Posted on December 23, 2014 in Truck Accidents

Northern Virginia commuters are often a bit drowsy in the early morning hours; unfortunately, the combination of many different vehicles clogging area roadways can result in backups, minor accidents or major collisions. For those whose jobs put them behind the wheel all day or night, drowsiness can be deadly.

In order to combat truck driver fatigue, federal trucking regulations have evolved over the years to set stringent guidelines as to how much rest drivers must get. In July of 2013, lawmakers mandated that those who drive certain commercial vehicles, particularly large semi-trucks, must take a break of at least 34 hours every seven days, if the driver averages 70 hours of driving per week. The rule included a requirement that the 34-hour rest period include a pair of overnight periods between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Recently, however, a federal spending bill signed into law by President Obama earlier this month included language that has eased these restrictions on truckers' rest periods. Under the new bill, drivers no longer have to use their rest periods during the specific overnight hours featured in the July 2013 legislation. Some in the trucking industry argue that the easing of the restriction will make roadways less congested and the industry more efficient.

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 Posted on December 17, 2014 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

When a family is struck by the unexpected loss of a loved one after a car accident, countless questions arise. How did the accident happen? Was there anything that could have prevented it? Who was at fault? These are all questions that will need to be answered in the course of a wrongful death case.

One of the more significant costs - the cost of a funeral - tends to be steep, as there are many different expenses that come into play. Most funeral homes charge a basic services fee, which encompasses services that are included in almost all funerals: planning the event itself, obtaining certain permits and creating notices, securing the decedent's death certificate, housing the body and arranging services with the cemetery or crematory.

The basic services fee generally does not cover other services common to funerals, such as a viewing inside the funeral home itself, embalming the body, staff and equipment necessary for services by the graveside, cremation, interment, use of a hearse and the casket. It's important for families to know that embalming, which can be quite expensive, is usually not legally required and opting against it can save a family money. Still, if a family plans on having a viewing or visitation, the home will often require embalming. Finally, a funeral home may charge additional fees related to outside vendors, such as florists, members of the clergy or musicians.

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 Posted on December 11, 2014 in Car Accidents

The steps that a person takes following a car accident in Northern Virginia depend upon many factors. One such factor is whether the auto accident was a single-vehicle incident, an event involving two or more cars or an accident involving car and a pedestrian. If an accident involved more than one party, it is extremely important to determine if the collision was caused by negligence or recklessness. If so, the injured party may be able to move forward with a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

In such a suit, the harmed party is likely to seek compensation for medical expenses and, in the event of a fatal accident, funeral costs. Compensation may also entail lost wages if the injured party was put out of work as the result of an accident, or if a deceased victim was the breadwinner for a family. However, there may also be other kinds of damages available in compensation.

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 Posted on December 03, 2014 in Truck Accidents

The price of health care often seems to be going nowhere but up. Medical bills in general can be tremendously expensive, but the treatment costs after a truck accident can be downright staggering. A truck accident in Northern Virginia can cause any type of serious injury imaginable: broken bones, back injuries, lacerations from broken glass and even brain damage.

While those who survive a collision with a semi-truck are indeed fortunate to be alive, often their difficult journey is just beginning. The combined stress of physical injury plus emotional trauma can prove overwhelming. At the same time, the crash victim must also deal with the financial impact of a crash. If negligence on the part of a truck driver or truck company caused an accident, a Manassas truck accident attorney can help bridge the gap between medical bills and one's ability to pay them.

One of the first steps in confronting crash-related medical expenses is consulting with a truck accident lawyer. Experienced attorneys will listen to the facts of the case and then gather more information regarding the cause of the collision. Sometimes the victim may not know exactly what caused a wreck but knows the rules of the road were violated. In such cases, attorneys may be able to help a victim find answers via crash reconstruction or consultation with industry experts and law enforcement.

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 Posted on November 28, 2014 in Car Accidents

As a heavily populated region, Northern Virginia is home to countless different types of vehicles. Residents of Arlington and Fairfax may be used to seeing compact "smart cars" zip through the region's more urban corridors, while the interstates regularly feature huge semi-trucks, commercial vehicles, and many other types of vehicles. Some residents choose their vehicles based on car crash safety ratings; as a result, many individuals and families prefer SUVs and minivans. Often known for their relatively high safety ratings, minivans may not be as safe as some consumers assume.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, minivans in particular may not prove as safe as their reputation indicates. The institute, which is based out of Arlington, recently said that minivans may be at a disadvantage when it comes to a certain type of crash test. The test, known as the "small overlap" test, replicates an auto accident in which the front corner of a car collides with something at a speed of 40 miles per hour. The institute noted that several well-known minivans garnered the lowest rating on this type of test, with the Honda Odyssey being the lone exception.

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 Posted on November 20, 2014 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Over the years, anti-drunk driving organizations and policymakers have done much to stem the tide of drunk driving in Virginia. However, the presence of intoxicated drivers in the state is still a substantial concern. Last year alone, there were nearly 8,050 alcohol-related crashes throughout the state. Also in 2013, there were over 250 fatalities related to drunk driving accidents.

The good news is that the statistics regarding drunk driving in Virginia point to a decreasing trend. For instance, in the year 2000, there were 11,085 alcohol-related crashes. In 1990, there were over 17,000. Drunk driving fatalities have also been decreasing over the decades; back in the late 1980s there were over 500 deaths in a single year. Finally, DUI-related injuries have also fortunately been on a downward trend over the past 20 years. In 1990 there were 14,070 injuries caused by drunk driving, whereas last year there were 5,288.

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 Posted on November 13, 2014 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

If a Virginia pregnant woman is injured in a car accident in Northern Virginia, the results can be doubly damaging. Injuries to the mother can cause severe harm to the fetus. In some instances, a car accident will prove fatal to the mother, to the fetus or to both. Accordingly, Virginia law allows for potential wrongful death lawsuits against negligent or reckless parties, which cause the death of a fetus.

In Virginia, a person who willfully and with premeditation kills a fetus in an illegal manner may be charged with a Class 2 Felony. It thus makes sense that in a state with fetal homicide laws, there may also be cause for wrongful death if a fetus is killed accidentally via car accident. The state statute defines the potential negligent parties as either a person, corporation, vessel or ship. The statute also defines the fetal death as caused by "neglect," "default" or a "wrongful act."

In certain key ways, a wrongful death action in Virginia regarding a fetal death differs from other wrongful death lawsuits. First, the lawsuit cannot be against the natural mother of the fetus. For instance, if an expecting mother takes large health risks and has a miscarriage as a result, a wrongful death lawsuit cannot be brought against her. In a typical wrongful death lawsuit, a family member or other representative may bring suit. In wrongful fetal death lawsuits only the natural mother may bring suit.

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 Posted on November 06, 2014 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

A Virginia parent's worst nightmare is to hear that a school bus crash has occurred in his or her city or town. A commercial vehicle accident involving any vehicles which carry multiple passengers has the potential to cause great harm, especially if it is caused by another's negligence. Fortunately, a recent accident involving a commercial truck and a school bus in Virginia Beach led to only relatively minor injuries.

The incident took place on the morning of October 22, near the intersection of Holland Road and Damascus Trail. Few details were available immediately after the collision, which involved a FedEx truck and a school bus carrying 16 students. The accident caused the driver of the bus, as well as one student, to be treated at a local hospital for injuries due to broken glass.

Several other commercial vehicle accidents took place throughout the state last month. In Sussex County, an Amtrak passenger train struck a farm truck; no one was seriously hurt, but the driver of the truck did suffer some minor injuries. At the time of the incident, there were over 150 passengers aboard the train. state police are still investigating the accident and have not yet decided whether to bring charges.

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 Posted on October 29, 2014 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

A simple collision between two passenger cars can result in minor injuries or more severe afflictions. The same type of collision between a car and a semi-truck, on the other hand, is nearly guaranteed to result in more serious injuries. Victims of commercial vehicle accidents who suffer catastrophic injuries can benefit greatly from an experienced attorney's review of their accident.

When a commercial vehicle accident takes place in Arlington, Fairfax or the surrounding areas, there is usually a police report filed regarding the crash. Without an attorney to handle one's case, important elements of the police report may be overlooked if one later suspects that another's negligence caused the wreck. Additionally, many accidents are not thoroughly investigated by authorities, who are often in a rush and have other pressing situations on their plates.

A law firm with the right resources can conduct a complete accident investigation. This may involve reconstructing the accident, questioning experts or reviewing the practices of the truck driver's employer. A skilled truck accident lawyer also can inquire into the state of the commercial vehicle itself - was the truck properly maintained? Did an issue such as defective brakes lead to a crash? Was there anything about the vehicle that caused more severe injuries than should have resulted from that type of accident? Truck accident lawyers know the right questions to ask following an incident that resulted in serious injuries.

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 Posted on October 23, 2014 in Car Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents in the Manassas area can lead to countless types of injuries, but perhaps one of the most well-known injuries linked to crashes is whiplash. Whiplash is an injury that affects the neck and can damage both the bone as well as soft tissue. Frequently, it is caused by a rapid combination of acceleration force and consequent deceleration. This movement forces a person's head to move back and forth very quickly and is most commonly encountered in an auto accident.

A rear-end collision is a particularly common precursor to whiplash, since this type of impact has all the classic elements of sudden forward and backward motion that can cause whiplash. Interestingly, the word "whiplash" was first commonly used in the 1920s; prior to 1928, the label of "railway spine" was applied to those who suffered similar neck injuries from train accidents.

While any injury to the neck or back area is cause for concern, whiplash is usually not threatening to the life of the victim. Still, the condition can be quite painful and can even partially disable someone. In addition, there are whiplash-related disorders which can be both chronic and debilitating. After a car crash, a driver or passenger may not notice signs or symptoms of whiplash immediately. However, once painful symptoms arrive they can linger for years after an incident.

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