The 65-year-old driver of a pickup has been killed after his vehicle was hit by a heavy truck in West Virginia. The victim, Garry Smith, from Prichard, WV, was killed on Tolsia Highway/US 52 in Wayne County on the morning of October 6, 2011, WSAZ.com reported.

Investigators said the pickup driver was pulling onto the highway from Centerville Road when the fatal crash occurred. The asphalt truck’s driver had to be cut from the cab by firefighters and was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

As experienced Virginia (VA) trucking injury attorneys, my colleagues and I see far too many fatal and other serious accidents caused by big rigs and tractor-trailers. Often, the truck drivers are to blame.

Fr instance, in July, 2011 we reported on a case in which a tractor-trailer operator caused an accident on I-95 in Woodbridge, VA, in which he hit another big rig and a box truck. The crash was caused when the tractor-trailer driver failed to slow down when coming up to the scene of an earlier accident near the interchange with US Route 1.

Increasing number of Virginians are dying in accidents caused by distracted driving, according to a new study. And when you become distracted driving several tons of potentially dangerous metal, in the case of a truck, the consequences can be deadly.

It’s not unknown for truck drivers to be drunk at the wheel. Recently we reported on a case in Virginia in which three children on a church bus were injured by an intoxicated driver behind the wheel of a 10-ton truck.

We have handled a number of cases involving truck drivers, including a $3.5 million settlement we secured in 2010 for the family of our client who was killed when a driver in a flatbed truck rear-ended a passenger vehicle on I-64 in Norfolk, VA .

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 Rick Shapiro has posted a new blog to our law firm’s Virginia personal injury attorneys’ website about how a motorcyclist was killed in a collision with a trash truck in Alexandria, Virginia (VA). This death on June 30, 2011, was the latest in a spate of fatal accidents involving motorcyclists in Virginia. Motorcyclists usually come off worse in crashes with heavy trucks.

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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A mother has been killed in a collision with a coal truck that left her husband and two children injured in Mingo County, West Virginia (WV). The accident happened on Dingess Road near the Dingess Tunnel about 10 a.m, on June 20, 2011. The victim’s husband suffered from several fractures, and her children suffered minor injuries, WSAZ.com reported.

The driver of the truck also suffered minor injuries. The cause of this tragic crash remains under investigation.

Our experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys have reported on a number of accidents involving coal trucks in West Virginia and we are concerned about their regularity. Last year, we we wrote abot how a coal truck driver in Fayetteville, WV, operated the vehicle in a reckless manner and hit a Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV driven by a 19-year-old. The teenager died in the truck-SUV crash. The coal truck driver apparently crossed a center line and hit the SUV head on. Police said the coal truck driver was distracted because he took his eyes off the road.

Earlier this month in Charleston, WV, an 89-year-old woman died when she pulled out in front of a coal truck on Cabin Creek Road in Dry Branch, according to police. In this case, investigators said the coal truck driver couldn’t have avoided the fatal crash, the Charleston Gazette reported.

While what caused the June 20, 2011, accident is unclear, it is apparent that accidents involving heavy coal trucks in West Virginia often have fatal consequences.

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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In West Virginia this week, another tragic accident was caused by a coal truck. This isn’t the first time the town has experienced tragedy.  Last July a coal truck killed a teen. Why are all these fatal truck accidents happening?  Find out more about these terrible truck accidents.

CA

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 Injuryboardblogs 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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The widow of an Illinois (IL) attorney killed in a crash caused by a semi driver who failed to stop at an intersection of two state highways has received a $5 million wrongful death settlement from the health care company that owned the big rig and employed the driver. Fellow trucking accident victim’s lawyer, Robert J. Bingle of Chicago, told the News Tribune on February 25, 2011, that the victim “was a loving husband and a great father. He was a tenacious and passionate advocate for his clients and a very active man in his community. He is missed by many people.”

The fatal collision occurred on December 16, 2009, when the OSF St. Francis Healthcare Systems truck rolled through a stop sign and hit the car driven by Richard J. Berry. The truck driver was cited by police for disobeying a signal at a four-way intersection with stop signs at each corner. He may also have been speeding before the crash. Berry died at the scene of the accident.

Semis, tractor-trailers and other large commercial trucks take a long time to come to a complete stop. And, of course, the faster a truck is going, the greater the distance needed to drop its speed to zero. Truck drivers are trained to take these indisputable laws of physics into account when sharing roads and highways with cars and, especially, when approaching red lights, stop signs, turns or unmarked intersections. As the deadly crash in Illinois shows, however, even a single mistake or temporary lack of attention can lead to irreversible tragedy.

As a partner in a law firm whose lawyers have represented hundreds of victims of crashes caused by trucks, I have seen firsthand the devastation big rigs can cause when operated unsafely. My condolences go out to the woman who lost her husband in Illinois. At the same time, I’m glad that the civil suit she filed for the wrongful death ended with some measure of compensation and justice for her irretrievable loss.

EJL

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm that focuses on injury and accident law, and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. 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 pro bono public information services. 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 (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.

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In the second fatal accident involving a large commercial truck in North Carolina (NC) in less than four days, a tractor-trailer driver “plowed into a line of eight vehicles stopped in the right lane [of I-26]. … Five people were killed and 10 were injured.” The accident occurred on the interstate near the town of Fletcher just before 11 pm on Sunday, February 20.

The semi driver faces multiple manslaughter charges, and several of the injured car drivers and passengers remained hospitalized on Tuesday. The truck driver also appears to have given police a falsified or invalid medical certificate attesting to his physical and mental health and ability to operate a big rig safely.

No cause for the accident in which five people lost their lives and twice that many had their lives changed forever has been reported. The multiple criminal charges do point to the tractor-trailer’s operator being at fault, however. The time of the accident — near midnight — could also suggest that the truck driver had limited vision of the highway or suffered from fatigue.

Semis and 18-wheelers take much longer to stop than smaller vehicles, so it is important that the people behind the wheel of large commercial trucks remain alert and responsive to changes in road conditions and traffic flow that can lead to accidents in which people get killed or hospitalized.

Whatever caused the wreck, as an attorney with a firm whose lawyers have decades of experience representing victims of trucking accidents, I offer my condolences to families and friends of those killed. I also wish the injured parties speedy and full recoveries.

EJL

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm that focuses on injury and accident law, and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. 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 pro bono public information services. 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 (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.

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A head-on collision can affect even the most seasoned professional driver.  In northwest Washington D.C. a wrong way driver has killed two people, reports police. The accident occurred on Canal Road near Clark Place early Friday morning. The at-fault driver lost control of his Jaguar. The vehicle slid across the road and into oncoming traffic, find out more.

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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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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A man driving drunk in a box type truck first ran into a pawn shop and then into a pedestrian.  I don’t think it would have mattered if this man was driving a Ford Focus, he would have still hurt people.  Find out more.

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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