Archive for the ‘ Auto Accident ’ Category

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19
Jul

Head-on Lynchburg Crash Leaves Seven People Injured

July 19, 2012

Studies show that while head-on collisions account for only about two percent of all types of car accidents, yet they account for 10 percent of all fatal accidents. Around 75 percent of these accidents occur on rural two lane roads, suggesting that driver error may be a leading cause for this kind of crash. Data from the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) show that 93 percent of head-on fatalities involved vehicles going straight or negotiating a curve.

Locally, two groups of motorists are lucky to have survived such a collision. According to The News & Advance, the accident occurred at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday afternoon along Boonsboro Road in Lynchburg. It left seven passengers of the two vehicles involved seriously injured.

Reports indicate that the accident occurred when a 2000 Buick Century, driven by a 75-year-old Lynchburg man, crossed over the center median lines of the highway and struck a Ford minivan driven by a 37-year-old woman head-on.

All were taken to a local hospital where the driver of the Buick and two passengers in the van remain listed in critical condition. The driver of the van is in stable condition, while three other passengers were treated and released.

The Lynchburg Personal Injury Lawyers at the Skolrood Law Firm would like to remind drivers that obeying the speed limit and staying focused on the road at all times are your two best bets for avoiding a Virginia Personal Injury.

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5
Jul

No Seat Belts Considered Contributing Factor in Fatal I-81 Crash

July 5, 2012

Studies have long shown that seat belt usage significantly increases the chances of survival while also decreasing the risk of injury in an accident by as much as 50 percent. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seat belts save as many as 14,000 lives each year.

Unfortunately, a recent accident involving an unbelted 73-year-old woman from Carrollton, Virginia ended in tragedy. According to WDBJ 7 News, the woman was killed and her husband was left injured due to a Roanoke Car Accident. The crash happened on I-81 at around 1:20 p.m. this past Tuesday.

Reports indicate that the couple was traveling northbound on the highway, with two young children riding in the rear passenger seat when their SUV veered off the shoulder of the road. The driver jerked the wheel back toward the highway, causing the vehicle to roll several times before coming to rest.

The victim and her husband, neither of whom were wearing seat belts, were both ejected from the vehicle, which killed the woman and left her husband seriously injured. Troopers say it is highly likely the woman would have survived and her husband’s injuries would have been less severe had they been buckled in at the time of the crash.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm ask that all motorists buckle up when they get in a car and demand that their passengers do the same.

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21
Jun

Two Killed In Virginia Auto Accident Caused By Reckless Driving

June 21, 2012

A Virginia car accident caused by reckless driving left two people dead in Campbell County earlier this week. Reports from WSLS 10 News indicate that the crash happened just after 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Sunburst and Leesville Roads.

The Roanoke Auto Accident occurred when the driver of a 2006 Suzuki GSX-R600 motorcycle, traveling eastbound along Sunburst Road at a high rate of speed, failed to obey a stop sign at the intersection with Leesville Road. A 2003 Nissan Murano SUV, which had the right-of-way, struck the motorcyclist which caused the rider to be thrown from the bike. The motorcycle then collided with the side of a nearby home.

The Nissan SUV ran off the road and struck a tree. The driver was declared dead at the scene, while the passenger died from her injuries shortly after arrival at a local hospital.

The motorcyclist was treated and released. He was arrested and charged with reckless driving shortly after being discharged. Investigators are continuing to look into the crash and say that more charges may be pending against the driver of the motorcycle.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers understand how devastating it must be to lose a loved one to such a careless act on the road. That is why the firm would like to send out their deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the two women who lost their lives in this tragic accident.

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14
Jun

Importance of Seat Belts Highlighted After Fatal Virginia Crash

June 14, 2012

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research shows that seat belt usage improves your chances of survival in a crash by nearly 50 percent, and an estimated 17,402 lives would be saved yearly if all drivers buckled up. Despite these numbers, millions of motorists are killed every year after being in an accident without a seat belt on.

Failure to wear a seat belt bred tragedy in a recent Roanoke Auto Accident that claimed the lives of three. An article from WSLS10 News stated that the crash happened just before 9:00 p.m. on Route 220. Officers reported that a 1992 Dodge pickup was traveling the wrong way on the road when it collided with a 2004 Chrysler sedan nearly head-on.

Two vehicles following the Chrysler, a 2008 Dodge minivan and a 2006 Toyota Tundra, were then unable to avoid the collision in front of them and struck the wreckage.

The 52-year-old driver of the Dodge pickup and both occupants of the Chrysler were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash and died at the scene. The occupants of the other two vehicles were properly restrained and walked away without any serious injuries.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm would like to remind citizens that the law requires everyone inside a vehicle to wear a seat belt at all times, and that seat belt usage decreases chances of serious injury or death.

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7
Jun

Olympic Hopeful Overcoming Odds Following Traumatic Brain Injury

June 7, 2012

A US women’s volleyball star is overcoming great odds presented to her by a traumatic brain injury that occurred just last year. In a story ran by FOX Sports News, the player says that despite lingering effects of the injury, she is still hopeful to play in the Olympics this summer.

The 34-year-old woman suffered the injury in April of 2011, when a bus that she and her team were riding on in Brazil overturned. At first, the injury appeared to be minor cuts and bruises, but later it was discovered that there was bleeding and swelling in the left hemisphere of her brain. This forced doctors to put her into a medically induced coma.

Since the accident, her vision and sense of balance have not fully returned, despite her strict training regimen. She says that medical professionals have told her that, “…with a brain injury, you have to wait for the brain. It’s a unique thing, you have no control of it and every individual is different.”

The injury forced the woman to adapt her playing style to better fit the needs of her team, and her skills will hopefully win her a spot playing on the Olympic team.

The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm understand just how difficult overcoming a traumatic brain injury can be and would like to wish this inspiring athlete the best of luck in her pursuit of Olympic gold this summer.

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31
May

Lack Of Seat Belts in Car Crash Kills Three, Injures One

May 31, 2012

A four-vehicle collision in Franklin County, Virginia, killed three people earlier this month. According to WSLS 10 News, the accident occurred on Saturday, May 5, just before 9:00 p.m. along Route 220, near Boones Mill.

Virginia State Police stated that the 52-year-old driver of a 1992 Dodge pickup truck was traveling in the wrong direction along the highway when he collided head-on with a 2004 Chrysler Sebring driven by a 60-year-old man from Rocky Mount. Two vehicles that were traveling behind the Sebring moments before the initial collision were unable to stop and also collided with the wreckage from the first accident.

The driver of the Dodge pickup truck was not wearing a seatbelt and was declared dead by a medical examiner at the scene. Also not properly restrained in the accident was the driver of the Chrysler and his 26-year-old son. Both men were also declared dead at the scene.

A 46-year-old woman who was involved in the secondary crash suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm say that this Virginia Car Accident highlights the importance of always buckling up your seatbelt before the vehicle moves. The firm would also like to remind parents of the importance of making sure your children are properly restrained in a child safety seat any time they ride in a vehicle.

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21
May

Fatal Car Accidents Plague Lynchburg, VA, Area

May 18, 2012

A fatal car crash near Lynchburg, Virginia, on Wednesday brought the death count to 10. The Examiner.com reports that in less than a month there have been 10 unrelated deaths from nine fatal car crashes in the Lynchburg area.

This most recent crash occurred when an unidentified driver of a 1995 Cadillac was traveling west on U.S. Route 460 when he lost control, swerved into the east lane, and was hit by a bucket truck driven by a Roanoke man.

Just two days prior a man died when he ran his Tahoe off the road in Rustburg and was thrown from his vehicle. And between May 1 and May 4, there were five deaths: A 69-yar-old woman died after turning in front of a tractor trailer, an 83-year-old woman died after she stepped into traffic near Brookneal, a 69-year-old male died when his truck was hit by an ambulance, a 55-year-old male died when his motorcycle collided with a deer, and a four-year-old was killed when his mom ran a stop sign and another vehicle collided with the van.

Prior to that, a 53-year-old male died on May 2 when he was removing debris that had fallen from his truck onto the road, and two men died on April 21 when a drunk driver collided with their vehicle.

The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys at Skolrood Law Firm can help if you or a loved one has been injured in a Virginia car accident.

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26
Apr

Drunk Driving Problem Affects All Motorists Nationwide

April 26, 2012

When driving, a single wrong decision can mean the difference between life and death. This is the lesson that one man says he has taken from an accident he caused that claimed the life of his co-worker.

According to The Roanoke Times, the crash happened on July 28, 2011. The men had been celebrating a promotion by buying a case of beer and taking it to the victim’s home. The pair drank for the remainder of the day, but decided to go on one final beer run before the man responsible for the crash went home.

The victim was initially driving but decided that he was too intoxicated to drive and asked his friend to take over. His friend also was drunk and drove the vehicle off the side of the road at around 85 mph, causing the vehicle to flip.

The 35-year-old man responsible for the crash pleaded guilty in January to a single count of involuntary manslaughter and DUI.

Many witnesses came to his aide saying the man was never much of a drinker and rarely had more than three beers at a sitting. When asked by the court how the accident had affected him, the man stated, “I made the worst mistake I ever made in my entire life.”

The Virginia Auto Accident Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm ask that you never drink and drive, as operating while intoxicated can have deadly consequences.

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19
Apr

Drunk Driver Charged In Connection With Fatal Virginia Crash

April 19, 2012

A 21-year-old man from Rustburg, Virginia, has been charged with the deaths of two Lynchburg, Virginia, siblings after allegedly striking their vehicle while driving drunk. According to WSLS 10 News, the crash occurred on the morning of July 3 last year around 3:00 a.m. along US 460 in Prince Edward County.

The brother and sister, both in their early 20s, were heading back to their home in Farmville when a vehicle driven by the suspect hit them head-on. The suspect’s vehicle was allegedly in the wrong lane of traffic with his lights off at the time of the crash.

The drunk driver was taken into custody and was indicted by a grand jury earlier this week on charges of reckless involuntary DUI manslaughter. If convicted, the man could face anywhere from two to 40 years in prison for his crimes.

According to prosecutors, the commonwealth’s attorney decided to drop regular DUI charges that were placed against the defendant in order to focus on the more serious charges of DUI manslaughter.

The man responsible for the crash remains free on bond pending a trial, which is set to begin on June 28.

The Virginia Auto Accident Lawyers with the Skolrood Law Firm ask that citizens all contribute to keeping Virginia’s highways safe by not drinking and driving. If you have been consuming alcohol, call a taxi or sober friend or family member to get you home safely instead.

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12
Apr

Distracted Driving Simulator Coming To The Roanoke Area Soon

April 12, 2012

In today’s technological age, we are experiencing a growing problem of distracted driving thanks to advanced cellphones, GPS devices, and car stereo systems. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that as many as 5,000 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents where distracted driving was a contributing factor.

That is why one organization, UNITE, with the help of the Virginia State Police, is working to curb these numbers by visiting school campuses with a high-tech distracted driving simulator.

The simulator works by putting students in mock driving scenarios where they must also send text messages through a phone at the same time. One instructor stated, “The simulators are set up to put them in a real-life driving experience. It’s kind of a worst-case scenario with driving conditions. Cars are swerving out in front of you. People are walking across crosswalks.” When a driver hits an obstacle, the ride is over and Troopers issue the participant a mock citation.

WSLS 10 News reported that the simulator will be set up at the Miller-Motte Technical College campus at the Tanglewood Mall on April 28 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Roanoke Car Accident Lawyers with Skolrood Law Firm encourage anyone in the area to give the simulator a try. It may just be the lesson you need about distracted driving that saves your life or the life of another motorist.

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