Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents - Most Commented

Eight Year Old Dies in Virginia Automobile Accident

Dan Frith — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:26:21 GMT

I was saddened to read the story of an 8 year old boy who died last week in a single car accident in Culpeper, Virginia. Virginia State Police reported that Orion Bickings was riding in a 1999 Acura on Lakota Road around 10:20 p.m. when the incident occurred. The driver, Fielding Taylor Kines,of Remington, Virginia apparently lost control of the vehicle and ran off the left side of the road, went over an embankment and rolled several times before he struck a wooden fence and landed in a field. Bickings died at the scene. Neither Taylor nor another young passenger will injured.

I know sad events like this happen every day on American roads. Every day a mother or father lose a child...a parent...a spouse to an automobile accident. Why did this article catch my attention? Because the 8 year old who died was not wearing a seat belt...the two other occupants who survived the crash without injuries were wearing seat belts!

MAKE ALL OCCUPANTS OF YOUR VEHICLE WEAR THEIR SEAT BELTS! SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

You're Not In Good Hands With Allstate

Staff Writer — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 08:02:46 GMT

According to an article published in the July 2005 issue of "The New Mexico Trial Lawyer" Allstate insurance company has devised a plan to increase it profits at the expense of its policyholders and those injured by Allstate insureds. The article entitled "False Promises -- Allstate, McKinsey and the Zero Sum Game" by David J. Berardinelli describes how Allstate has discovered that it can significantly increase its profits by attacking small claims which are far more numerous than large ones.

According to documents uncovered from Allstate, adjusters are now supposed to attack these claims with "boxing gloves" rather than the "good hands" they advertise. Unfortunately Allstate can get away with this underhanded strategy because most states do not have any statutes that permit policyholders and claimants to demand binding arbitration. This is just another example of why "you are not in good hands with Allstate."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Criminal Charges Filed in Accident Which Killed Officer

Dan Frith — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:27:25 GMT

There was a sad story in today's Roanoke Times newspaper. A 25 year old man from Ohio (Brooks Ryan Leisure) has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the traffic accident death of Jason Maxey. Maxey, a police officer with the Rocky Mount (Virginia) Police Department, was off duty at the time of the accident.

The accident occurred on Route 220 (a four lane highway) in Roanoke, Virginia at 2:00 AM last Saturday morning. The investigation surrounding the accident indicates that Leisure was traveling in the wrong direction on this divided highway. A police officer who responded to the wreck reported that Leisure appeared to be intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.

Most Roanoke bars close at 2:00 AM. My bet is that drunk driving just cost one man his life and ruined the lives of many others. My condolences to everyone involved in this preventable tragedy!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Fire Truck Driver Kills Two in Accident

Dan Frith — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:12:17 GMT

This is a sad story! Virginia State Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident which occurred on Monday involving a fire truck driven by Lucas McCulloch, a member of the Eagle Rock Volunteer Fire Department. It appears the fire truck crossed the center line on U.S. Route 220 in Botetourt County, Virginia and hit another vehicle head-on. The occupants of the other vehicle, Russell Meadows and Judi Clark, died from the injuries suffered in the crash.

The lesson: Operators of emergency vehicles responding to a call are doing a great service to their community. However, they must operate those vehicles (often at high speeds) with great caution and in compliance with state law.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Breathing Man pronounced dead - incorrectly!

Lauren Ellerman — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:02:54 GMT

Medical Examiner pronounces man dead - except he is not.

Charlotte North Carolina - man is in a serious car accident, and county Medical Examiner pronounces him dead. Problem is the man is still alive, and does not receive proper medical care for life threatening injuries.

This is almost as odd as something out of a CSI episode - except its true, and someone is now living in a nursing home because of sustained injuries. WHAT A STORY! I hope we will hear more.

Did EMTs arrive at the scene? Did they take vitals? Was he taken to a hospital before the ME's office? I would be surprised if he wasn't. Did the EMTs find no pulse? What type of external injuries? The lawsuit names both the EMTs and the ME - which makes me think the EMTs first failed to check or obtain a pulse. Either way, there will be a great deal of blame placed on one defendant by the other.

A very sad case - a family's life changed forever, because someone did not take their time.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lauren Ellerman

Serious Car Accidents can be devastating

Lauren Ellerman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:20:16 GMT

I know how blessed I am that I have never been in a serious car accident... but I know from working with families that have had such an experience, that they can be devastating. Bills. Bill Collectors. Missed Work. Appointments. Missed activities, vacations, employment opportunities. The list goes on and on - and while most of the time there is sufficient insurance to cover the damages, we sometimes get calls from families too late to help.

In Virginia, you have two years after the date of injury to file a lawsuit. You may still be receiving care, therapy, have limited activity - but you need to contact an attorney quickly - because you don't want to miss that chance at recovery.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Automobile Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lauren Ellerman

Southwest Virginia Teenager Dies in Auto Accident

Dan Frith — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:28:13 GMT

Why do we see too many teenagers killed on our highways? There cannot be a greater loss than the unnecessary death of a child or young adult...and it has happened again in Southwest Virginia!

The Roanoke Times reports today that, LeAndra Milliner, a 16 year old Shawsville girl died Tuesday afternoon, October 2, in a single car accident. LeAndra was a junior at Eastern Montgomery High School where she played on the school tennis team. She was also a member of the handbell choir and sang in the chorus. LeAndra was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another teenager. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is investigating the accident.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Roanoke Car Accident Kills Student

Shannon Weidemann — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:49:49 GMT

A 16-year-old high school student at Covington High School was killed in a single-car accident on Wednesday. The victim was a passenger in the back seat and he was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

Investigators think the 17-year-old driving the car was speeding, and detectives estimate he was going about 85 MPH on the Hot Springs/Covington exit. The speed limit for the off-ramp is 35 MPH. The boy lost control and flipped his car, according to investigators.
The car, an black older model Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, slid almost 200 yards on its drivers side, investigators said. It never flipped completely over.

A fellow student was driving the car. A third student was sitting in the front passenger seat. They were both wearing seat belts and suffered only minor injuries. The police are still investigating the accident and no charges have been filed.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Virginia Teenagers Killed in Bed of Pickup Truck

Shannon Weidemann — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:27:05 GMT

Two teenagers from Cana, Virginia were killed after riding in the bed of a pickup truck. A third victim was killed after not wearing a seatbelt in the cab of the truck. The truck was being driven by an underage and unlicensed driver. The car accident happened on Sunday in Hillsville.

The accident occurred on Virginia 690 in Carroll County, about two miles north of the North Carolina border. The southbound truck was coming out of a curve when the driver veered off the right side of the road, overcorrected and then ran off the road to the left. The truck hit an embankment and flipped before catching fire, Conroy said.

The people hurt in the accident were treated at a local hospital and released. The police are still investigating the accident and no charges have been filed. They believe that high speed contributed to the accident.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Car and Semi-Truck in Accident in Roanoke County

Shannon Weidemann — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:14:26 GMT

A semi-truck making an unsafe lane change on Interstate 81 in Roanoke County hit a car. The truck accident was during the evening rush hour and caused a traffic slowdown. The driver of the car was taken to a local hospital to be treated for her injuries.

The driver of the truck

switched from the right lane to the left lane and, in doing so, struck a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. After striking the car, Carpentieri said, the truck ran off the road, struck a guardrail and overturned near Twine Hollow Road.

The truck driver was not injured in the accident. He was cited with making an unsafe lane change. The police are still investigating the accident.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Tractor-Trailer Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann