical error and subsequent brain damage. While most people think of infants developing cerebral palsy or sustaining physical injuries such as dislocated shoulders when they hear the term "birth injury," this case shows that mothers are as much at risk as their newborns when doctors and nurses do not meet their responsibilities to provide top-quality care.

As a Virginia Beach, VA-based medical malpractice attorney myself, I know that anyone harmed by medical negligence or mistakes must often take hospitals and health care providers to trial in order to receive the compensation they need to recover physically, financially and mentally. I am pleased that this case was resolved in the injured mother's favor.

EJL

Bike Rider Left in Coma After Truck Wreck

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Michael Sprick of Bad Laer, Germany was on a cycling tour of the United States when he was hit by a truck while riding along a road in Pulaski County, Virginia (VA). Sadly, Mr. Spring suffered a serious injury as a result of the accident and his life may be changed forever. Mr. Sprick has been in a coma since the wreck.

Mr. Sprick’s relatives planned to fly him to Germany on a special plane this month for further treatment. This illustrates that when an accident occurs and a victim is seriously injured, it doesn’t just affect them, it affects their friends and family. Imagine the trauma Mr. Sprick’s family went through when they received a call out of the blue that Mr. Sprick was hit by a truck and is now in a coma. Not only was Mr. Sprick’s life turned upside down, but all of his family members’ had their lives adversely affected as well.

The truck driver that hit Mr. Sprick has been convicted of reckless driving. He received a suspended 90-day jail sentence and a fine of $500 for his careless behavior. The at-fault truck driver was also convicted of driving on a suspended license and fined $100, according to wset.com.

Mr. Sprick’s family should consult with an injury lawyer in Virginia to discuss their legal options. The at-fault driver has been sentenced with criminal charges, but that does not preclude civil damages through a personal injury claim. Also, it does not matter that Mr. Sprick was a German citizen since jurisdiction is traditionally based on the place of the injury.

Head-On Collision Injures Sussex, VA Sheriff's Deputy, Other Driver

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In a post to our personal injury firm’s Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog, lawyer Kevin Duffan reports on a head-on collision between a Sussex County sheriff deputy’s cruiser and another vehicle that sent both the deputy and the other driver to the hospital with serious injuries. Kevin notes that the officer had been responding to a crash between tractor-trailers on nearby I-95. To read more, click over to “Responding to Tractor-Trailer Crash, Deputy Injured in Head-On Collision.”

EJL

Consumer Reports Study Finds Arsenic in Apple Juice

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

In September 2011, television's Dr. Mehmet Oz claimed that apple juice frequently contains dangerous levels of arsenic. Later, Consumer Reports conducted a study that proved the claim true. Researchers found that 10 percent of sampled juice contained arsenic and lead levels that exceeded federal standards. Juice was purchased from grocery stores in New York, New Jersey, and Conneticut, and the brands analyzed included Apple & Eve, Great Value, Mott's, Walgreens and Welch's.

So what does that mean for your family, healthwise? Inorganic arsenic is poisonousand can cause cancer. Exposure to arsenic over a lengthy period of time can also damage a person's brain and kidneys, which are also potential problems from lead exposure. Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration places limits on arsenic and lead levels in bottled water, none exist for fruit juices. Now, the advocacy group Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is asking the FDA to act on juices.

As Dr. Manny Alvarez, senior managing editor of FoxNews,.com put it, "I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but just look at the growing levels of learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and other diseases that seem so prevalent today as compared to decades ago."

It is frightening to believe something so dangerous as arsenic-tainted fruit juice is in the refrigerators of many families. As the studies and reports continue to come out, we'll keep you updated on the risks, and whether the FDA will choose to limit the legal level of inorganic arsenic allowed in fruit juice.

CD

Medicare Data Becoming Available for Preparing Doctor Report Cards

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Choosing a doctor or surgeon can be a crapshoot. Patients often have little or no information on physicians' experience or history of successful treatments, medical mistakes or malpractice claims. This puts people needing health care services ranging from long-term care for chronic conditions like diabetes to back surgery at risk for suffering life-threatening and debilitating complications from prescribing errors, misdiagnoses, medical negligence and surgical errors.

A small step toward making patients better informed about the doctors and surgeons to whom they entrust their health and lives was taken earlier in 2011 when federal officials eased restrictions on the public's access to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which records malpractice actions. Now, a change in federal laws and regulations will give patients much more complete information on doctors that was previously tightly held by Medicare.

On December 5, 2011, acting under a requirement of the Affordable Health Care Act, the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services announced the publication of a final rule that permits employers and consumer groups to comb the Medicare provider database for information on the number of times a doctor or surgeon has performed a procedure and how often those physicians' patients have experienced preventable errors. No patient information will be released, and the agency has called for stiff penalties for any group that misuses the Medicare data or handles records in ways that allow individual patients to be identified.

As noted in an Associated Press report, the Medicare database includes billing records for "47 million beneficiaries and nearly every doctor and hospital in the country." CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner was not exaggerating, then, when she told the press. "This is a giant step forward in making our health care system more transparent and promoting increased competition, accountability, quality and lower costs."

Information on doctors is essential for patients looking to protect themselves from the harms caused by medical malpractice. The organizatins given access to the Medicare database are expected to begin producing doctor report cards by late 2012. The goal is to provide patients easily understandable grades they can review when they have to choose a doctor or surgeon.

Having represented many victims of medical mistakes and surgical errors, I applaud CMS for sharing its information. I also look forward to the time when patients no longer must select health care providers blindly.

EJL

Congress Proposes Regulations to Prevent Fatigued Truck Driving

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data show that approximately 4,000 people get killed in accidents involving iterstate commercial trucks every year. Another 100,000 oter suffer injuries. Now, lawmakers, safety groups and families of truck crash victims are coming together to combat a major cause of those fatal and inury-causing crashes -- truck driver fatigue.

Currently, truckers are allowed to opeate their vehicles for 70 hours each week. The U.S. Department of Transportation conducted a survey among truck drivers about drowsy driving. A shocking 65 percent of commercial truckers admit to feeling sleepy while driving, and almost half say they've actually fallen asleep behind the wheel. Among the general public, 79 percent believe truckers should be limited to 10 hours of maximum consecutive driving time.

With all this in mind, lawmakers are seeking to revise the current truck driver hours of service. They hope that reducing the amount of hours drivers can spend consecutively behind the wheel will limit fatigue.

My colleagues and I definitely support this revision. As a trucking accident attorney, I've seen far too many preventable accidents occur because a driver is tired. A fatigued driver is incredibly dangerous in even the best of conditions. When that tired driver is operating a truck bigger than nearly every other vehicle on the road, catastrophe is just waiting to happen. Truckers simply need their rest before hitting the road.

CD

Charleston, West Virginia Man Killed in a Car Wreck

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

John C. Frazier of Charleston, West Virginia (WV), was trying to get onto U.S. 60 when he became the victim of an accident that brought his life came to an abrupt end. His 2001 Toyota Avalon was hit by a 2003 Chevy Malibu.

View a larger map of where the fatal West Virginia car accident occurred.

The wreck was so bad that Frazier became trapped in his Avalon and had to be cut out of the vehicle. According to the Sunday Gazette-Mail, He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. His wife was in the car with him, but she fortunately did not suffer any injuries. Our deepest sympathies go out the Frazier's wife and his entire family.

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences anyone has to suffer through, but the pain is made even worse when the loss is sudden. After a serious car wreck, many victims' families are left with myriad questions. To help, our firm's attorneys have published a page with important information for West Virginia residents who have been hurt in an accident or who have seen a loved one killed in a wreck.

PA

Does Your Doctor Make the Grade? Physician Report Cards Coming Soon

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Medicare is planning to allow insurance companies, consumer groups and employers access to the government’s extensive claims database in order to produce report cards on doctors and hospitals. The goal is to ensure consumers have more information when looking for a specialist or particular hospital for treatment. Doctors will be identified through Medicare files, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

The president of Pacific Business Group on Health pointed out that most people pick doctors blindly. They do very little research or they just go to a doctor who is in their insurance network. It is not unreasonable to argue that the blind selection of doctors may contribute to medical malpractice injuries.

Under the new system, if you choose a doctor who is graded at a D+, at least you will know you are taking a risk. Efforts to rate physicians using limited private insurance data ave been undertaken, but those projects have largely been limited to primary care doctors. This isn’t very helpful for patients looking for specialists in brain or heart surgery. Critics argue that doctors should not be subjected to some arbitrary grading process. However, rating systems are quite common in many professions.

For example, lawyers are subjected to various rating agencies. Our firm, for instance, is rated by U.S. News & World Report, Martindale-Hubbell, Avvo and other authorities. Fortunately, our firm has no “D+” grades. In fact, our firm has been recognized as one of the best Virginia injury law firms for personal injury litigation, and I have been recognized as one of the best medical malpractice lawyers in Virginia. Two other attorneys with our firm have 10, or superb, ratings on Avvo.

Before the new system is set up to rate doctors, many people will still be picking doctors blindly. Do not let this happen to you. Be prepared when you visit with a doctor. Get important information about the questions to ask your doctor so you can try to avoid medical malpractice injuries in our consumer report.

PA

Passenger Dead in Virginia (VA) Head-On Tractor-Trailer Crash

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

What is the world coming to when people can’t control their vehicles? Whether it’s distracted drivers, cell phones or fatigue, drivers all across Virginia and the Carolinas have been getting injured and killed in head-on collisions.

View Larger Map

This was the case when the driver of a car collided head-on with a tractor-trailer on Route 8 in Floyd County, Virginia (VA). Sadly a passenger in that car was killed during the truck accident on Virginia Route 8. The driver of the tractor-trailer was also taken to the hospital with injuries.

As a Virginia car accident attorney, I know the family of the passenger who died is grieving right now. Wrongful death cases are always the hardest for our firm's personal injurylawyers to handle. We know that no amount of money will ever bring a loved one back, but a settlement or jury verdict can help keep the deceased person's memory alive and take care of survivrs in the accident or negligence victim would have wanted.

Sometimes, when the deceased and the driver had a close relationship, the family is uncomfortable pursuing a lawsuit. Survivors need to know, however, that they are not suing the driver directly. It is their car insurance company being taken to court and it is the company's responsibility to provide fair compensation for the loss, pain and suffering.

CT

Hampton, Virginia (VA) Wrong-Way Crash on I-64 Takes Two Lives

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A 17-year-old became the second fatality from a head-on, wrong-way crash in Hampton, Virginia (VA), early in the morning of December 4, 2011. Another woman died shortly after the crash near the J. Clyde Morris Bouevard exit. Both women were freshmen-year students at Christopher Newport University.

View Larger Map

Any accident is tragic, but as a Virginia car accident lawyer and a father who has a daughter in college, it disgusts me that polce suspect that the at-fault driver was drunk at the time of the collision. I also know the families are seething about the wrongful deaths of their daughters.

The worst part is that this guy is due in court later this month on DWI charges stemming from a September 16, 2011, arrest. He apparently couldn’t even wait for his court date before he went drunk driving again, this time destroying families and snuffing out the lives of two young women who had everything to live for.

I know the families will never truly be able to get over their grief from losing their children, sisters and relatives. The best thing I can offer as a wrongfl death attrey is suggesting that we can bring a claim for punitive damages against the person who killed your loved one, holding him responsible for his actions. This is a form of punishment compensation that can be assessed if the drunk driver can be shown to have been grossly negligent or to have committed egregiously bad acts. Our firm's goal in every DUI and DWI injury or wrongful death case is to identify all sources of insurance recovery and to help our clients receive compensation

Sussex County Deputy Injured While Responding to I-95 Truck Wreck

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

One serious traffic accident led to another Sussex County, Virginia (VA). According to news reports, a sheriff’s deputy lost control of his cruiser on Wednesday, December 7, 2011, while responding to a two-truck crash on Interstate 95. Two people were seriously injured, while a third incurred minor injuries.

The initial Virginia truck accident took place as a trucker was traveling southbound on I-95 and was forced to swerve to avoid another vehicle. His big rig ran off of the road and tipped over, while a second tractor-trailer jackknifed. One trucker had to be extracted from his vehicle. Jefferies was cited for reckless driving.

Deputy Carlos Turner was responding to the Virginia truck accident when he lost control of his vehicle and veered off of the road. The 37-year-old officer then overcorrected and collided head-on with a passenger vehicle a 31-year-old driver. Both men were airlifted to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond for treatment after suffering serious injuries.

Both accidents were investigated by the Virginia State Police Reconstruction Team. The personal injury attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton wish all involved in these two accidents a swift and full recovery.

Wrong-Way Driver on I-64 in Hampton, VA Causes Head-On Collision That Kills One

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A Christopher Newport University student lost her life and the four other people in the car in which was riding sustained severe-to-life-threatening injuries when a wrong-way driver slammed into their vehicle on I-64 near Hampton Roads Center Parkway in Hampton, Virginia (VA). The fatal head-on collision occurred around 2 am on December 4, 2011, and the at-fault driver also got seriously injured.

A wrong-way driver on I-64 in Hampton, VA, killed one person and seriously injured four others in a head-on collision

Police did not immediately release details on the cause of the crash, refusing to state even whether alcohol or drugs played a role in leading the wrong-way driver to get on I-64 West traveling east. Drunk or drugged driving must be considered and fully assessed by investigators, however, along with the at-fault driver being lost or confused.

This is, unfortunately, not the first fatal head-on car crash on local interstates. On December 29, 2009, a man driving a BMW entered the HOV lanes on I-264 in Virginia Beach, VA, from the wrong direction -- crashing through lowered gates to do so -- and killed two people in another vehicle. In a more-recent incident, deaths were narrowly averted when a drunk 21-year-old woman drove her car the wrong way through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and caused three wrecks.

Wrong-way drivers take a terrible toll on all roads and highways. Whatever led the driver who caused the deadly Hampton head-on to drive into oncoming traffic, the person must be held responsible, both criminally and civilly in personal in jury and wrongful death lawsuits, for the pain and suffering that irresponsible act caused.

EJL

Chesapeake, VA Pileup Near Walmart Sends Six to Hospitals

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Six people went to hospitals after a total five cars and trucks collided on North Battlefield Boulevard in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA). The pileup occurred near the intersection of Walmart Way early in the afternoon of December 4, 2011, undoubtedly ruining the holiday season for some of the drivers and passengers involved in the multivehicle pileup.

Multivehicle crash in Chesapeake, VA, near Walmart on Battlefield Blvd. injures six

Neither the cause of the chain-reaction accident nor the severity of the people's injuries have been reported, but the wreckage shown in the WAVY-TV 10 video above indicates that at least some of the accident victims face intensive medical treatments, long recoveries and large health care bills. The footage of the crash after also shows that a few of the vehicles rear-ended cars and trucks that had already wrecked.

One lesson to take from the Chesapeake pileup is that all drivers must be attuned to and prepared to react to changes in road conditions and traffic flow at all times. Probably no one would expect to encounter a major accident just outside a Walmart parking lot and access road, but that is exactly what occurred this time. When drivers could not stop in time, they found themselves also involved in, and injured by, the accident.

EJL

Children Injured in Mississippi School Bus Crash With a Logging Truck Accident

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Many people know the bus driver who picks up their kids each morning. At the very least, many parents give the driver a friendly wave or a hello in the morning and afternoon. When a child is a passenger on a school bus and is injured, many would hope that it was the other drivers' fault.

Officials are not sure yet what caused an accident in Winona, Mississippi (MS), between a school bus and a logging truck, but it looks as if the bus driver may have pulled out in front of the truck. Sun in the driver’s eyes is the speculated cause of the accident. The crash sent seven students to the hospital, two in critical condition and three in stable condition.

As a Virginia (VA) car accident attorney and mother, I know that some parents may feel guilty pursuing legal compensation for their children's injuries from the school bus driver. They must rest assured, though, that they are not suing the school bus driver. The school’s insurance policy hoder would be the company that provided compensation.

When your child is hurt, you need to hire the best, most-experienced lawyer you can. Your kids are counting on you.

CT

Safety Hazards Found in Hampton, VA Apartments

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

A recent inspection of the Harbor Square apartment complex in downtown Hampton, Virginia (VA), revealed dangerous living conditions. Inspectors found "asbestos, mold, lead-based paint, roach infestation, rustling and failing stairs, a broken sewer system and furnaces leaking exhaust directly into units." accroding to the Daily Press. The City of Hampton recently acquired the complex and plans to spend as muc as $5 million to resolve and repair problems.

Though it is definitely reassuring to hear that repairs will be made, one has to wonder how long residents have been subjected to the health hazards. Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The lead-based paint used throughout the complex can lead to lead poisoning. Kids under the age of 6 and fetuses exposed via their mother's blood are most susceptible to lead poising, which has been linked to anemia, learning disabilities and kidney, and immune system damage. Exposure to mold can lead to asthma and allergic reactions.

If you or someone you know lives or used to live in this complex, consider giving us a call. No one should be subjected to such atrocious living conditions. If your safety, or the health of your children, was put at risk, you deserve justice. As a personal injury lawyer, I've seen some bad living conditions, but this case combines all of a renter's worst nightmares.

CD

Asbestos Remains in Suffolk, Virginia Beach Schools

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

I could have written this blog post any time over the past 40 years. And that goes a long way toward explaining why I'm writing it now, in early December 2011.

Asbestos, banned by the U.S. federal government for nearly every industrial and construction purpose since the late 1970s, keeps turning up in, of all places, schools. The latest report of this dangerous situation to catch my attention appeared in the Suffolk News-Herald just after Thanksgiving.

According to the story, nine elementary and middle schools in Suffolk, Virginia (VA), contain asbestos despite a well-articulated long-term removal plan and a biannual removal budget of $75,000. As the article explains, the funds set aside to get asbestos out of the schools are generally not used for that purpose because school maintenance officials consider the asbestos safe where it is.

A similar situation exists in Virginia Beach, where, as WAVY-TV 10 reported in August 2010, seven schools present asbestos risks for students, teachers and staff.

Virginia Beach and Suffolk, VA schools packed with asbestos

The affected -- infected, is probably a better word -- schools in Virginia Beach are Bayside Middle, Plaza Middle, John B. Dey Elementary, Old Donation Center, Lynnhaven Middle, Great Neck Middle and Malibu Elementary.

In Suffolk, the schools identified as having asbestos pipe insulation, asbestos floor tiles and other building materials containing asbestos are Driver Elementary, Elephant's Fork Elementary, Florence Bowser Elementary, Kilby Shores Elementary, Nansemond Parkway Elementary, Southwestern Elementary, Forest Glen Middle, John F. Kennedy Middle and John Yeates Middle.

As a Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury attorney who has represented many victims of asbestos-related lung disease such as cancer and mesothelioma, I know that the only safe level of exposure to asbestos is zero exposure. Our firm has helped manly railroad workers and family members who have contracted cancers.

I also know that justifying inaction on asbestos removal with the explanation that "it's not a problem if you just leave it alone" is unacceptable. What is remarkably dangerous about airborne asbestos, even at microscopic levels, is that even fleeting exposures can caused cancer 10-50 years later.

Asbestos dust -- meaning asbestos fibers that will never leave a person's body once they get breathed in -- simply has a way of getting into the air regardless of anything done to contain the dust. In Virginia Beach, for instance, teachers and maintenance workers have been advised not to drive nails into walls lest asbestos from a paint coating go airborne. At the Surry nuclear power plant in Virginia, repairs kicked up asbestos when contractors cut through an old pipe. In Kansas City, Missouri (MO), an old courthouse was found to have piles of asbestos dust from insulation around heating and air conditioning vents.

The medical literature has long shown that toxic airborne asbestos causes terminal lung cancer, colon cancer and other cancers, as well as mesothelioma. And with asbestos being the only definitely known cause of mesothelioma, that particular fatal disease is wholly preventable by not having exposure to asbestos.

The schools in Suffolk, Virginia Beach and other city need to remove all asbestos as soon as feasible. Protecting children and public servants demands nothing less than immediate action.

EJL

Virginia Tech Wrongful Death Lawsuit Settled

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Rick Shapiro has written a new post for our firm's VA/NC Wrongful Death Lawyers blog site about a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit brought against Virginia Tech, The Commonwealth of Virginia, acting on behalf of the university, has agree to pay $250,000 to the family of a student who committed suicide. The family said Virginia Tech officials failed to follow protocols for ensuring timely mental health care services.

DM

Hampton, VA Children Attacked, Injured by Dog

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Two young Hampton, Virginia (VA), children are recovering from injuries after a dog bit them on November 26, 2011. According to WAVY-TV 10, the kids were playing with the unleashed pet when, for unknown reasons, the animal attacked. The younger of the children, a 6-year-old, required hospital treatment for bites to both arms.

The dog was apparently so vicious that an adult who came the children's aid found it necessary to hit the animal in the head with a bat to get it to retreat and stop attacking.

Dog attacks children in Hampton, VA: wavy.com

The kids' physical injuries don't appear too serious, but a detail of the story that really jumped out at me is this: "The owner was charged with failure to provide adequate care, failure to vaccinate the dog for rabies, not having a city dog license and dog attacking while at large." Which is all to stay that the dog's owner let the animal run loose and at risk for a disease that can kill it and any person it bites.

People who have pets, especially dogs, have legal and civil responsibilities for controlling their animals. Again focusing on dogs, this means the pet owner should have a fenced yard, keep their dog on a leash when they go for a walk and make sure their dog has all its vaccinations. Failing to meet those responsibilities can make a pet owner liable for injuries or deaths their dog causes.

Hampton Animal Control authorities have taken custody of the dog that bit the children during Thanksgiving weekend and are observing it for rabies symptoms and other signs of aggression. It is not unusual in cases like this for the dog to be put down regardless of the findings, for people bitten to begin precautionary treatment for rabies -- a particularly uncomfortable series of injections -- and for the owner to pay criminal fines.

For the sake of their animals, their neighbors and themselves, all dog owners should do what they can to prevent dog bites.

EJL

Tractor-Trailer Sets Off Chain-Reaction Crash In Hanover County, VA

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A father and his young daughter were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries following a chain-reaction crash on I-95 in Hanover County, VA, on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. An initial investigation by police has found that a tractor-trailer may have initiated the accident.

According to local Virginia news sources, the Virginia truck accident took place in the northbound lanes of the interstate near the Sliding Hill Road exit. When traffic slowed on the road, an 18-wheeler commercial truck failed to brake and slammed into a passenger vehicle from behind. The car in turn struck the vehicle in front of it, which in turn struck the vehicle in front of it. All in all, three cars, and SUV and a tractor-trailer were damaged in the crash.

The two people in the car that was hit by the truck were transported to VCU Medical Center. A 37-year-old father and his 8-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries but are expected to recover.

The truck driver, 55-year-old James Reedy of Bridgewater, Virginia, was charged with reckless driving in connection with the wreck.

The Virginia Beach personal injury attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton wish the father and daughter injured in this truck accident a fast and complete recovery.

Virginia Beach Fire Truck Involved in Oceanfront Car Accident

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

One person was seriously injured in a collision between a car and a fire truck in Virginia Beach earlier this month while six other people were taken to the hospital for minor injuries and evaluations.

According to a report by the Virginian-Pilot, a fire truck carrying three firefighters was responding to a transformer fire near the intersection of 27th Street and Baltic Avenue in Virginia Beach when it collided with a sedan at the intersection of 19th Street and Pacific Avenue near Oceanfront.

The accident, which occurred just after 9:30 pm on Friday evening, November 4, 2011, sent one person to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and three more people to the hospital with minor injuries. While none of the three firefighters were badly hurt, they, too, were taken to the hospital to be checked for injury.

The fire truck accident is under investigation. It is not clear whether the power outage caused by the transformer fire played a role in the crash. It is also not clear exactly how the crash took place, though the emergency vehicle was using its lights and siren.

The Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton wish everyone involved in the crash to a quick and full recovery.

Pedestrian Seriously Injured After Being Hit in Newport News, VA

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

An accident in Newport News, Virginia (VA), has left a Hampton resident hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. According to a report in the November 30, 2011, Virginian-Pilot, the man was hit by a car and a minivan at an intersection near Mercury Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue.

Car hits pedestrian in Newport News

WAVY-TV 10 added details from eyewitness accounts that the car crash victim had stepped off the curb almost immediately after the light changed. Police have not filed any charges against the people involved in the wreck.

Fall 2011 has been a bad period for pedestrians all across Hampton Roads. In three of the most significant incidents, a crossing guard lost her life in Chesapeake when she was hit by an SUV while on duty, a Marine died after being hit while jogging in formation on the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, and a young girl sustained traumatic brain injuries while crossing a street in Virginia Beach.

Pedestrians safety is a constant concern, both for the people on foot themselves and for anyone behind the wheel of a car, truck, SUV or minivan. It is too early to know all the details of the accident in Newport News, but I do wish the man a full and speedy recovery.

EJL

Doctor Sued by Virginia Man's Family Who Claim the Surgeon Botched a Heart Surgery

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A physician is facing a Virginia medical malpractice lawsuit that claims he is responsible for surgical errors that cost a heart patient his life.

According to the North Virginian Daily, Stanley Zirkle Sr. of Stephenson underwent heart catheterization surgery at Winchester Medical Center this summer. The procedure was performed by Dr. Edward Bonyak. Following the surgery, heart doctors recommended that Zirkle undergo a second surgery, this time a coronary artery bypass grafting, performed by Dr. John H. Arnold.

During this second surgery, the wrongful death medical malpractice lawsuit alleges that Zirkle’s femoral artery was injured – a complication that should have been recognized as dangerous. In addition, tests showed that the patient had lost a dangerous amount of blood. However, despite these signs, Arnold went ahead with the procedure, which included a blood thinning medication that increased bleeding. Arnold died of blood loss.

In the Virginia medical malpractice lawsuit, Zirkle’s three sons, William, Thomas, and Stanley Jr., are seeking $2 million in damages, claiming that the doctor’s actions were negligent and that their father died from preventable surgical errors.

To the family and friends of Stanley Zirkle, the Virginia Beach medical malpractice attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton send our condolences.

Sago Mine Disaster Wrongful Death Lawsuits Settled In West Virginia

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Almost six years after twelve workers died in the Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia, the families of six of the men who lost their lives have finally settled wrongful death lawsuits with the owner of the mine, Wolf Run Mining Company, as well as several other related defendants.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed to the public. The wrongful death suits would have gone to trial this spring if an agreement had not been reached. The families of the other men killed in the accident have already agreed to settlements. The one surviving man, Randal McCloy Jr., has settled his West Virginia personal injury suit already as well.

In January 2006, a coalmine explosion in the Sago Mine caused a collapse that trapped 13 miners underground for almost two days – only one man survived the on-the-job accident. Just a year before the accident, the Mine Safety and Health Administration had cited the mine for hundreds of violations and dozens of serious safety violations.

A number of organizations investigated the fatal mining accident. Investigators found that the explosion could have been caused by a number of sources, including sparks from machinery or even a lightening strike. The investigations also revealed a number of safety violations, including the use of foam seals rather than concrete seals.

Though this accident took place in 2006, the Virginia wrongful death attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton understand the lasting effect that a tragedy of this scope has on families and the community. Our thoughts are still with you.

Virginia DUI Injuries Are Serious Business

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

The holiday season is a time to celebrate and be thankful for our friends and family. However, some families are shattered during what should be a happy time by irresponsible drunk drivers who cause serious injuries and death when they get behind the wheel. A car accident attorney with our Virginia (VA) ersonal injury law firm takes a look at what the Norfolk Naval Station will be doing to prevent DUI accidents.

CT

Police Hit Virginia Roads For Crash Prevention on Holidays

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A majority of Virginians will hit the road at some point during holidays – and so do a large number of Virginia State Police officers. To keep our highways and interstates safe during the busiest travel times of the year, police throughout the state patrol roads and are on the lookout for unsafe driving, speeding, and drunk driving around holidays.

Called Operation CARE – that stands for Combined Accident Reduction Effort – state police join forces with local departments to put extra patrol cars on the roads. This year they started on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and ended on Sunday.

While some might see the extra police presence as a bad thing, it is important to remember that Operation CARE is designed to prevent accidents during the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road. Extremely high volumes of traffic, higher numbers of drunk drivers, and higher rates of stressed and tired drivers means a greater potential for serious Virginia car accidents and injuries. More police on the roads will simply save lives and prevent accidents.

Have you been injured in a Virginia car accident while traveling for the holidays – or during any time of the year? Be sure to speak with a Virginia Beach personal injury attorney who can analyze the evidence of your case and explain your legal options.

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: USDOT Bans Truck Drivers' Cell Phone Use

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A new federal rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation prohibits handheld cell phone use by commercial truck and bus drivers while they are driving. This broadens a September 2010 rule that banned text messaging behind the wheel of a commercial bus or truck. Interestingly, his ban does not apply to school bus drivers, even when they cross state lines.

Research consistently shows that distracted drivers are more likely to get into accidents. Those accidents are made even worse when commercial buses and trucks are involved. Because of the sheer size of these vehicles, accidents they are involved in often result in injuries and deaths.

Drivers who violate the new federal handheld cell phone ban face severe penalties, including fines and being disqualified from operating a commercial vehicle. After two or more violations, states will suspend a driver's commercial license. Companies that hire drivers who violate the ban can also be fined. Penalties are severe, as they should be.

This ban is a great start to end driver distractions. Still, truck drivers can still utilize hands-free cell phones behind the wheel, and I worry about how well they can really pay attention to the road. Research shows that hands-free phone cell usage does significantly cut back on distractions, but drivers will no doubt still fumble to dial or simply to find their phone to use.

My colleagues and I applaud the USDOT for taking this initiative. If we can prevent some of the tragic accidents that occur because of cell phone distractions, then sacrificing phone calls behind the wheel will certainly be worth it.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Death Rate on Discount Buses Seven Times Higher Than on Greyhound

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

How much is your life worth? What about the life of your child?

Most people would say priceless. But in this down economy, more people in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), and elsewhere are settling for discount bus lines to take them on long distance trips. But at what cost? What most people don’t realize is that the death rate on the discount busses is seven times higher than that on a traditional carrier like Greyhound.

As a passenger, you have no control over the driver or the maintenance of the bus you are riding in. As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney, I remember the terrible discount bus crash north of Richmond that killed four people and injured more than 50 The cause of that crash was a drowsy driver. This crash illustrates the often deadly consequences of overworked and fatigued drivers.

If you are injured while a passenger on a discount bus, you may find that holding the company liable may be harder than you think. This is why hiring a Virginia mass transit lawyers may be your only hope to recover from serious injuries that may affect you life forever.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Discount Buses May Be Unsafe for Holiday Travel

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

The economy is tight, and we're all trying to cut back on spending. Whether it's making a trip to a discount grocery store or putting ourselves on tighter budgets overall, Americans nationwide are looking for the next best savings. One way many are cutting back is with travel. AAA reports a 15 percent increase in bus and train travel during the 2011 holiday season, largely due to the poor economy and expensive fees associated with flying.

It's always great to find a good deal, but at what cost?

Many Hampton Roads citizens are climbing aboard low-far buses heading to New York, Richmond and Washington, DC, without much regard to the bus company safety history. It has been reported that the death rate on these “curbside buses” can be up to seven times higher than traditional companies like Greyhound. This shocking rate is not enough to discourage some passengers.

It can be difficult to research a bus company's record. Many bus lines advertise under different names, and because the names are often different than the ones listed with federal regulators, accident reports can be difficult to trace. There are at least eight discount bus companies than run 13 daily routes from Norfolk and Virginia Beach to New York, Richmond and DC.

Before you board, consider researching the company's history. In March, manslaughter charges were brought against a driver who fell asleep behind the wheel of one of these buses, killing four people. While some will argue that accidents can happen at anytime for any reason, the bus company's history could give you insight as to what you might be getting into.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Report: Holiday Toys Made Overseas Can Contain Dangerous Materials

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

With the 2011 holidays quickly approaching, consumers must be more careful than ever to purchase safe toys for their children. More foreign-made toys are making their way to U.S. store shelves, and are some are dangerous or defective. To learn more, visit "Foreign-Made Toys Could Contain Harmful Materials."

CD

Pedestrian Hit and Killed by a Pickup in Norfolk

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Jim Lewis has posted a new blog on the Norfolk, VA Car and Truck Accident Injury Lawyers site about a pedestrian who died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a pickup truck while crossing Virginia Beach Boulevard.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Battery Fires Prompt NHTSA to Investigate the Chevy Volt

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

The National Highway Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the lithium-ion batteries used in the Chevrolet Volt. This news comes after a second crash test car caught fire in a closely monitored test by the safety administration. Authorities report that another battery emitted smoke and sparks.

That fire joins a growing list of accidents involving the gas-electric hybrid vehicle. A car being stored in a parking facility in Wisconsin caught fire in June, damaging several other cars parked nearby. Thankfully, no Volts have been involved in roadway crashes resulting in fires. But with more than 5,000 of the vehicles sold, the fear of fire is all too real for many consumers.

As NHTSA continues to investigate the fires, they stand by the electric vehicle, and say "they have incredible potential to save consumers money at the pump, help protect the environment, create jobs and strengthen national security by reducing our dependence on oil."

Electric cars have been regarded as some of the safest cars on the road, so as a personal injury attorney, this news is troubling. President Barack Obama has personally endorsed electric cars, hoping to put 1 million of them on the road by 2015. Still, safety must be a priority, and if these car batteries are dangerous, Chevrolet needs to address the problem.

If you are the owner of a Chevrolet Volt, keep your eye on our blog and the national news. We'll be sure to update when the NHTSA has finished its investigation.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Driver Charged With DUI in Big Rig Wreck

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm's Suffolk, VA Car & Truck Accident Injury Lawyers blog site, my colleague Kevin Duffy reports on a tractor-trailer wreck allegedly caused by the truck's driver being under the influence of drugs and operating his big rig recklessly. Kevin notes that fatigue may also have been a factor in leading to the rollover accident in which, thankfully, no one was injured or killed.

EJL

Castle Hayne, NC Man Killed In Car Wreck On North College Road

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

On November 7, 2011, a 21-year-old skateboarder was struck and killed by a car on North College road in Castle Hayne, North Carolina (NC). According to WWAY3, the fatal accident occurred around 7 pm, and the man died at the scene.

The at-fault driver told state troopers he did not see the skateboard rider or have time to stop before the collision.

Te television station noted that people who live in the area were not surprised by the car wreck. One resident said, "This is one of the most dangerous stretches of road in all of New Hanover County." Bearing this out, several memorial crosses line the roadway.

State troopers say there were no charges against the driver who struck man, but whether troopers press charges against a driver is not conclusive evidence on wrongdoing in a personal injury action.

This crash reminds us that many people die every day in car accidents. The deaths affect not only families, but communities. To learn more about what to do when you or a loved one is in a car crash that ends in death, check out our online library of articles resources devoted to the subject.

LC

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Hospitals Not Transparent About Mistakes

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Authors of an article in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2010 urged hospitals to have clear procedures for notifying the public and patients about errors, coordinating diagnostic testing and treatment and responding to regulatory bodies.

Even if this shift toward transparent health care is taking place elswhere, an investigation by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution indicated that some hospital mistakes such as patient suicides, surgical errors and sexual assaults remain confidential.

Georgia (GA) hospitals are required notify the state of the unexpected deaths of patients, but the Department of Community Health's online database does not present full detils on causes or evdence that could be used to confirm or dscount uncorroborated wrongdoing charges for hospital errors that violate state or federal regulations.

According to the news article, while not disclosing unanticipated deaths can protect the privacy of hospital workers, it prevents patients from discovering if a hospital has a complaint history, which can establish a pattern of inadequate care. In addition, not disclosing hospital reports keeps taxpayers from evaluating the quality of state investigations into medical errors.

If you or a loved one suffers an injury due to inappropriate medical care, hold the responsible medical professionals accountable with the help of a medical malpractice attorney. To learn more about what to you or a loved one can recover in a medical negligence lawsuit, check out our case results.

LC

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Info: Who is Responsible for Damage During a High-Speed Police Chase?

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Do you get butterflies when you hear the sound of sirens close by? What about when those blue and white lights are behind you. Understandably it makes most people nervous.This may have been the case for drivers on Interstate 81 in Virginia (VA) when a Virginia State Trooper was attempting to pull over a car that refused to stop.

A witness report states that police deployed spike strips to finally stop this reckless driver. The car accident turned fatal when the driver was ejected from his vehicle when it crashed. As a Virginia (VA) car accident attorney I’m glad that high speed chases don’t occur very often but when they do they can be deadly not only for the driver but innocent motorists as well.

When a high-speed pursuit like this occurs, you may wonder who is responsible for the damage to vehicles and property, as well as the medical bills that will be generated from the injuries. Does the law enforcement agency whose officers were involved in the chase make compensation, or will the person who was driving the vehicle that was being chased?

Unless the police car itself made contact with a car, the fault will lie with the reckless driver who was ignoring and violating traffic laws. The problem in the case linked to above is that the suspect was killed in the accident that brought the chase to an end. Therefore, the innocent victim's insurance company should still be able to make a claim against any insurance in effect at the time up to the limit of the contract.

If you have any questions about the many different situations that can occur with car accident injury claims, please consult our free consumer guide Best Guide to Virginia (VA) Car Accidents.

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: New Chevrolet Volt Fires Raise Safety Concerns

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Kevin Duffan has written a new post for our firm's Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Suffolk Injuryboard blog site about more battery fires in Chevrolet Volt electric cars being subjected to federal crash and safety testing.

This video provides an overview of Volt features:

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Riders Will Be Key to Keeping Amtrak Here

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm's Norfolk Injuryboard blog site, my colleague Rick Shapiro argues that even if funding issues for plans to return Amtrak service to Norfolk, Virginia (VA), are resolved, passengers must fully embrace passenger rail. He also notes that because more trains will be running along Norfolk Southern tracks, drivers, pedestrians and rail workers will all need to be careful to avoid possibly fatal railroad accidents.

EJL

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Parkinson's Risk for Railroaders Working With Solvents

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

In his latest post to our firm's Norfolk Injuryboard blog site, my colleague Rick Shapiro comments on research showing that working with solvents containing TCE, PERC or CCL4 significantly raises a person's risk for developing Parkinson's disease. Rick writes that this link is particularly worrying for railroad workers who often use degreasing agents containing the toxic chemicals.

EJL

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Pedestrian Struck and Killed on Virginia Beach Boulevard

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Losing a family member at any time is sad. I know. I’ve had a loved one pass away, leaving behind a profound sadness that comes with the realization that you will never again be able to speak with the person.

When you lose someone close to you suddenly, such as in the case of a recent accident on Virginia Beach Blvd in Norfolk, VA, it is even harder to take.

View Larger Map

There isn’t a lot of information on the accident yet. We do know that the driver did stop and stay on scene. That may be a small relief to the family of the victim that at least the driver did not flee.

Whenever a pedestrian is struck by a veicle, there are several things as a Virginia personal injury attorney that I know to look for. The first being that a pedestrian does have the right of way when crossing a highway or street within a clearly marked crosswalk or at the end of the block when the speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour. Keep in mind that a pedestrian has a duty to use ordinary care to keep a lookout for motor vehicles.

In this case there may not have been a crosswalk, but based on common law in Virginia and many other states, a pedestrian has right of way at a street corner when crossing under circumstances where a driver has a clear view of the pedestrian.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Tide Success Focuses HRT on Light Rail

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Randy Appleton recently posted a blog on our firm's Railroad Injury website regarding the success of the new light rail system, The Tide, in Norfolk, Virginia (VA). As plans are in the works for more use of light rail and less use of the city's bus system, it is important to ensure safety is always the number one priority.

OEA

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: $800,000 Settlement Reached Over Wrongful Death of Psychiatric Patient

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Virginia Lawyers Weekly reports that an $800,000 settlement was obtained against a psychiatric hospital in a wrongful death lawsuit after one of its patients committed suicide.

As summarized in the magazine, the patient had been voluntarily admitted to the hospital because he was experiencing an overwhelming sense of dread and hearing voices telling him to hurt himself. The man denied having suicidal ideas. At some point, the man was confined to his room because he ad touched another patient inappropriately and could not respond to staff mmbers' questions about the incident. The on-call physician was not notified of the confinement, and the staff continued with the standard safety checks every 15 minutes. On one of these checks the patient was found hanged with his bedsheets.

It is very important for psychiatric hospitals to protect their patients. Unfortunately, this story is not the only example of shortcomings at psychiatric hospitals in the recent years. In 2010, for instance, Hancock Treatment Center in Williamsburg, Virginia (VA), was reported to have several problems related to a failure to protect patients from abuse.

Patients who suffer from a mental disease can be very vulnerable when a hospital’s staff fails to meet the necessary standard of care. These cases can also be hard to prove, but in the right factual circumstances, an experienced injury attorney can gather the proof needed to prevail in a medical malpractice case.

OEA

Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyer Info: Virginia Beach Hit-and-Run Victims Shaken Up

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A group of friends were hanging out on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach, VA, when an angry driver ran over the woman and the two men she was with. The woman was thrown over top of the car and had to spend three days in the hospital. One of the men, who was sent to the hospital for four days, is in the Navy Reserve and was hoping to become a Navy SEAL. The third victim refused treatment by medics at the scene. Police have not been able to locate the driver, and it is not clear whether alcohol played a role in the incident.

With medical bills piling up and being unable to go back to work, these types of accidents can alter a vicim's life in the blink of an eye. That is why it is important to make sure you obtain an experience personal injury attorney if you are ever injued in a hit-and-run accident.

As a VA personal injury attorney with offices in Virginia Beach, I often consult with victims of pedestrian accidents. I know firsthand that people on foot have no way to protect themselves from injuries, or even death, when caught in the path of an irresponsibly or dangerously driven vehicle.

My deepest thoughts and sympathies go out to the victims and their friends and family.

OEA

School Bus Accident Caused by Drunk Driver in Maryland (MD)

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Being injured by a drunk driver is an event that no one thinks will happen to them until it does. At that point you or a loved one may be injured or in the very worst of cases killed. An experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury lawyer with our firm explores a recent Maryland (MD) car accident in which a drunk driver hit another driver and a school bus full of high school students. The grand total was 20 people injured by 1 person’s very bad choice.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Six Killed in Fiery Arizona (AZ) Air Crash

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

An investigation is under way into an air crash that left six people, including three children, dead when a light aircraft crashed in the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix, Arizona (AZ), on November 24, 2011. The Tucson Citizen reported that early indications may point to pilot error as the cause of the accident.

According to the local sheriff, there was no indication that the plane was in any distress or that the pilot had not radioed controllers about any problem, the London Evening Standard reported. The sheriff said it was dark at the time of the accident, and the plane missed clearing the peak by just a few hundred feet.

Our thoughts are with the victims of this terrible tragedy. As experienced Virginia (VA) mass transit accident injury attorneys, my colleagues and I report on a considerable number of plane crashes. In many cases there are no survivors, and pilot error accounts for many of these crashes.

This video shows the aftermath of the Arizona crash:

Recently, questions about the training and qualifications of the pilot of a Colgan Air plane that crashed near Buffalo, New York (NY), in 2009, were raised by attorneys during wrongful death lawsuits brought by family members of the victims. That crash claimed the lives of 50 people.

Pilot error is a very common cause of air crashes. In fact, crashes due to pilot errors account for half of all fatal commercial airline accidents since 1950. Numerous crashes of light aircraft and helicopters, including the recent crash of a helicopter in New York’s East River in October 2011 that caused the death of a holidaymaker.

When pilot error is to blame, there can be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. To lean more, read this FAQ about when to file a claim following a bus train, cruise ship or airplane accident.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Eastern Shore Crash Injures State Trooper

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Rick Shapiro has written a new post for our firm's Eastern Shore, Virginia Injury Attorneys blog site about a state trooper who suffered injuries when his cruiser was hit by another car on Route 13 close to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Fears Over Chinese-Made Lighters Prompt Safety Investigation

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

The Consumer Product Safety Commission plans an investigation of a brand of Chinese-made cigarette lighters after receiving reports of hundreds of injuries and at least one death among users who have had the lighters explode.

According to KHOU.com, a 51-year-old from Texas (TX) died from burns he suffered when one of the MK brand lighters allegedly flared up and “exploded” in his pants pocket. That would be just one of the 917 cigarette lighter malfunctions happen every year, many of them causing victims to end up in hospitals with burns on theirthe faces, fingers and hands. The federal government estimates that, annually, property and other damages from lighter accidents totals $31 million.

This video shows a lighter exploding.Some lighters have exploded without being set on fire.

As experienced Virginia (VA) product liability attorneys, my colleagues and I are concerned about any product that has the potential to injure or kill. We have reported on many products from China that are problematic. In October 2011, we reported on the recall of about 3,400 frog masks that were manufactured in China but sold in Target. They were found to be a suffocation risk. And in 2009, Little Tikes Co. recalled about 1.6 million toy trucks and workshops after an 11-month-old boy got a plastic nail lodged in his throat. Those products were made in China.

Some toys manufactured in China have killed children. Last year Family Dollar Stores, of Charlotte, North Carolina (NC), voluntarily recalled about 1.8 million toy dart gun sets after two children were killed by these toys.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Pedestrian Struck, Killed on NC Highway

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

With the end of daylight saving time comes more accidents involving pedestrians. One such tragedy occurred close to home when a pedestrian was killed after being struck by a driver on U.S. 158 in North Carolina. To read more, visit "NC Pedestrian Killed Crossing Highway."

CD

Norfolk, VA Persona Injury Attorney Reports: MADD to Combat Virginia Drunken Driving

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

With the winter holidays kicking off, we should all take time to remember the epidemic that sweeps the United States this time each year -- drunk and drugged driving.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, more than 900 lives were lost in 2009 because of drunk driving between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Obviously, the holidays are an especially likely time for drunk drivers to take to the streets. Many people attend parties and drink more than they realize. And with nothing but cheerful spirits and happy times to look forward to, many people who would never dream of climbing behind the wheel after a few drinks choose to do so.

In Virginia, MADD has joined Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and the Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Steve Flaherty to launch a new “drive sober” effort. The new campaign will discourage drivers from drinking before driving. With the holidays just around the corner, there is no better time to launch this campaign.

As a car accident attorney, no wreck is more heartbreaking to see than one that could have been prevented. I applaud MADD and the lieutenant governor for taking the initiative to prevent drunk driving. This time of year is one of the happiest for most people, and one that should never involve the tragedy of losing a loved one because of drunk driving.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Driver Mows Down Three in Virginia Beach, Flees the Scene

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

As experienced accident injury attorneys based in Virginia Beach, VA, my colleagues and I see far too many cases in which drivers flee the scene after causing injuries. But an incident at the Oceanfront on November 14, 2011, was unusual and shocking even for a hit-and-run because a driver appears to have deliberately hit three people before fleeing the scene.

According to the Virginian-Pilot, this road rage accident changed the lives of two of the victims -- Jillian McGowan and Ryan Chaney. "Now, both are out of work, virtually bedridden and facing thousands of dollars in medical bills from injuries caused when an angry driver mowed them down," the paper reported.

An argument appears to have preceded the alleged vehicular assault that caused McGowan a head injury that included bleeding in her skull, an injured leg and a collapsed lung. Chaney needed surgery to put a rod and pins in a fractured fibula, He also suffered a broken rib, and he told the Pilot that the incident dashed his hopes of becoming a Navy SEAL.

25th Street and Pacific Avenue, Virginia Beach

Police are investigation the incident as a felony malicious assault by vehicle. Clearly, the victims would also be entitled to compensation from this driver in a civil lawsuit.

Virginia Beach and surrounding cities such as Norfolk and Chesapeake, VA, see too many hit-and-run accidents. In February 2011, for instance, an 11-year-old girl was left severely injured and unconscious by a hit-and-run driver on South Lynnhaven Parkway in Virginia Beach.

According to the AAA Foundation, about 11 percent of all police-reported crashes involve a hit-and-run driver, and this problem is especially prevalent for pedestrians. "About 60 percent of the people killed in hit-and-run crashes are pedestrians," Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger said in a press statement, adding that "1 in 5 pedestrian fatalities involve hit and run drivers."

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Public Supports Extension of Tide Light Rail

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Emily Mapp Brannon has written a new post for our firm's Norfolk, VA Car and Truck Accident Injury blog site about a survey that found overwhelming public support for having The Tide light rail line extend to other parts of Norfolk and into Virginia Beach, VA. While about 80 percent of people polled want to see new rail routes, we remain concerned about safety aspects of The Tide.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Elderly Drivers May Be at Risk for Increased Car Accidents and Injury

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

An aging population brings about the need for new safety measures to protect not only elderly drivers, but all those on the road. In one effort, AAA is hosting expos throughout Virginia (VA) for elderly drivers and adult children to educate them on options.

Taking away the keys to the car from a parent can be an experience riddled with guilt. However, the alternative of allowing a parent who is no longer capable of driving safely on the road would be negligent and could possibly lead to serious injury.

As a Virginia car accident attorney, I know that one of the most common mistakes elderly drivers make is driving on the wong side of a road. In a recent Hickory, North Carolina (NC), accident an elderly couple crashed head-on into another driver while driving the wrong way down a highway. That North Carolina car wreck showed the damage that can occur when an elderly can no longer drive safely.

If you or someone you loved has been injured in a car accident I encourage you to read our free consumer guide Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

CT

Virginia Woman Sues Gynecologist After Failure to Remove IUD

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A Shenandoah County, VA, woman has filed a Virginia medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor and a medical office. She claims her physician failed to remove a birth control device from her abdomen, despite multiple complaints and persistent symptoms.

The Winchester lawsuit alleges that Angela Collins suffered an ectopic pregnancy in 2007 and had to undergo surgery. After the surgery, Collins complained multiple times of abdominal pain and visited her doctor four times, but was told her issues stemmed from scar tissue. Three years later, still suffering from pain, Collins went to the emergency room. There, they found a Mirena IUD floating in her abdomen and removed it during surgery.

The Shenandoah County medical malpractice lawsuit claims that the doctor and medical office were negligent when they failed to diagnose and properly treat her medical condition - they left a foreign object in her body, ignored her requests to search for the object, and misdirected her with a wrong diagnosis.

Collins is suing Blue Ridge Gynecology & Obstetrics and Dr. Karen Wade for $2 million in damages. She is seeking compensation for physical pain, emotional pain, disability, disfigurement, lost wages, future medical costs, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Student Hit by Car While Boarding School Bus

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

An 8-year-old boy hit by the driver of a Dodge Neon while boarding his school bus in the 17300 block of Route 14 in Mathews County, Virginia (VA), wound up hospitalized with serious injuries. The car's driver told police he did not see either the school bus or the child at the corner of John Clayton Highway before the accident.

For failing to stop for a loading/unloading school bus, the man has been given a criminal citation. It's unclear whether other charges will follow.

View Larger Map

As a car accident attorney and mother, this incident terrifies me, especially because this isn't the first time an accident like this has happened. If drivers cannot spot a huge yellow school bus with blinking lights and stop signs, then what else could they be overlooking while behind the wheel? This child could face life-altering consequences. We will of course keep him in our thoughts as he recovers in the hospital.

Children deserve safety when heading to and from school. Buses and their drivers can only do so much. It is up to motorists to pay close attention to pedestrians, particularly the smallest ones who spend a lot of time boarding buses. This accident is every parent's nightmare. The boy and his family deserve justice for this driver's negligence. A ticket for not stopping for the school bus is simply not enough punishment for potentially changing a child's life forever.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Man Killed in Chesapeake Motorcycle Accident

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Motorcycles have a reputation of being some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. An acciddent in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), might provide some support for this assertion, as it claimed the life on a young motorcyclist. To learn more, visit "Speed a Factor in Deadly Chesapeake Motorcycle Crash."

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: 'Falling Back' Can Make Roads More Dangerous

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

November brings colder weather, turkey and time with loved ones. Also, the month brings the end of daylight saving time, causing citizens nationwide to “fall back” an hour. Adjusting our clocks may be more than just a minor annoyance – the effects could be downright dangerous.

Researchers have discovered that the risk of pedestrian deaths at 6 pm is far higher in November than any other month. Shockingly, the study reveals that per mile, risk jumps 186 percent between October and November. The rate drops again in December, when people have adjusted to the time change.

With the end of daylight saving time, it gets darker earlier. And with people heading home from work, there are more people driving in near-darkness. A University of Michigan study shows that there were 65 fatal pedestrian collisions the week before daylight savings time ends, and 227 the week after. These numbers show just how dangerous it is to be a pedestrian this time of year.

If you're driving home from work tonight, make sure to turn on your headlights. Pay close attention to pedestrians, even in commercial districts where you may not expect their presence.

Pedestrians, pay close attention to traffic laws, and never jay walk. Don't walk with headphones in, because you might not hear a car coming your direction. Try not to wear dark clothing if you're walking home after dark. If the numbers show anything, it's that these deaths will become less likely in coming weeks.

CD

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Lawyer Info: Injury Fears Grow as Chevy Volt Battery Fire Is Investigated

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A safety study is under way to determine whether lithium-ion batteries used to power the Chevrolet Volt are at increased risk for catching fire. The investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was opened after a fire at one of NHTA's test facilities in Wisconsin during June 2011.

Federal officials have said they don't think a fire risk is imminent, however, in part because another electric hybrid car - the Nissan Leaf - has a similar battery that has shown no problems. According to Quality Magazine, more than 8,000 Leafs and 5,000 Volts are on the road in the United States.

This video describes the Volt:

Two other fires involving the Volt do not appeared linked to the cars' lithium-ion batteries. A Volt hooked up to a charging station was involved in a fire in Mooresville, North Carolina (NC) on October 30, 2011. Initial fire marshal findings pointed to the fire starting elsewhere in the garage.

Although nobody was injured in this recent fire, it's clearly a cause for concern in a product that's hailed as the future of driving. The automotive industry has been dogged with safety concerns in recent years, most prominently in the massive recalls made by Toyota in the wake of problems with sudden acceleration, an issue that has led to wrongful death lawsuits.

As experienced Virginia (VA) defective products attorneys, my colleagues and I see many dangerous defects in cars, SUVs and pickups. We recently helped a worker who had his hand mangled and ended up having his thumb amputated after a trailer slipped off a jack while he worked around the equipment. He received a $750,000 settlement from the maker of the defective parts.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Chesapeake Hit-and-Run Injures Security Guard

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

A female security guard was hit by what appeared to be an intoxicated driver at the Holly Point apartments in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA).

The driver of a truck who appeared to be driving recklessly tried to enter into the complex. When the security guard went to speak with the driver, he struck her with his truck and continued in. The truck, described as dark in color and covered in mud, then drove back out of the apartments without stopping.

As a Virginia personal injury attorney, I know that any traffic accident is frightening. This victim is most likely scared if not seriously injured, and I know her family must be outraged. It's not just a car accident that this victim suffered through because an accident is something that is not done intentionally, a hit and run such as this is an assault with a deadly weapon.

How will this victim find recovery for her injuries if the driver of the truck is never found? That is a question many hit-and-run victims ask our law firm's experienced attorneys. The answer is an easy one: The pedestrian's car insurance covers the injuries in the case of an underinsured or unidentified driver.

We handled an injured pedestrian case in Virginia Beach that was similar. The clients were awarded $540,000 after being struck by an intoxicated driver in crosswalk. Critical to the injured clients' successfully prosecuting their claim was the fact that they retained a law firm quickly, and our law firm had the entire scene of the accident carefully and thoroughly photographed within several weeks of the accident.

The Cost of a Deer Collision Accident In West Virginia

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Did you know that even if you were not involved in a deer- or wildlife-related car accident in West Virginia (WV) during 2010, you paid just over $50 in car insurance premiums to cover the cost of such collisions across the state?

A report compiled and released by the West Virginia Department of Insurance reveleals that insurance companies paid $52 million in claims related to wildlife collisions in 2010, and that more than 25,000 animal-involved crashes occurred. WV car and truck wrecks involving deer and other animals ccounted for between 7 and 8 percent of auto insurance costs and 19 percent of physical auto damages.

The report adds that the $52 million that insurance companies paid out doesn't reflect the full, true cost of those wrecks. While the amount does include deductibles, uninsured driver claims, health insurance costs, medical bills and lost wages, it does not reflect the suffering of the injured.

Dring the same period, the state of Virginia (VA) recorded 49,133 deer-car and animal-car collisions claims, representing $115.5 million in total cost.

Car accidents involving deer peak in October and November when deer are on the move and also competing for mates. If you have been injured in a car accident involving wildlife on the roads in Virginia or West Virginia, speak with one of our West Virginia accident attorneys today about your crash.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Virginia Uranium Mines May Lead to Cancer for Railroad Workers

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

The battle between uranium companies who want to mine uranium in Virginia (VA) and proponents of mining continued at a recent meeting in Richmond. Proponents worry that the mining of the radioactive uranium, along with the storage of tons of waste could possibly contaminate Lake Gaston, which supplies much of the water to Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake, VA.

In previous litigation involving cancers in railroad transportation workers in the Tennessee (TN) area, one of the issues at trial was whether the railroad followed proper industrial safety steps in surveying the train cars after they had contained radioactive contaminated scrap metal. Federal railroad regulations relating to radioactive contamination requires that railroads, or their suppliers or contractors, properly survey train cars radiologically before they are placed in use to hold any other type of cargo. This makes a ton of sense, but also search to protect railroad workers that are switching these cars and working on a daily basis in close proximity to radioactive cargo, which obviously may leave radioactive contamination on the train car.

For years the railroad involved in this previous case never did one radiological survey of that train car even though it knew it was dealing in what it called low-level radioactive scrap metal. This is why industrial safety protections are very important, but when you are dealing with carcinogenic substances like radioactive waste or scrap, dangers must be evaluated against the benefits of the business itself.

As a Virginia railroad injury and FELA attorney, I have represented railroad workers who developed cancers such as lung, brain, colon and blood after prolonged workplace exposures to radioactive substances and radiation sources such as uranium- and plutonium-contaminated scrap metal and wastes. I'm worried about the long-term effects this mine would have on VA mine and railroad workers. I know that finding alternative energy sources is important to the entire nation, but at what cost?

Radioactive contamination, also called radiation, can be in several forms including alpha and gamma isotopes. The characteristics of these types of isotopes and how they can damage the body's cells, is a fairly complicated discussion but needless to say ionizing radiation can damage cells and can lead to cancer. If you are a railroad employee who has been injured on the job or contracted cancer please read our free consumer guide Learn What Railroad Companies Do Not Want Injured Workers To Know!.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Public Can Again Access Medical Malpractice Database

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Jim Lewis has written a new pst for our firm's VA-NC Medical Surgery Malpractice blog site about how a government agency has backtracked on the removal of a public file from a database of doctors who have faced lawsuits or disciplinary action. But restrictions remain on the public's finding out the identities of doctors involved in medical malpractice suits.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Study Highlights Congestion at Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Rick Shapiro has written a new post for our firm's Hampton,VA Car and Truck Accident Injury Lawyers blog site about how the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel is the fifth most-congested stretch of road in the country.

This video shows a day of chaos caused by an incident in the HRBT.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Hit-and-Run Accident on I-81 Leads to Serious Injuries

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Randy Appleton wrote recently about a hit-and-run accident that occurred on I-81 near Martinsburg, West Virginia (WV). A tractor-trailer slammed into an SUV, causing it to hit a guardrail and flip over. The tractor-trailer driver fled the scene of the wreck and left the victims to fend for themselves. To learn more, check out "Hit-and-Run Accident on I-81 Leaves Woman in Critical Condition."

PA

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Hampton Roads Residents Face Steep Cost for Crashes

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

My colleague Kevin Duffan recently posted on our firm's Hampton, VA Car & Truck Accident Injury Lawyers blog site regarding the high economic impact car accidents have on every Hampton Roads citizen. The annual total cost of car accidents in the Hampton Roads area is a staggering $2.5 million.

OEA

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Drunk Driver Kills Two People in Albemarle County

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

There is no excuse to get behind the wheel after drinking. Unfortunately, this happens all the time and the consequences can be devastating. Take, for example, the accident that occurred on Half Mile Branch Road in Albemarle County, Virginia (VA).

View Larger Map

Three people were in the car when the driver lost control and crashed into a tree. The car caught on fire and the two passengers died. Police have charged the 36-year-old driver with driving under the influence. Other charges that may be filed against the driver include manslaughter. "Speed definitely was a factor. It appears the vehicle came around a curve, ran off the road and impacted a tree and became fully engulfed in flames," Sergeant Darrell Byers of the Albemarle County Police Department told nbc29.com.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims' families. Losing a loved one is one of the most heartbreaking experiences anyone has to suffer through, but the pain is made even worse when the loss is sudden and caused by the reckless of another person.

The families may want to consider filing a wrongful death claim against the driver and her insurance company. To learn about Virginia wrongful death law, read this report written by an experienced Virginia wrongful death attorney.

PA

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Motorcycle Police Launch Operation to Find Speeders, Reckless Drivers

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Virginia State Police troopers on motorcycles will again take to the roads of cities such as Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton and Portsmouth, VA, to check for speeding, reckless driving and other life-threatening behaviors behind the wheel. The effort is part of Project M.E.A.R. (Motorcycle Enforcement Accident Reduction) and is intended to enhance interstate enforcement efforts and the unique capabilities of police motorcycle units.

Officers will focus on known high-traffic and -accident areas, while maximizing highly visibility to the public, at every given opportunity. The operation will run through November 17, 2011.

This video highlights police speed enforcement efforts:

As experienced Virginia accident injury attorneys who work with clients and accident victims in each of those cities, my colleagues and I welcome anything that promises to help control bad driving on local roads and highways. We see too much reckless driving. Recently, a charge of reckless driving was brought against a woman who knocked over a school crossing guard in Chesapeake, VA. Tragically the crossing guard lost her life.

Excess speed can also be deadly on the highways of Hampton Roads. In July, 2011, we reported on how excess speed was linked to the death of a motorcyclist in Norfolk, VA. And distracted driving such as texting at the wheel is another major cause of accidents in Virginia.

If you have been injured in an accident in which a driver has been reckless or speeding or distracted you could have a good case to recover damages. This FAQ addresses what to do if you have been hit by a speeding driver.

DM

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Suffolk Skydivers Injured and Rushed to Hospital

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Jumping out of an airplane at 18,000 feet leaves your heart in your throat and the clouds at your feet. Once your parachute opens, you have the exquisite view of the scenery as you float softly and quietly down to the ground. Except for two Suffolk, Virginia (VA), skydivers when something went wrong and they crashed to the ground in a hard landing.

View Larger Map

There's not much information out on the accident, except that one person was flown to the hospital and the other was transported by ambulance.

Skydiving deaths are quite rare in this country. The U.S. Parachute Association reports that its members conducted 2.2 million jumps in 2007, and only 18 deaths occurred nationwide. Most people would agree though that skydiving is a risky activity and every skydiver should know the inherent dangers and risks involved.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney, I would advise the injured victims to hire an attorney experienced with handling defective product cases who would be able to analyze all aspects of a skydiving accident case and make sure the victim's and the family's legal rights are protected.

CT

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: What Every Parent Needs to Know About Teen Drivers

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Most teen drivers don't know why their parents make such a big deal about letting them drive. Simply put, new drivers don't realize just how dangerous a car accident can be.

Serious injuries from car accidents are on the rise for teens, and a new AAA study shows that "teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month than after a year of driving." The reason behind that statistic is simple. Teens do not have enough experience driving and once you throw in the radio, texting, tweeting and their friends you have a deadly combination of distracted and inexperience driving.

How are teens supposed to get better at driving if they don't drive? Studies have shown that the danger of car accidents from left hand turns and other routine traffic maneuvers decline sharply as teens gain more experience. The key is for parents to set strict rules in the first year of driving that help reduce the number of distractions that can cause a car accident for a teen driver. Things like no talking or texting on the cell phone as well as limiting the number of passengers a teen can have in the car.

As an experienced Virginia (VA) car accident attorney and father, I have seen how much pain and suffering can come from just a moment of inattention by a driver. Last August, for instance, several Portsmouth, VA, teens were killed when the driver of the vehicle they were riding in lost control and crashed.

If you find yourself injured in a car accident that was caused by a teen or if your teen is injured in a wreck, please read my firm's free Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

CT