North Carolina

Ice Blamed For North Carolina Tractor-Trailer Crash

March 11, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “The insurance adjuster is saying I am partially negligent what does that mean?”

North Carolina has had its fair share of winter weather so far this season. Several bouts of snow and ice have not only led to canceled classes for students across the state, but also to hundreds of accidents as roads and interstates became too slick to safely pass.

The latest example of how dangerous frozen roads can be occurred recently when two tractor-trailers collided with one another on an icy stretch of I-77 near Statesville, NC. The accident happened around 2 in the morning near exit 42 of I-77 north.

Officials with the North Carolina Highway Patrol say that the accident left all lanes of I-77 north blocked as crews had to treat the injured truckers, clean up the wreckage and investigate the cause of the crash. The accident scene was even more of a mess than normal given that one of the tractor-trailers was hauling cars, several of which ended up scattered across the interstate.

Emergency responders say that both drivers suffered injuries in the crash, but that it could have been much worse given the size and weight of the tractor-trailers. Investigators say that ice is to blame for the accident and that the crash is yet another indication of how important it is for motorists, whether behind the wheel of semis or passenger vehicles, to take precautions when out driving in wintry conditions.

Rowan County School Bus Involved In Head-On Collision

March 6, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

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

Parents in Rowan County, NC had a scare when a school bus full of young children was involved in an accident with another car early Tuesday morning. The accident happened around 9:45 a.m. when the bus was driving down Woodleaf Road just outside Salisbury.

Officials with the school district say the bus was bringing 28 children back to school after the group had gone to see a play in downtown Salisbury. As the bus neared the school, an oncoming car crossed over the centerline of the two-lane road and hit the bus head-on. The accident could have been even worse, according to school officials, because a second fully loaded bus was right behind the first bus. Thankfully, the quick thinking driver of the second bus was able to stop in time to avoid colliding with the wreckage of the first bus.

The driver of the car that collided with the bus was severely injured in the accident and has been taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries. Six students on the bus also suffered injuries in the accident and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The accident alarmed parents who received calls from the school district informing them that their children had been involved in an accident. Many raced to the school to check on their children and say they were relieved the accident wasn’t worse. The bus driver and chaperones are credited with taking action to quickly identify injured students and keep everyone calm while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.

Motorcycle Wreck Leads To Fatality And Criminal Charges

March 4, 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 man was killed earlier this week in Huntersville, NC when police say another driver turned in front of his bike. The accident happened quickly and ended in the experienced motorcyclist’s tragic death.

According to witnesses, emergency responders arrived at the scene of the accident a little after 3 p.m. on Saturday. The wreck occurred at the 16700 block of Huntersville-Concord Road and involved a motorcycle driven by Kenneth Lavern Owens and a Chevy Trailblazer.

Police say that 40-year-old Owens was in his motorcycle heading northeast on Huntersville-Concord Road when the Trailblazer, which was heading south, made a left turn into Owens’ lane. According to accident scene investigators, Owens tried to brake but simply did not have the time to do so safely. Thinking fast, Owens then laid his bike down on its side in an attempt to slow the momentum of himself and his motorcycle.

Despite his best efforts, Owens was unable to avoid colliding with the Trailblazer. Police say that when they arrived, Owens was already dead after hitting the side of the Trailblazer. The driver of the Chevy has since been charged with a misdemeanor, death by vehicle, as well as failure to yield the right of way.

Distracted Driving Month Begins With Important Safety Tips

March 1, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What if the medical condition improves before the hearing?”

April 1^st marks the start of the national Distracted Driving Awareness Month and provides an excellent opportunity to remind drivers across North Carolina of the dangers associated with texting or talking while behind the wheel.

According to recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving contributes to more than 3,000 deaths each and every year as well as hundreds of thousands of serious injuries. With increasingly available and complicated personal electronic devices, distracted driving has never been as widespread or as appealing.

Given the dangers presented by modern technology, it is critical that drivers learn strategies to avoid being sucked into the trap of distracted driving. The most common and most dangerous source of distraction is undoubtedly a cellphone. Besides placing phone calls, writing emails, looking up directions and streaming music, phones are also frequently used to send text messages. Texting behind the wheel is one of, if not the most dangerous thing that a driver can do.

The reason that texting is so dangerous is that it requires the physical, mental and visual attention of a driver, ensuring that the driver is paying little if any attention to what is happening outside the confines of the vehicle. Allowing yourself to be consumed with what’s happening on a cellphone dramatically increases the risk that you could be involved in an accident leading to injuries to yourself or others.

Beyond cellphones, other common sources of distraction include eating and drinking while driving, talking to passengers and even fidgeting with radio controls. These distractions have been around for decades and though they may not seem as scary as texting, the reality is that they too contribute to deadly distracted driving crashes each year.

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.