Richmond Car Accident Attorneys Encouraged By Virginia’s Reduction in DUI Fatalities

The personal injury attorneys of the Richmond-based law firm of Marks & Harrison encourage motorists to drive sober, not only during special Labor Day crackdown, but throughout the year.

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) August 31, 2011

As Virginians prepare for their last summer getaways, a new report shows that the state has made deeper cuts in impaired driving crashes than its neighbors.

Still, drunk driving continues to pose a serious threat to Labor Day travelers and people who use Virginia’s roads throughout the year, say attorneys at the Virginia personal injury law firm of Marks & Harrison.

According to The Washington Examiner, Virginia has made more progress than Maryland and the District of Columbia in its efforts to reduce auto accidents caused by drivers who were impaired by alcohol or other drugs.

Figures show that the number of Virginia alcohol and drug-related crashes has fallen steadily from 11,736 in 2006 to 8,221 last year. In Maryland, the totals have fluctuated between a high of 8,804 and a low of 8,145, with no clear trend. The District’s number of impaired driving crashes has increased constantly during the same period.

Some of the credit for Virginia’s improvement goes to stricter enforcement of drunk driving laws, education campaigns and special crackdowns like the one scheduled for the upcoming Labor Day holiday season, according to Virginia police and highway safety organizations.

But while any improvement is good news, Virginia still has a long way to go to make its roads safer for motorists, caution the Richmond-based personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Marks & Harrison.

For example, 243 people lost their lives in drunk driving accidents in Virginia last year, according to statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Although that figure was down from 294 fatalities in 2008, hundreds of people are still losing their lives because of entirely preventable behavior, the law firm says.

The Virginia auto accident attorneys at Marks & Harrison urge motorists to pay heed to the National Impaired Driving Crackdown that is set to run through the end of Labor Day weekend.

And while it’s important to abstain from drinking and driving during special holiday times, staying safe and sober behind the wheel is a habit that must be kept year-round to ensure safer roads, according to the law firm.

The firm also emphasizes that even the most cautious drivers can still suffer the dire consequences of impaired driving if they are unable to avoid a collision with an intoxicated driver. That’s why the victims of drunk driving accidents should consult with a qualified Virginia personal injury attorney for help with securing their rights against the at-fault driver, the firm states.

About Marks & Harrison

Established in 1911, Marks & Harrison represents clients in a variety of different practice areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, car accidents, tractor trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, alcohol/drug-related accidents and pedestrian injuries. The firm features eight offices located in the Virginia cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Louisa, Charlottesville, Tappahanock, Hopewell, Staunton and Fredericksburg. To learn more about the firm and your rights if you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, call (800) 283-2202 or use the firm’s online form.

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Aaron Barr
Marks & Harrison
(800) 283-2202
Email Information

Maryland Automobile Accident Attorney Opens New Downtown Location

Successful Auto Accident and Criminal Defense Attorney takes his practice "to the clients" by opening a satellite office near Lexington Market in Downtown Baltimore

Baltimore, Maryland (PRWEB) August 31, 2011

Baltimore Automobile Accident Attorney Marc G. Snyder, and The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder, is pleased to announce the opening of their new Downtown Baltimore Office, located at 229 N. Howard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. The location of the new office was chosen to provide a centrally accessible legal resource for the rapidly expanding Baltimore City population. One block east of the World Famous Lexington Market, and within minutes of all major transportation hubs, Mr. Snyder is optimistic that the new location will “bring the high-quality legal representation that our clients have come to expect but until now, have been unable to access, due to limited transportation and financial resources.”

The new location of the Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder will allow the firm to concentrate their efforts in assisting clients who have been injured as the result of another individual’s negligence, whether in a car, truck or motorcycle accident, as the result of medical malpractice, or through the negligent security measures of local businesses.

"Following years of helping client’s throughout Maryland from our primary office, I felt it was time to, quite simply, bring the office to our clients. I want to remove “getting there” as a barrier for those seeking our help.”

Marc G. Snyder, son of the highly successful and well known “Master of the Malpractice Universe,” Stephen L. Snyder, opened his own law firm in 2007, following a unique and varied path that began with representing victims of medical malpractice as an Associate in his father’s firm. After leaving his father’s firm in 2002 to pursue interests outside of the legal profession, Marc Snyder returned to law, again with his father’s law firm in 2005. It was during this time that Marc Snyder helped to achieve some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the history of Maryland law, including multiple case results in excess of 100 Million Dollars. Several years later, Marc Snyder joined the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office as a Prosecutor, where he worked until founding The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder.

Throughout his career, Baltimore Auto Accident Attorney Marc G. Snyder has assisted in recovering more than $300,000,000.00 in injury awards for his clients. Now leading his own legal team, he hopes to continue this success by bringing his tenacious but compassionate brand of legal representation to residents throughout Baltimore City. In the three years since opening The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder, more than two million dollars has been recovered for clients in cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents to professional negligence.

The new location’s first effort to reach out to the Baltimore City population will be through The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder Free Legal Clinic. The free Legal Clinic, held once a month, provides an important resource to those whose ability to find legal answers and information limited. Answering general questions, proving directions as to where visitors can take the next step, and offering legal representation are all elements of the well-received Clinic.

“So many of our Maryland auto accident clients have been left with limited resources, including available transportation. Most people don’t realize that simply being unable to get from one location to the next keeps those in desperate need of legal assistance from taking that first step in the right direction,” said Snyder Senior Case Manager and University of Baltimore Law Student Jobeth Bowers, “Our clients have enough challenges facing them. We felt that the least we could do is to ensure ready access to quality legal representation.”

The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder represents those injured as the result of another person’s negligence, whether in a car, truck or motorcycle accident, the result of a medical error (medical malpractice) or due to the negligent security measures employed by local businesses. A former Baltimore City Prosecutor, Mr. Snyder also represents individuals facing criminal charges throughout the State of Maryland. The Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder have three locations: Pikesville, Maryland, Ocean City, Maryland, and Baltimore City.

# # #

Joe Bowers
Law Offices of Marc G. Snyder
443-831-2208
Email Information

Opening Statements In Trial Of Man Accused Of Staging Crash

Robert Walters (credit: CBS)

DENVER (CBS4) â€" Opening statements were held Tuesday in the trial of an Iraq veteran charged with killing his girlfriend who was an Air Force veteran.

Robert Walters, 25, is accused of killing Brittney Brashers. She was 22 years old when she was killed last fall.

Walter’s lawyer says Brashers died in a car accident. Prosecutors say he staged the car accident to cover up her death.

Brittney Brashers (credit: CBS)

A 911 tape was played in court. Walters could be heard screaming the background. One of the witnesses testified that he was screaming Brashers’ name over and over again and was shaking.

Attorneys then interviewed the police officers and firefighters who were first on scene. Some of their testimony mentioned that Brashers’ injuries were not consistent with what one officer described as a moderate accident.

Defense attorneys told jurors that Brashers died in the car accident and the coroners’ report won’t prove she died beforehand from other injuries. They said Walters, who was also in the car during the accident, was drunk and asleep at the time and doesn’t know how it happened.

Walters later told his estranged wife that he murdered Brashers and faked the accident to cover it up. She recorded the conversations. The defense team said Walters made up the conversations to try to get his wife to leave him alone because he didn’t love her anymore.

Walters also faces a solicitation to commit first-degree murder charge for allegedly trying to hire an inmate he met in jail to kill his wife. The defense said that inmate lied to set Walters up and strike a deal of his own to get out of jail early.

There was a history of domestic violence between Walters and Brashers. Voice messages were playing in court where Walters can be heard saying he wanted to kill Brashers. There was another one where Walters said he was going to cause her to be in a car accident. Attorney’s said that was just “Robbie being Robbie.” They said he said those types of things often and really wouldn’t go through with it.

The case is expected to last about two weeks.

No contest plea in 2010 fatal crash

An Avenal man pleaded no contest Monday to charges related to a violent car accident last year that killed one and injured two others, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office said.

On Apr. 24, 2010, Santos Nieto was driving southbound on the Avenal Cutoff near Interstate 5 around 4:11 p.m. when his SUV veered to the right, Deputy District Attorney Sarah Hacker said. The passenger-side wheels went across a drain and onto the curb. He straddled the curb for about 100 to 120 feet.

“He forcefully jerked the car off the curb and into the northbound lane of traffic,” Hacker said.

Nieto hit a small fiberglass kit car head on, immediately killing the driver, Jack Bolding, 62, and seriously injuring his 23-year-old daughter.

Nieto was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from his vehicle. His passenger suffered minor injuries.

Bolding’s daughter and Nieto were taken by helicopter to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for their injuries.

Hacker said Nieto’s blood-alcohol level measured .25 nearly three hours after the incident.

Monday’s no-contest plea included felony charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol and causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08  and causing injury. He also admitted causing great bodily injury to two other passengers involved in the vehicle collision.

Nieto is being held in the Kings County Jail awaiting sentencing on Sept. 26. Hacker said he could face up to 19 years and eight months in prison.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2458 or meiman@HanfordSentinel.com.

'SNL' Darrell Hammond suing over car crash injuries

Darrell Hammond is suffering from injuries following a recent car accident.

The former Saturday Night Live star fractured ribs and injured his back when his car collided with another vehicle in the Hamptons, reports Page Six.

Lawyers for Hammond have filed a lawsuit against the other driver, claiming that the actor has been unable to stand for long periods of time since the crash.

Attorney Melanie Little insisted that Hammond's ability to perform stand-up comedy has been severely affected, saying: "He's in pain and had to cancel many performances. He can't fly and he can't stand up."

The comic is seeking unspecified damages in the suit.

Hammond first joined Saturday Night Live in 1995, soon becoming popular for his impressions of Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Hardball host Chris Matthews.

He left SNL in 2009 after a 14-year run on the programme, but has returned sporadically for guest appearances.

> Jimmy Fallon to host Saturday Night Live

Watch Darrell Hammond play Bill Clinton on SNL below (US only):

Florida Personal Injury Attorneys Launch Website to Serve Accident and Injury Victims

New state-of-the-art website for Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, provides useful information on protecting one’s rights after being harmed by the negligence or recklessness of another.

Stuart, FL (PRWEB) August 30, 2011

South Florida and Treasure Coast accident and injury victims can now find important information about their legal options by going to a user-friendly and informative new website from the law firm of Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney.

The Florida personal injury law firm recently launched the new site, http://www.flainjurylawyer.com, which features written and video content that is presented in a sleekly designed, easy-to-navigate format.

Philip DeBerard, III, a veteran Florida personal injury lawyer and the firm’s founder, says he hopes the website serves as a helpful resource for those who have suffered serious bodily injury or lost a loved one due to the negligence or recklessness of others.

“You never plan on being harmed by another, but when it occurs, you need to take immediate action,” says DeBerard, who has secured more than $125 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients over the course of more than three decades as a board-certified Florida trial lawyer.

“This site is intended to provide useful information that will help you to understand Florida personal injury and wrongful death law as well as the options that are available to you to seek relief that can pay for your medical expenses, lost wages and other damages,” he says.

The law firm’s state-of-the-art website features:

•     Practice Areas â€" Detailed discussion of the causes, common injuries and legal aspects relating to the firm’s primary practice areas of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, dog bite injuries, slip and fall injuries, swimming pool accidents and wrongful death claims.

•      Attorneys â€" Introductions to the firm’s highly skilled and experienced attorneys, Philip DeBerard and Anthony K. Goodman, and their dedication to providing professional, honest and compassionate legal advice and representation to Florida accident and injury victims.
•     Frequently Asked Questions â€" Answers to questions commonly posed by those who have been hurt by the negligent, reckless or intentional acts of other people, professionals or companies.
•     Verdicts & Settlements â€" Although the firm’s record of past results is not intended to imply that a similar result can be obtained in case, this section indicates the firm’s wide range of experience when it comes to Florida personal injury and wrongful death cases.
•     Our Blog â€" Constantly updated information about the latest Florida personal injury news and legal trends.
•     Contact Us â€" An interactive feature that allows visitor to provide information about their case and help the firm’s attorneys and staff to assess how to address their legal needs.

“Our law firm realizes that suffering a serious injury or losing a family member to an accident can be a stressful and difficult experience,” DeBerard says. “With the assistance of a skilled and compassionate attorney, however, you can start on the road to recovery. We hope that going to our new website will help accident and injury victims and their families understand how they can take those first steps.”

About Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney

The law firm of Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, has provided professional and compassionate legal assistance to personal injury and accident victims in South Florida on the Treasure Coast since 1975. The firm’s practice areas include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, dog bite injuries, slip and fall injuries, swimming pool accidents and wrongful death claims. The firm represents clients throughout the South Florida communities of Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and Vero Beach and across the state of Florida. For more information, call (800) 299-8878 or use the firm’s online contact form.

###

Beth Anderson
Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney
(800) 299-8878
Email Information

Lawyers advise motorists to guard against uninsured drivers

With one out of every four drivers on California roads uninsured, personal injury lawyers are advising people not to skimp on coverage even during tough times.

Attorney Brian Morgan said people come into his Apple Valley and Barstow offices asking for help to recoup losses suffered in car accidents caused by uninsured drivers. But he said there’s not much attorneys can do unless their clients have adequate uninsured motorist protection.

Uninsured motorist protection compensates for a loss sustained in a car accident caused by a driver who is uninsured or inadequately insured.

California mandates insurance companies to include uninsured motorist protection in every policy, but the requirement is only $30,000 per person and $60,000 aggregate. And the amount is reduced if drivers purchase liability policies of less than $30,000/$60,000.

“That’s very low, and If you get into an accident, you have nowhere to turn,” said Reuben Donig, an attorney specializing in personal injury claims in the Bay Area. “You better hope that other people have an adequate amount of insurance.”

But that’s not always the case because uninsured or inadequately insured drivers cause nearly a half of car accidents, Donig said.

He added that the public doesn’t know how extensive uninsured motorist coverage is. It compensates medical expenses, lost income or earnings, diminution in their ability to earn money in the future or assorted out-of-pocket expenses, he said.

For more about uninsured motorist coverage, read the full story in Tuesday's Daily Press. Get complete stories every day with the "exactly as printed" Daily Press E-edition, only $5 per month! Click here to try it free for 7 days. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here.

Tomoya Shimura may be reached at (760) 955-5368 or TShimura@VVDailyPress.com. Follow Tomoya on Facebook at facebook.com/ShimuraTomoya.

Officer Who Hit Wheelchair Man Disciplined for Excessive Texting

August 29, 2011

New court documents shed light on what happened in the moments leading up to an accident at the intersection of West Main Street and 4th Street NW. At that corner on November 5, 2007, an Albemarle County police officer hit a man crossing the street in a wheelchair (video embedded below).

Forty seconds is the amount of time Officer Gregory Davis' sat at the red light before it turned green and he entered the intersection, turning left from 4th Street onto West Main. The dashcam video on his police cruiser left many people wondering what was happening in the seconds before Davis crashed into Gerry Mitchell.

Texting While Driving Law

The texting while driving law took effect in Virginia in 2009. It is a secondary offense, meaning police officers cannot pull over a driver for it unless there is some other primary violation (i.e. speeding, expired tags, etc.).

If caught, the penalty is a $20 fine for the first offense. It's $50 for the second.

The texting while driving law does not apply to the operator of an emergency vehicle, including police officers.

Officer Davis' statement says:

At some point during my turn into the intersection, I was looking at my cell phone. I did not try to avoid the accident because as soon as I saw Mr. Mitchell my vehicle hit him.”

The statement has surfaced as Mitchell's civil lawsuit filed against the officer is being heard. However, it fails to mention texting, a new key clue according to Mitchell's attorney, Richard Armstrong.

“We get this answer from him that says 'during the turn, I may have looked down at my cell phone,” said Richard Armstrong, Mitchell's attorney. “It doesn't say anything about texting.”

During the investigation, when asked about disciplinary actions, Officer Davis said he was “found to have used my cell phone excessively”. Armstrong contends he was disciplined for excessive use on the day of the accident, including excessive texting during the drive to the scene of the accident.

“His answer about being disciplined for excessive texting was artful at best,” the attorney claimed. “It didn't say he was disciplined for excessive texting on the day of the accident.”

Furthermore, Mitchell's attorney says he's learned that Davis made a statement to a fellow officer about his texting and cell phone use on the day of the accident and one or more statements were recorded.

Armstrong believes texting could explain why a driver could be so distracted. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday regarding the new texting evidence. The case will go before a judge in September.

The Albemarle County Police Department was contacted but declined to comment on this story. As for Officer Davis, he still works with the department.

Mitchell broke his shoulder in the accident, which he says just added to his already poor health.

---

Latest Comments

Posted by: Pat Location: Charlottesville on Aug 29, 2011 at 08:30 PM

I work on West Main Street and I see the man in the wheelchair often. He is arrogant, and does not look before crossing the street or driveways. He expects people to see him and move out of his way. He has his 'friends' cut hedges and bushes along the street because they are in 'his way'. I think if this man had used just a little common sense, he would not have been hit. I look for it to happen to him again. I walk and run in town often and would never cross at a pedestrian crossing or in front of a driveway or entrance to a business, especially with cars around, without keeping an eye on the drivers. No one is perfect. We all have a responsibility to watch out for ourselves. Whether the police officer was right or wrong, no one should assume anything.

Posted by: Wow Location: Palmyra on Aug 29, 2011 at 07:15 PM

1. He's really being referred to as "Wheelchair Man"? 2. Was the cop really listening to "My Humps"?

No-fault Insurance: What’s it All About?

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 578

Posted by Jessica GrigsbyAugust 29, 2011 5:39 PM

Following a car accident, the most important thing for those affected is often to get reimbursed for their losses, such as medical bills and car repairs. And, almost always, it is car insurance companies that get involved, trying to figure out not only how much they are going to pay out, but also which company should be paying. This question of which company paysâ€"your own insurance company or the other driver’sâ€"depends on the insurance laws of each state and, most importantly, whether it is a state that uses “no fault insurance”. So what exactly is “no fault insurance” and how is it different than regular insurance?

Normally, which insurance company paysâ€"yours or the other driver’sâ€"and how much they pay depends on who was at fault for causing the accident. If you were at fault, then your insurance company pays. If the other driver was at fault, then their insurance company pays. And, if both of you were at fault in some capacity, then the insurance companies try to figure out an accurate division of responsibility and they pay accordingly. As you can imagine, all of this determining “who was at fault” can take some serious time to resolves and is in fact a huge part of litigating car accident cases.

No-fault insurance attempts to bypass this messy “who did what to whom” fight. Instead, if you carry no-fault insurance, sometimes called Personal Injury Protection insurance, and you get into an accident, your insurance company will pay you, up to the limits of your policy, no matter who caused the accident. Typically, this type of insurance coverage will pay for only your personal injuries, and any property damage that might have happened to your car is not covered.

Most states, including California, do not use the no-fault system of insurance. Instead, California law requires drivers to carry insurance that will cover the costs of an accident that they are at fault for. This is the “financial responsibility” way of thinking about car insurance: if you are going to drive a car, then you need to have the financial ability to pay for any damage you might cause to others.

So, at the end of the day, no-fault insurance helps to answer the question of whose policy covers whose injuries. A no-fault insurance policy will cover your injuries no matter who caused the accident. A financial responsibility policy will cover damage only if the policy holder was at fault.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

I-40 & Grand armed robbery attempt ends with chase, traffic accident

NewsChannel 10

Amarillo, Texas - Police are investigating an armed robbery, turned chase, turned attempted car jacking, turned traffic accident, in the I-40 and Grand area.

According to reports, the incident began at a Payless Shoe Store in the 3300 block of I-40 East when a male suspect entered the store with a gun and demanded money.

Police say the cashier gave the suspect a bank bag full of an undisclosed amount of money and the suspect took off running.

They say the suspect then entered a Cash America near Grand and I-40. Police say two Potter County District Attorney investigators happened to be in the store and drew their weapons when they saw the suspect was armed.

Reports indicate the suspect took off running once again and made his way down the embankment, where he proceeded to cross the Eastbound and Westbound lanes of I-40.

Eyewitnesses say traffic began to slow down as the man was crossing.

Police say the suspect then attempted to enter a maroon Honda heading westbound on I-40. They say the suspect tried to open the car doors, was banging on the windows with his gun, and then jumped on the hood of the car.

According to reports, the female driver of the Honda attempted to speed up and change lanes in order to avoid the suspect, when she was hit by a semi-truck.

Police say the female driver, the semi-truck driver, and the suspect have been taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police expect the suspect to be charged when released from the hospital.

Jurors deliberating in fatal test-drive crash trial

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jurors have begun deliberations in the murder trial of Bryan Lee, the man accused of causing a fatal crash by driving recklessly while test driving a car.

Lee was test-driving a Dodge Challenger on Fern Valley Road on August 23, 2009  when he struck another car, killing - 40-year-old Toya Buckner-Dioum and her father-in-law, 63-year-old Sherman King.

Lee took the stand in his own defense Thursday, telling jurors that he "put the [accelerator] down probably 70 percent and when I did I felt it take off."

Lee's attorney, James Earhart has argued that the salesperson encouraged Lee to speed to see what the muscle car could do. The salesperson has never been charged in connection with the deaths.

Also during Thursday's testimony, Lee's brother -- who was in the car -- told jurors that the car Lee hit ran a stop sign.

Earhart brought that up again during closing arguments on Friday.

"If the car stops at the stop sign, if the car gives the right-a-way to the car that was going down the road without the stop sign, no accident occurs," Earhart said.

Prosecutors say the bottom line is that Lee was driving and is responsible for his actions and the death of two people.

Prosecuting attorney Kristi Gray says Lee has shown no remorse.

"You saw his demeanor on the stand -- arrogant, no remorse, nothing's my fault," Gray said. "The salesman made me do it; he pressured me. He wasn't threatening him or holding a gun to his head. That's ridiculous."

The computer inside the Dodge Challenger indicates the vehicle was traveling over 100 miles per hour just seconds before impact, but the defense has said they don't believe the data is accurate.

Earhart says the accident was a tragic mistake, but that doesn't make it criminal, and that the crash could have been avoided if Toya, who was driving the car that Lee hit, hadn't run the stop sign.

Lee is charged with two counts of manslaughter, but the jury has the option of finding him guilty of reckless homicide.

Copyright 2011 WDRB News. All rights reserved.

Krawiec estate awarded more than $1M

Jury awards $1.275 million to the estate of Cary woman killed in a 2007 traffic crash

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WOODSTOCK â€" The estate of the late Sylvia Krawiec was awarded $1.275 million Thursday after after a four-day trial in McHenry County Circuit Court.

Sylvia Krawiec, 25, was killed Oct. 10, 2007, in a car accident on Route 31 near Centegra Hospital â€" McHenry. Krawiec was headed north to work when her vehicle was struck head-on by a truck driven by Lucinda Slensby, then 67, of Crystal Lake.

Prosecutors in May 2010 dismissed reckless homicide charges against Slensby, who is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel and caused the fatal accident.

Slensby pleaded guilty to two traffic charges â€" improper lane use and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident â€" and was sentenced to a year of conditional discharge and a $1,000 fine.

During a four-day trial this week to determine damages, a jury heard testimony from Krawiec’s family and friends and were asked to consider each family member’s loss, grief, sorrow and mental suffering, a news release from the family’s attorney said.

The jury deliberated for two and a half hours before deciding to award more than a million dollars to Krawiec’s estate.

Krawiec, of Cary, is survived by her parents, Walter and Marolia, and her younger sister, Angie Krawiec, according to the release from Krawiec’s attorney.

“The verdict demonstrates the substantial loss the Krawiec family suffered when they lost Sylvia,” the release said. “Sylvia was a wonderful young woman, just months away from completing her nursing degree.”

During the criminal proceedings, prosecutors said they were unable to prove that Slensby, who does not remember the accident, acted recklessly.

Experts indicated that the pattern of drifting into the on-coming lane without any jerking movement or changes in speed was consistent with a driver falling asleep at the wheel.

However, evidence did not show that Slensby suffered from a medical condition that caused her to fall asleep unexpectedly, nor was she taking medication that would have impaired her driving, prosecutors said.

The Krawiec family could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

In a prepared statement read in May 2010, Sylvia Krawiec’s father described her as a strong young woman who survived two kidney transplants and worked full time at Centegra Hospital â€" McHenry while attending nursing school.

At the time of the accident, her boyfriend, Nick, had been saving for an engagement ring he had selected, Walter Krawiec said.

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Mount Prospect woman killed in two-car crash

Updated: August 25, 2011 5:16PM

A Mount Prospect woman was killed early Thursday in a two-car accident at Sanders Road and Commercial Avenue.

Zofia E. Strzalkowska, 58, who police said worked in Northbrook, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The driver of the second car was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Police said he was treated and released to officers, who are still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred about 1:35 a.m.

Police said a passenger in the second car was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where he remained hospitalized Thursday afternoon. Police did not know his condition.

A second passenger refused medical treatment at the scene.

Police said Strzalkowska was apparently turning from westbound Commercial onto southbound Sanders when her car was struck by the second car northbound on Sanders.

Northbrook Police on Thursday were working with the Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office as they continued to investigate the incident.

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Two car accident injures one person in Bingahmton

8/14/2011 (Updated 8/15/2011 8:31:02 PM)

A two car accident injures one person in Binghamton.

Two vehicles collided on East Clinton Street and Front Street in Downtown Binghamton.

Police did not say which hospital the injured person went to, but did say the accident was caused when one driver was not paying attention when the light at the intersection changed to red.

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5.9 Earthquake Centered In Virginia Is Felt All Over Northeast VIEW VIDEO A powerful earthquake hit northern Virginia just before 2pm Eastern time today. It was felt in New York -- and hit as Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance was speaking about the dismissal of... more BU Geologists Talks About Rarity of Earthquakes in NY Tremors the the 5.9 magnitude were felt throughout the Southern Tier Tuesday afternoon. Fox40 spoke to Peter Knuepfer, Associate Professor of Geology at Binghamton University about why earthquakes... more Fox 40's Facebook Friends React To Earthquake VIEW VIDEO Lots of our Facebook friends have been chiming in about what they felt. People from Binghamton, Endicott, Norwich, Bainbridge, and Sherman P.A all felt the tremors. Sarah Klinko said it felt... more Johnson City Website Hacked? VIEW VIDEO Are you fluent in Finnish? Most people who live in Johnson City are not. This is a screen shot from the Village of Johnson City's website, johnsoncityny.org .which has  apparently been... more Discount Prescription Card Saves Residents More Than $3 Million VIEW VIDEO Broome County residents have saved more than 3 million dollars at the pharmacy. That is thanks to Pro-Act, the free discount prescription drug program sponsored by the Broome County... more Former Broome Official Named Cuomo's Director of Thruway Authority Governor Andrew Cuomo nominated Thomas J. Madison to serve as Executive Director of the New York State Thruway Authority. Madison, who is currently an executive at a consulting firm that... more Fire Hits Third Floor Of Johnson City House VIEW VIDEO Fire destroys the front of the third floor of a home on Helen Street in Johnson City. Around 3:30 Monday afternoon Binghamton, Johnson City, Vestal and Endicott Fire Departments responded to a... more

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Fairfield police officer shot last year hospitalized Sunday in car accident

FAIRFIELD â€" Two Fairfield police officers â€" including one shot multiple times last year â€" were hospitalized early today after their cars collided.

Officer Gerald Veneziano and Sgt. Christopher Oswald responded to a Montville police report that a driver who refused to stop was heading towards Fairfield, according to Deputy Chief Anthony Manna.

The two police cars collided at 1:11 a.m. while chasing Taiwan Davis, who was heading west on Route 46. Davis, 27, attempted to exit at the closed off Hollywood Avenue ramp, according to Manna. When he swerved back onto the highway in front of Oswald, the officer steered into the median where Veneziano, who was heading eastbound, was attempting to cross the median.

Airbags deployed in both police vehicles and both officers were taken to Morristown Medical Center, Manna said. The front of Oswald’s vehicle struck the rear of Veneziano’s vehicle, Manna said.

Oswald, 39, was released around 5 a.m. with contusions on his right leg and soreness, according to Manna. Veneziano, 28, remained in the hospital last night, waiting on an MRI for a neck injury, Manna said.

"He’s one tough guy, as we well know from the past," Manna said.

The driver was later arrested by Montville police.

Davis faces charges of driving while intoxicated and eluding police, among other charges and outstanding warrants.

Veneziano had recently returned to full duty as a Fairfield police officer after being shot multiple times Jan. 30, 2010, while driving to work to start a night shift.

Another driver had reportedly been trailing Veneziano’s car for several miles. When the off-duty officer approached the vehicle and identified himself as a police officer, the other driver allegedly opened fire and shot Veneziano between six to nine times and then drove off.

Veneziano was critically injured and the shooting launched a massive manhunt for the gunman.

"This kid is a great officer. Couldn’t wait to come back to duty," Manna said yesterday. "A lot of people don’t return to duty after something like this happens."

After recovering, Veneziano returned to work modified duty in September. He worked at police headquarters and was cleared for full duty about a month ago. He just returned to patrolling on his own a few weeks ago, Manna said.

Preye L. Roberts, 24, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the January shooting. However, in February his attorney said Roberts was unfit to appear in court and was in a Trenton psychiatric hospital.

R.I. Police Digest: Seven-car accident closes Route 95 south

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, August 22, 2011

Pawtucket

Seven-car accident closes Route 95 south

A seven-car accident shut down traffic on Route 95 south near Lonsdale Avenue in Pawtucket for 45 minutes early Sunday.

Two cars were involved in a fender-bender in the high-speed lane around 1:26 a.m. near Exit 26, according to state police Lt. Kelsey A. Marshall. When a third car stopped to help, it was hit from behind by a fourth vehicle.

A fifth car then pulled up to assist, only to be rear-ended by a sixth vehicle. That car, which police said was driven by an alleged drunken driver, then veered to the right, hitting a seventh car as well as three of the other vehicles involved, Marshall said.

State police charged Derrick Azevedo, 25, of 63 Clews St., Pawtucket, with driving under the influence, Marshall said. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with minor injuries and is due to be arraigned in District Court, Providence, Sept. 9, she said.

Five other people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, she said. All the vehicles were towed from the scene.

Journal Staff

Providence

Man charged with assaulting brother-in-law

A Providence man faces domestic-assault charges after a night of drinking at home turned into a dispute with his brother-in-law early Sunday, according to the police.

Jim Barrett, 46, of Manchester, Conn., told the police that he, his girlfriend and his brother-in-law stayed up late drinking at his brother-in-law’s apartment, while his sister and niece slept. Barrett told the police that at about 5 a.m., after using the bathroom, he caught his girlfriend performing a sex act on his brother-in-law, Ron Williams. Barrett told the police that he yelled at Williams to leave the room, but that Williams lunged at him and became violent.

Williams, 37, of 89 Eddy St., Apt. 401, was charged with one count of domestic simple assault.

Journal Staff

Struggle over phone leads to teen’s arrest

A teenage girl from New York was arrested on disorderly conduct charges after she refused to give her father her cell phone while shopping at Providence Place mall Saturday evening.

Police officers patrolling the mall noticed a man dragging the girl by her hand while she was on the ground, according to police reports. As the officers intervened, they noticed the pair was struggling over a white cell phone.

The officers thought the man might have been trying to steal the phone from the girl, but, after talking to the pair, learned that the father, Carlos Chamorro, of Queens, N.Y., had been trying to take the phone away for disciplinary reasons.

The father was not charged. The girl was referred to Family Court.

Journal Staff

Store franchisee accused of food-stamp fraud

A former 7-Eleven franchisee in Rhode Island has been accused of taking food-stamp benefits for cash at his Providence convenience store.

A complaint unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Providence says 43-year-old Syed Shah charged an undercover investigator $60 in food stamps for $40 in cash. The complaint does not disclose how much investigators believe Shah fraudulently pocketed in food-stamp benefits, the Associated Press reported.

Investigators say food stamp redemptions at his store skyrocketed from $228,000 in 2008 to nearly $1 million last year.

The Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture began its probe of Shah’s store in 2008, two years after he took over the business.

The complaint says Shah told an investigator on Aug. 15 that an employee only identified as “S.K.” started giving cash back for food stamps in 2009. Investigators say the practice boosted business and Shah feared losing customers if he did not keep it up. He told an investigator he charged $30 to $40 in food stamps for every $50 in cash requested.

Authorities say the average monthly food stamp redemption at Shah’s store was $69,025, compared with a combined monthly redemption average of $8,770 at the other five 7-Eleven franchises in the area. Shah is also accused of letting customers purchase items that are prohibited under food stamp rules and letting them run up tabs.

Court filings show Shah was released on unsecured bond. He is charged with conspiracy to acquire and possess supplemental nutrition-assistance program benefits.

The complaint says 7-Eleven stripped him of his franchise last December. Court filings show Shah is currently employed by the military, but does not indicate what he does or where he works.

His attorney did not immediately return a message from the Associated Press. A man who answered the phone at a listing for Shah said it was a wrong number when asked about the criminal complaint.

Journal Staff

Cranston

Man charged in abuse of boy with power drill

A Cranston man is being held on a first-degree child-abuse charge after allegedly using a power drill on his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son.

The police say Luis Rodriguez, 37, remains under investigation in the case and more charges may be filed, the Associated Press reported.

According to the report, the boy’s father contacted the police in December after he saw scars on the child’s right arm. The police said the boy and his 9-year-old brother told their father that Rodriguez used the drill between the boy’s forearm and upper arm.

They also told their father that Rodriguez abused both of them.

The boys were interviewed by child advocates Tuesday, and Rodriguez was arrested the next day.

Journal Staff

'Say You're Sorry': Town Split in Text Crash Case

Earlier this year, teenager Justine Winter was sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison for causing a car accident that killed a pregnant woman and her son. But the crash, which happened more than two years ago in the town of Kalispell in northwestern Montana, and the controversial court case that followed still provoke strong emotions in the community.

Minutes before the accident on Flathead Valley's Highway 93, Winter sent a series of text messages to her boyfriend saying she planned to kill herself by wrecking her car. Prosecutors would later successfully argue that the messages helped prove that Winter intentionally drove her car into oncoming traffic, killing 35-year-old hairstylist Erin Thompson, who was four months pregnant, and her 13-year-old son, Caden Odell. Flathead County attorney Ed Corrigan told "20/20", "As we considered the text messages a little closer, it became inescapable … that this was a knowing act on [Winter's] part, that she purposely crossed the center line [of the highway]." Read more about the crash and Justine Winter's trial here.

Kalispell Mayor Tammi Fisher said the case tore apart the small community as people sided with the Winters or the family of Erin Thompson and Caden.

Family photo courtesy the Johnson/Thompson family

"There was empathy on all sides of the board," said Fisher. Some feel the teenager should not have been charged with deliberate homicide â€" the highest available charge â€" in the first place.

"There's a great divide in the community about what is justice in this case," Fisher added. "She is still just 18 years old."

Comments posted as recently as this summer to the website of a local newspaper, The Daily Inter Lake, include opinions that both condemn and defend Winter, who was 16 at the time of the crash. Some commenters suggested that Winter deserved the death penalty, while others urged compassion, saying, "she was just a kid."

PHOTOS: Justine Winter, Erin Thompson and Caden

Winter, who survived serious injuries, says she does not remember what happened the night of the accident and cannot take responsibility for the deaths that resulted. The case has remained in the headlines as Winter pursues an appeal; her lawyer filed a notice of appeal to the Montana Supreme Court last month. Meanwhile, as Winter maintains her innocence, the family of Erin Thompson and Caden are still waiting for an apology from Winter â€" one they say was conspicuously missing when Winter addressed the family during her sentencing in June.

'You Killed My Boy': Families Give Emotional Statements in Court

Both sides were given the opportunity to give statements to one another in court. Caden's father, Craig Odell, delivered a forceful and emotional statement. "Caden was, and you will never know, how incredible he was. And you took him. You did it. And you need to own it. You killed my boy."

Jason Thompson, Erin's husband of almost three years and Caden's stepfather, also spoke directly to Winter.

"The most important thing is to apologize. Show concern for what you have done … and try to make amends. But have you ever once … looked us in the eye and shown, and expressed even the slightest bit of sincere sorrow for everything that we've been through? We've waited and waited and waited for that."

'Say You're Sorry': Town Split in Montana Text Crash Case

Earlier this year, teenager Justine Winter was sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison for causing a car accident that killed a pregnant woman and her son. But the crash, which happened more than two years ago in the town of Kalispell in northwestern Montana, and the controversial court case that followed still provoke strong emotions in the community.

Watch the full story on "20/20" tonight at 10 p.m. ET

Minutes before the accident on Flathead Valley's Highway 93, Winter sent a series of text messages to her boyfriend saying she planned to kill herself by wrecking her car. Prosecutors would later successfully argue that the messages helped prove that Winter intentionally drove her car into oncoming traffic, killing 35-year-old hairstylist Erin Thompson, who was four months pregnant, and her 13-year-old son, Caden Odell. Flathead County attorney Ed Corrigan told "20/20", "As we considered the text messages a little closer, it became inescapable … that this was a knowing act on [Winter's] part, that she purposely crossed the center line [of the highway]." Read more about the crash and Justine Winter's trial here.

Kalispell Mayor Tammi Fisher said the case tore apart the small community as people sided with the Winters or the family of Erin Thompson and Caden.

Family photo courtesy the Johnson/Thompson family

"There was empathy on all sides of the board," said Fisher. Some feel the teenager should not have been charged with deliberate homicide â€" the highest available charge â€" in the first place.

"There's a great divide in the community about what is justice in this case," Fisher added. "She is still just 18 years old."

Comments posted as recently as this summer to the website of a local newspaper, The Daily Inter Lake, include opinions that both condemn and defend Winter, who was 16 at the time of the crash. Some commenters suggested that Winter deserved the death penalty, while others urged compassion, saying, "she was just a kid."

PHOTOS: Justine Winter, Erin Thompson and Caden

Winter, who survived serious injuries, says she does not remember what happened the night of the accident and cannot take responsibility for the deaths that resulted. The case has remained in the headlines as Winter pursues an appeal; her lawyer filed a notice of appeal to the Montana Supreme Court last month. Meanwhile, as Winter maintains her innocence, the family of Erin Thompson and Caden are still waiting for an apology from Winter â€" one they say was conspicuously missing when Winter addressed the family during her sentencing in June.

'You Killed My Boy': Families Give Emotional Statements in Court

Both sides were given the opportunity to give statements to one another in court. Caden's father, Craig Odell, delivered a forceful and emotional statement. "Caden was, and you will never know, how incredible he was. And you took him. You did it. And you need to own it. You killed my boy."

Jason Thompson, Erin's husband of almost three years and Caden's stepfather, also spoke directly to Winter.

"The most important thing is to apologize. Show concern for what you have done … and try to make amends. But have you ever once … looked us in the eye and shown, and expressed even the slightest bit of sincere sorrow for everything that we've been through? We've waited and waited and waited for that."

Father deemed negligent in son's fatal car accident

A jury last week determined that the father of a 12-year-old Woodland boy who died as the result of an auto accident was negligent in teaching his son to drive illegally on public roads, and therefore created the circumstances that led to his son's death.

Last week's three-day civil trial decided the distribution of the $125,000 insurance settlement to the estate of Jake Fry, whose only survivors are his divorced parents, Kathy and Loren Fry.

The jury gave Kathy Fry 94 percent while Loren Fry will receive six percent, or about $6,700, said Joseph Daggy, attorney for Kathy Fry.

"There's a high probability there are no funds left (of the $6,700)," due to legal fees, he said.

Jake Fry died Feb. 27, 2007, from injuries sustained in a two-car accident in Woodland the previous day. The boy was behind the wheel of a 1993 Ford Taurus belonging to his father's girlfriend, Kelley Hill, who was in the passenger seat. Her 12-year-old daughter was also in the car.

Skid mark analysis indicated Jake was driving at 80 mph in a 35 mph zone on North Pekin Road when he lost control of the car and crashed into a 2005 Toyota Sequoia carrying a woman and her granddaughter.

In February 2008, Hill pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault. She was sentenced to five years in prison and was released from probation in June.

Loren Fry wanted the insurance settlement split equally between himself and his ex-wife, insisting he was not to blame for his son's death because he was at work when the accident happened.

He initially claimed his son drove "very infrequently" and only in a field when they went fishing, according to court documents.

But four witnesses testified at the civil trial that Loren Fry often let his son drive, Daggy said. Documents in the court file show many additional statements by witnesses to police about seeing the boy driving illegally with his father, Hill or both in the car, often taking them to the store on beer runs.

Loren Fry also admitted in court that he let Jake drive on public roads, Daggy said.

"It was amazing how much they let him drive," Daggy said.

The jury concluded that Loren Fry was more at fault than Hill even though Hill was the adult in the car at the time of the accident, Daggy said.

"The conclusion was it was unlikely Kelley would have let Jake drive if Loren hadn't started the problem," Daggy said.

Have a crazy car accident story? Have a homeowners insurance claim story? Tell us about it and win a iPad 2!

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(PRWEB) August 19, 2011

Autoaccidentattorney.com.co offers assistance for drivers who need an auto accident attorney to help get the settlement money they deserve.

According the California Department of Vehicles, almost every driver will be in at least one car accident in their lifetime no matter how carefully they drive. Given this statistic almost ever licensed driver (and passenger) probably has a auto accident story to tell.

Autoaccidentattorney.com.co is giving an Ipad 2 for to hear interesting car crash stories on facebook. Drivers involved in bad car crashes may or may not receive a auto accident settlement for a car crash accident. Now there is an opportunity to win an Apple iPad 2 for the most interesting car crash stories. There are also runner up prizes on this facebook contest:

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Good home insurance stories are also accepted. There are plenty of good stories about homes being damaged from weather, lightning, fires or worse. Storytellers may also be paying too much for home insurance. It's smart to get a affordable homeowners insurance quote.

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Chad Klingensmith
seoprodigypayperclick
6195739885
Email Information

Man now faces murder charge in 2009 accident that killed wife

LUMBERTON â€" A Fairmont man accused in the death of his wife following a car accident two years ago now faces a charge of murder, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Terry Dean Spivey, 44, of 579 Bailey Road, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Sue Ellen Westbrook Spivey, according to Erich Hackney, an investigator for the county District Attorney’s Office.

Hackney said Spivey was driving on East White Pond Road in Fairmont on Oct. 2, 2009, with his wife and their grand-daughter, Haley Nicole Spivey, when he entered a curve and then exited the left side of the road, striking a tree. Hackney said that Terry Spivey was intoxicated when the wreck happened.

Sue Ellen Spivey was airlifted to the hospital at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she died on Oct. 18, Hackney said.

Spivey was initially charged with felony death by vehicle, driving while intoxicated, driving while license revoked, reckless driving and misdemeanor child abuse, Hackney said. The abuse charge resulted from Spivey having his granddaughter in the vehicle with him at the time of the accident..

In addition to the murder charge, Spivey is also charged with aggravated felony death by vehicle, Hackney said. The upgrade in charges, he said, resulted from the fact that Spivey had four previous DWI convictions on his record.

Additionally, Spivey was on probation at the time of the wreck for a DWI conviction on Oct. 27, 2008, according to Hackney. For that offense, Spivey received a $400 fine, seven days in jail and 18 months probation.

Hackney said Spivey was placed in the Robeson County jail under a $100,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allan Adams.

Washington Court Rules in Single-Car, Underinsured Motorist Case

A Washington State couple has been turned down on their appeal of a ruling that said Farmers Insurance can deny their uninsured motorist claim following a single-car accident, which they said was caused by another driver who disappeared.

The case involved an accident that Michael and his wife, Brenda, Osborne had on April 16, 2009. While driving on a lonely road in Skagit County, their Subaru went off the road. When the county sheriff arrived on the scene, they told him that they had been driven off the road by a car traveling in the opposite direction. The other car â€" referred to as the “phantom car” in the court decision â€" never stopped.

Five days later, the Osbornes, who had injuries, filed an underinsured motorist claim with their insurer, Farmers Insurance Co. of Washington.

Farmers’ denied their claim on the grounds that there was no corroborating evidence of another driver, and their policy clearly stated that, in cases where there was no physical crash between the insured’s car and the other car, the “facts of the accident must also be verified by someone other than you or another person having an underinsured motorist claim from the same accident.”

The sheriff said in his report that he passed no car in the area prior to arriving on the scene, and that there were no skid marks on the road to indicate the Osbornes, or another driver, had swerved hard to avoid a collision. He noted that it was possible that Brenda Osborne simply kept driving straight when the road turned. He also noted that they seemed oddly calm and composed.

The Osborne’s sued Farmers’ for denying their claim, for breach of contract.

In the ruling, the Court of Appeals Division One of Washington considered two questions: whether the trial court erred when it refused to consider their statements given at the scene and whether there was evidence of another car.

The trial court did not consider their statements at the scene because it was hearsay. The Osbornes’ attorney agreed it was hearsay but argued that there was an exception for “excited” speech given at the scene of a startling event.

The Court of Appeals rejected that contention, saying the sheriff on the scene had noted that they seemed very calm.

Regarding the second issue, the Court said there was no reasonable evidence of a second car, and so therefore there were no grounds for a legal suit.

Michigan Truck Accident Attorney Applauds Family’s Effort to Change FMCSA Hours-of-Service Rules

A Michigan girl’s parents suffered a tragic loss when their daughter died in a truck accident involving a fatigued truck driver. Their recent journey to lobby Congress for changes in trucking regulations is an admirable undertaking, says Bloomfield Hills lawyer Thomas Stroble.

Bloomfield Hills, MI (PRWEB) August 17, 2011

A Michigan family’s recent trip to Washington, D.C., to encourage stricter rules regarding driver fatigue in the trucking industry is a courageous and much-needed move, Bloomfield Hills truck accident attorney Thomas L. Stroble said today.

The parents of Janelle Durk, a 15-year-old girl who was killed in an accident involving a fatigued truck driver in 2006, are urging Congress to pass legislation that would make truck drivers rest more during shifts and between driving shifts, according to a recent column in The Detroit News.

“Janelle’s death is a tragedy,” says Stroble, a personal injury and wrongful death attorney who represents victims of truck driving accidents in Oakland County and other parts of Michigan.

“But it’s heartening to see that a family is taking proactive steps to increase awareness so that others do not suffer the same fate that Janelle did,” the Michigan lawyer says. “Teaching others about truck driver fatigue is a key step towards making change.”

In May, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began reviewing its hours-of-service requirements for operators of tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and other large commercial trucks.

The Durks traveled to Washington as part of a national conference on trucking legislation earlier this month, The Detroit News reported. Stroble says his Michigan personal injury law firm is pleased to see such follow-through on the part of the federal government.

“At the Stroble Law Firm, we regularly see cases involving truck driver fatigue, and it’s vital for the FMCSA to strengthen rules so that truck drivers and the companies that employ them protect motorists nationwide,” he says.    

Each year, more than 750 people die and another 20,000 are injured in truck accidents due to driver fatigue, according to data from the FMCSA. There were 3,491 large truck crashes in Michigan in 2009, the agency reports. Of that number, more than 60 people died and another 876 were injured.

“Truck journeys are long by nature, and fatigue is inevitable,” Stroble says. “Other motorists can only rely on faith that truck drivers will take the responsible action of complying with the FMCSA regulations and get the necessary sleep they need.”

Current regulations in Part 395 of the FMCSA Rules and Regulations detail the hours-of-service requirements that drivers of trucks, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks and other big rigs must follow.

The rules specifically denote how many hours truck drivers must rest based on the type of commercial motor vehicle that they are driving, what their work schedules are like and how they are allowed to split up sleeping shifts in the sleeper compartment of their rigs.

“It’s easy to think you can handle another 30 miles or so when you start feeling sleepy on the road,” Stroble says. “But the fact is that more likely than not, you can’t stay awake.

“If tighter hours-of-service laws are what it takes to save lives, then The Stroble Law Firm is all for it.”

About The Stroble Law Firm, P.C.

The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. is a full-service law firm based in Bloomfield Hills, MI, which represents car accident victims and their families throughout the state of Michigan, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. The firm’s personal injury practice areas also include truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, birth injuries, slip and falls, dog bites and wrongful death cases. To learn more about The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. call (248) 454-0800 or (888) 454-0801 or use the firm’s online contact form.

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Thomas L. Stroble
The Stroble Law Firm, P.C.
(248) 454-0800
Email Information

Attorney Scott J. Corwin Settles Two Auto Accident Claims

Los Angeles car accident lawyer Scott J. Corwin recently settled two car accident claims for a combined total of $450,000

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 17, 2011

Los Angeles car accident attorney Scott J. Corwin, principal attorney of Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation recently obtained out-of-court settlements totaling $450,000 from insurance companies on behalf of two Southern Californian drivers injured in automobile accidents.

Scott J. Corwin represented a 57-year-old Southern California marketing director in his auto accident claim. The plaintiff’s vehicle was rear-ended by the defendant’s vehicle while they were both traveling southbound on the I-405 freeway in the city of Torrance, California. The plaintiff suffered neck injuries in addition to vehicle damage. Prior to being represented by an attorney, the insurance company for the defendant offered the plaintiff $200 to settle his neck injury claim. After hiring attorney Corwin, the plaintiff received $100,000 in the settlement of his case; more than 500 times what the insurance company offered him before he hired Mr. Corwin.

In another auto accident case, Los Angeles car accident lawyer Scott J. Corwin successfully settled the claims of a severely injured 78-year-old retired man in Los Angeles. The gentleman was injured in two successive accidents that occurred within six weeks of each other. The first accident occurred when the plaintiff was stopped for traffic on Sepulveda Boulevard when another driver exited his driveway and rear-ended the plaintiff’s vehicle. Six weeks later, the plaintiff was again rear-ended in very slow traffic on Pico Boulevard. Both accidents resulted in only minor property damage, with combined total damage to the plaintiff’s vehicle of about $2,000.

The defendants and insurance companies in both of the accidents disputed the nature and extent of the injuries claimed by the plaintiff. More importantly, both insurance companies blamed each other for the plaintiff’s claimed lower back injuries that resulted in a six-level low back surgery. They claimed that the plaintiff’s low back condition and need for surgery was a result of his long standing degenerative arthritis, and the fact he slipped and fell in his bathtub only one month before the first of the two minor car accidents. Mr. Corwin achieved a combined settlement of $350,000 for the plaintiff -- an outstanding recovery, considering the minor nature of the two successive auto accidents, and the fact the plaintiff had fallen only a month before.

About Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation

Scott J. Corwin is the founder of the Los Angeles, California, personal injury law firm Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation. Since its founding in 1992, the firm has successfully represented more than two thousand injured victims, with recoveries totaling over $60,000,000. Scott J. Corwin received his Bachelor of Arts degree UCLA in 1985. He received his Juris Doctorate from the USC Gould School of Law in 1990. Scott J. Corwin serves on the Boards of three trial lawyer and consumer attorney organizations; Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) since 2006, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) since 2005, and Western Trial Lawyers (WTLA) since 2010. Mr. Corwin is also a lifetime member of The National Trial Lawyers Association (NTLA), composed of the top 100 trial lawyers from each state. He is one of less than 700 attorneys nationwide who are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Corwin has been honored by being selected as a Southern California SuperLawyer for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 by Los Angeles Magazine. Mr. Corwin is also a published author and speaker in the consumer legal field. To see Mr. Corwin’s complete professional resume/bio please click here.

Attorney Corwin’s firm represents injured victims in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and throughout the State of California. Attorneys at the law firm of Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation offer legal counsel primarily in the following areas:

• Auto Accidents

• Motorcycle Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Wrongful Death
• Spinal Cord Injuries

Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation was founded in 1992 by Scott J. Corwin, who has nearly 20 years experience in representing auto, motorcycle, and truck accident victims. For more information about the firm, please go to http://www.sjclaw.com/contact.html or call 310-207-4030.

***

Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation

12400 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1180

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Phone: 310-207-4030

# # #

Scott J. Corwin
Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation
310-207-4030
Email Information

Attorney Ledger Has Been Retained In Two Of California's Highest Profile Trucking Accident Matters | Ledger ...

Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) August 15, 2011

Wrongful Death & Personal Injury Victims seek justice. The Law Offices of Ledger & Associates have been retained on two high profile truck accident matters in 2011.

The first accident on May, 16, 2011, resulted in the death of 20 year old U.C. Riverside student Sharon Renee Higgins. Ms. Higgins had run out of gas on Pomona 60 Freeway but safely made it to the shoulder where she awaited her boyfriend, Otis Hall, to assist her in re-fueling. Martin Llamas presumably feel asleep at the wheel allowing is 80 thousand pound 18 wheeler to drift on to the should killing both Ledger & Associates client Sharon Renee Higgins & Hall.
Further News

The second major trucking accident matter in which Attorney Emery Brett Ledger is seeking justice happened north of Sacramento on Highway 50 on July 12, 2011. Ledger & Associates client Mary Henschel was driving a Ford F150 pickup when she was struck by a big rig which had lost its brakes. 42-year-old Mike Mathes of Missouri, the driver of the 18-wheeler, was killed in the accident. Ms. Henschel was airlifted to the trauma center in Roseville after sustaining life threatening injuries. Further News

Truck Accident Attorney, Emery Brett Ledger, stated, "In both these accidents we have extreme negligence on the part of the trucking companies and their employees. In the first case, driver fatigue most often caused by companies pushing their employees to the limits. In the second case of break failure our investigation clearly point to systematic neglect of the basic redundant safety features on the truck. In both cases we will be seeking punitive damages to ensure the lives of other California's are not ruined by the corporate greed of trucking companies."

"Many people never imagine the day will come when they have to face a catastrophic personal injury coupled with piling medical bills, lost wages and a painful physical recovery. Most do not contemplate the notion that a speeding or distracted motorist can single handedly alter the course of one’s life forever," says Emery Ledger, "Trucking and car accidents often ruin people's lives. Plaintiffs are constantly bombarded with physical and financial devastation at the hands of negligent defendants failing to conduct themselves reasonably and safely with respect to others. Auspiciously, the American civil justice system is designed to help injured plaintiffs recover the compensation they deserve as they face mounting debts and devastation at the hands of the defendant."

The elements of a personal injury action include four necessary legal requirements all of which must be met to succeed in court. To begin, a defendant must have a duty to the plaintiff to conduct himself as a reasonably prudent person under the circumstances. Defendants have a duty to any foreseeable plaintiff. In other words, if it is probable that the defendant’s actions might injure another person, that person is a foreseeable plaintiff and the defendant owes him a duty of care. Secondly, the defendant must breach that duty of care. Third, the breach must proximately and actually cause the resulting injury to the plaintiff. Sometimes, a defendant breaches his duty of care but an intervening or superseding cause interrupts the chain of events and the plaintiff is actually injured by a third party. In these situations, the causation requirement is not met and the plaintiff cannot recover. Lastly, the plaintiff must prove damages in the form of physical or financial injury.

If the plaintiff meets all four requirements for a personal injury cause of action, he is entitled to a damages award. Many victims of automobile accidents or personal injury are very inquisitive as to the measure of their personal injury damages and are eager to know exactly how much money they can recover. The court will consider two types of damages: general and specific. General damages are those that compensate non-monetary harm sustained by the plaintiff following a personal injury. This can include pain and suffering, mental anguish or loss of consortium. The plaintiff cannot readily assign a dollar amount to general damages so the jury will assess the totality of the circumstances to determine the proper amount of general damages. Punitive damages are often appropriate in the case of gross or criminal negligence. Punitive damages are designed to punish the defendant and prevent similar future bad behavior.

Another common personal injury action involves injury or death as a result of adverse side effects from prescription medications. Large pharmaceutical companies are held to rigorous and demanding product testing guidelines. The FDA mandates that all medical devices and drugs pass years’ worth of tests and trials before becoming available on the consumer market. Nevertheless, consumers are injured every day by unknown side effects of medications or medical devices. Plaintiffs injured by surgically implanted devices often undergo painful subsequent corrective surgeries resulting in time off work and difficult recovery periods. Medical corporations settle with plaintiffs every day to avoid the high cost of litigation and civil trials. Personal injury attorneys are astute at handling the hardball tactics and tough negotiation styles of the large pharmaceutical companies and plaintiffs should never hesitate to assert their rights against these large corporate defendants.

Whatever the injury, civil lawsuits are designed to compensate plaintiffs for injuries sustained at the hands of another. If you have sustained a physical or financial injury at the hands of another seek out the best legal counsel possible. Whether your injury stems from a trucking accident, motor vehicle accident or an adverse pharmaceutical side effect, do not hesitate to contact a wrongful death or personal injury attorney The Law Offices of Ledger & Associates.

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Atlanta Car Accident Attorney Bryce Angell Applauds Cobb County’s New School Bus Cameras

Atlanta attorney Bryce Angell on Cobb County’s new school bus stop-arm cameras and the impact on child safety

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) August 15, 2011

Following the tragic death of student Karla Campos in 2009, the Cobb County School District has installed 100 stop-arm cameras in order to catch drivers who run school bus stop signs at bus stops. Cobb County bus drivers report that motorists break the law by running the stop-arm signs on a daily basis.

Atlanta car accident attorney Bryce Angell of The Angell Law Firm believes that the cameras will help save lives on Georgia roads. “It’s really a shame that there is even a market for such a device, but motorists are increasingly disregarding the safety of our children. I think we can all agree that this is unacceptable and hopefully these cameras will scare irresponsible drivers into doing the right thing by stopping for school buses,” Mr. Angell said.

Cobb County bought the stop-arm cameras for $200 a piece from AngelTrax Bus Video in Newton, Alabama. Without the cameras, drivers who run the stop signs without a police officer being present could not be cited for the violation. With the installation of these cameras, authorities will be able to capture both video and still photos of cars that break the law and run the school bus stop signs.

“Cobb County is the first in Georgia to install these cameras, but I hope they won’t be the last. Two hundred dollars is a small price to pay when a child’s life is at stake,” says Bryce Angell. “If, in the future, drivers are aware that they will be filmed running a school bus stop sign they will undoubtedly think twice about committing this dangerous act.”

In Georgia, it is against the law to pass a stopped school bus in either direction unless there is a median dividing the road. Georgia state law allows for violators to be fined hundreds of dollars and up to 6 points added to the offender’s license.

About The Angell Law Firm

The Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers of The Angell Law Firm handle motor vehicle accidents of all types, including car, truck, motorcycle, and bus accidents. The Atlanta law firm also handles cases in which people are hurt by drunk drivers, dangerous dogs and other animals, and other catastrophic injuries.

Bryce Angell represents injured persons throughout the Atlanta metro area and all over the state of Georgia including Conyers, Lawrenceville, Athens, Rome, Savannah, Marietta, Jonesboro, Riverdale, College Park, Macon, Valdosta, and Augusta. For more information or for a free consultation regarding an injury or accident call (770) 217-4954.

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Bryce Angell
The Angell Law Firm
(770) 217-4954
Email Information

Spaces for the disabled are routinely abused

Barb Fletcher said it is not unusual to find a car illegally parked in spaces reserved for the physically disabled.

Fletcher's daughter, now 20, was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident at age 17. The family has two vans, one is driven by her daughter when she is in her power chair. Sometimes people will even park a car or motorcycle in the space next to the accessible spot reserved for vans, preventing her daughter from using the wheelchair ramp.

"It's a problem," said Fletcher, who lives in Springfield, Mo.

People with disabilities too often find that there aren't enough accessible spaces in grocery store or shopping center parking lots, said attorney Kimberly Barge of Paraquad, the St. Louis-based independent living center.

"The number of people with disabilities is growing every day," Barge said. "There is a variety of different disabilities out there, and they prevent people from moving freely and walking long distances."

So it is important to have accessible parking spaces near the entrance to stores, restaurants, hotels, banks or entertainment venues, disability-rights advocates say.

The Missouri Department of Revenue has issued 529,475 permanent disabled placards and 33,484 temporary disabled placards. In addition, the state has issued 115,205 disabled license plates.

Missouri had 4.2 million licensed drivers in 2009, according to U.S. Department of Transportation figures.

Earlier this month, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster wrote police chiefs across the state to remind them that it is OK to venture beyond public property to arrange for the removal of cars wrongly parked in spaces reserved for disabled drivers.

"Law enforcement officials may enter private property that is open to public use in order to enforce this law," Koster wrote in the Aug. 3 letter.

Koster spokeswoman Nanci Gonder said the attorney general's office had received word that police were not enforcing the law near some shopping centers. Specifically, police in some cases were under the impression they needed to get permission from a business owner to ticket or tow the offending car from that business's parking lot.

"We were just clarifying that if it is private property but open to public business, then (police) didn't have to get permission of the business establishment," Gonder said.

Ride took an unofficial survey of shopping centers â€" including West County â€" and found that police wouldn't have to look too hard to find cars without placards or disability plates parked in spaces reserved for the disabled.

"You see it all the time," said Nadine Wenig, an assistance-dog trainer. "And I say something to them. If I don't see license plates or something hanging in their window, I let them know. I do voice my opinion, because we do work with people every day that need those places."

Wenig was at the West County Center in Des Peres last week training a group of people with disabilities who were receiving service dogs. One of the recipients was Fletcher's daughter.

Ethel Sherman of University City said she used to notice people parking in the disability spaces without the placards â€" usually at grocery stores. But there are generally enough remaining spaces to park.

That was the case last Thursday at the Brentwood Promenade, where she parked to go shopping at the Target store. Ride counted two cars parked in designated disabled spaces without a placard or a license plate.

Sherman suggested there might be other forms of abuse that are more difficult to detect. For example, "where they have the handicap card but the kid of the family is driving the car," said Sherman, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and has been issued a disability placard. "But they still have the placard, so they use it."

State law makes it a misdemeanor to fraudulently use the disabled tags. Department of Revenue spokesman Ted Farnen said questions about fraud should be directed to law enforcement. Barge said she suspects there is some fraudulent use of placards but couldn't say how often.

Meantime, it's a misdemeanor for a doctor, chiropractor, advance practice registered nurse, physician's assistant, podiatrist or optometrist to sign a statement on behalf of a patient if that patient doesn't have one of the specified disabling conditions.

BUS STOP EVALUATION

Metro has begun reviewing its 7,200 Missouri bus stops to see whether some should be removed or relocated.

The St. Louis-based transit agency says it will consider relocating bus stops if needed to improve efficiency and provide more uniform spacing between stops. Ideally, bus stops should be no closer than roughly a quarter-mile of each other.

"We have some that are much closer together than that," said Metro spokeswoman Dianne Williams.

The move should save fuel costs and wear and tear on buses, Metro officials say.

Stops being targeted for possible removal will have special signs. The first lines under review are the No. 57 Maplewood Wildwood; the No. 33 Dorsett-Lackland; the No. 45 Ferguson Florissant; the No. 11 Chippewa; and the No. 90 Hampton.

Deadlines to make comments are coming up fast.

If you want to weigh in, you can call Metro's customer service line (which is listed on the signs). But you can also comment at www.nextstopstl.org, Facebook, Twitter or via e-mail at customerservice@metrostlouis.org.

Surrey infant ejected from car in U.S. accident

A three-month-old boy from Surrey, B.C., is in serious condition in hospital after a being ejected from a car in a collision in Washington state.

The vehicle carrying the boy, his mother and two sisters was southbound Thursday morning on the I-5 near Mount Vernon, about 100 kilometres south of Vancouver.

The mother, who was behind the wheel, was distracted and apparently over-corrected after her SUV started to drift off the interstate, causing the vehicle to roll, police said.

Investigators are trying to determine why the child's car seat apparently failed, according to Washington state trooper Keith Leary.

"The three-month-old was ejected out of the vehicle," Leary said. "We are looking at why the car seat and the child landed in two different places on the freeway and why it was not properly secured inside the vehicle."

The child was airlifted to a Seattle hospital.

The other occupants suffered minor injuries in the crash, police said.

With files from the CBC's Emily Elias Back to accessibility links

Illinois Injury Lawyer: Supreme Court Ruling Shows State’s Tough Stance On Drugged Driving

If Illinois drivers cause an accident with drugs in their system, they will be held fully accountable by the law, says Chicago car accident attorney Patrick A. Salvi of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 12, 2011

Chicago personal injury lawyer Patrick A. Salvi says a recent Illinois Supreme Court ruling highlights the harsh consequences drivers face if they cause a crash while drugs are in their system.

In State v. Martin (Docket No. 109102), the high court held that a motorist could be guilty of aggravated DUI based on a trace amount of methamphetamine found in the motorist’s urine sample â€" without any need for a causal link to be shown between the drug and the accident.

“In other words, if you drive with any drugs in your system â€" and that includes illegal drugs and prescription drugs that are being used unlawfully â€" then you can be found negligent per se,” says Patrick A. Salvi, the managing equity partner of the Chicago personal injury law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C.

Salvi and his law firm have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for Illinois car accident victims, including compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Salvi teaches personal injury law at the University of Notre Dame School of Law.

“This ruling was made in the criminal context, but it could have a direct and significant bearing on personal injury and wrongful death claims involving drugged drivers,” Salvi says. “This should enhance our ability to hold reckless drivers accountable and secure funds for their victims.”

The state’s tough stance against drugged driving recognizes the inherent dangers of driving while under the influence of an impairing substance, according to Salvi. He says that drugs can severely hinder a driver’s perception, cognition, attention, coordination and reaction time.

A 2007 survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 16.3 percent of drivers in random roadside checks tested positive for over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs and illegal drugs. Drugs found in motorists' systems included marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, painkillers, Oxycontin and Vicodin. A 2009 NHTSA study found that 18 percent of fatally injured drivers had at least one drug in their system.

“Prescription drugs and medications often are sold with warnings against operating cars or other machinery for a period of time after taking the drug,” Salvi says. “If a person fails to read that warning or simply ignores the risks, they should face the consequences, both in our criminal justice system and in our civil justice system.”

Although police reports and facts developed through criminal cases can help in securing a verdict or settlement against a drugged driver, the cases can involve complex issues that require the assistance of a skilled and experienced Illinois accident lawyer, Salvi says.

“Insurance companies don’t want to pay claims. Their goal is to protect their bottom line by denying claims or paying as little as they can,” he says. “However, your lawyer’s goal is to protect your and your family and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.”

About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C.

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., is a leading Illinois personal injury law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. In addition to representing clients in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, aviation and product liability cases, the firm focuses on car and truck accidents, airplane and train accidents, construction injuries, birth injuries, brain injuries, unsafe properties and animal attacks. The firm has obtained more than $585 million on behalf of its clients. The firm's successes in personal injury and wrongful death cases include 160 multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements. For more information, call (312) 372-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.

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Christina Solomon
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C.
(312) 372-1227
Email Information