Medical Malpractice

Fight Brewing Over Distraction Caused By Google Glass

February 27, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Google has taken the interesting step of aggressively lobbying legislators in at least three states that are currently considering measures to restrict the use of Google Glass headsets while driving. The attempts by Google to head-off restrictions on its product have surprised some and worried others who fear the powerful tech company will sway important safety decisions before data has been collected regarding the product.

Currently, eight states in the U.S. are debating regulations concerning Google Glass. The device is a small computer screen that is mounted in the corner of an eyeglass frame. The concern among some is that the device, which is connected to the Internet and can be used to check email, take photos and even watch videos, will be used by drivers when they should be paying attention to what’s going on in the road in front of them.

Google Glass represents part of a larger trend in the tech world toward wearable technology. The sophisticated eyeglasses, smart watches and even some healthcare devices are slowly changing the way we are used to interacting with technology. Many experts believe the category will take off, in much the same way that smartphones did and computers before that and that legislators will need to take a different approach to regulating the products.

To try and avoid what could be commercially damaging series of laws against users of Google Glass, Google has hired a team of lobbyists to try and persuade lawmakers in states like Illinois, Delaware and Missouri that Google Glass-specific restrictions are unnecessary. Google’s main message to legislators is that the regulation is premature because Google Glass is not yet widely available and there is no information about the safety of the device.

Charlotte Driver Killed After Being Thrown From Vehicle

February 25, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”

A terrible accident in Charlotte left one man dead and another person severely injured. According to officials with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the accident happened around three in the afternoon last Monday. The wreck occurred on the 5600 block of West Boulevard near the intersection with Arff Road.

Authorities say that the driver of a ’79 Pontiac Grand Prix was traveling towards town along West Boulevard when he lost control of his car. The Pontiac then crossed out of its lane and into the path of an oncoming Nissan Xterra driven by Marco Cesped. Given the position of both vehicles, Cesped’s Xterra ended up T-boning the Pontiac.

Tragically, the driver of the Pontiac was ejected from the car, causing extensive and traumatic injuries. The force of the crash was so severe that the Pontiac’s gas tank ruptured and caught on fire, eventually burning some nearby brush as well as the driver of the Pontiac.

Emergency responders say they arrived on the scene quickly and rushed the driver of the Pontiac to a local hospital by helicopter, but it was too late and the man succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. Police have not yet released the victim’s name.

Early Morning North Carolina Accident Proves Fatal

February 20, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

A terrible early morning accident in Huntersville, North Carolina left one person dead and two others seriously injured. Emergency responders say that the accident happened a little after 5:45 a.m. on Eastfield Road, south of Prosperity Church Road.

According to police officers, the road had to be closed for several hours while detectives and other investigators examined the accident scene. Police say the accident was a head-on collision and that the force of the accident killed the driver of one vehicle and sent two other passengers to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for treatment.

Though police officers are still attempting to uncover the cause of the accident, the reality is that the early morning is a notoriously dangerous time to be on the road. Though the hours between 4 and 6 a.m. account for a relatively small number of fatal accidents, that is mainly due to the dramatically lower traffic out at those hours. When you examine the percentage of fatal accidents, the early morning becomes far more deadly by comparison.

Experts say there are several reasons for danger. First, poor visibility is to blame for some fatal early morning accidents. Very early it might still be dark out, making it harder to see the lines of the pavement or objects in the roadway. As it begins to get lighter, the early morning sun can blind drivers, making it difficult to safely focus on the road in front of them. Additionally, things like fog are also more common in the early morning and can contribute to accidents.

Man With Cerebral Palsy Killed In Charlotte Hit-And-Run

February 18, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What exactly is a wrongful death claim?”

Police in Charlotte say that earlier this week a 50-year-old man with cerebral palsy was hit and killed by a driver who never bothered to stop. Officers say that Carrington Ware had been visiting his girlfriend on Allegheny Street when the hit-and-run driver struck him.

Officials say that Ware had cerebral palsy, but refused to let the disability define his life. Ware lived on his own, had an active social life and was an avid sports fan. Friends and family members gathered to mourn the loss of the man and honor his memory.

According to police investigators, it is believed Ware was crossing the street when an oncoming vehicle collided with the man. Police say they driver never bothered to stop and help Ware or even call 911. Instead, the person fled the scene of the accident. Friends and family are now asking the person responsible to come forward so they can begin the difficult process of healing from the trauma.

Snow Responsible For Several Deadly North Carolina Accidents

February 13, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”

North Carolina Highway Patrol says that a young woman in Aberdeen died after an accident that officials say was likely caused by slick and snowy roads. The fatal wreck happened in Moore County earlier this week on Sand Pit Road.

Emergency responders say that the 23-year-old woman, Breanna Tile, was a passenger in the car driven by 24-year-old Viacente Gonzalez. According to the police report, the vehicle driven by Gonzalez drifted off the snow-covered road and slammed into a pine tree. Tile died at the scene of the accident while Gonzalez was taken to a regional hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Though police investigators say that the snow likely played a role in the accident, there’s a chance that the driver will face criminal charges. In another similar accident, police say that the driver of a 1996 Ford will face misdemeanor charges after a Chatham County accident left a passenger dead. Police say that the driver is facing charges related to exceeding a safe speed.

That accident took place a little after 1 p.m. on Silk Road Wednesday afternoon. Miguel Caseres was driving the Ford down a snowy road when it crossed over the centerline and collided head-on with a 1999 Chevrolet. A passenger in the Chevy was killed in the accident, though the passenger’s name has not yet been released.

Another North Carolina Worker Dead After On-The-Job Accident

February 11, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”

Police say a terrible industrial accident in Shelby, North Carolina left one worker dead and state investigators searching for clues about how the fatal accident could have been avoided.

Authorities have not yet released the name of the man who was killed, but say the accident took place at the KSM Castings plant located on Plato Lee Road, west of Shelby. Emergency responders say that the accident happened when an eight-inch pipe exploded during the morning shift, leading to fatal injuries for the contract worker.

A statement from officials said that the worker had been employed by United Mechanical Corporation for more than 13 years and was quite experienced with the work he was doing. The employee had been assigned to install heating and air condition units in the plant and was in the process of doing so when the explosion occurred.

North Carolina Driver Charged With Second-Degree Murder Was Texting And Impaired Prior To Accident

February 6, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What should I do if I have been injured by another party but I can’t afford a lawyer?”

A woman from North Carolina has been charged with several serious crimes after running over another woman. Police say that Belinda Hudspeth was impaired and texting last week when she ran over Lavon Ramsey who was out for a walk to visit friends.

Police in Belmont, North Carolina say that Hudspeth has been charged with second-degree murder as well as other crimes in connection with Ramsey’s death. Ramsey, who was 75 years old, was taking a short stroll to her neighbor’s house when Hudspeth hit her.

Witnesses say that Ramsey was on her way to talk to a friend when they saw an oncoming SUV swerve off the road, collide with a fence and a series of trashcans and then finally, with Ramsey. Hudspeth was behind the wheel of the 1999 GMC Jimmy and those in the area say that it’s clear she was speeding at the time of the crash. Neighbors called 911 immediately after the accident while Ramsey’s husband came to tend to her injuries.

Drunk Driver Injures Charlotte Police Officer

February 4, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Police in Charlotte have said that a drunk driver is responsible for an accident that left a police officer injured late last week. The accident resulted in a trip to the hospital for the officer and a trip to jail for the drunk driver.

Officials say that early last Saturday morning, Officer Trevor Gail was responding to an incident on the 7000 block of Independence Boulevard when the accident occurred. Gail was in the area to help a tractor-trailer that had become stuck in the right lane and was blocking traffic.

Police say that while Gail was helping the truck driver, Christopher Parrish approached in his vehicle and hit Gail’s patrol car. Gail was inside the car at the time of the crash and suffered injuries that required a trip to the hospital. Officials say Parrish failed to notice the patrol car or its emergency lights. Parrish was also treated for minor injuries following the wreck and was later taken to jail where he was charged with felony serious injury by vehicle, DWI and failure to comply with driver’s license restrictions.

Though the police have not yet revealed Parrish’s blood alcohol concentration the night of the crash, studies show that even relatively minor levels of impairment can greatly increase the odds that a driver is involved in a serious accident. A driver with a BAC of 0.10 or greater (just slightly over North Carolina’s 0.08 percent limit) is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than is a driver who has not consumed any alcohol. Drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or greater are about 25 times more likely than sober driver to be involved in a wreck. .

Several Construction Site Accidents Around North Carolina Highlight Common Workplace Danger

January 30, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”

Officials in Raleigh say that one worker fell to his death at a busy construction site earlier this week, the second serious workplace accident in the area so far this year. Police say that Gabriel Andrade was working on scaffolding when he fell approximately five stories.

A colleague of Andrade’s called 911 immediately after the fall, but by the time emergency responders arrived he had succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Andrade was only 30 years old and leaves behind a devastated family. Investigators say that they have no reason to suspect foul play, saying that the fall was instead a fairly common construction site accident. Officials with the North Carolina Department of Labor say they will be looking into the incident and will be checking to see if the proper safety procedures were followed at the worksite.

Sadly, the accident was the second serious construction accident in Raleigh in only a few days. Earlier this month, three workers at a construction site at North Carolina State University were seriously injured after the raised platform they were standing on collapsed. Officials say the construction workers were on the platform to assist a crane operator who was lifting a steel beam into place inside the new student center.

The platform that the workers were standing on collapsed, sending all three men crashing at least eight feet to the ground below. One of the workers hurt his back while the second injured his legs. The third worker sustained a serious head injury and was taken to WakeMed for treatment.

Tractor-Trailer Crash In Charlotte Linked To Tired Trucker

January 28, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Is a tractor-trailer accident the same as an automobile accident?”

Police in Charlotte say that the sleepy driver of a tractor-trailer caused a recent fiery crash. The accident happened last week along I-485 in the early morning and left one person seriously injured.

Authorities say that the accident happened near Oakdale Road when a semi drifted out of its lane and ultimately crashed. The big rig caught fire and emergency crews arrived at the scene of the accident a little before 6:45 a.m. Officials with North Carolina Highway Patrol say that an ambulance was used to transport one person to a local hospital.

Investigators say they were able to talk to the driver of the tractor-trailer who said that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel and did not remember what happened prior to the accident. Police officers say it is likely that that the driver was simply exhausted after a long shift of driving and drifted off, creating a terribly dangerous situation for himself and other motorists.

The driver of the truck has since been cited with failure to maintain lane control as well as careless and reckless driving. Though no one died in the crash, the accident highlights the dangerous things that can happen when tired drivers get behind the wheels of their cars or trucks.