Virginia (VA) Personal Injury law firm news

Virginia (VA) Truck Accident Injury Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC 

Truck-Car Accidents/Injuries: New Computers & Black Boxes Allow Far More Data Analysis

Posted on Aug 21, 2008

Any personal injury attorney handling a truck-car accident injury case must be familiar with a wide array of computerized, electronic “black box” information and data now available as part of the typical trucking company big-rig or tractor trailer.  Data recorders on semi’s/ tractor-trailers have become very sophisticated.  First of all, most trucking companies use an electronic control module or electronic data recorder ( referred to as the black box, electronic on-board computer (EOBR) or electronic logging device) which records certain braking data, speed, cruise control settings, and a sudden deceleration.  However, even newer electronic data recorders (EOBR’s) monitor the speed of a truck as well as the number of driving hours, which can vital for driver fatigue and federal regulatory compliance or violation.  Statistically, driver fatigue plays a part in many big rig or tractor trailer accidents causing personal injuries  These recorders can show every time a driver goes over the allowed hours of service, or the number of excursions over a speed limit.

 In the old days, driver log books were maintained manually, in a written form.  Personal injury lawyers who handled trucking-car/auto personal injury cases carefully review log books to determine whether truck drivers were tired and fatigued by operating over the number of hours allowed per day.  Now, some trucking companies have gotten rid of hand written logs entirely and are using global positioning systems (GPS)/satellite and wireless devices to track a driver's route and schedule and to send this information back to the trucking company headquarters computers.  Any trucking injury attorney doing personal injury lawsuit work must be familiar with this new array of electronic/computerized information.  Often, we must quickly retain experts with experience in the trucking industry to keep us up-to-date on the fast-changing electronic data that can be obtained, and to advise us of immediate steps to take to secure and preserve evidence.  In trucking cases, retaining an experienced attorney fast is critical.

 Just as the railroad industry has embraced video cameras on many locomotive engines, video cameras are now being permanently mounted in some trucks mainly to help the trucking company prove what has gone on in case of a property damage or a serious personal injury or truck-car death case.  A computer records the video data, and it again may be maintained on a hard drive, or wirelessly sent to the trucking company headquarters.

Sometimes, electronic data information cuts both ways because trucking company lawyers are now seeking to obtain the electronic data recordings from the car or auto involved in the accident with the truck.  The data recorders in autos or cars typically are not as sophisticated as a trucking company data recorder, but there is relevant information that can be obtained.

 

For a person or family considering whether to retain a personal injury lawyer for a trucking accident case, it is important to take action as quickly as possible because trucking companies are required to keep many records, including daily driving logs, for six months from the date of the accident all, although some exceptions apply.  Timing can be critical in the evidence gathering efforts.

If you or a family member would like an initial free consultation with regard to a trucking-car injury case, feel free to contact any of our attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton..

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

back to top

How can you identify a top Virginia injury lawyer for your case? Look no further.

Our VA personal injury lawyers have been selected for many accolades.

Two of the attorneys with our Virginia Beach accident injury law firm, James Lewis and Rick Shapiro, have been named the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Two of our VA injury lawyers -- Lewis and Shapiro - have been named to Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury since 2010. In addition, Lewis and Shapiro have been selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. 

Our VA accident injury law firm was the first in the commonwealth nvited to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Rick Shapiro was named as one of the Top 100 Injury Lawyers in Virginia by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained what was then the largest verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person. Our brain damaged client received an initial award of $46 million that rose to $60 million with interest when the defendant abandoned an appeal and agreed to settle. 

Geographical Areas

Our personal injury lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern USA, and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.

In Virginia, this includes Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond, Petersburg, Roanoke, Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Ashland, Big Stone Gap, and every community on the Eastern Shore, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, and Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island.

In West Virginia, we can handle personal injury claims in Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling and any other town or county.

Injury Lawyers licensed in VA, WV, North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC.

 

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling truck wreck cases. Check out our truck accident case results and our free consumer guide on what to do if you get involved in an accident with a commercial truck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Newport News, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Jim and Rick have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of practicing lawyers receive this honor.

In addition, our VA injury law firm was the first in the commonwealth to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms, and we have the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization. The rating indicates we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free initial confidential consultations. Call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a message so we can get back to you.