Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers Blog
by actuate | December 29th, 2011
December 29. 2011
The New Year will bring changes to the ways drivers of commercial vehicles communicate while behind the wheel. According to WVEC 13 News, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has mandated a ban on commercial driver’s use of handheld cell phones that will begin January 3.
The new law will allow truckers to use hands free devices to talk, but even holding a phone behind a moving vehicle will now be enough for law enforcement to stop a commercial driver. Opponents of the ban say they aren’t necessarily declaring the ban a bad thing, they just believe it should be enforced against all drivers, not just truckers.
The ban comes nearly two years after a research team from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) found that truckers who text while driving were 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident than undistracted drivers. Their research showed that compared to other distractions that phones can produce through dialing, holding, and talking the device, texting was by far the most dangerous because of an average of around five seconds the drivers eyes are off the road to preform the task.
The Norfolk auto accident attorneys with Lowell “ The Hammer” Stanley handle cases for accident victims who have been injured because of a commercial driver’s neglect to pay attention to the road. If you have been injured at no fault of your own in an accident with a commercial vehicle, contact us today to discuss your case.
by actuate | December 19th, 2011
December 19, 2011 Two house fires in the area have left one person dead and several others injured. According to WVEC 13 News, the first fire broke out at around 4:30 Thursday afternoon in the kitchen of an apartment building on Garden Drive. Newport News firefighters stated that a plume of smoke was rising from the building when they arrived. They added that they were quickly able to rescue two adults and three children who were trapped in the home at the time. One of the adults was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. The second fire took place less than 24 hours later in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Reports show that the fire was called in at 2:30 in the afternoon on Friday. Firefighters said that the home on West Bugle Road was fully engulfed with flames upon their arrival. After firefighters got the blaze under control, they found the body of a victim inside the home. A police officer who arrived at the home before fire crews and attempted to break out a window to help also was injured by the fire. He suffered from smoke inhalation and was treated at a nearby hospital.
The Virginia Fire Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley know that the best way to keep you and your family safe from a similar accident is to install smoke detectors throughout your home. One device should be located within 10 feet of every bedroom door. If you can’t afford the detectors, they are often available for discount or for free through your local fire department.
by actuate | December 12th, 2011
December 12, 2011
For many people, homemade cookies are as much a part of the holidays as wrapping presents or hanging decorations on a tree. We have all been guilty of sneaking a bite of the dough before the cookies are baked. This year though, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning to consumers to not eat raw cookie dough, as it could make you sick.
According to Channel 10 News, a report in the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases found a strong link between illness and those who eat raw cookie dough. Researchers claim that the root of the problem may not be eggs, but instead flour. The study claims to have uncovered low levels of salmonella growth in some flour prior to the mixing process. The findings have caused the agency, in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to issue warnings to several cookie dough manufacturers to begin using heat-treated flour in their process.
The research was done to learn more following an E. Coli outbreak in Nestle Toll House cookie packages two years ago.
The Virginia Defective Product Attorneys with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley urge anyone who has become ill after eating food to first seek medical advice. If it is determined that the food you ate was contaminated, they suggest contacting an experienced attorney.
by actuate | December 5th, 2011
December 5, 2011
Drunk driving in the Virginia area this past week has cost one college student their life and a high ranking government official their job. According to ABC 13 News, both incidents occurred on Sunday over the past weekend.
It was reported that a freshman at Christopher Newport University was killed early Sunday morning after the car in which she was riding in crashed after colliding head-on with another vehicle. All other occupants in the car and the driver of the other vehicle suffered numerous other injuries and all were taken to local hospitals to receive treatment. Virginia State Police say alcohol was a factor in the crash and charges are pending.
ABC 13 News reported Monday that the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was taking a leave of absence from his position following being arrested for suspicion of DUI a day before. The Fairifax City Police Department reported that an officer had pulled over Randy Babbitt at about 10:30 PM after observing him driving on the wrong side of the street. He was arrested that night and had sent a letter asking for a leave of absence from his position as Administrator the following day.
The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys with Lowell “ The Hammer” Stanley hope that these stories will serve as a message that drunk driving can affect everyone. Young to old, rich to poor, drunk to sober, the consequences of drunk driving can hurt us all.
by actuate | November 28th, 2011
November 28, 2011
A 24-year-old Navy sailor was fatally wounded in a Sunday morning motorcycle crash. According to WAVY-TV 10 News, the accident happened at 11:00 a.m. along Crags Causeway in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Beach Police Department said today that a preliminary investigation of the crash has determined that speed was a factor when the biker lost control of the 2005 BMW while negotiating a curve. After losing control and dropping the bike, both the driver and the machine skid nearly 100 feet across the asphalt before coming to rest in a ditch. Police say that while the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, he sustained massive bodily injuries and was declared dead at the scene by medical professionals.
The number of motorcycle crashes resulting in injury and death has risen over the years in the state of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (VDMV) reports that in 2008, the number of injuries in motorcycle crashes increased by 120 crashes over the previous year to a total of 2,404. The number of fatalities has also steadily increased over the past decade.
The Virginia Motorcycle Accident Attorneys with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley understand the dangers bikers face on roadways today. That is why they would encourage anyone injured in a motorcycle accident that was no fault of their own to contact an attorney today!
by actuate | November 21st, 2011
November 21, 2011
Firefighters in Virginia Beach, Virginia, were called to a construction site last week to rescue a worker who fell into a trench after being hit by a pipe. According to Channel 13 News, the accident happened at around 4:00 in the afternoon, at the corner of Crimson Holley Lane and Lynnhaven Parkway.
Spokesman for the Virginia Beach Fire Department, Chief Ken Pravetz, stated the worker fell 12-14 feet into the trench after being struck by a large piece of piping that was to be installed in the trench. The Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team, which trains for complex rescue situations, responded, hoisting the man out with a wire basket and haul system. The rescue took about 30 minutes according to Pravetz.
Medics transported the worker to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital for treatment for head and leg injuries. Medics said the worker was conscious and not seriously hurt.
According to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction workers accounted for more fatal work injuries than any other industry in 2010. 530 workers form the construction industry died in on-the-job accidents in 2010.
The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley know the dangers construction workers face on the job every day and have years of experience fighting for their rights when they are hurt. If you have been injured in an on-the-job accident, contact us today by filling out a free initial consultation form.
by actuate | November 14th, 2011
November 14, 2011
A crash along Interstate 85 near Petersburg, Virginia, involving a tractor-trailer, a pickup truck, and a passenger bus has claimed the lives of three people. According to reports from News Channel 12, the accident occurred at about 11:30 AM.
Virginia State Police investigators say the crashes happened in a chain reaction after the pickup truck plowed into the rear of the tractor-trailer. The collision caused logs the tractor-trailer was hauling to spill down on top of the pickup–crushing the four individuals inside. Moments later, a bus carrying 49 students from North Carolina A&T State University smashed into the rear of the pickup.
Three of the four passengers in the pickup truck died, while one survived and was airlifted to a local hospital. The driver of the bus also sustained injuries that were treated at the hospital. Luckily, the students and the truck driver walked away from the crash unscathed. Officials with the state police say that they will continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
The Virginia Auto Accident Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley encourage drivers to to prevent accidents like this by simply following the two-second rule: Watch the car in front of you pass a landmark near the road, such as a sign. After they pass, it should take your vehicle two seconds or longer to reach the same landmark.
by actuate | November 7th, 2011
November 7, 2011
A 55-year-old Hampton, Virginia, woman is dead as the result of a three car accident that occurred Friday afternoon. According to Channel 13 News, the accident happened at 2:15 in the afternoon on West Pembroke Avenue.
Spokesman for the Hampton Police Department, Cpl. Jason Price, stated that the woman was a passenger in a teal, 2000 Dodge Caravan that was traveling east when it collided head-on with a black, westbound 1999 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck. The impact caused the vehicles to spin and hit a Ford Taurus that was on the road as well. Investigators stated that two women and a man who was riding in the S-10 were all transported to local hospitals to be treated for injuries. The 55-year-old passenger of the van died upon arriving at the hospital, just after 3:30 PM. The other two were treated and for non-life threatening injuries and were released.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash.
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that in 2005, head-on crashes only made up two percent of all crashes, yet accounted for 10.1 percent of US fatal crashes.
The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys with Lowell “ The Hammer” Stanley and his team often handle cases for victims who were hurt in car accidents at no fault of their own. Contact Lowell Stanley today by filling out a free online consultation form to answer have any questions regarding your case answered.
by actuate | October 31st, 2011
October 31, 2011
With drug shortages being blamed for price gouging and patient deaths across the country, President Barack Obama is calling for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take steps toward solving the problem. According to MSNBC, those steps include broadening reporting of potential drug shortages, accelerating the review of applications for manufacturing changes on drugs shortages, and getting the Justice Department information on cases of collusion and instances of price gouging.
The President argued that the “slow-rolling” problem must be fixed now by saying, “We can’t wait for action on the Hill, we’ve got to go ahead and move forward.”
Reports show there are more than 200 medications on a list of scarcely stocked items in the United States. That is a nearly 300 percent increase from the mere 56 listed in 2006. While the FDA has managed to ward off 137 shortages in the last 21 months, lack of vital medications and supplies are being linked to hundreds of deaths across the country. For instance, the Alabama Department of Health is being blamed for nine deaths and ten others being harmed after contamination through feeding tubes where sterile premix was not available.
The deaths are made even more difficult by the fact that the drugs are available, but at ridiculously marked up prices through “gray market” distributors.
The Virginia Medical Malpractice Attorneys with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley want you to contact us if you have been caused harm because a certain medication you needed was not available.
by actuate | October 26th, 2011
October 26, 2011
The trial began this week for a Norfolk, Virginia, man who got drunk and crashed his friend’s car in August 2010, killing three passengers.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that the 32-year-old man went to trial on Monday on three counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, for the deaths of an 18-year-old, 19-year-old, and 29-year-old. The crash, which occurred in the 1800 block of East Indian Road on August 11, 2010, also injured three people when the car ripped through a guardrail and into a group of trees.
Prosecutor Patricia O’Boyle told jurors on Monday that the driver reached speeds of up to 110 miles per hour as passengers yelled for him to slow down. His blood alcohol content level was later shown to be three times the legal limit.
In connection with the crash, the man also faces charges of driving while intoxicated, driving with a revoked license, purchasing alcohol for a minor, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. These charges will be addressed in separate trials.
The driver’s defense attorney told jurors that a front-seat passenger jerked his wheel, causing the accident. O’Boyle said the car was so badly wrecked that rescue crews “could hardly tell it was a car.”
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If you or someone you know has been the victim of a Virginia auto accident, the injury lawyers at Lowell Stanley can help.
