Norfolk DUI Injury Lawyer
by | December 30th, 2013
December 30, 2013
Drunk driving is a major problem on the highway, especially around the holidays. In fact, data indicates that last year, the number of fatalities associated with drunk driving rose by as much as 4.6 percent. Furthermore, roughly two out of every five deaths that result from motor vehicle accidents during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday are the result of drunk driving.
The Norfolk Car Accident Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley say these numbers have prompted many Virginians to become concerned over what actions are being taken to keep intoxicated motorists off the streets this holiday season. Officials have stated the concerns have prompted the launch of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign.
According to a press release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the agency has partnered with numerous other organizations to implement the program. “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” provides funding to law enforcement organizations throughout the nation to implement operations focused on deterring motorists from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
The NHTSA also stated it has began an initiative aimed helping states create legislation requiring breath alcohol ignition interlock systems to be installed on vehicles that are driven by those charged with Driving Under the Influence.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley are aware of the dangers posed by drunk driving and are hopeful the actions being taken by the NHTSA are successful in reducing accidents caused by intoxicated motorists.
by | December 9th, 2013
December 9, 2013
Alcohol is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents today. In fact, the Norfolk Car Accident Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley explain that data shows the intoxicant plays a part in roughly one-third of all fatal car accidents that occur annually.
In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents, the state has recently stiffened penalties for motorists who drink and drive. The recent reforms not only include longer incarceration times and higher fines, but also the implementation of laws requiring offenders to use ignition interlock systems.
The new efforts seem to be paying off, considering a number of charges have stemmed from the new regulations, including those a 25-year-old Suffolk, Virginia, man is facing. According to an article from WAVY 10 News, the charges stem from a fatal crash that occurred September 18, along Route 460.
Reports indicate the collision, involving six vehicles and two tractor-trailers, claimed the life of a 48-year-old Virginia Beach man. Now, the 25-year-old is facing charges of homicide, involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license related to a DUI and operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device.
Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley’s team of Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers are glad to see the new laws holding offenders accountable for their actions and urge motorists to stay safe by refraining from drinking and driving.
by | February 11th, 2013
February 11, 2013
While numbers from the Virginia Department of Motor vehicles shows a slight decline in Virginia Car Accidents related to drunk driving, the number of motorists convicted on charges of driving under the influence remains steady. Studies show that roughly one-third of these convicted drunk drivers are repeat offenders. This leaves many people wondering what can be done to curb the problem of repeat drunk drivers.
While many believe harsher punishments are the answer to this conundrum, a new study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers some new insight that contradicts this theory. According to EurekAlert!, researchers found that rats involved in a study examining alcohol consumption and associative punishment will go back to drinking alcohol once negative consequences for their drinking is removed. During the study, rats were given alcohol in a home environment. They were then offered alcohol again, but this time in an environment where punishment was administered for the behavior. This caused the rats to stop drinking, but only temporarily. Once reintroduced to alcohol in the home environment, they began drinking again.
Experts say the results can likely explain why a drunk driver will engage in the behavior after having already been punished numerous times.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley hope a better understanding of the psychological triggers that cause a person to drink will help to reduce the number of drunk drivers in the state of Virginia.
by admin@gotechark.com | December 31st, 2012
December 31, 2012
A new study shows a high number of drunk drivers have been arrested in recent years across the Norfolk and Suffolk, Virginia, areas. The Eastern Daily Press reports 2,562 people have been arrested in the region on charges of drunk driving since December 2010.
The study went on to point out that a majority of the arrests occurred around midnight and far more men were arrested than women. Two of the most serious infractions involved drivers with blood-alcohol levels between three and five times above the legal limit.
To combat the problem, law enforcement across the regions has banded together in an effort to crackdown hard on motorists who participate in the behavior. They are doing so by conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the holiday season. The chief inspector of roads, Chris Spinks, says law enforcement in the area will be pulling over vehicles for both faulty equipment and erratic behavior and most, including those involved in a Norfolk Car Accident, will be subjected to a breath test.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley recognize the dangers drunken drivers can pose not only to themselves but to everyone else who is on the road with them. That is why they firm asks that we each do our part to keep Virginia’s highways safe by not getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
by admin@gotechark.com | December 10th, 2012
December 10, 2012
Impaired driving is the leading cause of fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States, yet is completely preventable. George Burch relayed that message to roughly 3,000 sailors at a program that was part of Naval Station Norfolk’s Safety Standown campaign.
According to the Suffolk News Herald, Burch is a retired sailor and police officer that currently works as a prosecutor in Suffolk County. Mothers Against Drunk Driving, who sponsored the event, thought Burch’s past experience could make him a voice of reason in the importance of staying off the road if impaired. He also explained how impairment isn’t necessarily just from alcohol either, as illicit drugs and some over-the-counter medications can also affect one’s ability to make good judgments behind the wheel.
Mr. Burch’s speech included anecdotes about the roughly 20 fatalities and more than 300 arrests he has been involved in that were the result of drunk driving and was quick to point out that such arrests potentially save thousands of lives each year.
Burch added that if one sailor remembers and abides to what he said, he has made a significant impact.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley understand the dangers of drinking and driving. That is why the firm’s team of Norfolk Car Accident Lawyers encourage citizens to establish a designated driver before attending an event where any alcohol is consumed.
by admin@gotechark.com | December 3rd, 2012
December 3, 2012
Two Virginia Wrongful Death lawsuits have been filed on behalf of two victims of a head-on collision caused by a driver going the wrong way down the interstate. The Daily Press said each family is seeking $5 million in damages for their loss.
Reports show the accident happened a year ago today at around 2:50 a.m. on I-64, near the exit for Harpersville Road in Hampton, Virginia. The 34-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV was driving down the highway in the wrong direction when his vehicle collided with a Ford Taurus carrying the 17 and 19-year-old victims along with three of their friends, who were seriously injured in the crash.
Police determined the driver of the SUV was under the influence of alcohol. He was then placed under arrest for two counts of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of maiming by DUI, and having two DUIs within five years.
Two others in the Taurus who were injured have also filed personal injury lawsuits against the drunk driver, claiming their injuries were caused by his negligence. Those lawsuits are seeking a combined total of around $1.7 million.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley believe too many people are killed and injured at the hands of drunk drivers each year and hope a decision in these cases will help bring closure to the victims of this tragedy, as well as their friends and families.
by | July 30th, 2012
July 30, 2012
The dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol are being highlighted as a man charged with manslaughter in connection to an August Norfolk car accident pled guilty in court last Friday. According to The Virginian-Pilot, the man could face up to 10 years in prison for his crimes when sentenced in October.
Court documents show that the 22-year-old man was driving down Blackwater Road in a 2005 Ford F-150 pickup truck at around 2:30 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The driver was not properly restrained at the time of the accident and the force of the impact caused him to be ejected from the vehicle. The 19-year-old female passenger in the pickup was killed instantly.
Rescue crews transported the man to a local hospital where tests showed he had a blood alcohol level of .17, more than twice the legal limit. He suffered serious fractures in both legs that left him hospitalized as he underwent numerous corrective surgeries. He remains bound to a wheelchair today and will likely have to go under the knife several more times before he makes a recovery.
The Norfolk personal injury lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley say that the implications for drinking and driving can cost the victims physically, emotionally, and financially. That is why the firm asks that motorists never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
by | July 3rd, 2012
July 2, 2012
Last year in Virginia, 245 lives were lost as a result of DUI accidents, according to the non-profit organization, Mother Against Drunk Driving. The group added that a majority of those accidents were caused by repeat offenders, many of whom were well above the legal blood alcohol limit of .08 percent.
In response to the problem of drunk drivers—repeat offenders in particular—Virginia recently passed a law that will make it a requirement for anyone convicted of DUI to have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicle.
According to WVEC 13 News, the ignition interlock is a device designed to have a driver blow into a piece of equipment in order to start their vehicle. If the person has any amount of alcohol on their breath, the vehicle will not start.
Beginning this week, anyone convicted of DUI will have to have the device installed on their vehicle for no less than six months at their own expense, which could cost several thousand dollars. Past laws only required an ignition interlock be imposed upon a second-time or subsequent offender, or when the offender’s BAC is 0.15 percent or above.
With the Fourth of July holiday fast approaching, the Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley would like to encourage motorists to use a designated driver or call a cab if you’ve been drinking to help avoid causing a preventable Norfolk car accident.
by admin@gotechark.com | June 4th, 2012
June 4, 2012
A 43-year-old woman suspected of hitting a family of four with a pickup truck while driving under the influence was in court today to face five different charges stemming from the incident. According to WAVY-TV 10 News, the suspect was charged with three counts of DUI maiming, DUI 2nd Offense, and reckless driving.
The incident occurred on January 19 around 7:40 a.m., in the yard of a residence near the corner of Chester Street and Paladin Drive. It was there that a man was waiting with three children for the school bus to pick them up. As the bus came to the corner and stopped it turned its lights on and put the stop sign out for children; however, the suspect apparently didn’t see the bus and failed to stop. To avoid a collision, she swerved around the bus and into the yard, where she hit the children.
One of those injured, a 7-year-old girl, suffered a broken femur and cracked eye socket that put her in a wheelchair for almost four months. The girl has also had to undergo numerous corrective surgeries.
If convicted, the woman could face up to 17 years in prison.
The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley ask that not only do motorists do their part to reduce Norfolk Auto Accidents by not drinking and driving, but to also hold other drivers accountable by reporting suspected drunk drivers to the proper authorities.
