About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, initial consultations so give us a call at 1-800-752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, initial consultations so give us a call at 1-800-752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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On June 15, a truck accident occurred on I-64 in Virginia (VA). The only vehicle involved was a tractor-trailer rig. Officers were able to determine, however, that the driver fell asleep at the wheel and this is what caused the truck wreck.

Driver fatigue is often a cause of wrecks involving tractor-trailer rigs. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 750 people are killed and 20,000 more people are seriously injured each year in the U.S. due directly to tired and drowsy commercial truck drivers, according to saferoads.org.

In addressing this issue, there are federal and state mandates that limit the number of hours a driver can remain on the road before he or she must (or is supposed to) stop for a number of hours to rest. Unfortunately, these mandates are routinely ignored.

Load delivery deadlines and a need or desire by the driver to make more money (especially if he is paid by the load) are just some of the reasons why some tractor-trailer drivers do not make scheduled stops as they are supposed to. Others may stop, but not for as long as they should.

Drivers routinely deny falling asleep at the wheel and their travel logs may not give correct information. When this occurs, police officers sometimes have to rely on physical evidence such as skid marks or they may have to ask those who were involved or who witnessed the truck wreck if they believed driver fatigue may have been the reason for the accident. Sometimes, the tractor-trailer driver will admit that he was feeling drowsy, but this is rare.

You can learn about the different methods used to determine truck driver fatigue and what you should do in case you’re involved in an accident with a commercial truck by reading our free consumer report. If you still have questions, you can follow the link to frequently asked questions about truck accidents.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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To learn more, check out this article written my truck wreck injury lawyer Rick Shapiro:

Health Insurance Reimbursement/Repayment Virginia Truck Accident and Injury Cases

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North Carolina Is One of the Top States for Truck Wrecks

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Most people have little idea of just exactly how dangerous a tractor trailer can be. If you think about the simple physics regarding the size of an 18 wheeler then it becomes more clear how especially hazardous they can be when it comes to collisions and accidents.

For example, here are just a few numbers representing this danger:

I would like to point out that these statistics are alarming and even so, most folks have no idea of the danger.

* 98% of tractor-trailer-related fatalities involve the other vehicle’s driver or passengers – not the driver of the tractor-trailer.

*Big-Rig related fatalities are estimated at close to 5,000 people a year.

*18-wheelers accidents cause approximately 55,000 injuries a year

*An estimated 130,000 tractor trailer accidents occur each year without injury

Did you know that road conditions have very little to do with semi tractor trailer accidents?

It is a popular misconception that road conditions play a major role  in serious tractor-trailer accidents, when this is actually when  most truck drivers are especially careful and mindful of inclement weather or slick roads. The fact remains that this is not when the largest proportion of tractor-trailer accidents happen.

*Well over 80% of all tractor-trailer accidents occur on dry roads.

*Again, over 80% of big-rig accidents happen during perfectly normal weather conditions.

*Surprisingly, almost 70% of tractor-trailer accidents occur during broad daylight.

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Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis, & Appleton - ”All We Do is Injury Law”

A large portion of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act is dedicated to infrastructure projects like revamping and reconstructing our highway system. But with this increase in highway work projects comes an increased risk of serious injury due to accidents.

Highway work zone accidents have killed roughly 4,700 people — over two a day — and injured 200,000 in the last five years, according to the New York Times. Some people have even described these work zones as death traps. This is because you have construction workers walking around on busy highways where vehicles are cruising by at high speeds. Add to that heavy-duty construction equipment, and you have a volatile combination that could lead to deadly consequences.

One of the major safety hazards associated with highway reconstruction is “pavement drop-offs.” This is basically where portions of the road that are under construction literally drop off due to a lack of pavement. Accidents involving dangerous drop-offs kill roughly 160 people and injure 11,000 each year.

Truck drivers are extremely susceptible to pavement drop-offs and general construction accidents since their range of vision is limited and it takes more time to stop and maneuver around highway construction sites. I’d imagine it’s going to be a real challenge for truckers traveling on Interstate 64 (I64), Interstate 264 (I-264), and other major highways in Virginia (VA) since they’re earmarked for construction.

I understand the need to revamp our highways, but let’s do it in a safe and responsible manner. No amount of construction and renovation is worth a truck driver, pedestrian, or highway worker’s life.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis, & Appleton

A tragic accident occurred on Interstate 64 (I-64) when a minivan and tanker truck slammed into each other. Gary Allen and Donald Beazley suffered serious injuries and Sue Ratliff Beazley was killed, according to wvec.com.

My deepest sympathies go out to Mr. Beazley for the loss of his wife.

Reports indicate the truck crossed the median producing a head-on collision with the minivan. The wreck was severe, a common result from a serious trucking accident. We don’t know the extent of the injuries for the two individuals, but we do know they’re being treated in a trauma center.

I hope a thorough investigation is conducted and they find out what caused the truck driver to cross the median and cause this terrible accident.The Virginian-Pilot is reporting Mr. Allen, the driver of the truck, suffered a medical-related incident but they don’t know for sure if that’s what caused the accident.

I-64 receives a high volume of traffic on a daily basis and a volatile combination of compact cars, SUVs, vans, and trucks all utilize I-64. Unfortunately, accidents occur on this highway on a regular basis but it’s always so tragic when these horrendous fatal accidents take place.

Over 120,000 truck accidents occur each year in the United States and nearly 2,000 serious injuries stemming from truck accidents occur in Virginia (VA) annually. These numbers are simply unacceptable and need to decrease.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis, & Appleton

The drivers of a tractor-trailer was seriously injured after the trailer lost its brakes and crashed into an embankment on U.S. Highway 52 between Fancy Gap and Cana, Virginia (VA), according to Mount Airy News.

The trailer flipped over and slipped across the northbound lanes finally smashing into an embankment. Rescue workers spent over an hour to free the driver from the trailer.

Brake defects were found in 56 percent of tractor-trailers involved in truck crashes, according to ESTD. A study sponsored by the Department of Transportation concluded that nearly 30 percent of all large truck crashes involved brake failure, brakes out of adjustment, or other brake related issues.

A brake failure is one of the worst experiences a driver can go through. You feel helpless and your vehicle becomes a target for destruction.

Here are some general guidelines you should adhere to in case your brakes fail, from Safety.com:

• Try not to panic. If possible, work your vehicle into the right lane and then toward the shoulder or, if possible, toward an exit. Remember to use your directional signal. When you reach the right lane turn on your emergency hazard lights.
• Let the truck slow down gradually by taking your foot off the gas pedal. Simply steer as your vehicle slows and shift the truck into a lower gear to let the engine help slow the truck.
• Get the truck off the roadway and to a safe place to avoid stopping traffic or being involved in a rear-end collision.
• When safely off the road, put out reflective triangles beside and behind your vehicle to alert other drivers; keep your emergency flashers going.
• Don’t stand behind or next to your vehicle; if possible, stay away from the vehicle and wait for help to arrive. Do not be tempted to drive your vehicle, no matter how slowly, without brakes.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our truck accident case results. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, but we’re ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you’ve been seriously hurt by someone else’s carelessness. We are ready to talk to you right now and we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042.

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