Tractor-trailers are the biggest things on the road.  In a sea of minnows they are a shark.  So it was one heck of a tangled mess that has left one person dead and two others injured following a two-vehicle accident involving a FedEx tractor-trailer Thursday afternoon on I-81 North in Berkeley County near the Virginia (VA) state line.  Find out more.

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 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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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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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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An emergency response turned deadly for two members of the Rocky Mount, Virginia (VA), Fire Department on Monday, July 26, when, according to witnesses, their fire truck flipped and landed on a Ford Mustang after being clipped from behind by an SUV and striking a curb. The Ford Escape sports utility vehicle appears to have entered an intersection through which the fire truck was passing before the truck had cleared the area. No charges were filed in the immediate aftermath of the accident.

Only the firefighters lost their lives, but the SUV driver suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment.

The fire truck was loaded with at least 1,000 gallons of water, and that may have contributed to the roll over. Regardless, with all reports indicating that the fire truck had its siren and lights on while proceeding down Route 40, about 20 miles south of Roanoke, the other drivers on the road had to yield to the firefighters.

Firefighters — and police, EMTs and other emergency responders — put their lives on the line every day at accident scenes, fires and disaster sites. They accept that risk on our behalf. Arriving where their services are most needed should be the least of their worries. Unfortunately, as the tragedy in Rocky Mount shows, fire trucks, police cruisers and ambulances face the same hazards as all other cars and trucks. Sometimes those hazards are unsafe road conditions; other times, those hazards are other drivers.

My thoughts go out to the Rocky Mount firefighters, their families and their friends. I hope that all drivers who see the news of this tragedy take it as a lesson to share the road safely with emergency vehicles.

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, Norfolk Injuryboard Eastern Shore Virginia Injury Attorneys Blog and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.

EJL

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Four tractor trailers, six cars and one camper were involved in an accident last Wednesday on I-77 in Fancy Gap, Va. which closed traffic in both lanes for hours.  According to the police, a tractor-trailer travelling southbound slid down the highway, lost control and rolled-over spilling its load of ceramic tiles.  Two other vehicles had crashed into the semi-truck , which subsequently caused three other separate accidents.

The driver of the first tractor-trailer was immediately rushed to the Surry County hospital via ambulance; five others were reportedly inured and later hospitalized. By the time the police arrived at the truck accident scene, only two people had remained. After a thorough clean-up that took hours, I-77 was reopened just before 8 p.m. Although the big rig accident is still under investigation, police have speculated on a few reasons for the wreck with weather conditions as a possible factor.

According to kidshealth.org, the best strategy in driving in bad weather is to avoid it.  However, if it is really inevitable, there are some helpful tips to prevent accidents in a bad weather. Make sure your headlights are on.  Increase your following distance and maintain it.   Slow down. Braking takes longer on slippery roads, the slower you go, the easier it will be for you to stop.  Make sure your car is prepared for the conditions (check your battery, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, windshield wipers, headlights, tires).

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.

BM

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Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton

It what can only be described as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, tragically a passenger riding along in a Fed Ex truck was killed last week when the vehicle overturned on Fentress Airfield Road. Virginia Beach Police have identified the victim of this accident  as Andrew Copeland, 38, or Virginia Beach.

The fatal Fed Ex truck crash occurred around  4:25p.m. close to the intersection with Long Ridge Road,  according to Gus Mojica, the Police Dept spokesperson.

The driver of the Fed Ex truck was going south and had veered slightly to the right as the oncoming traffic was approaching, said Mojica. The Fed Ex truck ran off the shoulder and as the driver attempted to pull back onto the road the entire truck rolled over instead. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment and his name has not been released.

Deeply saddened friends and family of Copeland never expected that his life would be cut short so suddenly and severely. This incident shows just how deadly a trucking rollover accident can be and should wave a caution flag for all to think twice prior to riding in the cab of any  commercial truck such as the one involved with this Fed Ex  accident. It makes you wonder if safety is their number one issue or if it is just convenient to put in their mission statement? It seems that speed and corporate profits might fit into the puzzle as well, maybe too much?

Given the large size and weight of heavy trucks, especially commercial trucks such as tractor-trailer vehicles, a serious safety threat can be posed to the vehicle’s occupants in the event of a rollover collision. It has been clearly demonstrated that a large number of incapacitating and fatal injuries have occurred when the occupants were contained in the cab during rollover accidents. In many cases when a rollover occurs in a heavy truck and the occupants were not ejected, injuries sustained were either incapacitating or fatal.

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.

BM

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The big rig crashed around 11:30 a.m. that morning and an entire section of I-85 was closed for several hours while first responders and firefighters cleaned up what was left of the car. Eyewitnesses on the scene reported that the car caught fire on impact. Authorities said that the person in the car that was struck by the semi truck was killed instantly. Officials had not revealed the identity or gender of the victim.

Did you know that every 16 minutes, a person is killed or sustains injuries in accidents involving 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers or semi-trucks? In fact, just in the year 2001 alone, some 429,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes (both fatal and minor) in the United States. Of those truck wrecks:

• 4,793 were involved in fatal crashes
• 5,082 people died
• 131,000 were injured

The trucking injury attorneys with Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm are based in Virginia (VA), with an office also in Elizabeth City, in Northeast North Carolina (NC), practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our Virginia injury law website is www.HSInjurylaw.com and our Carolina injury law website is: http://carolina.hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a YouTube injury law video library with over 50 videos covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

BM

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