What Our Clients Say

Videos

HSInjury Blog

Library

InjuryBoard Links

The Latest Virginia & North Carolina Injury News

Use of global positioning systems increases in criminal and civil injury cases

We have written recently about the increasing use of computers in trucking injury cases, as well as car accident cases, because of the common use of the black boxes in vehicles.  Now, trucking companies have added sophisticated onboard computers that not only track the truck's whereabouts, hours in use, speed, and other variables, but can be used by personal injury lawyers to prove that a trucker was speeding or had driven more than the legal hours of service.

Global positioning systems are being used in criminal cases as well. Prosecutors in Chicago used a Garmin global positioning system device in a Chevrolet Trailblazer to help prove the murder of family members in a recent criminal murder trial. Here are some of the uses of global positioning system computer data:

In a criminal case alleging a rape, a judge ruled that evidence from a global positioning system in the defendant's car could be used against him at trial.

In a Pennsylvania trucking case, the trucker's global positioning system caused police to charge him with setting his own home on fire. The GPS system showed his vehicle/big rig was parked about 100 yards from the house in question.

The Consumer Electronics Association has estimated that about 20% of American households own a portable global positioning system and almost 10% have vehicles equipped with such systems built into cars or vehicles.

The use of new technology tends to find its way in to the courts, and shows itself a year or two behind the technology used by consumers and businesses. I can only predict that GPS technology will have a growing influence in car/truck injury cases that are in litigation. Also, the ability to falsify driver logs will be severely compromised because this computer data is maintained on a hard drive remote from the truck driver’s location. Personal injury lawyers must be vigilant to ensure that they obtain this material and when it mysteriously disappears or cannot be made available, it will likely mean that the data is extremely damaging to a company.

back to top

How should you locate the best, top injury lawyer for your case?

Our Injury Lawyers Have Been Selected For Many Achievements Outlined Below:

Several  Injury Attorneys With Our Firm have been included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition (Lewis-Injury Law, Shapiro-Railroad Injury Law) and been Named As Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law  (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009 Ed.)(Less than 5% of Outstanding Lawyers are Chosen); also selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009); named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by ATLA (Shapiro - 2009), and our law firm was the first Injury Law Firm in Virginia Invited to Join Primerus, a select group of Highly Ethical, Respected Law Firms .

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained, what was then, the largest record verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person (46 Million Dollar Verdict, with Interest, 60 Million Dollars, Settled confidentially during appeal).  Click on icons for more details.

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.

As to Virginia (VA), this includes: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond (entire area), Petersburg, Roanoke/Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, all areas of 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, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and any other city/ounty.

As to West Virginia (WV) personal injury claims: 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, NC, SC, KY, FL & Wash., DC.

Our Free Guides

Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia

What To Do if Hurt in Accident by Uninsured or Uninsured Driver

THE Guide to Truck Crash Injuries: What To Do If Hurt in a Truck Wreck

Child Injury Guide: What To Do If Child Gets Hurt in an Accident

TOP TEN TIPS FROM EXPERIENCED MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWYERS

Dangerous Drug Report: What To Do If Hurt by Prescription Drug

Surgical Errors Report: Surgical Mistakes Can Lead to Wrongful Death

Distracted Driving Report: Head Injuries Not Uncommon in Car Accidents

Airplane Accident Safety Guide: How to Avoid or Survive Airplane Crash

What Railroad Claim Agents Won't Tell You (But You Must Know)

Do's & Don'ts When Injured at a Railroad-- Your FELA Rights

Other Consumer Guides

Get Help Now

Offices

Follow us:

Case Results

News

FAQs