Tuesday, 7 of February of 2012

Category » Car Accidents

Highway Safety Group Finds Virginia Roads Unsafe

By Kevin Duffan, Car Accident Attorney in Virginia

A new report from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety gives Virginia a red rating, the lowest on their scale of safety. To learn more, visit “Virginia Roads Unsafe, Highway Safety Group Says.”

CD

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Eastern Shore Bike Accident Injury Results in Minor Punishment for At-Fault Truck Driver

The at-fault driver had a suspended license at the time of the accident but received a sentence of only a small fine and a suspended jail term.

By Jim LewisVirginia Car Accident Injury Attorney

How much is a life worth?  How about $500?  I know it sounds ridiculous, but that and a 90-day suspended jail term is what a driver got after hitting and badly injuring a cyclist on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (VA).  The at-fault driver had a suspended license at the time of the accident, and the cyclist remains in a coma.

CT

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.

 

 

 


Prepare Your Vehicle, Yourself for Winter Driving

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Virginia Car Accident Attorney

Many drivers take ice and snow-free roads as a given. But with winter officially here, we need to prepare ourselves for the worst. To learn more, visit “5 Winter Driving Tips That Could Save Your Life.”

CD

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Elementary School Student Injured When Car Driver Attempts Illegal Pass

The incident in St. Stephens, SC, saw the car rear-end the bus before hitting a tractor-trailer head-on.

By Jim Lewis, School Bus Accident Injury Attorney

In her latest post to our firm’s Carolina personal injury lawyers’ website, my colleague Emily Mapp Brannon reports on an accident in St. Stephens, South Carolina (SC), in which a young child wound up hospitalized after her elementary school bus was rear-ended by a car attempting an illegal pass in a school zone. Emily relates the wreck, which also involved a tractor-trailer, to other recent school bus accidents caused by negligent and irresponsible drivers of other vehicles. To read more, click over to “Child Injured in SC School Bus Crash Involving Car and Tractor-Trailer.”

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


When Does an Accident With Deer Warrant Hiring the Best VA Personal Injury Lawyer?

If another driver swerves to avoid a deer and hits you, then you may have a case.

By Richard N. Shapiro, Virginia (VA) Car Accident Attorney

As Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys, we get a lot of calls from people who have struck deer. No one can sue a deer for serious injuries that arise from such crashes, of course. But if another driver swerves to avoid a deer and hits you, then you may have a case. An experienced lawyer with our firm explores this issue in a new blog post.

CT

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Maryland (MD) Drunk Driver Causes Injuries to Students on School Bus

Our firm only represents personal injury victims. We never represent drunk drivers.

By Rick Shapiro, Maryland (MD) Personal Injury Attorney

View Larger Map

The holidays are a time of great joy for many families.  As a Virginia (VA) personal injury lawyer and father, I look forward to seeing my daughter come home from college and to spending time with all my family.

Traffic is at an all-time high during holiday rush hours, though, and it causes me some concern to know that my family is on the road. I know first hand how a car accident can devastate a family when it involves serious injuries and in the worst cases wrongful death.

To illustrate my point, during the week of Thanksgiving 2011 an accident in southern Maryland (MD) left 20 injured after a drunk driver failed to yield on Route 234.  The drunk driver hit a truck and forced it into a school bus.  Two of the people injured were the passenger in the truck, a 13-year-old girl, and the driver. In addition, 15 students returning from a Colonial Beach, VA, basketball game who were aboard the school bus sustained injuries.

Because of the irresponsibility of a drunk driver, many families will be taking care of their injured children instead of enjoying the holidays. I don’t know what it will take to stop drunk drivers.  Time and again, I see innocent people suffering from debilitating injuries and families who are destroyed when a loved one is killed by a drunk driver.

I like to reinforce this every once in a while: Our firm only represents personal injury victims. We never represent drunk drivers. We, instead, sue them on the behalf of the people they have wronged.

CT

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Virginia State Trooper Seriously Injured on Virginia’s Eastern Shore

The at-fault driver was a 49-year-old from North Carolina (NC) who veered off the road close to the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

By Rick Shapiro, Eastern Shore Accident Injury Attorney

Virginia State Trooper L. Farlow was seriously injured when his cruiser was hit while parked in a turnoff beside Route 13 on the Eastern Shore on November 23, 2011. According to the Daily Press, the at-fault driver was a 49-year-old from North Carolina (NC) who veered off the road close to the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

The trooper’s injuries do not appear life-threatening, and the other driver has been charged with reckless driving.

While Virginia’s Eastern Shore may not have the congestion of cities such as Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, it sees its fair share of deadly accidents. In August 2011, for instance, two people were killed on VA 178 in Pungoteague in an accident believed to be linked to alcohol.

Troopers do a dangerous job and are often the victims of crashes. In September 2010 a trooper suffered serious injuries multiple fractures when he was hit by a tractor-trailer at the Bowers Hill interchange between I-664, U.S. 58 and U.S. 460 in Chesapeake, VA. In April 2011, an accident injured two Virginia state troopers on I-395.

Virginia’s “move-over” law means drivers are legally required to move into the next lane or slow down by 20 mph if an emergency vehicle. Violators face fines up to $2500. The law is widely flouted.

As experienced Virginia auto accident attorneys, my colleagues and I have handled automobile accident cases all over Virginia and those involving injured first responders including, police, fire and rescue.

This FAQ explains what to do if you’ve been rear-ended.

DM

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Elderly Drivers May Be at Risk on Long Eastern Shore Drives

What are some signs that elderly drivers can no longer operate a vehicle safely?

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Virginia (VA) Eastern Shore Car Accident Attorney

What are some signs that elderly drivers can no longer operate a vehicle safely? An experienced Virginia (VA) car accident attorney with our firm reviews some recent accidents caused by seniors and the serious injuries that can result from crashes.

Watch this video to see just how dangerous an elderly driver can be when they end up on the wrong side of the road.

CT

About the Editors: Lawyers with Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of car, truck, motorcycle, and ATV accident victims, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive.


Gloucester, Virginia (VA) Teen Struck by Hit and Run Driver at Bus Stop

By Kevin Duffan, Virginia (VA) Car Accident Attorney

All parents have had their kids miss the school bus one time or another.  But now parents may opt just to drive their children to school after a terrible car accident has left a young Gloucester, Virginia (VA) boy permanently injured after he tried to cross the street to his school bus stop and fell.  One of our best Virginia (VA) car accident attorneys examines what families can do in the face of any hit and run accident where children are injured.

CT

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys handle Eastern Shore, Virginia (VA) injury lawsuits. Our lawyers have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of victims of car and truck accidents, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including people from Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, confidential initial consultations. Give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call.


Virginia (VA) Bicycle Accidents, Injuries and Fatalities

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Virginia (VA) Car and Bike Accident Attorney

Fall is a great time to get out on your bike and enjoy the beautiful weather and see the colors of the changing leaves.  But do you know how many bicyclists were killed last year in Virginia (VA) car accidents?  The answer may just surprise you.  One of our best Virginia (VA) car accident attorneys explores these bicycle fatality statistics and just what caused these accidents in the first place.

CT

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys handle Eastern Shore, Virginia (VA) injury lawsuits. Our lawyers have provided legal advice and representation for thousands of victims of car and truck accidents, including many on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. We are familiar with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and with the towns along Route 13, including people from Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, confidential initial consultations. Give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call.