Aug 16, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
A 24- year-old Marine lost his life this past weekend after being involved in a car accident in one of the most deadly stretch of Interstate that I-95 has to offer.
Statistics have shown that there is a particular section of this highway that is infamous for numerous accidents within the bounds of the roadway. The number of accidents is extraordinary since the year has begun: 132 car accidents so far in the same area of I-95 in Florence County for 2012.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety ( SCDPS) believes this number will increase as the year and holiday season begin. 2011 was a grizzly one as well, reporting 220 car accidents in the ” deadly stretch.”
Drivers who use I-95 on a regular basis have been offering suggestions on how to reduce the number of car accidents, but have not yet been fully heard. Daily driver, Natalie Bates spoke out and suggested that ” if the lanes were wider…if the road was in better condition, [or] if there were some signs showing speeds that people are going.” She additionally noted how is more State Patrol cars were available to monitor the speed, the incident number may also decrease.
Ultimately, the main issue boils down to the fact that the speed in the ” deadly stretch” is an extraordinary 75 mph! The SCDPS has reported that more than 50% of the accidents that occur on this roadway can be attributed to the speed of the drivers. And with 75 mph as the base, drivers are inclined to travel anywhere upwards to 90 mph at any given point, almost tripling the death rate if the car were to collide with another at that rate.
Common drivers of the highway also believe that vacationers on the way to the beach contribute to the accidents, as they are not as familiar with the roadways, speeds, and turns that the highway has in store.
Public Safety Officials have repeatedly encouraged drivers to follow the posted speed, and to not allow the 75 mph posting to be pushed beyond its limits. Speeding is the number one cause of accidents that happens on the roadways. Couple speeding with distraction and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.
North and South Carolina Attorneys
If you, or someone you love has been injured in a car accident or any sort, please contact the Offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP to get the help that you deserve. With experienced attorneys on your side, Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower are ready and willing to help. Call us at 877-374-5999, or contact us using this form, to speak with an attorney who will help you evaluate your claim.
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 2, 2012 | Pedestrian Accidents, Uncategorized
In Rock Hill yesterday, a 57-year-old pedestrian died after being hit by a car at the intersection of Heckle Boulevard and McCullough Street. The pedestrian was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Piedmont Medical Center by the York County Coroner.
The coroner decided the injuries caused by the pedestrian accident killed her. Apparently, the car had the right of way, and the pedestrian may have or may not have been intoxicated.
The area between McCullough Street and Heckle Boulevard doesn’t have a crosswalk.
The Pedestrian Accident 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.
