By Randy Appleton, Eastern Shore Truck Wreck Injury Attorney

A collision between a tractor-trailer and box truck on Route 13 on Virginia’s Eastern Shore sent the at-fault driver to the Shore Memorial Hospital with serious but no life-threatening injuries. According to WVEC ABC-13, the driver of the semi has been charged with failure to maintain the lane of travel because he reportedly lost control of his big rig and jackknifed when rounding a corner near the  intersection with Stone Road.

News of this truck wreck on the Eastern Shore came on the same day that media in the western part of Virginia focused on a fatal chain-reaction tractor-trailer accident on I-81 near Salem. That three-truck crash began when a trucker hit a guardrail and flipped his semi.

Both the wrecks on February 2, 2012, highlight the dangers truck drivers create when they allow their big rigs to go out of control. Police were continuing to investigate the crashes as I wrote this blog post. With both accidents occurring between 2 am and 4 am on rain-slicked highways, I’m sure bad weather conditions and driver fatigue will be looked at as contributing factors. Regardless of the findings, the victims of the accidents should contact a Virginia truck crash attorney to discuss their legal options.

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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.

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.

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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.

By John Cooper, Eastern Shore Personal Injury Attorney

Deploying portable speed enforcement cameras in school zones has reduced speeding in several Maryland (MD) counties, according to an independent analysis of the program required by state law. Using Optotraffic speed cameras on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Washington, DC suburbs and other areas resulted in drivers obeying posted speed limits by as much as 900 percent, with the effect being greatest in marked school zones. The number of accidents at intersections where the cameras were positioned also fell dramatically.

These finding come close on the heels of a number of studies of red light cameras that similarly showed drivers were more likely to follow traffic laws and drive more responsibly when they knew their infractions could be caught on video and earn them a ticket. In Virginia Beach, VA, for instance, crashes fell 24 percent when cameras began operating throughout the city.

Red light cameras also currently operate in Chesapeake and Newport News, and the Norfolk City Council has approved a plan to install the devices in 2012. Speed enforcement cameras have not yet been proposed for any cities in Hampton Roads, nor for Accocmack or Northampton counties. In light of the findings in Maryland, though, I think speed cameras might be a valuable safety addition, especially on rural, heavily traveled roads with school zones such as Route 13 outside Onley and Great Bridge Boulevard in Chesapeake.

As personal injury lawyers based in Virginia Beach, my colleagues and I regularly represent victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents caused by negligent drivers who were speeding or had run a red light. If cameras can prevent such wrecks, then the devices should be used more widely.

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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.

By Kevin Duffan, Virginia (VA) Car Accident Attorney

What constitutes a defective auto part? A number of major car manufacturers have recently recalled models for defects. In one case, accelerators were becoming engaged without warning. In other cases, car floor mats were becoming wedged against the gas pedal, causing unintentional acceleration. An experienced Virginia (VA) car accident injury attorney with our firm explores what you rights are if you are injured.

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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.

By Randy Appleton, Eastern Shore Wrongful Death Attorney

Failing to stop at a red light always creates dangers for the red light runner and everyone else in and around the intersection. This truth was tragically proven once again on Virginia’s Eastern Shore on October 9, 2011, when the driver of a minivan made an illegal left turn through a red light and struck and killed the driver of an Infiniti G20.

According to the Virginian-Pilot, the fatal crash occurred at the intersection of Route 13 and VA 691, just north of Mappsville.  The 72-year-old man who lost his life succumbed to injuries suffered in the wreck despite being transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment.

Police have charged the at-fault driver of the Dodge Caravan minivan with failure to obey a traffic signal and are considering other charges.

While illustrating the risks posed by red light runners, this accident also should remind everyone that making a left-hand turn needs to be done with care and caution. Turning drivers must always give right of way to vehicles traveling straight through an intersection. Even if the minivan’s driver was not paying attention to traffic lights, the person should have waited for the other car to pass before turning.

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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.

By Jim Lewis, VA Car Accident Lawyer

My colleague John Cooper reported recently on our firm’s website devoted to Virginia
Car & Motorcycle Accidents that a man was killed when his Plymouth Roadrunner ran off the left side of a road and ended up submerged in a pond on Winterville Road. John mentioned car crashes may result from drinking before driving.

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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.

By Rick Shapiro, Dangerous Drugs Attorney in Virginia Beach, VA

An Eastern Shore doctor’s professional misconduct case I first wrote about in September 2010 has reached its conclusion a little less than a year later. The Virginian-Pilot reported on August 11, 2011, that Belle Have, Virginia (VA), family physician Dr. Geoffrey Grubb has surrendered his medical license rather than defend himself against allegations that he was irresponsibly prescribing powerful narcotic painkillers.

In my earlier post to this blog, I noted that Grubb specialized in treating patients for a condition called chronic Lyme disease and that his therapeutic approach included giving patients with the tick-borne infection potentially dangerous medications such as OxyContin (oxycodone from Purdue Pharma) and Vicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen from Abbott Laboratories). Along with the potential issues arising from the fact that few other doctors and medical authorities recognize the existence of chronic Lyme disease, Grubb was accused by the Virginia Medical Board of failing to properly track and report patients’ use of narcotics.

I wrote 11 months ago that I could not know whether the charges against Grubb were warranted. I’ll repeat that disclaimer. What I do know, as personal injury attorney practicing in Virginia Beach and speaking often about the risks patients face when they receive excessive doses of opiate and opioid painkillers, is that if Grubb gave such drugs to patients who did not need them, he had no business being a doctor on Virginia’s Eastern Shore or anywhere else.

Health care is a underserved need on the Eastern Shore, and untreated pain can be truly debilitating. But the use of powerful narcotic medications should be limited and closely monitored.

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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.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Eastern Shore Car Accident Injury Lawyer

Police believe that alcohol played a role in a single-car crash in Pungoteague on the Eastern Shore of Virginia that killed two people and sent two other people to a hospital with injuries. All four people were in a Buick Century riding down VA Route 178 when the car went off the road, hit a tree stump and flipped over. The individuals killed had lived in Craddockville, VA.

It is so frustrating to read time and again about people who have been drinking large quantities of alcohol who throw caution to the wind and get behind the wheel of a car. This is irresponsible and reckless behavior that can, as seen in this Eastern Shore car wreck, have devastating consequences. As upsetting as it is, my Virginia Beach-based law firm has represented victims in many cases involving drunk drivers. Usually, those cases involve the most serious types of injuries. Jurors and other responsible drivers are incensed by the poor choices of drunk drivers.  Too many innocent people have lost their lives due to such recklessness.

If the surviving passengers’ injuries force them to miss time from work, rack up large medical bills, experience a decline in their quality of life, they should consult an Eastern Shore injury attorney. They are innocent people who had their lives turned upside down in an accident that might have been prevented if the driver was more cautious.

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.

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By John Cooper, Eastern Shore Personal Injury Attorney

If you are a passenger and you make the mistake of getting into a car with a driver who ends up being drunk, what are your rights?  Our experienced Virginia personal injury attorney talks about the recent crash on Pungoteague that left two people dead and two injured.

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By Richard N. Shapiro, VA Wrongful Death Attorney

Have you ever come upon a slow moving vehicle at night without warning?  As a Virginia personal injury attorney and someone that’s on the road traveling a lot, it’s happened to me more than once. The dark stretch of road ahead of you is empty and then suddenly it’s not. This is exactly what happened to Larry Rickets when he came upon an all-terrain vehicle driving on a highway on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (VA) at night with no tail lights. Virginia traffic laws state that ATV use on public highways is prohibited, except to cross these roads, for agricultural purposes or while in Buchanan County.

Rickets instinctively swerved to miss the ATV but in doing so lost control of his car and crashed. Rickets lost his life and his passenger was badly injured. This may leave their families asking who is responsible. The answer is if the driver of the ATV caused the accident then he may be liable for civil negligence liability to the driver who lost his life avoiding it.

If the ATV driver is found to be at fault, will he have insurance or enough insurance to cover the fatal accident? We don’t know yet, but if the ATV driver lacks adequate insurance, Virginia uninsured/underinsured (UIM) coverage may apply to provide further insurance.

As experienced Virginia car accident attorneys we realize that the uninsured motorist coverage on the victims own car insurance policy is what will provide coverage to their family members if the  ATV driver was an uninsured or underinsured motorist.

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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.