Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer - car

Beach Attorney Recognized for DUI Prosecution Efforts

Rick Shapiro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:20:00 GMT

Local prosecutor Charisse Black last week received a national award for keeping alcohol- and drug-addled divers off the streets of Virginia Beach.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving tapped Black as one of 15 recipients of its 2009 President's Criminal Justice Award for "her thorough gathering of facts, complete knowledge of current Virginia DUI laws and her ability to convict the majority of the cases she presents." Black's supervisor, Commonwealth's Attorney for Virginia Beach Harvey Bryant also praised Black for "seeing that those who drive drunk are convicted and punished without delay.' Bryant also said that "Charisse embodies the ‘get tough’ attitude that this office has toward drunk drivers."

I am happy to add my congratulations to Black and to express my appreciation for her work. Drunk and drugged drivers cause untold tragedy in our area and across the United States. While statistics on fatalities, injuries and monetary damages caused by drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol are kept, those numbers do not come close to telling the story of how DUIs can ruin and end lives.

Prosecuting drunk and drugged drivers is only part of the solution, of cpursse. Drivers need to take responsibility and stay out their cars if they have been drinking or doing drugs. Also, as we kickoff the holiday party season, hosts and guests need to watch their friends and head off potential drunk drivers by ensuring safe rides homes for those who need them.

Until people do assume their full responsibilities, however, it is good to know that prosecutors like Black are protecting us.

About the Editors: The Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm, whose attorneys work out of offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.

EJL

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

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

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

Mise Family grieves over loss in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Emily Mapp Brannon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:48:39 GMT

I am stricken with emotion as I read the most recent story about the Mise family relating to the wreck on October 20, 2009 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This family of six endured a horrible loss on Tuesday. As a member of a large family, I know how hard it is to raise that many children with two parents. I can only imagine how difficult Mr. Mise’s job will be in the upcoming months and years as he raises these children all on his own.

In a wrongful death case such as this one it is important that the family choose a knowledgable law firm to protect their interests. In order to handle all the details of the Estate, someone must qualify to serve as an administrator of the estate. In the event that the family decides to hire an attorney they should look for someone who is familiar with all of the requirements of a wrongful death case in Virginia and specifically familiar with practice in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Given that the Mise family is not local to Virginia Beach, it will benefit them to hire an attorney that is located in Virginia Beach. Following a wreck such as this one, there is a lot of evidence out there which needs to be collected. It is important that the evidence is preserved in a timely fashion. There were witnesses to the wreck who should be interviewed as well as officers who have information about the crash.

It angers me when I continue to read articles about the lack of seatbelt on behalf of the mother and child. What many people don't realize is that this fact is inadmissible in a courtroom and really has no relevance to fault. I also read that the young daughter was ejected despite the fact that she was in a car seat. This causes me to ask if there was a problem with her car seat, perhaps a manufacturing defect. There are a lot of unanswered questions right now. My thoughts and prayers are with the Mise family as they deal with this loss.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Emily Mapp Brannon

Using Car Seats as Carriers, Mini Craddles Harms Thousands of Babies

Jim Lewis — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:46:55 GMT

Infant car seats save hundreds of babies' lives each year--when the seats remain properly installed in a vehicle. Using car seats to carry infants or hold them while doing chores or taking care of other children, however, injures or kills thousands of babies.

This scope of the problem with misusing infant car safety seats became clear this weekend when Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center orthopedic surgeon and researcher Dr. Shital Parikh told American Academy of Pediatrics meeting attendees that between 2003 and 2007, 43,000 U.S. children had choked, suffocated or fallen and been seriously injured when their parent or caregiver left them in car seats and placed the seats on tables, countertops, beds or other elevated surfaces.

Most of the injuries Parikh documented were head and brain traumas. He also identified broken bones in data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Parikh explained, “When parents or caregivers place the infant car seat on top of a table or elevated surface, the infant can wiggle and end up toppling off out of the seat onto the floor, which can lead to severe injuries.” He also added that “another accident that can happen is the turning over of the car seat on to a soft surface, which can lead to suffocation.”

A report in Tuesday's Daily Press brings the tragic consequences of misusing infant car seats home. A former Newport News day care center operator will face manslaughter charges stemming from the choking death of 5-month-old baby in her charge on Feb. 4, 2009. The woman left the infant in a car seat an unattended for 10 minutes. At some point, the baby apparently squirmed around and got a strap from the seat wrapped around its neck.

The CPSC has issued several recalls of products marketed as combination infant car seats-carriers over the years. A better course of action might be to ban such products altogether.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law, and we have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injuries. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys have handled numerous head injury and brain trauma cases and, in 2000, achieved the largest verdict ever in Virginia for a brain damaged client. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC, and we are ready to talk to you by phone right now. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so 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

New GPS-Based Software May Be One Solution to Texting & Driving Epidemic

Rick Shapiro — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:09:00 GMT

The controversy surrounding texting while driving is not only a local Virginia (VA) and Carolina (NC/SC) issue but has received national attention as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood described texting while driving as an epidemic.

A summit was held to address the issue of distracted driving and virtually everyone in attendance was trying to figure out a way to prevent texting while you’re behind the wheel of a car. Well, Michael Adler of a company called Websafety may have developed one high tech solution: software which will disable texting capabilities on a cell phone when driving over 10 m.p.h. by accessing GPS technology and calculating vehicle speed. This texting disabling technology sounded intriguing so I interviewed a Websafety representative to learn more about this high tech method using GPS technology to disable texting.

Q. Tell me about your company, how long has it existed and did your company invent this technology?

A. Websafety has been developing the Websafety Software for the past three years. The product has been available formally for less than 30 days. Yes, Michael Adler, the founder of Websafety, out of Dallas, Texas developed the software.

Q. How does a user implement your product?

A. Once the user buys a year subscription, the user downloads the software through the Websafety website-back office.

Q. Are you selling this to individual users or to cell phone companies, or both?

A. Both - our mission is to stop the use of cell phones in moving vehicles through all different means-as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of deaths caused by text messaging while driving.

Q. Can you tell me about any companies or areas using your products and how it is working?

A. So far we are having great success because Websafety is committed to successful downloading and fulfillment of the software.

Q. What does it cost per user?

A. Depending on the amount of computers and cell phones a family wants protected, anywhere from $149 to $499 per year.

Q. Where can someone learn more about Websafety?

A. www.mywebsafety.com/kidsafe

Hopefully, as awareness surrounding distracted driving continues to grow, technology addressing such issues like texting while driving will be made widely available and we can take a step forward in improving driver safety across the nation. Until then, be sure to read more on Websafety and check out our law firm’s special report on distracted driving. It seems to me that large cell phone companies should enable a monthly fee service to disable texting while a vehicle is moving even at 5 mph! What careful parent would not pay a small fee to assure that their teenager using a cell phone on their account must act responsibly?

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 special reports on distracted driving and The Best Guide to Car Accident injuries in Virginia. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. PA

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Feds Get Serious About Cutting Texting While Driving

Randy Appleton — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:52:46 GMT

I’m not used to hearing a federal official describe much of anything as a “menace” these days. But that is exactly the word U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood choose to describe texting while driving. LaHood also called distracted driving in general an epidemic in the days leading up to, and throughout, a two-day Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C., this week.

The candor was refreshing regarding a problem that led to a significant proportion of the 515,000 car cashes in which people got injured during 2008. Nearly 6,000 of those accidents involved at least one distracted driver and one fatality.

Just in case there is any doubt that texting while driving constitutes a—to agree with Secretary LaHood—menace, I’ll point to a recently published study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. The researchers found that texting commercial truck drivers were 23.2 times more likely to have an accident than nontexting truck drivers. People driving cars were 2.8 times more likely to crash while dialing their cell phones.

LaHood, backed by President Barack Obama, has decided to act on his understanding of the seriousness of the texting and driving problem. By Executive Order, no military personnel or federal employees can text while driving a government vehicle or conducting official business. Federal laws prohibiting bus, tractor trailer and train operators from texting while driving are promised.

Virginia was somewhat out in front on curbing texting while driving. I would like to see federal laws banning the practice move quickly to bolster and extend the protections the Virginia law gives drivers.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the Northeast North Carolina (NC) border. Lawyers with the firm practice primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handle injury law cases, including car, truck and railroad accidents, medical negligence cases and more. The firm’s website is hsinjurylaw.com. Lawyers with Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton also edit the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and host a YouTube injury law video library with more than 50 videos covering many FAQs on personal injury subjects. The firm’s lawyers are licensed in VA, NC, SC, WV, DC and KY.

EJL

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Randy Appleton

Trauma 1 v. Trauma 2 Hospitals, What's the Difference to A Person Hurt In An Accident?

John Cooper — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:32:15 GMT

A trauma center is hospital capable of rendering medical care to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Yet, there are several different levels. A trauma center can be either a level one, two, three, or four. In order to qualify as a trauma center, a hospital is required to meet criteria set forth by the American College of Surgeons. There are a few factors that determine what level a center is classified as. These factors include the type of resources available at the particular center, as well as the amount of patients admitted annually. Each level classification must adhere to certain national standards.

A level one trauma hospital maintains a wide range of specialists and equipment, which are available 24-hours a day. These centers must also meet annual volume requirements for admitting severely injured persons. One criterion that places a level one center above others is that the center must have a program of research and be a leader in the field of trauma education/injury prevention.

A level two hospital works collaboratively with a level one hospital. This center provides care which supplements the medical expertise of the level one center. A level two center provides 24-hour services. However, the services only include the essential specialties, personnel, and equipment. Unlike level one centers, the minimum volume requirements for level two centers are dependent upon local conditions. Also, level two centers are not required to maintain a research or surgical residency program.

A level three trauma hospital maintains the basics. While they do not have the same amount of specialists as a level one or two, they are capable of meeting the needs for most trauma patients, including emergency resuscitation, surgery, and intensive care. These types of centers have a transfer agreement with either a level one or level two center so that back-up care may be provided in extreme situations.

A level four hospital provides essential care, such as stabilizations and treatment, where no alternatives exist. These centers are often located in remote areas. It’s important to understand the differences among trauma hospital classifications.

Even though all levels are capable of stabilizing patients, specialty care may only be available at certain hospitals and thus, may require you to transfer. Consider the following:

Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital: Level Two trauma center
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital: Level One trauma center
Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC: Level One trauma center

As attorneys specializing in accident cases, our most seriously injured clients are often inpatients at one of these three facilities. People in car wrecks in South Hampton Roads and the Outer Banks are most likely to be treated at these Sentara centers. Pitt Memorial serves as the main trauma center for much of North-East North Carolina.

Level Four:

Level Three:

Level Two:

Level One:

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper