Virginia Trucking Accident Attorney Blog » I-64

Tow Truck Driver Causes Fatal Rear-End Collision on I-70 in Maryland

rshapiro — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:04:37 +0000

By Kevin Duffan, Virginia-Based Trucking Accident Wrongful Death Attorney

In his latest blog post to our Virginia personal injury attorneys’ website, my colleague John Cooper writes that a fatal accident along the shoulder of I-70 in northwestern Maryland (MD) serves as a reminder of how important it is for all drivers to heed move-over laws. In the deadly rear-end collision, a tow truck driver crashed into a tractor-trailer whose co-driver was doing maintenance on her big rig. Read more about this tragedy by clicking over to “Female Tractor-Trailer Driver Killed in Collision Caused by Tow Truck on I-70 in Maryland.”

EJL

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling truck accident cases. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in NC, South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC. 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 host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. Check out our case results. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free initial consultations so 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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Top Ten Safe Summer Driving Tips From Commercial Truck Drivers

rshapiro — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:50:46 +0000

By John Cooper, VA Truck Accident Injury Attorney

Like too many previous celebration of America’s independence, Fourth of July 2011 has the potential to be a deadly diving day on the roads and highways of Virginia (VA), North Carolina (NC) and every other state. Citing National Highway Transportation Safety Administration statistics, msn.com noted that the days leading up to and including July 4 regularly see more fatal car, truck, motorcycle and SUV accidents than any other holiday weekend.

“In the summer of 2008 …, 491 people died in car accidents during the three-day Fourth of July weekend. Out of that total, 43 percent died as a result of alcohol-impaired driving,” the website reported.

As a Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury attorney who has represented injury and wrongful death victims following car and truck wrecks for nearly 25 years, I know firsthand that no crash that kills or injures is a welcome event. But accidents at otherwise happy times can be especially devastating.

In an effort to keep traffic accidents to a minimum this July 4th, and all summer long and year round, the American Trucking Associations, recently published the top 10 safe driving tips from commercial truck drivers. While the advice is specifically intended to prevent collisions between 18-wheelers, semis, tanker trucks, flatbeds and smaller vehicles, following this advice from people who have logged literally millions of miles behind the wheels of big rigs should help everyone reach their destination safely every time.

Prepare Your Vehicle: Checking your radiator, oil, and wipers and getting any necessary maintenance can help you avoid many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road.
Check and Inflate Your Tires to the Proper Pressure: Overinflated tires can blow out. Underinflated tires make your vehicle harder to control. And having too much or too little air in your tires lowers your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
Drive the Speed Limit: Observing posted speed limits saves money on gas and reduces wear and tear on vehicles. Resisting the urge to speed also makes any driver or motorcyclist more safe. Maintaining a constant speed can reduce fuel costs by 30 percent and give you more time to react to changing road conditions or mistakes by other motorists.
Remember That Large Trucks Have Large Blind Spots: Drivers of tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers simply cannot see you if you are beside their rigs. If you can’t see a trucker driver in his or her rearview mirror, the truck driver can’t see you.
Keep Bottled Water in Your Vehicle: A summer emergency kit containing extra water, sunsreen and nonperishable food in addition to flares and tools is as essential as a winter driving kit containing a blanket and chemical hand and foot warmers. Never allow yourself to get stranded without emergency supplies.
Park Safely Out of Traffic Before Using Your Cell Phone or Any Other Handheld Electronic Device: Taking your eyes and mind off the road and vehicles around you for even two seconds doubles your chance of causing or being involved in a crash.
Do Not Cut Off Large Trucks: The longer and heavier a truck is, the longer its driver needs to stop. Keep that in mind when changing lanes in front of big rig.
Honor Right-of-Way When Merging and Turning: You must yield to oncoming traffic whenever you enter a highway from an on-ramp, use an off-ramp or make a right- or left-hand turn from a light, intersection or parking lot. When you do merge, get up to highway speed quickly and do not slow down in front of an 18-wheeler or semi.
Respond Calmly to Emergencies: If you get in trouble, put on your emergency blinkers and slow down smoothly before coming to a stop on a shoulder or in an emergency lane. Do not stop in the flow of traffic and, at the same time, move over or slow down when approaching police, broken down vehicles or road crews beside the road.
Save Fuel: Take direct routes, make few side trips and keep your engine well-tuned. You’ll see noticeable savings on fuel and lower your chances of running out of gas when stuck in traffic.

Stay safe, and have a great Fourth.

EJL

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Bill to Allow Bigger Trucks on Roads Could Increases Risk of Serious Truck Wrecks

rshapiro — Mon, 30 May 2011 02:14:09 +0000

By John Cooper, Truck Wreck Injury Lawyer

There is a bill making its way through the Congress that would allow the federal weight limit for truck to increase from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds, according to wect.com.

The legislation, H.R. 1799, is part of a larger bill that’s called the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act. The logic is simple: heavier trucks mean more items can be transported from point A to point B.

State law regarding weight and size limits for trucks varies depending on what kind of load the truck is carrying, but federal law does not allow trucks heavier than 80,000 pounds on interstate highways.

Numerous organizations, including the American Trucking Association, support increased weight limits due to the potential for increased productivity, but safety needs to be considered.

Heavier trucks mean that when a truck accident occurs, the damage will probably be more extensive. Just imagine a 97,000 pound truck slamming into your car on I-64, I-664 and any other major road in Virginia (VA). Not only would the car be damaged, but the severity of injuries to any occupants would be even worse.

“Anytime a tractor trailer is involved in a crash, especially a loaded tractor trailer, generally the results are catastrophic,” explained North Carolina Highway Trooper Jim Hager in the wect.com article. ”The best way I can associate it is, it looks like a war zone afterwards.”

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Distracted Driving – Texting, Chatting, Eating — Takes a Deadly Toll

jcooper — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:21:57 +0000

By John Cooper, Virginia Truck Accident Attorney

“In 2009, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving.”

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration lists the above as the top “highlight” of a September 2010 Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Another 16 percent of U.S. traffic accidents in which someone got killed involved at least one distracted driver. Teens and adults younger than 30 had the highest numbers of injuries and deaths in distracted driving accidents.

Some highlights.

Distractions leading to driving-related injuries and fatalities include using cell phones to talk or text, eating, speaking with passengers and simply taking one’s eyes off the road. A study by Virginia Tech researchers showed that drivers of large commercial trucks such as 18-wheelers, semis and tractor-trailers of all sizes posed particular risks to themselves and others when they allowed themselves to become distracted. Big rig drivers appear nearly 20 times more likely to have accidents than other motorists.

A totally incomplete record of the deaths and injuries caused by distracted truck, car and van drivers in just 2010 makes up a distressingly large amount of the content of this blog:

Federal, state and industry efforts to prevent and crack down on distracted driving by proposing and adopting bans on texting by drivers and banning hand held cell phone use behind the wheel have made a dent in the problem. Those measures can only go so far, especially as more and more distractions — even in-dash televisions and Internet-enabled computers — appear in new vehicles.

All drivers need to keep their minds and eyes on their driving. This is especially true for truck drivers, because the damage they can do — the lives they can destroy — is so great.

EJL

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 is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but our lawyers also hold licenses to practice 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, Norfolk Injuryboard, Eastern Shore Virginia Injury Attorneys Blog and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.

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Firefighter Killed By Big Rig

rshapiro — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:22:56 +0000

By Rick Shapiro, Personal Injury Attorney

When we hear in the news that a fire fighter has been killed, we expect it to be while in the line of duty, not in a car accident. So I was surprised and saddened to learn of the death of a Clifton Forge Firefighter, Mr. Ashley Weikle.

Ashley was killed in a fatal crash on Interstate 64 (I-64) in Roanoke, Virginia (VA) on Dec. 3, 2010. He was involved in a head on accident with another tractor trailer. According to state police, the at-fault driver ran off the left side of the interstate, crossed the median and hit Ashley, sending the cab of his truck plunging into the river.

Our deepest condolences go out to his family. It is terrible to lose someone in a preventable accident, even more so during this time of year.

The driver of the other big rig was not hurt but was charged with reckless driving.

There is no word yet why the at-fault drive lost control, but the power, size and weight of a commercial tractor-trailer make the impact of a truck collision much worse and the chance of serious injury and death much higher. The death rate for truck crashes is 50 percent higher than for car accidents, and many injuries may cause life-long disability and permanent or chronic health problems.
CA.

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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Firm Attorneys Secure $3.5 Million Settlement for Truck Accident Victim

jcooper — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:43:43 +0000

By Jim Lewis, VA Truck Wreck Lawyer

My fellow attorneys, John Cooper and Randy Appleton, successfully secured a $3.5 million settlement for the victim of a serious truck accident. Our client was a 25-year-old man from Portsmouth, Virginia (VA) who lost his life after being trapped inside a car that was hit by a tractor trailer on Interstate 64 (I-64) in Norfolk, VA.

John and Randy established that the truck driver failed to follow required guidelines in the Virginia CDL Manual and the truck driver failed to take medication that was necessary to control his diabetes.

In light of this evidence, a settlement offer was made for $3.5 million plus the cost of mediation. The settlement will go to the client’s only beneficiary, his five-year-old daughter.

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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Many Tractor-Trailer Wrecks Caused by Driver Fatigue

rshapiro — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:31:30 +0000

By Rick Shapiro, Truck Accident Lawyer in Virginia

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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Truck Tire Smashes into Minivan Killing Driver in Henrico County

rshapiro — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:11:07 +0000

By Rick Shapiro, Virginia Truck Wreck Lawyer

If there was any doubt about the level of risk we all face while sharing the highway with big rigs and other large commercial trucks, the recent accident in Henrico County, Virginia (VA) illustrates what can happen when something goes wrong with a large commercial truck.

A big rig traveling down Interstate 64 (I-64) suddenly had a wheel base break off causing the massive truck tire to bounce across the highway eventually slamming into a minivan driven by Stephanie Bender, a resident of Colonial Heights, VA. She died at the scene on May 14, 2010 as a result, according to wtkr.com. The truck was owned by J.E. Liesfeld Contractor Inc. of Rockville, MD, State Police spokesman Sgt. Thomas J. Molnar said. A company spokesman said that the wreck “very tragic” and said the cause appeared to be equipment failure — a tire seal ruptured, and friction caused the 200-pound tire set to come off the axle. Under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations governing commercial trucks, there are inspections required of such vehicles. It is unclear at this time whether any failure of maintenance or inspection duties apply here.

Here is a news report about this fatal truck accident:

“The company is very upset this happened, it’s a tragic accident, and the company will do everything it can to assist the family in its time of need,” said Charles Ayers, corporate counsel to Liesfeld. As a trucking injury attorney often working against trucking company’s, it is unclear to me what the attorney’s comment means in the context of any civil injury lawsuit that may be brought by her family members.

Stephanie Bender was survived by her husband, Terry Lee Bender, Jr, two daughters, her parents, and many brothers and sisters. Her family has roots in the Macon/Dodge County, GA area. Many of her co-workers at Capitol One, where she had previously worked, were stunned, and talked about her beautiful smile and the pride she took in her daughters and her family.

The disparity in size and weight between a commercial truck and compact cars, SUVs, and minivans is so great that even when the slightest error or malfunction occurs with a big rig or 18-wheeler, the damage can be catastrophic, especially for the driver and/or passenger(s) in those compact vehicles.

The VA Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection Team is investigating what caused the tire to break off from the big rig, according to wtvr.com. They will determine if traffic/criminal charges should be filed against the truck driver since there’s a chance the big rig may have had mechanical defects which were overlooked or neglected leading to a death. This is completely separate from any “wrongful death” civil lawsuit that may be available to the surviving family members.

It was reported that over 200,000 trucks violate federal safety regulations, but are still operating on roads and highways all across the country. We’ll have to wait and see what the Inspection Team reports.

Regardless of the cause, I want to send my deepest sympathies to the Bender family. The pain of losing someone you love is always gut-wrenching, but it has to be even worse when the loss is so sudden. Mrs. Bender was only 36 years old.

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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Tractor-Trailer Carrying Cars Causes Accident, Falls Apart on Highway Causing Traffic Jam

paustin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:14:23 +0000

By Rick Shapiro

Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis, & Appleton

If the traffic on Interstate 64 (I-64) in Virginia (VA) couldn’t get any worse, a tractor-trailer carrying multiple automobiles hit a car and then fell apart along the congested highway. This accident caused major delays since two lanes had to be closed, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

This truck/car accident happened on the eastbound lanes close to the Camp Peary exit. After the tractor trailer hit the car, it slammed into an overhead sign leading to major guardrail damage after the trailer’s vehicles inundated I-64.

Our firm has written about various truck accidents which have occurred on I-64. These terrible accidents occur more frequently than any of us would like.

A big reason why these accidents are usually so devastating is due to the sheer size of these tractor-trailers. Most of these trucks weigh over 80,000 pounds, according to the Department of Transportation, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the trailer in this accident weighed even more since it was hauling vehicles.

Tractor-trailers are highly dangerous and my advice would be if you’re in the same lane with one of these trucks, move over as soon as you can, just to be safe. You don’t want to get tangled up with one of these monstrous trucks in an accident. The consequences are never good.

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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