Posted on April 21, 2017 in Truck Accidents

The Easter holiday is supposed to be a time of cheer, when we enjoy days spent with loving family members. As such, when an unplanned car accident interrupts such a holiday to bring catastrophic injury, death and tragedy, it's particularly disheartening. This is exactly what happened to one Virginia family of four last weekend.

The tragedy involved an unexpected semi-truck accident over Easter weekend. The incident left community members — especially the members of Concord Church of Christ — reeling. According to news reports, a family of four was driving through West Virginia on Interstate 77 to visit relatives last weekend when a semi-truck hit them.

Police say that the semi-truck driver lost control of his vehicle before striking the family. The force of the collision caused the truck to catch fire and the entire family was killed. The mother, father, their 10-year-old boy and their 13-year-old girl, did not survive. Funeral services were scheduled for Friday afternoon, April 21, a Catawba College. School officials at Salisbury Academy — where the 13-year-old attended school, also planned a private vigil.

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 Posted on April 14, 2017 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

One of the most difficult aspects for police when it comes to a fatal motor vehicle accident is that they cannot ask a deceased driver what happened in the incident. Perhaps the other driver was in the wrong, but without the perspective of the deceased individual, it makes it challenging to piece together exactly what happened.

Finding the evidence trail that shows fault

At Locklin & Coleman, PLLC, we have handled cases in which — upon deeper investigation — we uncovered evidence to support the fact that a deceased driver died as a result of the negligence or unlawful behavior of another driver. Sometimes, the police in these cases had mistakenly determined that the at-fault party was innocent because they failed to see the issue from the angle we identified.

When police fail to determine exactly what happened in a fatal accident, family members of the deceased could be left to believe that they have no recourse. These family members might believe, for example, that they don't have a viable wrongful death claim and they never even reach out to a personal injury lawyer to review their situations.

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 Posted on April 07, 2017 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Most Virginia residents know that a negligent truck driver who hurts them will be liable for the costs and damages stemming from the accident. However, not everyone is aware that the truck driver's employer will also be financially responsible. The reason for this dates back to Roman times when the rich owned slaves who they'd send out into the city to do their bidding.

The legal concept of "respondeat superior" is an ancient Latin term that means "let the master respond." The idea dates back to a time thousands of years ago when slaves would do jobs for their owners. If the slave hurt someone while carrying out his or her master's orders, the master was the one responsible for the damage.

These days, the same concept continues to apply to employers. When an employee is doing the bidding his or her employer, the employer will share liability for the employee's actions. This legal concept may also be referred to as vicarious liability.

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 Posted on March 31, 2017 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

A 79-year-old man was lucky to survive a car collision. However, soon after exiting his vehicle to survey the damage, a passing car fatally struck him while he was on foot. The fatal incident happened in Prince George's County.

Maryland State Police say that the first car accident was a minor one between the 79-year-old man and two more cars. The man wasn't faulted for the first accident that led to him stopping on the side of the road. That accident happened after a female driver hit the senior man's car and another vehicle.

After the crash, authorities rushed the female driver to the hospital for treatment. The older man was the only fatality in the collision.

At this time, no one has been charged in the accident. The Maryland State Police are continuing to investigate evidence gathered from witnesses and at the accident scene. As police investigate fault, they will likely review whether the driver who struck the man was distracted, inattentive or in violation of any laws. Following police investigations, the State Attorney's Office of Prince George's County will make the determination on charges.

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 Posted on March 24, 2017 in Car Accidents

The warning signs that you need new brakes should never be ignored. Indeed, your cars ability to stop is one of the most vital features that you require to avoid getting into a crash. However, if you're not a mechanic, you may not know how to identify the tell-tale signs it's time for a brake job.

Here are a few things you should definitely take note of to keep your brakes in the finest operational condition:

— Listen to any strange sounds your brakes are making: Sometimes brakes will start to make a very high-pitched squealing sound every time you apply them. This isn't a sign that something is wrong. In fact, your brakes are still functioning well, but they might not for long. There is a small piece of metal imbedded in your brake pad, and after the brake pad gets worn down — and it's time to replace it — that metal shim will start to press against the brake rotors, and it will make a loud noise. If you hear that noise, it's time to get new pads.

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 Posted on March 17, 2017 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Car accidents happen and sometimes they're unavoidable or just the result of the sort of ordinary driving errors that everybody makes from time to time. When you're the victim of a drunk driver, however, it can be hard to keep your cool on the scene simply because you know that accident was avoidable.

Try to remember that drunk driving accidents need to be approached like any other accident — the only difference is that instead of both you and the other driver going your own ways in the end, the drunk driver is likely going to jail — at least until he or she is tested and booked and able to bond out.

There are some basic steps you need to take at any accident scene — just tailor them a little to fit the situation:

1. Call the police and, if necessary, call an ambulance. When a drunk driver is involved, you want to let the authorities handle as much of the scene as possible.

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 Posted on March 10, 2017 in Car Accidents

Even though winter is still having its way with parts of the northeast, spring is just around the corner. The spring months are prime times for dense fog to accumulate on highways, making driving even riskier than usual.

Below are some tips for safer driving in foggy weather.

— Slow down when driving through patches of fog, The unpredictability and different densities of fog is extra dangerous after dark and before dawn. Never drive faster than you can see the road ahead.

— Headlights should always be on in fog, but not your brights, which can create visual illusions and blind other drivers.

— Turning on the hazard lights when traveling through particularly dense fog can help others spot your vehicle before they are right on top of it.

— The white line on the edge of the roadway is often referred to as the "fog line." Drivers can follow the fog line to guide their course.

— Because traffic slows when the fog rolls in, be alert for brake lights ahead.

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 Posted on March 03, 2017 in Truck Accidents

Truckers are responsible for very large vehicles that are very heavy and can do considerable damage. This is one reason why semi truck accidents are so horrible. The federal government has stepped in to try to reduce the number of truckers who are fatigued, but they can only do so much.

One thing that you have to consider with trucker fatigue is that there are many causes of it. While one of the most common causes is not getting enough rest, other factors like driving on familiar roads, driving irregular hours and medical conditions can also lead to fatigue.

Limiting the driving time for truckers is one step that the federal government took. For truckers who are carrying products, the limit is 11 hours per shift. For truckers who are operating passenger carrying vehicles, the limit is 10 hours per shift. These time limits are only for driving.

If the trucker does non-driving duties on a shift, those hours increase the number of working hours. For property carrying drivers, total working shifts can't be longer than 14 hours, but only 11 of those can be driving. For passenger carrying drivers, working shifts can be up to 15 hours, but only 10 of those can be driving hours.

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 Posted on February 24, 2017 in Truck Accidents

The transition to the Trump administration has been accompanied by changes for a variety of industries, and the transportation sector is no exception. In light of the administration's refusal to promulgate any new regulation through a "freeze" period, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is struggling to reduce truck accident risk without the regulatory tools they were promised. This could lead to an increase in the number of semi truck crash events in Virginia and other locations, according to experts in the transportation industry.

Reports indicate that a proposed rule to install speed limiters in all big-rig trucks could be effectively considered dead before it ever had the chance to be implemented. That rule would have limited truck accident risk by preventing drivers in both newer and older vehicles from exceeding the speed limit. This change could have had positive effects for drivers throughout the nation by lowering the severity of trucking accident incidents caused by speeding drivers.

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 Posted on February 17, 2017 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

If you get in a collision on a bicycle with a vehicle, you are lucky to survive it. If you are able to get up and walk away from it, you may be so overwhelmed that you brush off the need for police and/or ambulances.

Don't be that guy (or gal). One attorney who is based out of Seattle but provides advice to cycling enthusiasts from all over offers you some tips to preserve your rights.

At the scene of the accident, insist on calling police and making an official report. Police reports establish basic facts — the time of day, weather conditions, the state of the driver. It contains names, addresses and insurance information you may later need to file a claim.

Additionally, cyclists should never admit fault or minimize their injuries or the damage to their bicycles.

It's also important to obtain immediate medical evaluation and treatment. Even if you feel okay after the wreck, consider that could be due to the adrenaline coursing through your veins after surviving what could have been a fatal accident. That alone can mask injury symptoms.

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