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• Car & Motorcycle Accidents
• Crashes Caused by Trucks
• Medical Malpractice/ Doctor Mistakes
• Railroad Injury/ FELA
• Brain Damage/ Head Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Slips, Trips & Falls
• Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
• Dangerous Drugs/ Product Recalls
• All Serious Injuries

HSInjury Blog

Car & Motorcycle Accidents

• Hit-and-Run Accident on I-95 Leaves Franklin Man Seriously Injured
• Senator’s Wife and Daughter Suffer Serious Injuries in Chain Reaction Car Accident
• SUV Hits, Kills Woman in Wheelchair in Suffolk, Virginia (VA)

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Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer

• Wheelchair-Bound Suffolk Woman Hit, Killed While Crossing Street

Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

• Johnson & Johnson Internal Documents Reveal Unsavory and Potentially Illegal Marketing of Risperdal

Northeast NC Personal Injury Lawyer

• Are You a Victim of a Slip, Trip and Fall Accident?

Firm News

• Attorney Discusses Speed Limit Increase in Parts of Virginia (VA)
  Posted on 2/22/2010
• Attorney Discusses Shift from Jury Trials to Settlements in Virginia
  Posted on 2/9/2010
• Attorney Discusses the High Car Crash Rate in Hampton Roads
  Posted on 2/4/2010
• Attorney Examines Increase in Wrong Way Car Wrecks in HOV Lanes
  Posted on 2/3/2010
• Attorney Discusses Insurance Issues for "Road Warriors"
  Posted on 1/31/2010

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Library

Car & Motorcycle Accidents

• What to Do if You Hit a Deer
• No Text is Worth Dying For
• Don't play the insurance company's games of delay, defend and deny. Review this article, check out our videos and free consumer reports, then give our firm a call so you can talk to an experienced injury lawyer for a free consultation.

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Winter Driving Conditions like Black Ice and Heavy Snow Can Be Challenging for Virginia (VA) Drivers.

Let's face it: a lot of drivers in Virginia (VA) are fairly challenged when driving in ice and snow because it doesn't happen much in many areas in the Commonwealth (okay, those of you in the western part of the state and some of the Blue Ridge Mountain areas are an exception to this statement).

When Virginia (VA) drivers are faced with black ice, many of them have never faced the conditions before and this can result in a motor vehicle accident with a serious injury like a traumatic brain injury, or even death. Already this year, 104 people have been killed in car crashes due to icy road conditions, according to iceroadsafety.com. Approximately 477 were killed in icy road wrecks in 2008.

Many of us in Virginia (VA) only face icy roads a couple times each winter and if you are a southern driver who has not experienced these conditions, you may have a difficult time. I can tell you, from personal experience (I've lived in Colorado and am an avid skier), driving in wintery weather is a tough challenge.

Some drivers who have never experienced ice or snow really don't understand how to crawl up to a stop sign. I've seen obviously inexperienced winter drivers simply smash on their brakes as they get near a stop sign and roll all the way through an intersection that's covered with black ice, barely escaping a serious accident like a t-bone crash and life-altering injury like a broken neck or facial disfigurement.

Take a look at this video below, which demonstrates what happens when drivers are not extra careful in black ice or other icy/snowy road conditions:

As many articles state the safest place to be in existing and known icy conditions is inside your house and not even in a car. However, there are occasions where you or others may be traveling and the conditions arise suddenly. Even if you pull over to the side of the road in black ice conditions it is a bad idea to stay inside the vehicle if it is on the shoulder anywhere in the zone of danger.

Therefore, here are some tips on how to successfully drive on icy and snowy roads, courtesy of weather.com:

1. Allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake, and then lightly begin braking until you feel traction.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motor vehicles.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks unless absolutely necessary. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads with black ice or icy and snowy conditions.

If you follow these suggestions, you'll improve your chances of avoiding a major car wreck. Many of our personal injury clients, when they first call us about pursuing a lawsuit against another driver due to an icy or snowy car accident and their personal injuries, ask right away, "Can the other driver assert its an 'act of god'or just 'nature'?" The answer depends on the circumstances involved.

All drivers must be careful to keep a safe distance from other cars, and this means not following too closely behind the car ahead--especially in ice and snow. Bad driving conditions mean that the "other driver" must drive below the posted speed limit. So, each case has its own special facts. And, commercial truck drivers have special statutory duties when operating in ice and snow which places a higher duty on them also.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses exclusively on injury and accident law. We have a proven track record in the court room, and you can review our case results to see for yourself. Our attorneys have deep roots in Virginia and handle cases throughout the commonwealth. Our office is based in Virginia Beach, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition, named Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law  (2009 Ed., less than 5% of lawyers are chosen), and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2009). In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

We provide FREE injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. We also offer FREE special reports along with editing the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a public information service. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube and a Railroad Accident/FELA Lawyers Blog. 

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Case Results

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.

Car & Motorcycle Accidents

• Motorcycle Passengers Recover $1,512,000.00

Awarded: $1,512,000.00

• Rear Ender-Neck/Cervical Fusion Surgery, Lost Income and Earnings
• Pedestrians Struck by Automobile Recover $540,000.00

Awarded: $545,000.00

• Car Accident-minivan-knee surgery
• Crosswalk Accident With Broken Leg Settles For $227,000.00

Awarded: $227,000

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FAQs

Car & Motorcycle Accidents

• I've been hurt in a car wreck and the insurance company for the other driver has called me to give a recorded statement.  Should I do it?
• Should I use my regular health insurance to pay for the medical care I need as a result of a car accident?
• Our new clients in car accident cases often asked, "Can I accept a check which has been offered to me for my car repairs or will that mess up my claim for injuries and medical bills?"
• Why shouldn't I just take a quick settlement for whatever the car insurance company for the other driver will pay me?
• What do I do if the at-fault driver's car insurance is not returning my calls or dragging its feet after a Virginia car accident with injuries?
  
  
  

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InjuryBoard Resources

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