Articles Posted in Auto Accident

A jury in Charlottesville, Virginia recently awarded more than $10.5 million to the family of a woman who died after a concrete mixer truck fell on her car in 2007. The victims were a married couple from southwest Virginia who were travelling on State Route 53 when their car was crushed by a truck owned and operated by Allied Concrete Company. The wife, who was 25 years old at the time, died eight days after the accident. Her husband survived. The driver of the truck later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 30 days in jail.

The attorneys at the law firm of Pierce & Thornton understand that tragic accidents are an unfortunate part of life. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious truck, auto or motorcycle accident we can help. Pierce & Thornton has experience and expertise in representing families of those seriously injured or killed by the negligence of other drivers. The lawyers at Pierce & Thornton have obtained some of the largest jury verdicts and mediation settlements in Virginia over the past several years. We can put together a team of qualified investigators and gather the information and data necessary to reconstruct the accident and determine who was at fault. We will consult with all of your health care providers so that we have a complete understanding of the nature and extent of your injuries and how the accident has impacted your life. Call today for an immediate free consultation with one of our truck, auto or motorcycle accident attorneys. The attorneys at Pierce & Thornton handle cases throughout Virginia and North Carolina, including in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Suffolk, and the Eastern Shore. They also associate with other attorneys on significant injury cases throughout the United States.

A jury in Norfolk, Virginia recently awarded a doctor beaten by a patient in a Virginia Beach psychiatric clinic a $5.35 million judgment. The award was against Psychiatric Solutions Inc. and First Hospital Corp. of Virginia Beach, the companies that own and operate the Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center, a 100-bed facility on First Colonial Road where the beating happened.

According to court records, the doctor was injured by the patient after the patient accused him of stealing. During trial, the doctor’s lawyer argued that the facility staff members should have known the patient was dangerous and prevented the injury to his client because of the patient’s previous behavior. The patient had earlier confronted the doctor on two separate occasions threatening personal injury before he actually attacked the doctor, fracturing his skull and eye socket and causing a concussion.

The doctor is still only able to work part time, and is not fully recovered. A spokesman for the defendants said that although the companies continue to dispute liability in the matter and might appeal, they are “sorry for [the doctor’s] injuries from the incident.” The judgment includes $5 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages.

According to a recently released report by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there are substantially more motorcyclists traveling Virginia’s roads, which has in turn contributed to an increase in fatal accidents involving motorcycles. Since 2001, DMV spokeswoman Melanie Stokes says motorcycle registration in Virginia has jumped by 105 percent. According to the DMV, 38 motorcyclists were killed during the first six months of 2010, which is a 19 percent increase from the same six-month period in 2009. Virginia recorded 71 motorcycle deaths and 1,506 injuries for all of 2009. In order to combat the rise in motorcycle deaths, the DMV is taking steps to better educate new riders to ensure that they are properly trained and licensed.

The attorneys at the law firm of Pierce & Thornton understand that tragic accidents are an unfortunate part of life. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious motorcycle, auto or truck accident we can help. Pierce & Thornton has experience and expertise in representing families of those seriously injured or killed by the negligence of other drivers. The lawyers at Pierce & Thornton have obtained some of the largest jury verdicts and mediation settlements in Virginia over the past several years. We can put together a team of qualified investigators and gather the information and data necessary to reconstruct the accident and determine who was at fault. We will consult with all of your health care providers so that we have a complete understanding of the nature and extent of your injuries and how the accident has impacted your life. Call today for an immediate free consultation with one of our motorcycle, auto or truck accident attorneys. The attorneys at Pierce & Thornton handle cases throughout Virginia, including in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Suffolk, and the Eastern Shore. They also associate with other attorneys on significant injury cases throughout the United States.

According to the Virginia State Police, five motorists were killed in Virginia over the long July 4th holiday weekend. Troopers also reported responding to 743 traffic crashes over the four-day counting period. Of the fatalities, one occurred in the Hampton Roads area (which is comprised of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Suffolk, and the Eastern Shore), while the other four happened in the counties of Accomack, Fairfax, Nottoway and Rockingham. Three of the victims were not wearing seat belts, and one of the deaths involved a motorcycle. With increased traffic and everyone anxious to get to their vacation destinations, it is extremely important to be careful and take an extra dose of patience while in your vehicle. The beach will be waiting for you when you arrive. And remember, under a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1, 2010, no texting while driving.

We hope you never need our services. But if you or someone you know does, please know that the attorneys at Pierce & Thornton have experience and expertise in representing Virginia and North Carolina families of those seriously injured or killed by the negligence of car or truck drivers. We can put together a team of qualified investigators and gather the information and data necessary to reconstruct the accident and determine who was at fault. We will consult with all of your health care providers so that we have a complete understanding of the nature and extent of your injuries and how the accident has impacted your life. Call today for an immediate consultation with one of our auto or truck accident attorneys.

According to a recent report, Hampton Roads (which is comprised of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Suffolk, and the Eastern Shore) had the highest number of car accidents that resulted in injury or death in Virginia from 2006 to 2008. On average, there was a traffic accident in the Tidewater region every 19 minutes, and every 2.5 days someone died from one of those auto wrecks. Nearly 8 percent of all crashes in Hampton Roads involved alcohol, with 41 percent of fatal crashes involving alcohol. The leading causes of non-fatal accidents were following too closely, distracted driving and failure to yield; while the leading causes of fatal accidents were distracted driving and speeding. Nationally, Hampton Roads ranked 17th among 26 similar-sized U.S. metropolitan areas in traffic fatality rates.

Tragic accidents are an unfortunate part of life. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious auto or truck accident we can help. The attorneys at Pierce & Thornton have experience and expertise in representing families of those seriously injured or killed by the negligence of car or truck drivers. We can put together a team of qualified investigators and gather the information and data necessary to reconstruct the accident and determine who was at fault. We will consult with all of your health care providers so that we have a complete understanding of the nature and extent of your injuries and how the accident has impacted your life. Call today for an immediate consultation with one of our auto or truck accident attorneys.

On October 20, 2009, authorities in Norfolk and Virginia Beach reported fatalities as a result of a truck striking a woman in Norfolk and a two-vehicle crash in Virginia Beach. In Norfolk, a Dominion Virginia Power truck struck a woman crossing Little Creek Road near Granby Street. The woman later died of her injuries at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. In Virginia Beach, a mother and her daughter died after being involved in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Dam Neck Road and Corporate Landing Parkway. They were ejected from the car as it overturned several times. The daughter died at the scene, while the mother succumbed to her injuries after being taken to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. The Virginia Beach Police are still unclear as to who had the right-of-way.

Tragic accidents such as these are an unfortunate part of life. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious auto or truck accident we can help. The attorneys at Pierce & Thornton have experience and expertise in representing families of those seriously injured or killed by the negligence of car or truck drivers. We can put together a team of qualified investigators and gather the information and data necessary to reconstruct the accident and determine who was at fault. Call today for an immediate consultation with one of our auto or truck accident attorneys.

Virginia drivers who want to lower their chance of being in a crash should take note of a government study that found that 80% of vehicle accidents are caused by distracted drivers. Another compelling statistic reveals that drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 are four times more likely to be involved in an accident compared to other drivers. For this reason, Virginia has enacted a law prohibiting drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone or other wireless device while behind the wheel. Some jurisdictions, such as Washington, D.C., have enacted local ordinances prohibiting the use of handheld phones or devices while driving. Despite the recent legislation, it is common to see young and older drivers with their heads down, in the “texting position”, while driving down the interstate. The idea that someone can safely operate a vehicle and keep a proper lookout while punching small buttons on a keypad is ludicrous. The Virginia legislature considered a bill earlier this year that would have banned texting while driving for all ages, but the bill died in committee. It seems that such a law would make sense for everyone, but especially for the age group most likely to text while driving.

Two sisters who died in a Virginia car crash on Tuesday were wearing their seatbelts and alcohol was not a factor. In other words, the two main elements of most auto fatalities were not present.

A recent study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than two-thirds of young drivers and passengers killed in nighttime car crashes were not wearing seatbelts. Although seatbelt use nationally has risen to an average of 81% (with 12 states having seatbelt usage of 90% or better), almost 7 out of 10 young people killed in car crashes in 2006 were unbuckled. With Memorial Day weekend here, police and public safety groups are launching a national campaign to increase seatbelt usage over the holiday weekend. Young drivers already bring a dangerous combination of inexperience and fearlessness to the highway, and not wearing a seatbelt only adds to the likelihood of serious injury or death when an accident occurs. Add in the final element of alcohol, which is common in fatal crashes involving drivers under age 30, and one readily understands why young motorists are at greater risk than older drivers. All Virginians should buckle up this weekend and make sure that our children and their friends use their seatbelts as well.

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