Articles Posted in Drunk Driving Accident

Two personal injury claims, both of which involved automobile accidents, were recently settled by the attorneys of Pierce & Thornton. The first accident involved our client being struck from behind while traveling north on Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The impact from the accident was severe enough to cause the driver’s airbags to deploy, and resulted in serious personal injuries, including a broken nose, and neck and back injuries. The second car accident also occurred in Virginia Beach and also involved a rear-end collision. As a result of this accident, our client was forced to undergo extensive physical therapy for over a year to be relieved of the pain associated with the injuries from this automobile collision. As part of each settlement, the amount paid by the defendants’ insurance companies is to remain confidential.

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 auto, truck 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 auto, truck or motorcycle 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.

The Virginian-Pilot recently reported that a bicyclist died in the Hampton Roads area after being hit by a van while riding down Northampton Blvd. near the border between Virginia Beach and Norfolk. According to the Norfolk Police, the bicyclist was struck at approximately 12:25 p.m., and was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene. In a similar story, the Richmond Times-Dispatch also reported on a bicyclist being fatally struck in Richmond by an SUV. Initially, the driver of the SUV fled the scene, but later came forward and admitted being the driver who hit the bicyclist. According to the driver, he unintentionally collided with the bicyclist while driving down a stretch of road that did not have a bicycle lane, was narrow and lined with heavy vegetation.

While the articles did not report the exact causes of the accidents or determine who was at fault, many bicycle accidents, injuries and fatalities are caused by the inattention of the drivers of cars, buses and trucks. Often times, even if the investigating officer cannot determine who caused the accident, a more thorough investigation conducted by a specialist trained in accident reconstruction can properly assign fault and allow the proper party to be compensated for his or her injuries.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious bicycle, 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. 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 bicycle, 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.

The Virginian-Pilot recently reported that a 19-year-old man died in the Hampton Roads area when his motorcycle collided with a car on Interstate 64. According to the Virginia State Police, the man riding the motorcycle came into contact with a Jeep Cherokee and lost control, ran off the road, hit a guardrail and flew off the motorcycle. Unfortunately, the motorcyclist died at the scene.

While the article did not report the exact cause of the accident or determine who was at fault, many motorcycle accidents, injuries and fatalities are caused by the inattention of the drivers of cars, buses and trucks. Often times, even if the investigating officer cannot determine who caused the accident, a more thorough investigation conducted by a specialist trained in accident reconstruction can properly assign fault and allow the proper party to be compensated for his or her injuries.

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. 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.

A 56-year-old-man from Newport News, Virginia was recently arrested after causing several automobile accidents while travelling the wrong way on Interstate 664 in Suffolk, Virginia. Prior to his arrest, two Virginia State Police Troopers tried several times to stop and block the driver, but rather than stop, the driver struck the Virginia State Police cars, as well as several other automobiles, causing injuries. The Virginia Troopers eventually stopped the driver’s vehicle at Jefferson Avenue and Dresden Drive in Newport News, Virginia. The driver was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, eluding, damage to property and felony hit and run.

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 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.

A recent auto accident on Interstate 95 in northern Virginia is suspected to have been caused by an intoxicated driver. Even with stiffer drunk driving penalties and less leniency on drunk drivers by the courts, drunk driving remains a deadly problem for Virginians. In 2006, approximately 29,595 Virginia drivers were convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol. Intoxicated drivers were cited as the cause of approximately 374 highway fatalities and 7,543 injuries in the Commonwealth in 2006.

If you, a family member or loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, you should contact the attorneys at Pierce & Thornton as soon as possible. We have successfully settled and tried cases against drunk drivers. Call us so we can investigate the facts, preserve the evidence in your case and obtain all money damages allowed under Virginia law.

Under Virginia law, a drunk driver who causes personal injury can be required to not only compensate his victim for the injuries caused, but also will be required to pay punitive damages for his reckless conduct if the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .15 or above at the time of the crash. This is called the “statutory presumption” for punitive damages.

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