Category: Car Accidents

Risk Factors for Senior Drivers in West Virginia

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, Community Safety1 Comment

When is it Time to Hand over the Keys?

Since 1863, the West Virginia State Motto has been Montani Semper Liberi, or “Mountaineers are Always Free.”  We love and value our freedom, no matter what our age.  One of the greatest freedoms we possess in this country is the freedom to travel without restrictions, usually by car.  Ask older folks in the nursing homes what they miss the most, and many will tell you that they miss the ability to drive when and where they like.

According to the U.S Census Bureau’s population estimates by age and gender, West Virginia remains among the oldest states in the nation. The median age of West Virginians is 40.5 years (third highest) and the share of those who are 65 years or older is 16.2 percent (second highest), and these percentages are predicted to rise every year. As the number of older drivers increases, senior-driver safety is becoming more relevant for many families. With years of experience behind the wheel, older drivers likely are among the safest on the road. However, skills and abilities required for safe driving do deteriorate with age. The “silver tsunami” or great increase in the percentage of seniors driving in West Virginia raises the question of how families and doctors must be working together to determine if and when age-related health problems — from arthritis to frailty to Alzheimer’s disease — are severe enough to impair driving.

A recent hit-and-run tragedy in West Virginia illustrates the need for families to keep a watchful eye on Alzheimer’s patients in their care.

The investigation of a fatal hit and run accident in Kanawha County this week took an unexpected turn when sheriff’s deputies learned that the woman behind the wheel of the vehicle which struck Terry Stanley, 50, of Hernshaw, was an 80-year-old who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

The sheriff commented:  “We know from past dealings with individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia they are at times able to sneak off and get into a vehicle without the knowledge of family members.”

Investigators said the woman had a valid driver’s license.

Fatality rates for drivers begin to climb after age 65, according to a recent study by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, based on data from 1999-2004. From ages 75 to 84, the rate of about three deaths per 100 million miles driven is equal to the death rate of teenage drivers. For drivers 85 and older, the fatality rate skyrockets to nearly four times higher than that for teens.

Risk Factors Linked to Aging Process

Specific physical and cognitive abilities may decline with advancing age such as changes in vision, hearing and reaction time. However, there are large individual differences in the onset and degree of functional impairments, so age alone does not provide sufficient information to judge driving ability. Still, functional impairments can interfere with driving and may become particularly evident in stressful or challenging driving situations such as merging or changing lanes.

Several studies have shown that higher levels of physical, cognitive or visual impairment among older drivers are associated with increased risk of crash involvement. Statistically, fatal crash rates begin to increase at age 75. Per mile traveled, crash rates and fatal crash rates start increasing at about age 70.

A study of older drivers’ elevated fatal crash rates per mile traveled between 1993 and 1997 revealed that the main factor was not seniors’ over-involvement in crashes but their fragility, defined as the risk of death in a crash. Fragility increased starting around ages 60-64 and continued to rise with age.

Compared with younger drivers, senior drivers are more likely to be involved in certain types of collisions — angle crashes, overtaking or merging crashes, and especially intersection crashes. Studies of senior-involved crashes have found that failure to yield the right-of-way is the most common error among seniors.

Many older drivers also take medications with side effects which can impair driving ability of both young and old. As a person ages, their muscle mass and liver and kidney functions decline, so that person’s ability to metabolize (break down, use, and eliminate) medicines declines as well, leaving a higher concentration of medications in the body which may affect response time and driving ability.

Simple Restrictions can Prolong Driving Independence

Rather than prematurely taking away the privilege of driving from a person who may still have the ability to safely drive for several more years, individually assigned restrictions may be the answer to prolonging an aging person’s independence for as long as possible. Restrictions similar to those assigned to teenage drivers may include no driving on high-speed roads, driving outside a certain area, or driving at night. These restrictions would increase safety for those with visual impairments, prescription medication dependence, and impaired physical mobility.

Study Finds that Warning Patients of Risk Greatly Reduces Collisions

A large study from Canada in 2011 found another key component in reducing serious crash injuries among older drivers: simply having the doctors warn patients, and tell driving authorities that the older patient may be medically unfit to be on the road. Where this has occurred, there’s a drop in serious crash injuries among those drivers. The study, in the New England Journal of Medicine, couldn’t tell if the improvement was because those patients drove less, or drove more carefully once the doctors pointed out the risk.

While the study included adult drivers of all ages — for conditions ranging from epilepsy to sleep disorders, alcoholism to dementia — most were over age 60. This study highlighted one reason physicians don’t like to get involved: About 1 in 5 of the patients who were warned changed doctors. There also was an uptick in reports of depression.

Doctors aren’t necessarily trained to evaluate driving ability, and the study couldn’t tell if some drivers were targeted needlessly, noted Dr. Matthew Rizzo, of the University of Iowa. Yet he considered the research valuable. ‘‘The message from this paper is that doctors have some wisdom in knowing when to restrict drivers,’’ Rizzo said. His own research shows some cognitive tests might help them better identify who’s at risk, such as by measuring ‘‘useful field of view,’’ essentially how much your brain gleans at a glance — important for safety in intersections.

Other families turn to driver rehabilitation specialists, occupational therapists who can spend up to four hours evaluating an older driver’s vision, memory, cognition and other abilities before giving him a behind-the-wheel driving test. Some doctors and state licensing authorities order those evaluations, but programs can be hard to find, often have waiting lists and cost several hundred dollars that insurance may not cover.

Having a professional involved can keep family relationships intact, said Pam Bartle, a driver rehab specialist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Ill.

Still, “you could have the sweetest, nicest little old lady and she’ll turn on you on a dime if you tell her she can’t drive,” Bartle said. “It’s a desperate thing for people. They can’t imagine how they’ll manage without driving.”

Driving Safety Tips provided by the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC:  http://www.robinettelaw.com — Morgantown, WV Car Accident Injury Lawyers

Source: The Dominion Post, “Families Key, but Docs have a Big Role in Driving Decisions,” AP: Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson in Chicago contributed to this report,Washington, September 27, 2012.

Driver Plummets Off Bridge While Texting and Lives to Warn Others

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, Distracted Driving, Truck Accidents, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“I need to quit texting because I could die in a car accident.”

That was one of the final texts written by a 21-year-old  before his truck plummeted off a Texas bridge and into a ravine. The young man miraculously survived despite suffering brain injuries and breaking nearly every bone in his body, including his cheekbones, neck, and skull. He also had to be brought back to life three times, reports WBTV.

This past Wednesday the young man left the hospital after a six-month stay that included numerous reconstructive surgeries and intensive rehabilitation (he even had to learn how to speak again). Though the incident took place on January 24, only now is he able to discuss the crash.

“Don’t do it. It’s not worth losing your life,” the man said of texting behind the wheel. “I went to my grandmother’s funeral not long ago, and I kept thinking, it kept jumping into my head, I’m surprised that’s not me up in that casket. I came very close to that, to being gone forever.”

As smartphones increasingly play a role in our lives, so too does distracted driving. A doctor from the young man’s rehabilitation program told the Daily News that he is treating an increased number of patients injured because of texting on the road. “And unfortunately I don’t think we’re going to see a decrease in that anytime soon.”

But driving under the influence of your phone isn’t the only issue; pedestrians are also in danger. Recent security camera footage revealed a shocking incident in which a Philadelphia man fell onto train tracks as he distractedly walked and talked on his cellphone. (Luckily there were no trains were headed his way, and the man escaped to safety.)

“If I had a kid 16 years old starting to drive, they could have a phone but the texting feature wouldn’t be on it,” the young man’s father suggests.

This young man believes one of his reasons for still being alive is to spread the message he learned all too well. “I still have things to do in this world,” he said. “I should tell everyone not to text message and drive.”

Morgantown WV Car Accident Lawyers

If you would like more information about texting while driving or need help in navigating the insurance claims process after having been injured by someone else’s negligence or carelessness in WV, please click here.  Jeff Robinette at the Robinette Legal Group in Morgantown answers questions like yours every day and would be happy to answer yours.  Call 304-594-1800 today.

Lawsuits Filed Against Bars Become More Common In West Virginia

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Community Safety, DUI Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful DeathLeave a comment

West Virginia is one of the majority of states that have enacted dram shop liability laws. “Dram shop” is a reference to colonial times when alcohol-serving establishments (shops) used units of liquid measurement called drams to serve alcohol.

Dram shop laws make it possible for bar owners and alcohol servers to be held financially liable if a customer becomes obviously intoxicated on their premises and subsequently injures someone or causes property damage, typically by driving drunk.

So, if a person has several alcoholic drinks at a restaurant or bar and is visibly intoxicated, and then gets in a car and kills someone on the way home, the owner of the serving establishment can be sued for damages.

  • Many states hold commercial vendors of alcohol, such as bars, taverns and package stores responsible for injury caused by drunk patrons
  • Laws in most states require the injured person suing a commercial alcohol vendor to prove that the serving of alcohol was a “proximate cause” of the injury
  • Commercial vendors are liable for injuries caused by an intoxicated customer if they serve liquor to him after he was visibly intoxicated
  • An employer throwing an office party is liable for any bad misconduct or harassment on the part of an employee if the employee was acting within the scope of his employment and the employer failed to take reasonable preventative steps

Are you or a family member the victim of a drunk driver who went bar-hopping before driving intoxicated? Were you assaulted as a bystander by a drunk patron in a bar fight or a brawl outside a tavern? You may have a right to sue the bar under what are called “dram shop” laws.

Many states hold commercial vendors of alcohol (bars, taverns and package stores) responsible for injuries caused by drunk patrons. Different laws apply to social hosts and employers throwing office parties.

A drunk person can’t collect for injury to himself, but a third party injured by the actions of a drunk person can collect from a bar or tavern under certain circumstances. This is especially important when the drunk person has little or no insurance to cover a serious or fatal injury.

Laws in most states require the injured person suing a commercial alcohol vendor to prove that the serving of alcohol was a “proximate cause” of the injury. In other words, you must show a provable connection between your injury and the drunk person’s act of drinking at that particular bar or tavern.

Laws vary widely by state. In Nevada, commercial vendors won’t be held responsible for injuries caused by drunk patrons, probably because of the devastating impact it would have on the tourist industry. In some states, commercial vendors will only be held responsible for serving alcohol to minors.

In other states, the amount of damages that can be collected from a commercial vendor is capped at a specific amount, under the theory that the major share of blame for the injury should be placed on the drunk person.

Most states hold a commercial vendor liable where:

  • Alcohol was served to a minor
  • The vendor was reckless in serving or should have realized the extent of the patron’s intoxication
  • The vendor sold liquor without a liquor license
  • The vendor sold liquor after hours

The burden of proof is lower when a bar or tavern has served a minor, as it’s illegal.

The test for deciding whether a bar employee should have realized the extent of a patron’s intoxication is fuzzy. Courts look at the condition of the drunk person, and whether it should have been “foreseeable” to a bar employee serving him or her that the person was already “visibly intoxicated” and shouldn’t be served any more alcohol. It’s not a matter of how many drinks the person has had, but how the alcohol has affected them.

Proving Excess Intoxication

So how do you prove the person who injured you or your family member was “visibly intoxicated?” Some states have tried to clarify this vague test by requiring proof that the drunk person demonstrated “significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction.” In other states, you must prove that the bar patron was so obviously intoxicated that he presented a “clear danger to himself and others.”

If you or someone you love has been injured by a drunk person whom you suspect may have been served alcohol by a commercial vendor before the injured occurred, it’s important to see a lawyer right away. Proving the obvious intoxication of a bar patron often requires eyewitness testimony of other bar patrons and employees. A lawyer can locate and interview these witnesses quickly, and get witness statements right away while they still remember accurately what happened and before they clam up.

The time limit for filing a legal action against a commercial vendor- called a “statute of limitations” – is often very short. So it’s very important to develop and file your legal action quickly in order to collect.

Employer Events

Sometimes employers will have events, such as holiday parties, after working hours for their employees. These parties will many times take place at bars or restaurants that serve alcohol. If an intoxicated employee causes property damage or commits harassment, the vendor and the employer may be found liable. The employer is liable if a court determines that the employee was acting within the scope of employment.

Employers need to take reasonable steps to prevent misconduct on the part of their employees at parties that serve alcohol. Some examples include:

  • Discourage excessive drinking by having a cash bar
  • Have strict alcohol and behavior discipline policies in place
  • Provide transportation after the party to prevent driving under the influence

Questions for Your Attorney

  • Who’s liable if an intoxicated person involved in a car accident visited multiple bars before the accident?
  • How do I track down witnesses from a bar to prove excess intoxication? Can I use waitresses that worked in the bar as witnesses to prove my case?
  • Who’s liable if an employee gives alcohol to his son at an employer event for employees and their families that’s held at a restaurant?
 If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, please contact our office by visiting www.robinettelaw.com or calling 304-594-1800.  We would be glad to answer your questions.

Attorney Accuses Todd May of Causing the Accident that Ended His Life

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, DUI AccidentsLeave a comment

For all updates on the Jerod Green trial, click this link.

Jerod Green image12/10/2012 update:  Jerod Green’s trial began today.  Opening arguments for both sides were heard.

A Pennsylvania judge refused Jerod Green’s request to suppress evidence in Green’s murder trial. The request was based on Green’s allegations that Monongalia County Sheriff ’s Department Sgt. Todd May caused the crash that took May’s life.  Green’s attorney, John Bongivengo, alleged that May intentionally rammed Green’s truck, which he said constituted unjustified deadly force. As such, Bongivengo said that all evidence obtained after the crash should be thrown out.

The allegation, however, contradicts a Monongalia County sheriff deputy’s testimony that he saw Green drive directly into May’s patrol vehicle, which was parked in the median of Interstate 79, just inside the Pennsylvania border according to the Dominion Post.  Greene County Judge William Nalitz dismissed Bongivengo’s argument in an order this week. He also made several other rulings in the case — denying a defense-made motion to dismiss homicide-related charges because of a lack of evidence, and agreeing to allow the commonwealth to present evidence regarding Green’s five DUI convictions from Oklahoma.

Green, 35, of Morgantown, is awaiting trial on charges of murder of a law enforcement officer, homicide by vehicle while DUI, and criminal homicide, among others, for the Feb. 18 crash that killed May, a 10-year veteran of the sheriff ’s department.  Police in Pennsylvania and West Virginia accused Green of driving drunk, fleeing a crash on Easton Hill, driving away from officers who pulled him over on W.Va. 100, and leading police on a chase across the state line that ended when he hit May’s patrol vehicle.

In the order, Nalitz refused Bongivengo’s motion for dismissal based on his claims that the Commonwealth failed to present enough evidence to show that Green intentionally and recklessly caused the crash that killed May.  The judge also refused Bongivengo’s request to throw out a charge of murder of a law enforcement officer based on Bongivengo’s claim that, since May was in Pennsylvania when the crash occurred, he was not acting as an officer.  In other issues, Nalitz said he wants more information from Bongivengo on his motion to suppress evidence because of alleged defects in search warrants obtained by Pennsylvania State Police. He said he won’t address the part of the motion pertaining to warrants obtained in West Virginia because that is out of his jurisdiction.

Submitted by the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, West Virginia Workplace Injury/Wrongful Death Lawyers. Free books — Call us today: 304-594-1800 for your free copy of Righting the Wrong: WV Serious Injury Guide; Collision Care: WV Auto Injury Guide; or Beside Still Waters: WV Fatal Injury Guide for Families.

 

Family of Sgt. Todd May Files Suit Against Local Bars

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, DUI AccidentsLeave a comment

For updates on the Jerod Green trial, click this link.

The parents of the Monongalia County sheriff ’s deputy killed in a crash on Interstate 79 in February are suing the man accused of driving drunk and causing the crash, as well as two businesses that they say served the man alcohol.

Franklin and Catherine May, administrators of the estate of their son, Sgt. Todd May, filed the wrongful-death lawsuit Thursday against Jerod Green; Bugsy’s, on Point Marion Road; and Ruby Tuesday, on Venture Drive according to the Dominion Post.

West Virginia is one of the majority of states that have enacted dram shop liability laws. “Dram shop” is a reference to colonial times when alcohol-serving establishments (shops) used units of liquid measurement called drams to serve alcohol.

Dram shop laws make it possible for bar owners and alcohol servers to be held financially liable if a customer becomes obviously intoxicated on their premises and subsequently injures someone or causes property damage, typically by driving drunk.

Green, 35, of Morgantown, is awaiting trial in Greene County, Pa., on charges of murder of a law enforcement officer, homicide by vehicle while DUI, and criminal homicide, among others, for the Feb. 18 crash on I-79 — just over the Pennsylvania border — that killed Sgt. May, a 10-year veteran of the sheriff ’s department.
Police in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have accused Green, a repeat DUI offender, of driving drunk, fleeing a crash on Easton Hill, driving away from officers who pulled him over on W.Va. 100, and leading police on a chase across the state line that ended when he hit May’s parked patrol vehicle in the median of I-79.

According to the lawsuit, filed in Monongalia County Circuit Court by attorneys Matthew Thorn and James Varner, Green acted recklessly and negligently by driving under the influence of alcohol and controlled substances, by fleeing police, by disregarding traffic signals, and by speeding. Green’s recklessness and unlawful conduct resulted in the crash that killed May.

Police accused Green of driving with a blood alcohol content of .189 — more than twice the legal driving limit of .08 — the night of the crash. Green also had an anti-depressant and a drug most commonly used to treat seizures in his system to a degree that impaired his ability to drive safely.  The lawsuit alleges that Bugsy’s and Ruby Tuesday acted negligently by serving Green alcohol when he was visibly intoxicated and letting him leave the establishments without arranging for safe transportation.

Submitted by the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, West Virginia Workplace Injury/Wrongful Death Lawyers. Free books — Call us today: 304-594-1800 for your free copy of Righting the Wrong: WV Serious Injury Guide; Collision Care: WV Auto Injury Guide; or Beside Still Waters: WV Fatal Injury Guide for Families.

 

Fatal Truck Wreck on I-79

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, Truck Accidents, Wrongful DeathLeave a comment

One person was killed in a crash Wednesday morning on I-79, near the Pennsylvania state line.

 According to a press release: A 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty truck belonging to Energy Contractors LLC was headed north on I-79 when the driver lost control, near the 158 milepost. The truck went into the median and flipped several times, throwing out the driver and a passenger.

 The driver was pronounced dead at the scene; the passenger sustained minor injuries.

 A Weston man was identified as the victim of Wednesday’s fatal crash on Interstate 79.

The accident was reported to MECCA 911 at 6:28 a.m. The southbound lanes of I-79 were shut down for about an hour and a half, during which the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation routed traffic from the Mount Morris exit to U.S. 19.

According to its website, Energy Contractors provides a range of services for the oil and gas industry throughout the northeastern U.S. and the Appalachian basin.

If you have any questions regarding injuries from truck accidents, contact our office by calling 304-594-1800 or email Jeff at  jeff.robinette@robinettelaw.com. 

We answer questions like yours every day, and would be glad to give you the answers you need when navigating the insurance claim settlement process.

Common Foot Injuries From Accidents

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents and Safety, Personal Injury, Work Injuries2 Comments

Workplace accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents often result in various types of foot injuries.  These injuries can be extremely debilitating and life changing.  Suddenly, through no fault of your own, you find that you can no longer enjoy activities that have been an important part of your life up to the time of the accident.  Often surgery, physical therapy, and weeks of limited activity are required for optimum healing.  Some of the most common foot injuries include compartment syndromes, fractures of the metatarsals, and fracture of the heel bone (calcaneus).

Acute Foot Injuries

Acute foot injuries that often result from work or motor vehicle accidents include severe bruising, torn ligaments, puncture wounds, ruptured tendons, joint sprains, muscle strains, as well as various types of broken, fractured, shattered, or dislocated bones.

Compartment Syndromes of the Foot

Ankle pain - detailCompartment syndromes of the foot typically result from workplace, industrial, agricultural, warehouse, and motor vehicle accidents.  When a heavy object runs over, crushes, or impacts the foot, swelling occurs along with severe pain. The foot structure consists of many small compartments.  These compartments are filled with muscles, nerves, and tendons and are lined by a tight membrane.  When an injury to the foot occurs, there is often some bleeding in the muscle tissue, causing the foot to swell and expand.   The lining of this membrane has a limited capacity to expand.  If the fluid and muscle swelling inside the compartment becomes significant, they may exceed the blood flow in and out of the small compartments.  If the pressure inside the compartment increases too much, the nerves and muscles start to get squeezed and stop functioning properly.

Metatarsal Fractures; Lisfranc Injury

Injuries to the metatarsal joints are quite common.  They can occur from something as simple as twisting your foot when stepping unevenly or may occur from more violent injuries such as a fall, work accident, or car accident that crush the metatarsals. Surgery is required in most of these injuries.  The broken or dislocated foot bones often need screws that are inserted internally into the bones across the joints for optimum healing.  If surgery is not performed, then a boot or a cast is used.  It can take eight to ten weeks for this fracture to heal with a 70% success rate using the cast.  Surgery has a better success rate with a six-week healing time.  The screws are typically left in for four to five months after the surgery and then removed.  No walking on the foot is permitted for six weeks, and then walking is allowed with a removable b oot for the next four weeks.  Swimming and biking are permitted early on after the surgery. If left untreated, full healing may never occur which means you will never return to your normal activities and which also may lead to painful arthritis that requires treatment.

Fracture of the Heel Bone (Calcaneus)

Fractures of the heel bone are debilitating injuries.  Usually, these fractures occur from car accidents and work accidents when a tremendous force crushes the heel and fragments the bone. Surgery is required to put the bone back together with a metal place and multiple screws.  This procedure decreases the likelihood of severe arthritis later on and maximizes the potential for a good recovery.  If the bone is severely crushed, the bone may also need to be fused.  Following the surgery, no walking on the foot is permitted for three months, and physical therapy is required.  Typical recovery time is about six months.  Occasionally, the surgery does not result in healing and must be repeated. Surgery on the heel  should be performed as soon as possible after the injury to prevent permanent widening and deformity of the heel in addition to chronic pain and arthritis.

Morgantown Accident Lawyers

If your foot or heel injury has resulted from an accident due to the negligence of another driver or your employer, please contact our office and we would be happy to evaluate whether we can help you gain compensation for  your pain, lost wages, and medical bills.  Jeff Robinette at the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC in Morgantown, WV has helped many workplace accident and car accident victims get the recovery they need. Call today for your free consultation at (304)594-1800 or visit our website to learn more about navigating the legal process of recovering from your injuries.  If you are a WV accident victim, we would be glad to send a free book to your home, or make an immediate download of one of our three books available to you for no cost or obligation.

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Two Pickup Truck Accident on I-79 at Star City Exit in Morgantown

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents2 Comments

Four people were taken to the hospital following a two pickup-truck wreck on Interstate 79 on Saturday, July 7, 2012.
At about 3 p.m., emergency responders were called to the wreck near the Star City exit. Monongalia County Sheriff ’s Deputy J. Wilhelm said it appeared a newer model Chevy truck lost control and struck an older model Chevy truck.

The newer model was traveling southbound, Wilhelm said. It appeared the truck might have missed the exit ramp, Deputy J. Morgan said. The truck travelled across a grassy area before colliding with the older model truck on the on-ramp. The driver of the new model truck was ejected out of the passenger window during the wreck, Morgan said. Three people, including a 2-year-old, were in the older model truck. The severity of their injuries was unknown. Deputies on scene did not release names of those involved in the crash.

In addition to the sheriff ’s department, Mon EMS, Westover Police and the Star City Volunteer Fire Department assisted. Crews closed the on-ramp while they tended to the wreck.

Four people were transported to the hospital, including the female driver of one of the vehicles, who was ejected out the passenger-side window.

Morgantown Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers

You may not need a lawyer, but if you have been injured in a truck accident or car accident, please visit our website at http://www.robinettelaw.com to get answers to your questions or call (304)594-1800 for a free consultation.  Jeff Robinette at the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC has helped many car accident and truck accident victims receive the help needed for the best possible recovery to get you back to work and back to the life you enjoy.

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Fatal Car Wreck on I-79

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, Uncategorized1 Comment

Police shut I- 79 southbound down to traffic for more than an hour and a half Sunday after a fatal two-vehicle accident at milepost 158.   A driver died instantly when the Mercedes he was driving was hit by a Chevrolet Tracker.  The driver of the Tracker had been traveling north on I-79 and had crossed the median and hit the Mercedes which was headed south.  The accident happened at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday at the top of the hill just south of the I-79 rest stop, according to the Dominion Post.  Those at the scene said a Chevrolet Tracker rolled, coming to rest in the right-hand lane lane.  The driver of the Tracker survived and was taken to the hospital by the Star City VFD ambulance.

The Tracker was destroyed; there was not that much damage visible on the Mercedes.  Witnesses near the scene of the crash say the area smelled like alcohol, and there were beer cans laying around the accident scene. But police didn’ t initially confirm whether or not either driver had been drinking, according to a news report from WDTV.  Now, DUI related charges are pending for the Tracker’s driver.

Traffic was backed up for hours while the northbound lane of I-79 was reduced to one lane at the scene of the accident, three miles north of the Star City exit.  Southbound traffic was backed up for about a mile and a half. One southbound lane was reopened at 9:35 p.m.  Pennsylvania State Police and a Mount Morris, Pa., fire truck blocked the I-79 southbound lane at the Mount Morris exit, detouring traffic onto U.S. 19 south.

Monongalia County Sheriff ’s deputies are handling the investigation. Assisting at the scene were Westover Police, West Virginia State Police, Star City Volunteer Fire Department and Monongalia EMS.

Morgantown Accident Lawyers

If we can be of any further assistance to you, it would be our pleasure to speak with you personally. You may reach us at http://www.robinettelaw.com and http://www.robinettelaw.com/Car-Accident-Injuries/ or call our law office at 1-304-594-1800.

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Injured In A Car Accident In West Virginia? Know Your Legal Rights!

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Car Accidents, DUI Accidents6 Comments
Kingwood Car Accident
Morgantown WV car accident

Take a moment to reflect back on what happened at the instant of the collision, while your mind and body were still in the process of reacting to the traumatic event. Your initial thoughts most likely turned to immediate needs like assessing your own physical condition and, if possible, deciding whether to stay in the vehicle or get out of it. You may have called 911 to report the collision and requested emergency medical support. You may have even been able to check on the physical condition of the other persons involved in the collision. If you were coherent and realized some unsafe condition still existed, like your vehicle being in a dangerous position on the road, or you smelled gasoline, you may have felt that you needed to take additional steps to protect yourself and others from further injury.

Little consideration, if any, was probably given to how you thought others would view your immediate reactions to the collision and the actions you took immediately following the collision. All your actions or omissions (your failure to act) will have an effect on your ability to pursue your legal rights for full and fair compensation for your injuries.

West Virginia law provides that you have two years from the date of the auto collision to take legal action (i.e., file a lawsuit) against responsible individuals and companies, including insurance companies, to seek compensation for the damages (i.e., your injuries and losses) you sustained in the auto collision. If your child is injured in a collision, your child will have two years from the date of adulthood to file such a claim. Waiting until your child is an adult, however, creates a significant loss of evidence you will need to prove your child’s claim. For adults, if you do not file a lawsuit within the two-year statute of limitations period, your claim will be forever time-barred.

Two years may sound like a long time from now, but believe me, it is not when considering all the things that must be done to secure your legal rights against the responsible parties. Every day that you wait to seek legal counsel equates to a loss of opportunity to obtain full compensation for your injuries. In reality, it is the first 60 to 90 days following your auto collision that will make or break your case. It is within this shorter time period that necessary evidence and testimony must be secured, treatment rendered and medical opinions obtained.

If you wait until after this time period has passed, and you have not developed your claim properly, it will make the job of even a good lawyer very hard to obtain a full recovery for you. Worse yet, if you wait until close to the two-year statute of limitations period to consult with a lawyer, it is almost guaranteed that your claim will be compromised. It is somewhat like getting cancer diagnosed early — your chances of improvement are greater the earlier the diagnosis is made. So, don’t wait to get your legal claim diagnosed by a qualified lawyer.

In a typical auto injury case, the injured person is entitled to pursue compensation for their past and future pain and suffering, past and future medical bills, past and future lost wages, and their loss of enjoyment of life. If the injuries are very serious and diminish the relationship with a married spouse, loss of consortium (physical and emotional intimacy and services) damages may be awarded to the spouse for those losses they have sustained stemming from your injuries.

Finally, if the at-fault driver was intoxicated or was guilty of grossly negligent behavior, punitive damages may also be awarded in a court of law. With each category of damages, however, there are complex laws and trial court procedures that must be strictly followed in order to prove your injuries in a court of law.

If you are unrepresented, there will be no one to advise you on the law and to ensure that you have met all your legal obligations — any failure on your part to follow these strict rules will have an adverse impact on your auto injury claim. Remember, only those damages that can be proven in a court of law will be considered for compensation.

West Virginia Accident Lawyers:  We would be glad to personally answer your questions.

This information has been provided by the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC as a public service and does not in any way establish a lawyer/client relationship, but if we can be of any further assistance to you, it would be our pleasure to speak with you personally about your injury claim.  Visit us at the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, West Virginia Injury Lawyers.

We provide free books to WV accident victims — Call us today: 304-594-1800 for your free copy of Righting the Wrong: WV Serious Injury Guide; Collision Care: WV Auto Injury Guide; or Beside Still Waters: WV Fatal Injury Guide for Families. We are glad to answer your questions.  Call 304-594-1800 today.