In his latest post to our firm’s Eastern Shore Virginia Injury Attorneys Blog, my colleague Randy Appleton reports on a collision between a semi and smaller commercial truck on Route 13 in Machipongo, VA, that left a box truck driver injured. Randy notes that the box truck driver hit the tractor-trailer after the semi jackknifed, which highlights the dangers truckers create when they lose control of their vehicles. To read more, click over to “Semi Crash on Route 13 in Machipongo Sends Trucker to Hospital With Injuries.”

EJL

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers 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. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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A dump truck tire blowout on VA Route 20 just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, on January 16, 2012, sent the truck and a small car being driven nearby careening off the road and into the woods. According to WVIR-TV NBC 29, both the car’s driver and the dump truck operator suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment. Both people were able to return home the same day, but the truck driver had to be cut from the cab of his vehicle.

As a Virginia personal injury attorney whose law firm often represents victims of trucking accidents, I know that the wrecks caused by failing equipment can often be deadly. Both the people involved in the Charlottesville crash can be considered lucky to have not been injured more severely.

At the same time, the trucker and car driver could also have been victimized by a defective tire. Only a full investigation into the crash can reveal whether the tire blew out because it was improperly inflated, allowed to become bald and unbalanced, driven over a puncture hazard or unsafe in design or by manufacture. Whatever the case of the tire failure, there is a cause and either the company owning and operating the dump truck or the tire maker can and should be held liable for injuries resulting from the accident.

EJL

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers 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. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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This month a tanker truck carrying 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel overturned on Highway 15 in Loudoun County, Virginia.

The tanker truck was closely following behind two cars when they apparently slammed on their brakes.  In order to avoid hitting the cars, the driver drove into an embankment, and the tanker truck overturned.

No one was hurt in the crash, and no fuel was leaked into the neighboring community.

While we applaud the quick action taken by the truck driver, we personally know that not every story has the same ending. Unfortunately, many truck accidents results in serious injuries to innocent victims. Our firm focuses on helping those accident victims, and we are proud of the results we have achieved in helping them recover from their loss.

Truck accidents in Virginia are very different from common car accidents, and that is why you need to hire a law firm that will send out investigators to collect evidence on your behalf. The truck driver will have several insurance companies all working to make the problem go away quickly.  You need someone on your side that will:

• Collect any and all forensic evidence including skid marks, debris, vehicle or tire damage, and data systems on the truck are the physical evidence of the accident;
• Consult with forensic experts; and
• Get through the web of liability including all available responsible parties and relevant insurance that may be available to you or a family member.

To get more info, take a look at this free consumer report, written by a truck accident lawyer in Virginia, discussing what a victim needs to do after a serious accident involving a commercial truck.

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers 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. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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Causing an accident is terrible, but fleeing the scene is far worse. Unfortunately, hit-and-runs are a common occurrence, as evidenced by the hit-and-run accident that occurred on I-81 north of Martinsburg, West Virginia (WV).

An SUV was hit in the rear by a tractor-trailer and the collision caused the SUV to hit a guardrail and flip over, according to the Herald-Mail.com. Did the tractor-trailer driver stop and help the victims inside the SUV? No.

The tractor-trailer fled the scene and the woman, along with her husband and young daughter were left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, the make, model, registration and company of the tractor-trailer have yet to be determined.

The woman, who hails from Hagerstown, Maryland (MD), was seriously injured in the accident and she was listed in critical condition at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia (VA).

Hopefully the tractor-trailer driver will be discovered and apprehended. This was a terrible accident made only worse by the truck driver’s complete indifference to the welfare of the victims involved in the wreck.

PA

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers 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. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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My colleague John Cooper has reported on the investigation into the death of a Norfolk, Virginia (VA), sanitation worker who was crushed while trying to clear a hopper jam in the back of a recycling truck that the City of Norfolk had purchased from the Southeastern Public Service Authority. A safety device on the truck was disabled by rewiring. Both the city and SPSA deny any involvement in the rewiring. To learn more, check out “Truck Company Threw Away Documents Related to Defective Truck That Killed Norfolk, VA Worker.”

PA

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.

PA

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My colleague Jim Lewis has written about an accident at the intersection of Bonney Road and South Budding Avenue in Virginia Beach, VA, in which a dump truck hit a car. Injuries were sustained in the wreck. To learn more, take a look at “Truck Slams Into Car on Bonney Road in Virginia Beach, Causes Injuries.”

PA

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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Road rage is a serious problem on the highways of Virginia (VA). If you deliberately cause an accident you will face the full force of the criminal law and could face a lawsuit. In a blog post to our firm’s Virginia personal injury attorneys’ website, my colleague Emily Mapp Brannon writes about how a pickup truck driver caused an accident in Richmond that left another driver with serious injuries.

DM

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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My colleague Jim Lewis has written about an accident that occurred on Route 15 in Loudoun County, Virignia (VA). Reports indicate a Chevrolet truck driver was operating her vehicle erratically before slamming head-on into a Nissan pickup truck. The innocent Nissan truck driver suffered serious injuries and the at-fault driver died. To learn more, check out “Loudoun County, VA Truck Accident Injures Man, Kills Woman.”

PA

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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Driver fatigue has been a safety issue in the trucking industry for years. Unfortunately, the preference for maximizing profits rather than protecting workers has prevented any serious regulations from going into effect. Fortunately, that appears to be changing.

In a move to help prevent serious truck accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed reducing the allowable driving time for interstate truckers from 11 hours in each 14-hour shift to 10 hours. Truck drivers would also be required to take an hour-long break during “marathon shifts” that include loading and unloading the truckers’ cargo. This is important since many truck drivers push themselves to drive longer and longer hours. For example, a trucker was killed in an accident after being on the road for nearly 20 hours, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Last year, the FMCSA approved a rule that goes into effect in 2012 and requires commercial truckers who have violated hour limits repeatedly to install electronic devices that replace paper log books. There is also consideration of requiring recorders regardless of whether a trucker or trucking company has been caught cheating on their driving logs.

The trucking industry has complained about the new and proposed regulations, claiming the rules increase the cost of doing business. However, evidence indicates that stricter rules have contributed to a reduction in fatal truck crashes. In 2009, the number of fatal big rig accidents that occurred across the United States dropped 20 percent from 2008.

Generating profits is important, but that should not take precedence over the safety of employees. New regulations have helped reduce the number of major truck accidents, which helps not only the truckers but the rest of the drivers on the road who might have been helpless victims in the serious trucking wreck.

PA

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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Everyday seems to bring news of another tractor-trailer or tour bus crash on East Coast interstates in which the commercial vehicle’s driver or someone in a car, pickup or SUV suffered injuries or got killed. Too often, the wreck was caused by the big rig or bus. And too many times, the at-fault driver lacked the proper training, license or health — the trucker was sick or impaired by drugs or alcohol. Sometimes, the vehicle itself was unsafe because it had bad tires, inadequate equipment, even a poor hitch between cab and trailer.

Roadside inspections can get potentially dangerous drivers, 18-wheelers and large buses off the road before accidents happen. Recognizing this, trucking and busing groups, state and local police departments, and the Federal Motor Carrier Association have teamed up for years to support random checks of commercial trucks and buses.

A state in which a cooperative random roadside safety inspection program is working particularly well is Pennsylvania (PA), There, according to the Pocono Times, the 2010 Pennsylvania Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program made it possible for “more than 93,000 random truck inspections [to be] conducted across the state, a 14 percent increase from 2009.”

In Virginia (VA), where tour bus crashes on interstates recently claimed several lives and injured dozens more, state troopers participated in Roadcheck 2011 during early June. The goal of that operation was to ensure more than 70,000 truckers, trucks, bus drivers and buses were interviewed and inspected across Canada, Mexico and the United States to increase safety.

Such programs work — up to a point. FMCSA data show that the rate of fatal crashes per 100 million miles traveled by large trucks and buses have fallen consistently from 3.82 in 2008 to 1.17 in 2010. The goal, of course, is 0 per every mile traveled.

Still, as a Virginia-based attorney who has often represented victims of trucking accidents, I’m encouraged by the trend. Unsafe vehicles and drivers have no business doing business on U.S. highways. I’d like to see programs that encourage and support roadside inspections of commercial vehicles extended.

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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