Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer - VA

Fatal Virginia Beach (VA) accident raises questions about minivans

John Cooper — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:36:31 GMT

The unfortunate accidental death of Virginia Beach grandmother Scarlet A. Harvell has raised important questions about the safety mechanisms automakers build into vehicles.

Harvell, 54, was unloading groceries from the minivan Monday afternoon when one of her young grandchildren apparently climbed behind the wheel and put the van into gear, WVEC-TV reported.

The van rolled backwards, The Virginian-Pilot reported, with an open door striking Harvell and knocking her down. She suffered a serious head injury and died at an area hospital Tuesday evening.

Virginia Beach police are still investigating the crash, and authorities have not released the make, model or year of the minivan.

But 221 people died in 2007 when they were struck by autos in reverse, The New York Times reported in April. About 14,000 people were hurt in the same period, The Times said, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Not all automobiles come with a brake transmission safety interlock (BTSI). This safety mechanism requires the driver to apply pressure to the brakes before the auto can be shifted into gear.

Since most children cannot reach the brake pedal, this means they cannot put a vehicle into gear simply by moving the transmission lever.

ABC News reported in 2006 that Chrysler minivans – Chrysler also manufactures the Plymouth brand – do not have the brake transmission safety interlock.

"They advertise it for families," Joan Claybrook, a consumer advocate, told ABC. "And yet it's a killer vehicle. This vehicle can kill people inadvertently."

The NHTSA has this advice to avoid accidental vehicle rollaway:

– Teach children not to play in or around autos

– Supervise children carefully in and around autos

– Lock the auto when left unattended

– Never leave keys in the car

– Always activate your emergency brake when you park

– Check whether your vehicle has a brake transmission safety interlock.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.

(MM)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper

$4 million study planned for Virginia Beach auto crashes

Jim Lewis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:54:43 GMT

A team of researchers studying the role of drugs in automobile crashes will hit the streets of Virginia Beach in 2010 to quiz – and potentially draw blood from – drivers involved in traffic accidents, The Virginian-Pilot reported Friday.

The researchers are from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which bills itself on its Web site as “one of the nation’s preeminent independent nonprofit public health organization.”

Their goal is to learn how using drugs – over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal – plays a role in whether or not the driver gets into a crash.

The study is expected to involve 2,500 drivers who are in crashes and another 5,000 drivers not in crashes. It’s not clear how those 5,000 non-crash drivers will be selected.

To reach drivers involved in crashes, researchers will ride with off-duty police officers – paid by the institute – to crash scenes. Officers will introduce researchers to people involved in crashes. Participation is voluntary, the newspaper said.

“Not only is it conducting the valuable research that will be used nationwide and for many years to come, but also it’s supplementing our workforce,” Virginia Beach Police Department Sgt. Scott Wichtendahl told the Pilot. “The ramifications of it are astronomical.”

According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, drugs or alcohol were involved in 7 percent of the city’s 9,021 auto crashes in 2008.

Of 49 fatal crashes in 2008 and so far in 2009, 27 – more than half – involved drugs or alcohol.

The study will cost about $4 million.

(MM)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

One Dead, Three Injured in Virginia Beach Car Accident

John Cooper — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:19:42 GMT

The driver of a 2006 Toyota Scion was traveling along Indian River Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) when tragedy struck. The driver turned too quickly around a curve, overcorrected, and wound up in the opposite lane hitting a Honda Odyssey in a head-on collision, according to WAVY.com.

There were three people in the Honda Odyssey – a wife, husband, and their daughter – all of whom sustained injuries from the car accident. What a nightmare to have a car coming at you the wrong way, in your lane! There is nothing the parent/driver could do, once the other driver made the grave mistake behind the wheel which set the collision sequence in motion.

This terrible incident reminds us how important it is to reduce our speed when making sharp turns around curves on the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper

Early Evidence Shows Red-Light Cameras Are Making Virginia Beach Safer

Jim Lewis — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:37:30 GMT

"Virginia Beach police say red light violations have declined at intersections that have been monitored by cameras since March," begins an Oct. 31 Virginian-Pilot article. Some intersections at which cameras operate have seen a 69 percent reduction in cars speeding through stop signals.

Having written previously about the need to enforce traffic laws at busy intersections, I was pleased to learn that drivers in the Resort City have taken to heart the not-at-all subtle reminder--and threat of being ticketed--to always stop at red lights. At the same time, a fatal accident on General Booth Boulevard in mid-October in which the driver at fault appears to have run a red light sent an even greater message that no intersection can ever be completely safe when drivers do not follow traffic laws.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety created this profile of red-light runners: "younger, less likely to use safety belts, ... poorer driving records, and drove smaller and older vehicles." Demographic data portrays the "typical" Virginia Beach resident as a 33-year-old with an annual income of just under $30,000. Seat-belt wearing behavior and driving history must be left to speculation, but the typical Beach resident seems young and at least potentially likely to own an older car-- to speed through an intersection when he or she should stop.

This is not to say that most people who live in Virginia Beach ignore stop signals. The recent reductions in red-light running shows that city residents will follow traffic laws when prompted. And that is great to know.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law, and our attorneys have handled thousands of car and truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. In addition, check out our FREE Best Guide to Car Accident injuries in Virginia and our special report on distracted driving. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but our lawyers also hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now, and we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services.

EJL

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

Demystifying Injury Litigation: What Is a Deposition and How Do I Get Ready for It?

Rick Shapiro — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:34:55 GMT

This article explains depositions and how they work, and is not limited to Virginia or Carolina where I primarily practice. It is part of a continuing series of articles where Injuryboard injury attorneys explain the basics of the injury law legal system (see the end of the article where I provide links to all of the prior injury case legal issue blog posts).

In one of the last posts of my Injuryboard colleagues, Steve Lombardi discussed how insurance adjusters can use recorded statements against injured persons, and distilled the reasons insurance adjusters take statements to two simple truths:

Insurance adjusters talk to those filing claims for two reasons and only two reasons.

Reason 1. See if they can get you to say something that gives them a reason to deny your claim.

Reason 2. See if they can get you to say something that allows them to pay you less than the law reasonably requires.

The adjuster get's bragging rights at the office if he does.

Like Lombardi's advice above, when the insurance lawyer/defense lawyer takes an injured person's deposition the single, paramount purpose is to use that deposition against you at any trial. Here are some key points:

What is a court deposition?

A legal deposition in an injury lawsuit is a formal process where the injured person testifies under oath, which usually means one of the parties--either the injured person's attorney or the defense or insurance attorney, assures that a licensed court reporter/stenographer is present to record the injured person's testimony, which then can be used in certain ways in the injury case. Every state and federal court specifies a written court procedure on exactly how a deposition can be conducted, and other provisions specify how it can later be used once it is typed up by a court reporter. Also, these written court rules specify that such a deposition can be videotaped and some court rules even provide that a deposition may in fact be videotaped and without a court stenographer present. Court reporters are highly trained and most states require licensure.

Is the court reporter from the court?

This is not a stupid question that I have been asked by clients. Some are surprised to learn almost always the "court reporter" is an independent licensed stenographer that is not an employee of the court system (some courts do employ court reporters, but those court reporters transcribe court hearings or trials. Depositions are normally not held at the courthouse but rather at any suitable conference room or an attorney's office conference room). In every city there are court reporting firms that have licensed court reporter stenographers on staff who are essentially independent contractors. An attorney simply calls up a court reporter for the area and asks that the court reporter cover a deposition and that court reporter is paid through a bill provided to the injured person's attorney or if the deposition is requested by the insurance lawyer or the defense lawyer, that lawyer is obligated to pay the appearance costs and fees for typing up each page of the deposition they order. Ultimately, no matter who wants a copy of the deposition transcribed, the court reporting company bills per page for the deposition transcript, and these days attorneys often receive both a hard copy and an e-mail copy of the deposition testimony of the witness. The longer the deposition, the more pages, which translates to more cost billed by the court reporter.

In my injury case deposition who can be present when I am deposed?

Normally, the parties to the case, their attorneys, a party’s claims adjuster or corporate representative, and a court reporter are the persons present at a deposition. Other persons can be present if everyone consents. They are often done in a conference room at a law firm.

What is so important about my deposition?

A lot. Okay, it's not a serious as being interrogated by the FBI for a criminal matter. But, for your injury case your testimony under oath that can be used at trial or any hearing just like if you were sitting in the witness chair testifying at a trial (some states do have a limitation on whether a deposition can be used or filed as part of a hearing in advance of a trial and those complicated rules are beyond the scope of this outline). So, the insurance lawyer or defense lawyer is keenly interested in whether your testimony holds water, is believable, and the biggest mission of the lawyer on the other side of the case is to try to show that you are not a good witness, are a liar, or are not sure about facts that you say support your case. The deposition process is extremely important and valuable to the court system because not only must you as the injured person be believable, but we will take the deposition of the person that caused your injuries or corporate representative of a company that caused your injuries and we are also entitled to show that the “defendant” driver, or company officials cannot be believed or that their conduct was careless. It's an equal opportunity truth seeking device for both the injured person and that person or company being sued for careless or negligent conduct.

How can they use my deposition against me?

Here's how: every word you say is typed up into a transcript. Each word can and may be used against you in a civil injury trial. If the case cannot be settled, and we imagine that the case finally gets before a jury, the injured person puts on all of their witnesses and evidence prior to the party being sued. When the time arrives for the defense lawyer to present evidence and witnesses, that defense/insurance lawyer can stand up in front of the jury at one time they choose and read passages or individual questions and answers from your prior court deposition--even if you are not actually on the witness stand testifying! In other words, that lawyer can simply pick parts of your deposition out and read them to the jury, even if you're not testifying at that time. That's pretty powerful use of the deposition but it's only any good if the insurance lawyer catches you in some unbelievable testimony. Defense attorneys don't stand up and read parts of your deposition that reinforces how honest you are and how serious your injuries are! They only want to read something that makes fun of you or seeks to paint you as a liar. Here I should note that if the company's representative makes unbelievable statements or bald-faced lies, your injury attorney has the same rights to read parts of that company representative's testimony to a jury during the presentation of all of the evidence supporting your injury case.

What deposition advice can you give me in general?

Not a lot because this article is too generic. Nonetheless, a highly competent injury attorney takes the time to review all of the main issues that are likely to come up in a deposition with their client, listens carefully to the client's version of events and explains how an attorney may try to twist their words against them. Depending upon how serious the issues are in the case I may spend hours meeting with a client to prepare them for a deposition. Words of wisdom include never lie, never think you can cover-up an issue that you personally believe is irrelevant to your present injuries, as it is up to your experienced injury attorney to learn what you think is irrelevant and then advise you of the law that applies or whether some legal privilege applies that can protect you from disclosing that information. This type of thing is exactly why you decided to hire an attorney so full disclosure is important in confidence as the attorney-client privilege protects certain kinds of disclosures that the law deems inadmissible in an injury case. Just don't make that decision in your mind without disclosing it to your attorney. Do not think that the other attorney may never find out about some pre-existing medical care that you kind of decided is not relevant. Real bad idea-you must cover with your personal injury attorney. We handle some high-stakes litigation involving serious and catastrophic injuries as well as the routine injury case. In some serious/catastrophic litigation it is not unusual for private investigators to stake out injured persons and we explain this to our clients, as the ramifications can be serious.

Yes, I have certain ways I explain this process to a client after sitting through 100's of depositions but only my actual clients will get that specific advice. I trust you understand.

Any injured person should never attempt physical activities inconsistent with their doctors restrictions but all sorts of issues relating to your physical condition like whether you suffered any pre-existing condition of relevance can arise in a deposition. If you are out of work from a serious injury, there will likely be an inquiry about all of your prior jobs and employment and you must disclose to your lawyer if you were fired for many prior position and why, and you must disclose any and all prior injury related claims that you have ever filed whether you believe they are relevant or not. We deal with lawyers that subpoena high school transcripts, division of motor vehicle driving records, other background checks etc.

Because the deposition process is part of actual litigation, I cannot go far beyond the very generic in this blog post. It is not exaggeration to say that your own deposition as an injured person is probably the most important thing in your case prior to trial.

Here are a number of good injury law blog posts from my Injuryboard colleagues:

I was in an automobile accident. What should I do? Ten Tips For Hawaii Drivers, Wayne Parsons on September 14, 2009 - 3:59 AM EST.

What would a caveman bring to meet with the lawyer?, Steve Lombardi , September 15, 2009 11:00 AM

Solving Legal Problems, Being a Client, Back to the Basics, Steve Lombardi , September 15, 2009 8:48 AM

Car Accident Injury Client: What Makes the Case Good or Bad? (The Collision & Medical Care) , Rick Shapiro September 16, 2009 9:38 AM

Being a Client: More Tips To Help Improve Your Case If You've Been In An Car Accident , Devon Glass , September 17, 2009 8:39 AM

Presumed Guilty: How to Avoid Having Insult Added to Injury When You’ve Been Hurt in a Car Crash, Pierce Egerton , September 18, 2009 4:28 PM

What To Do After An Accident When The Adjuster Is There First, Mike Bryant, September 19, 2009 6:26 PM

What Questions Is The Lawyer Going To Ask Me At The Initial Interview For My Injury Or Death Case?, Wayne Parsons , 20 September 2009 12:01

What makes a case good or bad?, Steve Lombardi, 21 September 2009 12:57 PM

What To Do After An Accident When The Adjuster Has A Tape Recorder, Mike Bryant , September 23, 2009 10:01 PM

Do I have a good or a bad case?, Devon Glass, September 24, 2009

What are interrogatories and how do I answer them?, Steve Lombardi, September 29, 2009

Interrogatories: A Written Deposition , Devon Glass, September 30, 2009

How Do You Value Your Case? Mike Bryant October 03, 2009 9:29 AM

Demystifying Injury Litigation for Clients: What Are Interrogatories?, Rick Shapiro ,October 3, 2009

Do only dishonest people refuse to give a recorded statement? Steve Lombardi | October 06, 2009 10:47 AM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law, and we have experience handling serious injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit this blog and the Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services.

RNS

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Runaway Trailers Kill: Safety Advocate Pushes For New Trailer Safety Laws

Rick Shapiro — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:52:56 GMT

After my colleague Wayne Parsons posted a blog article touching on a runaway trailer death case and then I posted a story on a trailer injury case, I received a phone call from Ron Melancon, a Richmond, Virginia area man who has a strong interest in the lack of appropriate safety for vehicle trailers on highways and interstates-www.Dangeroustrailers.org including regular state inspection, reflectorization and adequate safety chains or connecting devices. Have you ever witnessed a runaway trailer, or seen a trailer fall off a vehicle? They injure and kill innocent drivers every week around the nation and can shoot across traffic lanes like a missile. Melancon has made trailer safety regulation his passion after a personal incident he was involved in with a poorly illuminated trailer.

A group of my Injuryboard attorney colleagues are also interested in improved safety on vehicle trailers, and will be addressing runaway trailers and general trailer safety issues in a series of trailer safety articles: Michael Bryant of Bradshaw & Bryant PLLC in Waite Park, Minnesota, David Mittleman and Devon Glass of Church Wyble, PC in Lansing, Michigan, Pierce Egerton of Egerton & Associates P.A. in North Carolina, Steve Lombardi of The Lombardi Law Firm in Des Moines Iowa, Wayne Parsons of The Parsons Law Firm in Hawaii, Rick Shapiro of Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton, P.C. from Virginia and Northeast North Carolina (the author).

One big problem according to Melancon is that trailers that weigh less than 3,000 in gross weight are barely regulated by the Federal Government Department of Transportation. Individual states, such as Virginia, North Carolina and others, must decide whether to regulate trailers that weigh less than 3,000. And therein lies the problem: many of the trailer manufacturers around the country don't want regulations. They argue that it will take away jobs and cost a certain number of dollars per trailer. Melancon feels like this is a minimal issue because very small safety changes on trailers that weigh less than 3,000 pounds can make huge differences in health and safety of persons traveling on our nation's highways and interstates. And, he cites tragic injuries and deaths to prove it-like a recent Dinwiddie, Virginia (Va) runaway trailer that killed a young mother-a senseless death easily preventable with some basic trailer towing regulations and laws.

What got Melancon interested in this issue? Well, according to his injury blog on trailer safety, he actually was in an accident where he rear ended a person who had a trailer of the kind you see with lawn maintenance trucks or just other utility companies - it has the wire mesh or steel edges and is sort of a low profile trailer.

According to Melancon many of these smaller trailers towed behind cars and trucks have reflectors and safety lights, which are normally hooked to the car's brake light system-but often are not working. Further, these lights/reflectors often are not mounted close to the back edge of low profile trailers. In other words, at dusk or at night a driver approaching one of these trailers can be confused about where the rear of the trailer actually is-even if the taillights are working. One of the solutions Melancon lobbied for in the Commonwealth of Virginia was to require that reflectorized safety tape or actual reflectors be placed along the back edge of a trailer. VA's then Governor Warner (now U.S. Senator) signed the bill into law in 2004. That VA law reads:

There shall be affixed to the rear end of every trailer that has an unloaded weight of 3,000 pounds or less either two or more reflectors of a type approved by the Superintendent or at least 100 square inches of solid reflectorized material. The reflectors or reflective material shall be applied so as to outline the rear end of the trailer.

Melancon explained that several large trailer companies then lobbied for an amendment to the new law, to water down the safety regulation. The amendment removed reference to trailers 3,000 lbs or less and added:

For the purposes of this section, "utility trailer" means a trailer whose body and tailgate consist largely or exclusively of a metal mesh and whose end extends 18 inches or more beyond its taillights.

Melancon was astounded that Virginia legislators went along with this "legislative fix" which completely diluted trailer safety-it exempted all trailers that were equipped with “taillights” (that often may not work) within 18 inches of the rear. Also, taillights may not work may not be as effective as the reflective tape requirement. The new amendment excluded hundreds if not thousands of trailers. But its not just reflectorization involved, even more injuries and deaths are caused by inadequate or improper safety connections/safety chains between the trailer and the car or truck.

Runaway Trailers Injure and Kill Innocent Drivers

There is a picture in the link that follows of a car tragically crushed by a runaway trailer, the runaway trailer barrelling into the opposite lane ended the life of 20 year old Dinwiddie, Virginia (Va) mom named Caitlyn Johnson, who was simply driving her car lawfully down a Virginia highway.

Currently, Melancon is urging Virginia legislators to restore some reflectorized tape requirement, but also to require that a suitable strength safety chain or similar reliable device always accompany a trailer being pulled by a car or truck, even if weighing less than 3,000 pounds. Runaway trailers are instruments of interstate death and often kill innocent drivers, like the young mother in Dinwiddie Virginia who just recently suffered a preventable wrongful death due to a runaway trailer in Virginia.

Melancon explained to me that if a person in North Carolina or Virginia takes a fishing trip up to Canada that the Canadian police or sheriffs will pull over the vehicle and impound it if it does not have a safety chain connecting the car or truck and the trailer. He says its plain absurd that we don't have a requirement in Virginia (or many other states) that meets the same standard that Canada or the US government requires of trailers over 3,000 lbs!

A runaway 2,900 lb trailer going the wrong way on an interstate can and will cause death and airbags may not prevent you from being killed-especially by an oncoming missile like trailer heading the wrong way on an interstate. Trailer safety pointman Melancon is enlisting the support of every Virginia State delegate or Senator he can for new legislative remedies on regular, meaningful state inspections, on reflectorization, and probably most importantly: new safety chain connector laws. I note that Melancon is not a lawyer and is not in any official paid position on his trailer safety mission. He is simply an advocate speaking logic. These are the best safety people out there because they don't come to the table with any obvious bias one way or the other. Maybe not pure as driven snow, but about as strong a safety advocate as exists.

My take: visit the trailer safety blog that Melancon has been writing and blogging on for years at www.dangeroustrailers.org and send him a message if you would like more information about promoting trailer safety in Virginia or your state along the lines of the logical measures that Melancon has been backing.

Check out a new article on runaway trailers and simple solutions that need to be implemented.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Trucking Crossroads: Interstate I-81 in Virginia Scene of Spate of Trucking Accidents

Rick Shapiro — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:40:00 GMT

It is a widely-known fact that trucks can be dangerous vehicles, and a recent series of accidents on I-81 in the western part of Virginia (VA) has illustrated this fact in a very grim way:

The first accident involved a tractor trailer full of watermelons that ran off the road and overturned in the median. As you can imagine, it made a big mess in the highway and traffic was detoured onto US Highway 11, causing a back up that stretched for several miles.

About three hours later the worst of the series of crashes happened when a tractor trailer did not slow down in time for the detouring traffic and struck a car. The impact forced the automobile underneath a tractor trailer in front of it and caused a chain reaction of several trucks hitting each other.

One of the tractor trailer’s fuel tanks ruptured and caused a fire that spread rapidly and destroyed the passenger vehicle. The occupants of the car died at the scene.

Horrible accidents like these occur all-too frequently, and serve as reminders for the dangers of trucking accidents. The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has determined that over 28,000 trucking companies are operating with safety violations, some of which are intentionally ignored by the company to cut costs. Such violations may include hiring drivers with shady backgrounds, not keeping the trucks running safely, or overloading the trucks. This means many unqualified truck drivers whether on Virginia's interstate highways or others are driving damaged trucks, some of which are loaded with more goods than they can safely carry.

Since trucks are larger and heavier than most passenger cars, they are inherently more dangerous than passenger cars. They take longer to slow down in an emergency stop; they can impact vehicles with a lethal force from a much slower speed; and the truck drivers often feel protected from danger.

As a car driver, you need to be very cautious around 18 wheelers and semi-trucks. True, there are many well-trained truck drivers, and many trucking companies are honest and safety-conscious. But you usually can't tell the difference between a relatively safe truck and a relatively unsafe truck until it's too late, so it's always better to err on the side of caution. Obviously, it's a good idea to always be a safe driver, but since most of injuries and deaths in trucking accidents are the people in the other vehicle, your safety is more at stake than ever when you are driving near a tractor trailer or semi.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers. We also host a YouTube injury law video library with more than 50 videos covering many FAQs on personal injury subjects. Lawyers with Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton are licensed in VA, NC, SC, WV, DC and KY. They handle car, truck, railroad, medical negligence cases and more.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Speeding Drivers: Major Cause of Injuries and Deaths On Interstates

Rick Shapiro — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:56:48 GMT

My Injuryboard blogging injury attorney/colleague Steve Lombardi of Des Moines, Iowa, and another Injuryboard editor, Wayne Parsons, are injury attorneys that are always asking thought-provoking questions about injury prevention. They not only write about injury law, but they are some of the only United States attorneys that wonder why we can't prevent more injuries or deaths on interstate highways. In Virginia and North Carolina, we are criss-crossed by I-95, I-64, I-81, and many other major interstates,and we read about car and truck crashes and injuries every day. So, a discussion about interstate highway speed limits, and speeding drivers is a good conversation to cover with regard to injury prevention.

Lombardi was recently discussing his love of speed (this is probably a simple male instinctual trait) and how that tension and dissonance interfaces with his desire as a Des Moines injury lawyer to see less accidents on interstate highways. Based on the review of a number of safety studies involving interstate highway accidents, injuries, and deaths one of the most interesting statements that Lombardi found in a study was the following:

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. It reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while a driver reacts to a dangerous situation. Higher crash speeds also reduce the ability of vehicle, restraint system, and roadway hardware such as guardrails, barriers, and impact attenuators to protect vehicle occupants.

Hawaii injury attorney Wayne Parsons discussed why speeding and higher interstate speed limits are both significant area variables in deaths and injuries on the interstate highways, and Devon Glass, also wrote about how speeders are causing a higher rate of injuries and deaths than other drivers. I plan to keep reading and writing on this topic as my injuryboard colleagues chime in on interstate injury prevention.

Here are some of my Injuryboard colleagues interesting stories about speeders and the synergy effect combined with speed limits on interstate highways:

Are Double-Bottomed Semis More or Less Dangerous to You? - Lombardi, Who wins and loses when a Ford Focus and a fully-loaded semi-truck crash? - Lombardi Hawaii Freeway Chronicles #1: What Are The Danger Points On H-1, H-2 and H-3?, Wayne Parsons The Interstate Highway Graveyard, "Speed Kills", Why Speeders on the Highway Cause More Serious Accidents, Lombardi Why Speeders on the Highway Cause More Serious Accidents - Devon Glass

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury lawfirm (VA-NC law offices) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY, who handle car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Two Virginia Beach Motorcyclists Killed in Separate Crashes on the Same Day

Jim Lewis — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Two tragic motorcycle accidents occurred in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) on the same day with two people dead and two injured.

The first crash included a man and a female passenger riding in the 700 block of Daimler Drive in Virginia Beach when the motorcyclist went straight on a curve hitting a mailbox and a power pole, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

The second motorcycle crash also included a man and a female passenger who were riding on Witchduck Road at Alfriends Trail, close to Sentara Bayside Hospital. The motorcycle collided with a vehicle coming from Alfriends Trail onto Witchduck Road.

As an injury lawyer who’s represented clients hurt in motorcycle accidents, I’m always concerned about the safety of our motorists and motorcyclists. These two tragic accidents are terrible and my deepest condolences go out to the friends and families who lost loved ones in these accidents.

We can learn from these accidents and hopefully motorcyclists will be cognizant of proper safety measures while enjoying a ride on the road.

Here’s a video discussing motorcycle safety…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81MAPkXEIFo

Some essential safety tips, courtesy of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, include:

Be visible by wearing bright clothing
Flash your brake lights when you’re slowing down or stopping
Wear a helmet and proper eye protection
Avoid weaving between lanes
Signal your next move in advance and give time to motorists to respond

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper 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.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

New Ordinance Aimed to Improve Pedestrian and Driver Safety on Virginia Beach Roads

John Cooper — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Pedestrians in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) will no longer be able to stand or walk along roadway medians after a new ordinance was recently passed. The focus of the ordinance is to improve safety conditions for both pedestrians and drivers, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

“Folks in the median are actually a safety hazard because it’s distracting to drivers and it can help cause accidents,” said Officer Margie Long.

Decreasing distractions for drivers has been in the headlines recently in Virginia (VA) with the passage of laws prohibiting texting while driving. A study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which my colleague Rick Shapiro wrote extensively about, revealed a driver was six times more likely to be involved in a car accident if they texted while driving.

As an injury lawyer who’s represented clients hurt in car accidents, I applaud Virginia Beach for taking measures to help improve pedestrian and driver safety. Though, I have to admit I’m surprised the punishment associated with violating the new median ordinance is tougher than the state law prohibiting texting while driving.

Violating the ordinance is a Class II misdemeanor along with a fine of up to $1,500 dollars and up to six months in jail. The texting while driving law is only enforceable if a police officer stops you for another violation and a first-offender has to pay only a $20 dollar fine.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper