Aug 9, 2012 | Car Accidents, Uncategorized
A study conducted by Canadian scientists at the University of Laval and published in the Journal of Transportation Safety & Security claims that morbidly obese drivers may be at increased risk of a crash due to weight-related health complications. It has been known for while that the obese do not fare as well in car wrecks as smaller individuals simply because cars are not designed for larger bodies. Airbags and other safety equipment are said to be designed to protect 163 pound men in event of car accidents. Studies had shown that male obese individuals were more likely to suffer facial, spinal, head and upper chest injuries in a collision than those with BMIs below 30.
This new study however focuses on the increased likelihood of accidents in the obese population getting into car wrecks in the first place. The study showed “that 800,000 drivers in the America with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea were involved in illness-related car accidents in the year 2000, which supported their claims that obesity-related ailments also contribute to road hazards.” These ailments affecting chiefly the obese increase rates of accidents and make car accidents more serious.
Lancaster Car Wreck Attorneys
If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a car wreck, you need the help of an experienced car wreck attorney like those at Reeves, Aiken & Hightower. Call us at 877-374-5999, or contact us using this form, to speak with an attorney who will help you evaluate your claim and help you get the recovery you deserve.
Aug 8, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Leah Walton, now age 25, is currently on trial for hitting two nurses two nurses outside a nursing home in August of 2010. The hit-and-run was fatal for one nurse, and left the other nurse in critical condition resulting in a 5 month coma for the victim.
The Defendant is now facing multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, and marijuana possession. It was unknown until after an inventory search that the car the Defendant was driving actually had drugs inside of it, adding the distraction that lead to this horrific accident.
The accident happened in August of 2010, outside the White Oak Manor nursing home on Craig Avenue. It was the Defendant herself who told the police that she was trying to reach for ” something” in her purse when she lost control of the vehicle.
However, during the trial yesterday, testimony was given by one of the officers who stated very adamantly, that there were no skids marks at the scene; thus, leading one to believe that perhaps the Defendant never lost control of the car but rather she never saw the nurse/victims when she hit them.
The surviving victim, nurse Lisa McIe testified about what happened the day of the accident and her shock of her survival. She now uses a wheelchair to get around, as the accident left her without use of her legs for the time being. McIe states that the first thing she remembered after the accident was waking up five months later in excruciating pain. She had multiple broken bones and internal injuries. “It’s like somebody’s crushing you, stinging you, stabbing you,” said McIe about the pain. “I couldn’t believe I was still alive,” she said.
McIe was fortunate enough to live, but the same can not be said for her friend and co-worker, Susan Karablut, who died at the scene of the crime.It has been stated by the prosecution that Karablut was dragged over 100 feet after the impact; adding more injury to insult, if that could have even be possible. Karablut’s daughter was only 9 years old at the time that her mother was killed.
It was a sad and gory day in late August of 2010, not only for the victims and their families, but also for the citizens who witnesses the horrific accident. One witness, Kristen Talbot, described seeing th victims ” mangled bodies on the roadway.” The witness further testified that “[she] saw both of the bodies go under the car and the bodies kept going around and around.” She was continuously wiping tears away during her testimony.
Yesterday during the opening statements, assistant attorney Natalie Sielaff said that the Defendant had a choice that day, and her choice followed with severe consequences. She said Karablutt and McIe “never expected a car to come barreling up the sidewalk.”
Walton’s attorney, George Laughrun, rebutted the comment by stating that the Defendant admits to being a ” distracted driver;” however she ( the Defendant) had no malice or wilfulness that added to the injuries.
We will keep our readers abreast as this case develops.
The North Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
If you or someone you know have been injured or killed in any type of accident, call the North Carolina personal injury attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower at 877-374-5999, or use this form, for a free consultation with an attorney to help you evaluate your claim and to get the recovery you deserve.
Aug 3, 2012 | Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
Chapel Hill’s citizens were enraged on Thursday when a Superior Court Judge overturned the town’s new rules outlawing the use of cell phones while driving any sort of motor vehicle or to regulate towing. Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson ruled that the attempt to ban the use of cell phones was preempted by state law, which already regulates the use of cell phones while driving. In other words, the Judge found that there was previously enacted state law that gives the authority to regulate cell phone use by motorists in North Carolina to the state; not the town. Hence, when Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and the Town Council heard that their town rule have been over-turned, they were forced to consider drafting new towing ordinances in accordance with the Judge’s order.
This however may not be the last we hear of this case. The town has the option to bring an action to appeal the Judge’s decision and perhaps, heed different results. In fact, one local man stated that “nothing that happened in that courtroom this morning changed the fact that driving while talking on a cellphone is as dangerous as drunk driving,” he said. “It is going to get banned, just like drunk driving is banned, but not before a lot of people die.”
There are split theories on the idea of talking or using the cell phone while driving that are mainly fueled by emotions of the townspeople. The real heart of the matter is that it can be very dangerous to drive and talk.use your cell phone. The state of North Carolina hs already found it illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to talk on the phone, as their experience coupled with the use of the technology may result in deathly consequences. Moreover, the state has found that bus drivers are also forbidden from talking on their cell phones, as their duty to the public to drive safely is quite large. lastly, the state of North Carolina has taken the stance that any texting while driving by any person, at any age, is now also considered to be illegal.
Most people now know of someone either first-hand, or through a friend who has gotten into a dangerous accident while using their cell phone and driving. The problem is that people, although non-intentionally, tend to be careless when they drive and simultaneously use their cell phones. The state has placed a ban on texting and driving, but does that truly stop the problem? The answer is likely no; while the state is allowing people to continue use their cell phones for strictly ” talking purposes,” it consequently runs the risk of having people behave negligently and recklessly with the use of the phone and perhaps, even send a text or two mid-drive. It is like the old saying goes, ” if you give a kid an inch, he will take a mile;” similarly, if you allow people to continue to ” talk” on the phone while driving, they will be inclined, or maybe even tempted to use the phone for other purposes, such as texting.
As a fellow driver, we all owe one another the highest duty of care in regards to how we behave on our roadways. We need to be diligent and attentive at all times. We need to be courteous of each other, and respective of the laws. If the law forbids texting, then texting we shall not. And if you feel you can not safely talk on your cell phone while you drive, you too should refrain from this action. Being distracted is the number one reason why car accidents occur. Whether it is the CD that fell into the passenger side floor you are reaching for, or whether you are pulling you pink cell phone out to text your best friend that Rob and Kristen broke up- again;if you know that you can not give other drivers 110% of your attention, you should not be using your cell phone while you operate a motor vehicle, no matter what the law says.
There are too many lives that have been taken due to negligence with cell phones and drivers. In the event that you, or someone you know has been harmed in any way due to a similar situation, call the Law Offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP. We are licensed to practice in both North and South Carolina, and encourage you to visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com . Compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. You can then call us toll-free at 877-374-5999 or contact us by email for a private, confidential consultation to review your particular case.
Aug 1, 2012 | Car Accidents, Child Accidents, Personal Injury, Products, Uncategorized
The alarming truth about car accidents is that exponentially more than any other accident, car accidents are the most common type of injury involving minor children. In fact, according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in-car accidents.
So let’s break down the math. Essentially, what this means is that on any given day, close to 700 children are harmed due to motor vehicle collisions on our roadways. Of the 250,000 kids injured each year, approximately 2,000 die from their injuries. Delving even further into the statistics, children make up an overwhelming 5% of all fatalities due to motor vehicle collisions. Of that percentage, the majority of the children are aged 2-14 years, the most tender years of a child’s developing life. unfortunately, 20% of those fatalities are caused by intoxicated drivers. Almost half of the children that were killed were “riding passengers” in a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver.Moreover, car accidents are the leading cause of after-acquired disabilities, such as brain injuries or paralysis, for children across the nation.
Of the child fatalities that do not involve intoxication, half of those accidents were due to failure to wear a seat belt or use a child safety seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 72% of child vehicle safety restraints that were observed, were being used incorrectly. NHTSA has moreover found that if the child were properly harnessed into the restraint, the reduction of death would be by 71% for infants, and by 54% for toddlers.
Each state requires that children under the age of 5 use approved child safety seats; however, it has been observed that there is only a 90% compliance rate.
These statistics are disheartening and alarming. For the children especially, who become victims of adult mistakes, and then are “incompetent” in the eyes of the law to bring suit until the age of 18, or in a guardian capacity.
If you or your child have been injured by a drunk driver, or a faulty seatbelt or restraint, or in any other manner, the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower LLP are ready and capable to help.
We are licensed to practice in both North and South Carolina, and encourage you to continue browsing our website and to compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. You can then call us toll-free at 877-374-5999 or contact us by email for a private, confidential consultation to review your particular case.
Jul 31, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
On Wednesday afternoon, a woman was seriously injured when a van flipped during an accident in York County. The accident took place on Interstate 77 going southbound, right past Highway 160 near Fort Mill, SC.
The victim was 56-year-old Elizabeth Houston, who was driving a brown colored Toyota van at the time of the accident. Ms. Houston was taken to a nearby York County hospital, but was found to have no serious life-threatening injuries.
There was no alcohol to be found in the incident. Luckily, Ms. Houston was wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident, which may have resulted in her injuries being so minimal.It does not seem completely clear the cause of the accident, but Ms. Houston was charged with improper lane change according to the accident report prepared by the police.
The accident did cause hours of ruckus however, as two of the four lanes of the highway were blocked, and onlookers traveling at a slower that normal speed caused major traffic congestion.
The South Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
If you or someone you know have been injured or killed in any type of accident, call the South Carolina personal injury attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower at 877-374-5999, or use this form, for a free consultation with an attorney to help you evaluate your claim and to get the recovery you deserve.
Jul 31, 2012 | Car Accidents, Child Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
A tragedy occurred on Interstate 26 Saturday night, when an 11-year-old’s life was taken in a fatal car accident. A mother and her 11-year-old son were traveling on Interstate 26 when their car suddenly struck the guardrail, slowing down to a complete stop in the center of the fast lane. Almost immediately thereafter, their car was impacted by another car that skidded into the mother’s vehicle.
The frightened mother than gathered her children as quickly as possible in an attempt to evade any additional damages, and began to walk along side the road. As the family made their way slightly down the road, the 11-year-old boy was struck by a pickup truck, throwing his body into the median. Thereafter, an 18-wheeler rapidly approached the disaster, and in an attempt to avoid the now pileup, he swerved into the median. It is unclear whether the child was hit by the 18-wheeler or not when the truck ran atop the median.
The child was subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol M.A.I.T. team was called to the scene of the accident and began an investigation into the accident. Deputy Chris Keller of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene to assist with traffic control on the interstate.
To make matters even worse, as Officer Keller was standing towards the rear of his vehicle directing traffic around the accident, a Jeep approached and would not merge over. Officer Keller was able to escape the impact of the Jeep before it crashed into his patrol car. Luckily, Officer Keller suffered no injuries, but the damage to the patrol car amounted to a total loss.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol subsequently arrested the driver of the Jeep, Billy Dwayne Jones, 38, of North Charleston, who has been charged with driving under the influence. Jones was released on a $992.50 personal appearance bond.
In a horrific situation such as the aforementioned, it is difficult to place blame on any one party in particular, as it appears as though it was just one tragic event after another. It is important to obtain counsel to protect yourself and others from any further harm or injustice.
The South Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
If you or someone you know have been injured or killed in any type of accident, call the South Carolina personal injury attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower at 877-374-5999, or use this form, for a free consultation with an attorney to help you evaluate your claim and to get the recovery you deserve.
