Earlier this week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made several recommendations they believe each state should enact to tighten regulations regarding driving under the influence. Some local officials believe the measures could be effective in reducing the number of Roanoke Car Accidents from drunk driving.

According to WDBJ 7 News, among the NTSB’s proposed changes was lowering the legal blood alcohol limit from .08 percent to .05 percent. While some argue that a person could register as legally drunk under the new regulations after consuming just one alcoholic beverage, Sgt. Chris Bolling with the Roanoke City Police explained that the small change in percentage could be the difference in leading to a car accident.

Many agree after considering results recorded in Europe after countries dropped the limit to .05. Over the period of a decade, those countries saw the number of drunken driving fatalities slashed by more than half.

Another suggestion made by the NTSB was to require ignition interlocks on the vehicles of every individual caught driving while under the influence of alcohol, and also reinforcing DWI courts.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with Skolrood Law Firm applaud the efforts that are being made to keep drunk drivers off the roads. Furthermore, the firm urges motorists to never get behind the wheel after consuming any amount of alcohol.

Motorists who repeatedly get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated are a major problem in the United States. In fact, the non-profit organization, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, points out that roughly one-third of all convicted drunk drivers will eventually face a second offense.

In Roanoke County, a woman convicted of a fatal Virginia Drunk Driving Accident in 2002 was arrested for a second DUI offense. On May 18, 2002, the woman, who was underage at the time, failed to negotiate a curve in the road. She lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a tree. The impact killed her 15-year-old passenger.

According to WSLS News, the drunk driver served a short sentence in prison before being released. Now, roughly eleven years after her first drunk driving offense, she was arrested after being found under the influence behind the wheel again. She will face a 20-day jail sentence if convicted.

Such minor punishments leave little room to wonder why there are so many repeat drunk driving offenders. This also leaves many curious as to what action the government is taking to resolve the problem. Lawmakers are considering regulations requiring all drunken driving offenders to have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle they drive.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with Skolrood Law Firm recognize the dangers of drunk driving and ask motorists to never get behind the wheel after drinking.

The risk of suffering a Brain Injury is staggering across the United States, including Virginia. Data from the Brain Injury Association of Virginia shows that an estimated 28,000 residents suffer brain injuries each year, resulting in 1,400 deaths and 5,000 individuals being hospitalized. These injuries have also left roughly 190,000 brain injury victims in the state disabled.

These statistics leave many wondering what they can do to prevent being victims of such brain injuries. Experts say education is the most important step in accident prevention.

There are several steps that can be taken to help prevent being the victim of a brain injury. For example, a person should always wear a helmet when riding a bike, motorcycle, scooter, or skateboard. Taking action to prevent slip and fall accidents, such as drying wet floors or checking the stability of a ladder before climbing, will also cut down the chances of an injury.

If a person does sustain a blow to the head, experts point out that it is vital to seek treatment for the injury immediately. Failing to do so could result in the individual’s condition worsening.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Attorneys with Skolrood Law Firm recognize the dangers brain injuries can pose. The firm may be able to help a person who has suffered a traumatic brain injury through no fault of their own.

The Virginia state legislature recently adopted stricter policies to combat distracted driving. But many feel that loopholes in the law will keep the new regulations from making an impact on the problem of Virginia Car Accidents caused by the behavior.

Currently, law states that texting and driving is a primary offense punishable by fines ranging from $125 to $250. Experts say, though, that distracted driving is caused by more than just texting. They point out that motorists are still allowed to make phone calls and use GPS devices to navigate. This means if a driver is caught using a phone, they could state they were making a call or entering an address to avoid punishment.

The loopholes leave many wondering what can be done to make the laws more enforceable. An article from The Washington Post explained how Maryland recently re-wrote its laws to allow law enforcement to stop any driver caught with a phone in their hand. More locally, though, Fairfax County officials have been utilizing an older law requiring motorists to “pay full time and attention” to their driving.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Attorneys with Skolrood Law Firm know the dangers of distracted driving. That’s why the firm asks that motorists each do their part to keep Virginia’s roadways safe by putting their phones down when driving regardless of the law.

A trial that was scheduled to being earlier this week, to decide who was at fault as the result of a fatal Virginia Auto Accident involving a fire truck, has been postponed. The trial will now take place in late September in Franklin County Circuit Court.

An article published by The Roanoke Times stated the crash happened on July 26, 2010, at the corner of Virginia 40 and School Board Road in the town of Rocky Mount. Reports indicate the two victims were volunteer firemen reporting to the call of a house fire at Union Hall in a fire truck. As the truck traveled down 40 and approached the intersection of School Board Road with the vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens activated, a 2007 Ford Escape SUV being driven by a local woman pulled out in front of the fire truck. The two vehicles collided, causing the fire truck to roll. The force of the roll threw both victims from the truck, which killed them both.

Since the accident occurred, several suits and countersuits had been filed between the parties. The trial scheduled for this week was delayed in an effort to consolidate these cases to determine both liability and damages in the same hearing.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Attorneys with the Skolrood Law Firm acknowledge how difficult the loss of a loved one to an unforeseen accident can be. The firm hopes a decision in the case will bring closure to the families of the victims.

With prom tomorrow night, Handley High School administrators are hoping to prevent a Roanoke Car Accident caused by drinking and driving by staging a program involving a mock crash scene. The program is called “Every Fifteen Minutes” and gets its name from the fact that a person is killed as the result of a collision with a drunk driver every fifteen minutes.

A total of 22 students participated in the mock crash and several others pre-filmed videos that were shown to students.

The program opened Tuesday morning with students seeing videos of their peers preparing to go to prom. Then, they are shown images of their peers drinking alcohol before getting into a vehicle and being involved in a head-on collision.

An article from The Randolph Leader explains students were then taken outside, where they were shown two vehicles. Police arrive at the scene where one student was “killed” after being thrown through a windshield. Several other students sustained “injuries” and are treated by paramedics, while the driver responsible for causing the crash is given a field sobriety test and is “arrested”.

Throughout the week, videos are then shown depicting the funeral of the victim and the trial of the drunk driver.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with Skolrood Law Firm ask that teens be especially careful when driving during prom season.

Last Friday, a judge with the Virginia Beach Circuit Court sentenced a 48-year-old woman to more than a year in jail after she pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a case of Virginia Nursing Home Abuse.

The woman had been caring for a 94-year-old woman with dementia for roughly five years when employees with a private home care facility began to suspect mistreatment. Hidden cameras were installed in the victim’s room and caught footage of the accused repeatedly slapping, hitting, and further abusing the victim. The caregiver was charged in July 2011 with abuse and neglect of an incapacitated adult.

An article in The Virginian-Pilot revealed that roughly one in three residents of nursing homes are victims of abuse or neglect in the United States each year. This is considered to be a conservative estimate as many cases go unreported. These numbers leave many families wondering how they can better protect their loved ones from such harm.

Industry experts say one of the best ways to keep your family member safe is to hire a licensed home care agency rather than a private caregiver. This ensures standards of accountability are followed. It is also important to ask questions about the care your loved one receives.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers with Skolrood Law Firm suggest discussing your legal options with a qualified attorney if you suspect your loved one is the victim of abuse.

The family of a construction worker killed in a Roanoke Car Accident has filed a $10 million civil lawsuit against the pair who was responsible for causing the crash.

Court records indicate the accident happened more than five years ago in a construction zone along Electric Road in Roanoke County. Both of the individuals accused in the case had been drinking and were following one another home in separate vehicles. The driver of the lead vehicle failed to recognize a truck in the construction zone though, and the two vehicles collided. The second drunk driver then plowed into the wreckage of the initial crash.

According to an article from ABC 13 News, the impact forced the truck that was struck to lurch forward, pinning a worker between two pieces of equipment. The worker later died, and the pair responsible for the accident each served two and a half years in prison on charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter and DUI.

Now the family of the victim has filed suit claiming the pair’s negligence was the direct cause of their loved ones death. They are seeking $8 million compensatory damages, as well as another $2 million in punitive damages.

The Skolrood Law Firm and their team of Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyers hope a decision in the case will bring a sense of closure to the family of the victim.

A case brought before the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington is asking justices to consider removing certain driving limits for truck drivers under a new law.

An article from Bloomberg News explains the new law would still allow truck drivers to drive for 11-hour shifts, but would require a 34-hour rest period each week that would force drivers off the road for two consecutive evenings.

The American Trucking Association has called for the laws to be nullified because they believe the government used skewed data to support the law. The group says such changes will have negative financial impacts on the trucking industry in the form of a $470 million loss.

Those in favor of the laws say loopholes in the previous law allowed drivers to be on the road for up to 82 hours per week, when rules limited drivers to no more than 60 hours. These loopholes led to more driver fatigue, and the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates drowsy driving was responsible for as many as 13 percent of all truck accidents. Experts say the current law reduces this number to roughly 2 percent of crashes.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Attorneys with Skolrood Law Firm understand the devastating effects a crash with a tractor-trailer can have. The firm may be able to help if you have been injured in a Roanoke Truck Accident through no fault of your own.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows a 62 percent increase in the number of brain injuries sustained by athletes under the age of 19 over the past decade. These numbers have persuaded the state of Virginia to change its policies towards the treatment of brain injuries.

One high school trainer claimed to have diagnosed more than 30 cases of a Virginia Brain Injury at a single school during the past year. Similar numbers are being reported throughout the state and recently prompted lawmakers to adopt new policies on how schools should handle such incidents.

A story from NBC 29 News said state law now requires all athletes, parents, coaches, and staff to attend a concussion education course before hitting the field. Changes also are being made to the steps taken if an athlete suffers a brain injury.

Long gone are the days of a player getting up and “shaking it off”. Players suspected of having a brain injury are given an assessment to determine if an injury has occurred. The assessment is a timed set of questions the player must answer. If a player is determined to have sustained an injury, they are pulled from sports and their academic workload is lightened until they heal.

The Roanoke Personal Injury Attorneys with Skolrood Law Firm applaud the efforts state lawmakers have made in attempting to better protect young people from serious head injuries.