Motor Vehicle Accidents | InjuryBoard Richmond

I blogged earlier this year about Allstate's "Delay, Deny, and Defend" policy designed to screw injured victims making claims under Allstate policies. CNN's Anderson Cooper also did an expose on this practice. The courts are now catching on. Allstate is facing contempt charges in Missouri with a $25,000.00 per day fine because it refuses to produce a report from consultant McKinsey & Co....

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Fibromyalgia is a disease whose very existence is questioned by some doctors, typically doctors hired by insurance defense lawyers in personal injury cases. However, fibromyalgia must be a real disease, because drug giant, Pfizer, says it is. Pfizer is marketing its drug Lyrica, which is the first drug approved to treat this pain condition. Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic, widespread...

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Driver fatigue is a leading cause of tractor trailer truck accidents. Consumer advocates sued recently to require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to lower the current 11-hour driving limit to 10 hours. The requested change would have resulted in one less hour behind the wheel each day. The Teamsters union supports the lower limit. Alas, the Bush Administration once again...

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Anyone who believes the propaganda from the insurance industry and US Chamber of Commerce about trial lawyers driving insurers out of business should read the excellent article posted October 15 on SunHerald.com about home insurers cheating victims while recording record profits. This article shows that the tort reform movement is a fraud. Even in the wake of Hurricane Katrina,...

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About 100 people die each week in truck accidents. Despite this alarming statistic, the Bush Administration once again succumbed to pressure from lobbyists (this time the American Trucking Association) and, in 2005, adopted new rules permitting tractor trailer truck drivers to drive 11 hours per day. Safety experts and insurance industry analysts challenged the new rules on grounds that the...

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Across the country, parents are pulling jail time for allowing underage drinking in their homes. On Saturday, a suburban Chicago couple was found guilty for allowing their teenage son to have a beer party in their basement. Two 18 year olds who attended the party later died in an alcohol-related car crash. The teen driver had a blood-alcohol level of 0.132. The parents whose son hosted the...

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A woman in Palm Beach, Florida caused a car crash that killed another person because she was distracted by talking on her cell phone. A Palm Beach jury recently ordered the distracted driver to pay $21.6 million to the beneficiaries of the person killed in the crash. We've all seen people driving on the highway while distracted by cell phone conversations or, worse yet, attempting to text...

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On March 2, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control published an article in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review (MMWR), entitled, Rates of Hospitalization Related to Traumatic Brain Injury---Nine States, 2003. The data reported by the CDC shows a significant increase in the rates of hospitalization for persons with traumatic brain injury. According to the CDC:"Traumatic brain injury (TBI)...

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After completing its investigation of the tragic bus fire that killed 23 elderly Hurricane Rita evacuees, the National Transportation Safety Board on February 21st called on the Federal Motor Carrier Motor Safety Administration to promulagate stronger safety regulations for buses and large trucks. The FMCMSA is charged with reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and...

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Tonight on CNN's 360 With Anderson Cooper, Mr. Cooper will report on his 18 month investigation into the duplicitous tactics employed by Allstate, which claims "You're in Good Hands With Allstate," State Farm, which claims to be "Like a Good Neighbor," and other major automobile insurers to force unfair settlements on victims of motor vehicle accidents. Cooper interviewed victims, lawyers, and...

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A 15 passenger bus (commonly referred to as a 15 passenger van) is designed to seat 14 passengers and a driver. The design of these buses is a standard cargo chassis with an extended full-size body that has been equipped with passenger seating. These buses have been sold by GM, Ford, and Chrysler under various names:1. Chevrolet Express 35002. GMC Savana G35003. Dodge Ram Van/Wagon B35004. ...

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A series of recent alcohol-related car crashes have resulted in several tragic deaths in the Richmond area. On New Years Eve, a 16 year old drunk driver slammed into the vehicle of a 29 year old restaurant manager who was driving home from work. The crashed happend near the Short Pump Town Center. The restaurant manager was killed in the crash. On Christmas Eve, two passengers, aged 21 and...

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Previously, I wrote a blog on the benefits of wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. In fact, this blog was based upon my personal experience of seeing many clients who had suffered a brain injury, while riding without a helmet. Our law firm has an office in Virginia, that requires motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. We also have an office in South Carolina, where there is no helmet law...

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With the rise of shows like American Chopper and Biker Build-off, there has been an increase in the popularity of motorcycles. Unfortunately, the increased number of motorcycles on the road, has resulted in more accidents. This firm has been retained by several motorcyclists in the past few weeks.There are several issues that are somewhat unique to motorcycle insurance policies. Many...

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I put myself through law school by selling Harley Davidson motorcycles in Virginia Beach, Virginia. At the shop, I would regularly hear riders complain about restrictions and helmet laws. They even wore tattoos that said "Live Free or Die". However, motorcycle helmet laws continued to be enforced and provide safety protection for riders. This past week, we saw a Virginia delegate continue to...

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