Accident Lawyers Network

Ice Causes Dozens of Accidents in Indiana

2008-12-03T08:28:00.001-08:00

Icy conditions, the result of cold weather blasting through Indiana, caused literally dozens of auto accidents on Monday. Police reported almost 75 accidents throughout the Wabash Valley that resulted in four deaths.

In Vermillion County, icy conditions on State Road 63 resulted in emergency crews responding to 20 separate calls of vehicles sliding off the roads. In Vigo County, a flipped SUV shut down Highway 40 for a short time.

Terre Haute police shut down roadways, closed off the overpass, and got sand and ice trucks to help. However, two of the accidents in Terre Haute were deadly.

People in many parts of the country need to expect that ice on the roads will be part of their lives for the next several months. The best way to avoid accidents on icy roads is to slow down.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.

Two Missing After Crab Boat Overturns

2008-12-01T08:00:00.001-08:00

Crabbing season began on Monday in Oregon with the news that a 42-foot crab boat capsized last Friday in Tillamook Bay near the north jetty. The Coast Guard reported that the captain of the boat was able to swim to shore. However, two others with him have been missing since the accident and are assumed drowned. The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the two men, though an oil sheen was spotted near the area where the boat broke up.

The Coast Guard initially reported that the captain of the boat survived because he was wearing a life jacket. However, they now say that none of the three were wearing life jackets. Apparently the captain just got lucky.

Since early 2007, at least 15 people have lost their lives at the bar in Tillamook Bay.

If you have lost a loved one in a boating accident, please contact an experienced boating accident attorney in your area.

Joyriding Teen Involved in Fatal Accident

2008-11-26T09:05:00.001-08:00

A 15-year-old boy, driving without a license or permit, took four other people on a joyride near Long Grove, Illinois, lost control of the vehicle, launched across the road, and crashed into some trees. Both the driver and a 14-year-old girl were killed. She was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected. The three others, 15, 13, and 8-year-old brothers, were airlifted in critical condition to area hospitals.

The girl's family said she was supposed to be going to the store and didn't know she was in the car with the driver. The owner of the car said she loaned it to her friend because she thought he was 18. Charges may be filed against her.

The underage driver was reportedly speeding down a road known for several fatal crashes in the past. The road has hills people will try to catch air on, so they drive as fast as they can. People in the area would like something done about the design of the road, even if it means taking out the hills.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident with an underage driver, please contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.

Arkansas Bus Crash Kills Three

2008-11-25T11:27:00.001-08:00

A bus driver and two passengers were killed when the bus crossed a median and hit a tractor trailer and a pickup truck on I-40 in eastern Arkansas. Twelve other passengers were extracted from the bus. Some of them were children. The driver of the tractor trailer and the pickup truck sustained minor injuries.

The bus was owned by Tornado Bus Co. based out of Dallas. The bus was on its way from Chicago to Dallas. The crash occurred around 10 pm Sunday night. However, it is not known at this point if the time of day contributed to the accident. One of the most common causes of accidents involving buses as well as tractor trailers is due to driver exhaustion.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, please contact an experienced bus accident attorney in your area.

Bridge Collapses after Auto Accident

2008-11-24T13:08:00.001-08:00

A driver lost control of his car and hit a bridge in York County, Pennsylvania on Sunday night. The 60 foot long bridge that connects Routes 74 and 194 in Washington Township then collapsed. The driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

The bridge that collapsed was slated for replacement in 2011. It was built in the 1930s. Over two hundred cars cross the bridge everyday and there is no word on how long it will take or how much it will cost to repair the bridge.

It is possible that the number of injuries, deaths, and destruction in these types of accidents will increase due to the amount of aging bridges and overpasses in this country. It has been estimated that nearly two-thirds of the bridges and overpasses need some kind of update to keep them standing in the near future.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.

Philadelphia Police Officers Hit by Drunk Drivers Twice this Week

2008-11-21T13:22:00.001-08:00

For the second time this week, a Philadelphia police officer was rammed by a suspected drunk driver. Just before 2:00 am Thursday, an officer responding to a report of a robbery was crossing an intersection when his cruiser was hit. The car then hit several other parked vehicles. He was treated for neck and back injuries at the hospital and released. The driver of the car that hit the officer is being held for suspicion of DUI.

Another officer in a patrol car was hit earlier this week by a drunk driver and died of his injuries. The driver who hit the officer has been charged with third degree murder, homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident caused by someone's negligence, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Proposed Dog Breed Restrictions Causes Stir in Washington County

2008-11-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

Monroe City Hall was packed on Tuesday night by people hoping to see a ban on dangerous dog breeds such as pit bulls and the defenders of these breeds. The city council is considering putting further restrictions on certain breeds, but not all. This is seen as "profiling" by those who own the breeds facing restrictions, who say bad owners and not bad dogs are to blame. They consider the dogs part of their family. One person, attempting to stretch the logic, said, "If a person doesn't raise their child right, you don't ban children."

A man whose mother was viciously mauled and nearly killed by pit bulls begs to differ, but could not get into the room to be heard. He says these dogs don't simply puncture skin, "they rip and tear." His mother had to have both ears surgically reattached following the attack.

However, it was not only pit bull owners clamoring to be heard. One owner who was cited for his dog biting a child says breed-specific laws won't work since his dog was a lab-mix. His one-and-a-half year old dog was put down as a result.

The Monroe city council will revisit the issue in six months, but for now is considering laws targeting bad owners and not bad dogs.

If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, please contact an experienced dog bite lawyer in your area.

Car Hits Group Crossing Road

2008-11-17T14:00:00.001-08:00

A car struck five people in Cobb County, Georgia, killing a child. The five, a mother and four children, were struck crossing the busy S. Cobb Drive just before 6:00 this morning. Smyrna police have said the dead child is under five years old. They have also said that the five were struck near a MARTA bus stop when they were hit, but it is unknown if they were trying to get on a bus or off one.

Video of the accident shows several backpacks and an overturned stroller where the accident occurred.

If you or a loved one has been injured when hit by a car, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Nearly 100 Hogs Dead in Truck Accident

2008-11-14T08:38:00.001-08:00

A truck carrying nearly 400 hogs crashed in Miami County, Ohio on Thursday killing nearly 100 of them. Dozens more are reportedly on the loose. Police state that the driver was going too fast around a curve when his load of hogs shifted. The uneven load of hogs caused the tractor-trailer to roll onto its side. The truck then slid down an embankment where it was stopped by a cluster of trees.

The 23-year-old driver was not injured, but his younger brother was taken to the hospital with a knee injury. Salvage crews spent hours off-loading the hogs and cleaning up the wreckage. There is no word on the ones who bolted for freedom.

Shifting loads in tractor-trailers is a danger not only to the truck drivers, but to those around them. If you have been injured in a truck accident caused by a shifting load, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Freezing Rain Causes La Crosse Pileups

2008-11-12T08:17:00.001-08:00

Say goodbye to summer. Freezing rain is being blamed on several accidents around the La Crosse, Wisconsin area on Monday and Tuesday. The first accident involved a semi that lost control on a bridge, hit two cars then rolled onto its side. The truck driver was uninjured and one of the drivers of the automobiles had minor injuries. Another accident involving a semi and a pickup truck partially blocked the I-90.

There were between 25 and 30 accidents reported in the La Crosse area on Tuesday morning alone, and La Crosse County Dispatch Center officials said they received another hundred calls reporting accidents and icy road conditions.

It seems to take everyone a little while to get used to driving in conditions involving ice or snow. The best thing you can do is slow down and be aware of other vehicles around you, and be prepared for driving in conditions like this for the next several months. Still, sometimes accidents are unavoidable.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident or truck accident due to another party's reckless driving in icy conditions, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Child Attacked by Bulldog at PetSmart

2008-11-10T08:38:00.001-08:00

PetSmart and PetCo regularly allow customers to bring their dogs in with them when they shop. Most of the time, things go as planned and everyone leaves happy. However, on October 28 at a Denver, Colorado PetSmart, a four-year-old girl was attacked by another customer's bulldog.

The four-year-old was with her mother and sister to get a collar for their dog. The girl suffered lacerations and puncture wounds along her pelvic region and backside. According to the girl's mother, the bulldog lunged and latched onto the child without provocation. However, the director of Denver Animal Control says a witness said the child startled the dog.

This was the first time the bulldog had ever attacked someone, which means the dog will be quarantined for ten days and then released to its owner. The child's mother wants the dog put down. This would only happen if the dog bites someone again, and the court decides on the disposition of the animal. They may simply order it muzzled while in public. The dog's owner is due in court sometime next month.

While attacks in pet stores are rare, the combination of young children running up to strange animals that may not be muzzled increases the chance that an incident may occur.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite, please contact an experienced dog bite attorney in your area.

Two Killed when Car Hits House

2008-11-07T09:08:00.001-08:00

A speeding car lost control and slammed into a house in Flint, Michigan on Wednesday night killing two of the three occupants in the vehicle. The survivor was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Witnesses said the car was traveling around 100 mph when the driver lost control. The vehicle rolled several times before coming to a stop inside the living room of the unoccupied house. Police say the 25-year-old driver, who died at the scene, was unlicensed. The three men in the vehicle were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident, and police are still investigating to see if alcohol was a factor.

The house was rocked off its foundation in the crash due to the force the car hit it with.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.

Motorcycle Accident Leaves Arkansas Mayor Critical

2008-10-29T07:51:00.001-07:00

The mayor of Greenland, Arkansas, John Gray, was critically injured in a motorcycle accident over the weekend as he was returning from Jasper with a friend. Gray reportedly lost control of his Honda Rebel, hit the guardrail and flipped into a ravine. Gray suffered a broken leg, broken pelvis, and lost a significant amount of blood. He was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.

Charlie Brooks, who was with Gray at the time of the accident, says Gray was 200 to 300 yards in front of him and only traveling about 35 mph when he hit the guardrail while going around a curve. Brooks says Gray hadn't been riding motorcycles for very long, but wasn't inexperienced either.

Gray was wearing a helmet, which probably saved his life.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please contact an experienced motorcycle attorney in your area.

Crash Kills Four Cheerleaders

2008-10-27T13:53:00.001-07:00

An auto accident killed five people, including four cheerleaders late Friday night in Tennessee. The four cheerleaders had just left a high school football game where they had been cheering.

According to police, the SUV in which the four girls were traveling hydroplaned on a wet, foggy road and then flipped on its side. The SUV then collided with another car before bursting into flames. None of the four girls were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident, and at least one of them was ejected. One person in the other vehicle was killed, and another passenger reportedly lost her unborn child due to injuries sustained.

Due to their high center of gravity, SUVs are more likely to roll over than are other vehicles. Add driver inexperience, a wet highway, and not wearing seatbelts, and this tragedy had all the hallmarks for what experts, adults, and the media tell the population every year are some of the biggest driving risks.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident or SUV rollover, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.

Tanker Truck Explodes in California

2008-10-22T13:34:00.001-07:00

A car entering southbound I-880 in Oakland, California, cut off a tanker truck and caused the driver to lose control at about 6:15 am this morning. The tanker, carrying hundreds of gallons of fuel, rolled over and began leaking fuel, which then ignited. Police report the driver and three others in another vehicle were able to escape without injuries.

The tanker was fully involved before firefighters were able to put the flames out. The fire became so intense that asphalt on the highway began to melt. As a result, the southbound lanes of I-880 will be closed until sometime Thursday. Although only the surface of the highway was damaged, construction crews will grind down the concrete and add temporary asphalt.

The tanker was carrying an estimated 8,600 gallons of fuel when the accident occurred. The Coast Guard is investigating whether any of the fuel spilled into the Oakland-Alameda Estuary. Storm drains near the accident were sealed off as a precaution.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

SUV Rollover Kills Five

2008-10-20T08:26:00.001-07:00

An SUV rollover on a Florida Turnpike killed five people Friday night. There were eight people in the Ford Expedition travelling from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale for a religious event, when the rear tire apparently blew. The driver lost control near the Lake Worth service plaza and the SUV rolled into a 15-foot-deep canal with its roof down. The dead include three young children, the driver and a passenger. Two other children are still in the hospital and one person has been released. Police say that of the five who died, only the driver was wearing a seatbelt.

Authorities say alcohol was not involved in the accident, and that it is possible that the tire treat separated. There have been several lawsuits filed as a result of blown tires and SUV rollovers. Lawsuits involving the Ford Expedition target the vehicle's design. Those involved allege the top-heavy design affects vehicle handling, and weak door latches and an absence of laminated safety glass does not keep passengers in the SUV in rollover accidents.

The SUV involved in Friday night's accident jumped a cable barrier installed in 2007 along the turnpike, and other roads, to keep vehicles from flipping into canals that run alongside the pavement.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an SUV rollover accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Police Investigating Anaheim Slip and Fall Death

2008-10-17T11:10:00.001-07:00

A 14-year-old Anaheim, Florida teenager apparently slipped and fell from his sister's moving car on Monday, October 13^th. The boy was with two 15-year-old friends and all three were sitting on his older sister's Suzuki Forenza. The teen's sister then started to drive away. Police say the teen either tried to jump off the trunk, or slipped and fell. He hit his head on the pavement.

Police were called to investigate the injury due to its suspicious nature. It may also have something to do with the claim that the three teens were tagging commercial property with graffiti about half an hour before the accident. After paramedics were initially told the boy slipped and fell off his sister's vehicle, doctors said his injuries were inconsistent with a slip and fall accident. Authorities are looking into whether to bring charges to the teenager's sister in connection with the death.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.

Five-Year-Old Sitting on Grandmother's Lap Killed in Accident

2008-10-15T07:36:00.001-07:00

A five-year-old boy was killed and his grandmother is in critical condition after the car they were in crashed into a house in a Sacramento County, California suburb on Tuesday. The boy was allegedly sitting on his grandmother's lap at the time of the accident. She was driving the 1996 Toyota Camry at a low speed when it hit the house 40 feet from the street. The boy's other grandmother says the boy should have been in the back seat. "As far as I am concerned, she killed him."

Airbags deployed during the automobile accident, but there was no car seat for the boy found in the Camry, and his grandmother was not wearing her seatbelt. While the grandmother is being tested for drugs and alcohol, the police do not think that was a factor in the crash. However, she was driving on a suspended license.

The police have once again had to state the obvious: that it is unsafe to drive with a small child in the front seat or on your lap.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Boat Accident Kills Three on St. Clair River

2008-10-13T13:08:00.001-07:00

A boating accident on the St. Clair River killed three people and seriously injured a fourth. The injured woman was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital for surgery. The dead include the survivor's husband, and boat owner, and another couple.

According to police, the 21-foot fiberglass boat collided with a dock around 9:40 pm Friday, October 10^th. One of the victims was thrown from the boat and into the water upon impact. Witnesses to the crash pulled out the others and said there was "a large quantity" of beer and wine on the boat. They also detected the smell of alcohol on the victims. Police say that though there were lifejackets aboard the boat, none of the passengers were wearing one. The boat was reportedly heading home when they crashed at a high rate of speed. However, an investigation into the accident is ongoing.

The dead couple, identified as Scott Jay Gearhart and Barbara Janet Gearhart, leaves behind a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

23 Students Injured in School Bus Accident

2008-10-10T12:26:00.001-07:00

A school bus carrying 23 students flipped Friday morning in Havelock, North Carolina. All 23 students were taken to area hospitals, but authorities say that none were seriously injured.

The bus was taking the students to Roger Bell Elementary School when the driver apparently swerved to avoid hitting a dog in the road. The school bus then went into a ditch where it flipped onto its side.

School buses are still the safest way to transport students to and from school and, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are the safest motor vehicles on the road. However, like most buses in the US, they do not contain safety belts. In accidents, such as this one, there is a good chance that students will be thrown off their seats and around the bus. The NHTSA told Congress in 2002 that cost and drawbacks of installing seatbelts in school buses outweigh any benefit they might have.

If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Two Dead in Accident Caused by Elderly Driver

2008-10-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

An 85-year-old driving her vehicle the wrong way on I-44 near Joplin, Missouri hit another vehicle head-on killing both drivers. The 70-year-old driver of the other vehicle is reported to have pulled out to try and pass a tractor trailer when she was hit.

The accident occurred ten minutes after police first received a report of a driver heading the wrong way in the westbound lands. Just before the accident, another driver was forced off the road by the wrong-way vehicle. That driver suffered minor injuries.

While many accidents have been caused by wrong-way drivers, this particular accident may raise the question of when are people too old to be driving. Should an 85-year-old woman still be allowed to get behind the wheel? What about a 70-year-old? Or is this simply a matter of both vehicles being in the wrong place at the wrong time? After forcing a vehicle off the road just before the accident, one might think the elderly driver would have pulled over. Or maybe this is just wishful thinking.

Research done on age-related driving and accidents has shown that there is an increased risk of accidents when people hit 65. Though age and the way one feels is certainly subjective (an 80-year-old may be in better shape to drive than a 60-year-old), senior citizens are required to go through more driving tests than younger drivers are – at least in some states. Other states mandatory driving tests have been shot down by senior citizen lobbying groups, such as AARP, who find the tests discriminatory.

Though different state and government agencies can try different things to try and screen out older drivers who may be more likely to cause an accident due to their age, the nation needs to come to terms with the fact that the aging Baby Boomers will still have their licenses and their cars for many more years. More elderly drivers may mean more age-related auto accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, please contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.

Casino Bus Crash Kills Ten in California

2008-10-06T07:53:00.001-07:00

A bus on its way to a casino crashed north of Sacramento, California Sunday night killing ten and critically injuring at least 30. According to one witness, the bus cartwheeled in the air before rolling into a ditch. Victims were either ejected or crushed in the bus accident.

Police say the bus drifted onto the side of the road for half a mile and then the driver overcorrected, which flipped the bus. The driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police believe he was on medication.

Adding mystery to the bus accident, the bus was without a valid license plate, and it is unclear exactly who owns the bus. The bus was sold over two years ago; it dates back to the 1980s and does not have seatbelts. At least 12 people were ejected in the accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Van and Truck Collision Kills Seven

2008-10-03T13:14:00.001-07:00

A state van carrying applicants for prison jobs collided with a tractor trailer carrying wood products this morning on a rural highway near Montgomery, Alabama. All seven people in the van were killed in the fiery head-on collision. The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The accident occurred on an isolated stretch of the highway just before 6 am about 20 miles from Montgomery. Authorities are still trying to determine the cause since early reports are varied. The charred van was overturned and beneath debris from the truck. Police say the only identifiable parts of the van were two tire rims.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, please contact an experienced truck accident attorney in your area.

Five-Year-Old Mauled by Pit Bull

2008-10-01T08:28:00.001-07:00

A five-year-old girl was mauled by a pit bull in Simi Valley, California on Tuesday, September 21The five-year-old and her mother were visiting friends of the family when the attack occurred. The girl was in the backyard with the friend's 13-year-old daughter. The pit bull mauled the girl when she "bumped into" the dog.

After hearing screaming, the girl's mother rushed into the backyard and tried to get the 35 pound pit bull off her daughter. The girl suffered severe wounds to her face and neck and lost a large amount of blood before anyone could get her to the hospital. She was revived at the hospital, but died three days later.

The girl's mother doesn't blame anyone for the attack and says it was simply "a terrible accident that should never have happened." The pit bull was being cared for and was not the family's where the attack occurred. The dog was taken to quarantine and will most likely be euthanized.

If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, please contact the Accident Lawyers Network to find an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.

Bus Accident Kills Four Students

2008-09-29T07:46:00.001-07:00

An accident involving a school bus killed four elementary school special needs students and critically injured the driver on Friday in rural Indiana. Emergency workers say it is one of the worst accidents they have ever seen.

The accident happened around 3:00 pm close to an intersection near the town of Logansport. A moped was turning into the driver's residence when a dump truck behind it slammed on its breaks. The dump truck swerved into the school bus, clipping it. The school bus was flipped onto its side and into oncoming traffic where it was hit by another dump truck. Though all four students were buckled into their seats, the force of the impact killed all of them. Emergency workers and reporters on the scene say the wreckage of the bus was virtually unrecognizable.

If your child has been injured or killed in school bus accident, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.