By Emily Mapp Brannon, Personal Injury Attorney in Portsmouth

My Virginia law firm colleague John Cooper recently published an article in which he discusses herniated disc injuries and common causes of the painful, sometimes disabling, condition. Many car wreck and truck crash victims suffer herniated discs and require years of medical treatment and extensive surgeries.  Railroad workers also have high risks for suffering back injuries. To learn more, check out “Common Accident Injury: Herniated Discs.”

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About the Editors: Personal injury attorneys with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Portsmouth Car Accident Injury Attorney

My colleage Rick Shapiro has posted a blog on our Virginia personal injury attorneys’ website on how the July 4th holiday in 2011 was a deadly one on the roads of Virginia (VA), with 13 fatalities, more than double the number in 2010. One of those accident occurred in Portsmouth, VA. Our experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys are concerned because alcohol was linked to a number of the crashes and some of the victims failed to wear seat belts.

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About the Editors: Personal Injury Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

A series of traffic accidents occurred in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), after an SUV slammed into two cars going the opposite direction. Three people were hospitalized as a result, and one remains in serious condition.

According to WAVY.com, the SUV was headed down High Street when it struck a gold car heading the opposite direction. About three minutes later, the SUV continued westbound on High Street and struck a silver car head on. The driver of the SUV was not injured, though each of the drivers and passengers in the other cars were brought to the hospital for treatment.

Authorities are still investigating the Portsmouth crashes, and charges for the driver of the SUV are pending.

We can only imagine what may have caused the driver of the SUV to get into multiple accidents within just a few minutes time. Not much information is available on the cause of this Portsmouth accident, but anytime a crash occurs, it leaves a trail of pain and suffering in it’s wake. Those involved in this situation are all lucky to still be alive, but the victims may have weeks or months of rehabilitation.

When multiple cars are involved in an accident, processing insurance claims can get complicated. Who hit whom and why can get very muddled. As Virginia injury lawyers, we’ve handled hundreds of car wreck injury cases, and have experience with cases involving multi-vehicle accidents. To learn more, take a look at this article written by a Virginia car accident lawyer.

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About the Editors: Personal injury attorneys with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Randy Appleton, Portsmouth Trucking Accident Injury Attorney

The driver of a tractor trailer has been charged with reckless driving after police said he fell asleep at the wheel and caused a fiery crash in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), on Tuesday.

Sgt. Michelle Anaya of Virginia State Police told Wavy.com that the truck ran off the road and into the westbound lane on I-264 westbound between Victory Boulevard and Greenwood Drive around 2 am Tuesday morning before overturning and catching on fire.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene and closed all lanes east and westbound as they tackled the fire. The crash also caused a hazardous materials incident because the tractor trailer was carrying blood plasma, although none was spilled.

The driver escaped the inferno with minor injuries. Police said he was wearing a seat belt.

The driver was clearly lucky that I-264 was quiet in the early hours. We have reported on numerous cases where drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel and caused major accidents.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says about 100,000 police-reported crashes annually involve drowsiness or fatigue, according to Drivers.com. About 1,500 fatalities and 71,000 injuries each year stem from accidents caused by fatigue with an annual price tag of about $12.5 billion.

Tips to avoid falling asleep at the wheel include having sufficient sleep before you set out, arriving by midnight and taking regular breaks.

Sadly in all too many cases falling asleep while driving can have tragic consequences. Last year we reported on how a mother fell asleep at the wheel on U.S. Route 13 in Accomac, Virginia. She drifted across the road and flipped the car. Her seven-year-old child in the back seat sustained fatal injuries.

A study by the National Sleep Foundation found nearly 60 percent of drivers say they have felt sleepy while driving a car or a truck. If in doubt, stop at a gas station or restaurant and take a break.

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About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Kevin Duffan, Portsmouth Truck Accident Injury Attorney

Two members of an Eagle Medical Transports crew who had just delivered a patient to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital shortly before midnight on April 7, 2011, quickly found themselves back at the health care facility as patients themselves after their ambulance got involved in a head-on collision with a Chevy sedan on the Western Freeway in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA).

The crash occurred near the West Norfolk Bridge and shut down sections of Route 164 in both directions while police cleared the crash scene. The driver of the car suffered potentially life-threatening injuries, while the ambulance crew members required less intensive treatment for their serious wounds.

Crash investigators have not released details about the cause of the accident, and it is unclear whether alcohol, driver fatigue or driver distraction played a role. Also, while it does appear that one of the vehicles was heading the wrong way at the time of the crash, the police know little else about the incident.

Regardless of what exactly happened, this wrong-way crash illustrates once more — as if that were necessary — how important it is for drivers to keep their cars and trucks in their lanes. Crossing medians or center lines and entering into  the path of oncoming traffic sets the stage for tragedy. Luckily, no one lost his life on the Western Freeway, but that risk became all too real.

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About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Portsmouth Car Accident Injury Attorney

A man from Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), has been indicted on a charge of leaving the scene of a January 4,2011, accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian from Portsmouth.

The 34-year-old was.also indicted on a charge of reckless driving, the Virginian-Pilot reported

The charges follow the death of Nathaniel Bethea, 54, in Portsmouth, Virginia, in January. Bethea died after he was hit while walking home from work at the Salvation Army along Victory Boulevard, police reported after the accident.

A witness was able to describe the vehicle and give police license tag information, according to court filings.

We reported at the time how the at-fault driver made matters worse by fleeing the scene of the accident instead of providing assistance to Bethea.

Cases that involve deaths on the road are always harrowing for families of those who die. It’s even worse when the driver fails to own up to his or her responsibility.

Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents are not uncommon. Roughly 5,000 pedestrians are killed and nearly 64,000 are injured in accidents every year in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Association.

Whenever a car crash occurs that involves a pedestrian, the personal injuries that result are usually severe or fatal. Personal injury claims and wrongful death claims are frequently made in accidents between automobiles and pedestrians, and our injury attorneys have handled many such cases in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and other Virginia and North Carolina cities, each situation having its own special facts.

In Virginia, the law requires that a pedestrian either crossing a road or walking on one, yield the right of way to cars that may be traveling on the road.

Although not relevant in the Portsmouth case, an important exception to this rule in Virginia involves a pedestrian crosswalk, and personal injuries at crosswalks.

A pedestrian crosswalk is a painted area at an intersection on a highway which has a speed limit of 35 miles or less. When a pedestrian is crossing a highway in a clearly marked crosswalk and the speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour, the driver of any automobile approaching that crosswalk is required to change course, slow down or come to a complete stop, if that maneuver is necessary to allow the pedestrian to cross safely.

Recently a woman who was hit by a bus on a crosswalk in Seattle (WA) received a $4.5 million settlement.

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About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Portsmouth Car Accident Injury Attorney

Portsmouth, VA, would miss out on red light cameras at key intersections if a new bill stopping the extension of the program is passed by the Virginia General Assembly.

Introduced by Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge, the bill would prevent any locality from installing new red-light cameras, which photograph and ticket drivers who run red traffic lights, after July 1, 2011, the Washington Examiner reported.

Lingamfelter believes these cameras infringe on civil liberties.

While red-light cameras installed before the cutoff date would be allowed to remain, cities and counties that now have the cameras would be barred from installing any more.

It would mean cities such as Portsmouth, which does not have red light cameras, would remain without them.

Our firm recently reported how Chesapeake, VA, has become the latest city to install red light cameras at dangerous intersections.

Other Hampton Roads cities to have the technology include Newport News and Virginia Beach.

Evidence from Virginia Beach suggests more drivers are stopping more often at intersections in the city, since red light cameras were installed.

Intersections are major accident hotspots. In 2009 a mother and her 3-year-old daughter died in Virginia Beach (VA) when another driver allegedly ran a red light.

Portsmouth has seen a number of accidents caused by careless driving. Nathaniel Bethea was killed earlier this year when he was walking home from work at the Salvation Army when he was hit by a car on Victory Boulevard in Portsmouth.

To make matters worse, the at-fault driver decided to flee the scene of the accident instead of providing assistance to Bethea, according to WAVY.com.

Our thoughts are with victims such as Bethea’s family. When these kinds of accidents occur at intersection, technology such as red light cameras, has the potential to make a difference.

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About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Personal Injury Attorney

Road tolls are being considered at peak times for the I-264 Downtown Tunnel that links Portsmouth (VA) with Norfolk (VA) by a transportation planning body that covers Hampton Roads.

The proposal was discussed last December by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and a workshop on the plan to charge variable tolls at different times of the day will be discussed in February, the Daily Press reported.

The Downtown Tunnel has already been studied as a possible option for tolls. In 2002, the Virginia Department of Transportation studied the feasibility of value pricing on this tunnel that links Portsmouth (VA) and Norfolk (VA).

The Downtown Tunnel is a major cause of congestion in Hampton Roads (VA). In 2009, there were 510 car accidents in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA) and 334 of those resulted in injuries.

Many of these wrecks probably occurred in the Midtown Tunnel or Downtown Tunnel or maybe on I-264 or Route 17 since these are some of the busiest roadways in and around the city.

Some of the crashes that occur on congested roads are minor fender bender accidents, but even slow speed car accidents can cause serious injuries.

Last year Virginia Lawyers Weekly reported on a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury from a crash that occurred at a speed slower than 25 mph.

Our firm has reported on numerous accidents on congested roads. In some cases drivers have been killed on congested roads, such as the death of Kenneth Shaw on Bonney Road in Virginia Beach (VA) in 2010. Our thoughts are with the families of all the victims of these terrible accidents.

Recently we reported on how the Virginia Governor is considering tolls on the I-95 and the I-81.

Regardless,  the best thing you can do to avoid getting into a major car wreck is to be vigilant and cautious on VA roads and freeways. If you get hurt seriously even though you drove safely, contact our experienced personal injury lawyers to get legal advice about your rights to recovery from the insurance company.

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About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you.. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Jim Lewis, Portsmouth Medical Malpractice Attorney

A Virginia Beach couple whose daughter suffers from cerebral palsy and other serious mental and physical disabilities has settled a birth injury lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice, which was representing the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center and doctors and nurses who attended the child’s birth. My colleague provides more details about the settlement in the federal case involving military families and its implications at our firm’s main website under the heading of medical malpractice.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you.. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Portsmouth Car Accident Attorney

A brief story in this morning’s Virginian-Pilot contains a lot of tragedy.

To quote the opening sentence: “A man walking down Victory Boulevard died after he was struck by a vehicle, which then left the scene, police said.” Witnesses provided police with a description of the car and also reported the license plate number. The police found the driver, so justice should be done.

No criminal punishment will bring back the man who lost his life in the accident, though. I don’t know the circumstance of yesterday’s fatal car crash, but I do know that careless drivers take lives every day. I also know that a pedestrian has no protection against a car, truck or SUV. This makes drivers responsible for the safety of anyone standing or walking near a road or highway.

My colleagues and I have represented several clients who got injured or lost loved ones in pedestrian accidents. I know firsthand how difficult overcoming such an accident can be. My thought are with the victim’s family.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. If we agree to take your case, we will come to you at home or even in the hospital, to make it easier for you.. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (757) 460-7776. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

From Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton, Portsmouth Injury Attorneys

Call 393-5030 late Friday night or early Saturday morning if you’ve raised one, or many, too many toasts to the  new year.

The Portsmouth Sheriff’s office is once again offering partiers safe, sober rides to prevent drunk driving on one of the deadliest nights of the year for car, truck, motorcycle and SUV accidents. The free rides start at 8 pm on December 31 and run through 2 am on January 1.

Don’t skip the midnight champagne. Don’t drive drunk.  Happy New Year!

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL), and Washington, DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (800) 752-0042. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Rick Shapiro, Portsmouth Injury Lawyer

You’ve probably noticed fewer trains chugging through intersections at Churchland and West Norfolk roads over the past two weeks. The reduction in — and planned elimination of — rail traffic from the streets of Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk began just before Christmas, when Commonwealth Railway Mainline freight trains began using a new route from the Norfolk Southern and CSX switching yard in Suffolk to the APM Terminals and Port of Virginia in Portsmouth.

The Commonwealth line previously ran through 14 grade crossings, regularly backing up traffic and putting pedestrians and car and truck drivers at risk for deadly collisions with trains. The new tracks, built and owned by Genesee & Wyoming, run through the medians of VA 164 and I-664.

Virginia Port Authority Senior Deputy Executive Director Jeff Keever announced the opening of the new tracks on December 16, 2010. He was quoted in the Virginian-Pilot as writing, “The roads will be safer because the Mainline has been moved out of some densely-populated areas and multiple at-grade crossings have been eliminated.”

Commonwealth Railway Mainline tracks in the median of I-664

Keeping trains, drivers and people on foot separated goes a long way to preventing injuries and deaths. A less welcome development, though, is that Commonwealth plans to run double-stacked rail cars along the new route.

Watch this video of a recent freight train derailment and imagine what would happen if the cars stood twice as high and toppled onto the pavement of local interstates, highways or neighborhood roads.

My colleagues and I have represented victims of rail crossing accidents. Knowing firsthand how much damage a train can do, I have been among the biggest supporters of efforts to lower the number of grade crossings. The new tracks for the port is a great step toward making people in Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk safer. It would be even better if Commonwealth restricted itself to single-level cars.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL), and Washington, DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (800) 752-0042. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Portsmouth Injury Lawyer

This is not a story about a car accident or truck wreck. Nor is this the bad news regarding injuries, medical malpractice or loss of life you’d expect to read on a blog maintained by a team of personal injury lawyers. Rather, I want to recognize the often-overlooked, but always remarkable, heroism shown by members of the U.S. Coast Guard who live and serve out of Portsmouth.

When nearly everyone else in the area was just beginning to dig out from the foot or more of snow dumped by Sunday’s nor’easter, a helicopter crew set out from the Fifth Coast Guard District, Atlantic Area, Base Portsmouth on December 27, 2010, to rescue a man from a cruise ship stopped off the North Carolina (NC) coast near Wilmington.

The Coast Guardsmen medevaced the ill man and carried him to an on-shore hospital, where he received treatment for an apparent pulmonary edema — a potentially fatal buildup of fluid in the lungs. If the Coasties had not answered the distress call, the man may well have died.

Every day, regardless of the weather — and often because of storms at seas — Coast Guardsmen risk their lives to save others’. The service has been active in Portsmouth since the early 1800s, and the city last summer earned the rare distinction of being named a Coast Guard City. Without the mutual support service members and Portsmouth residents have provided each other over the centuries, thousands of people who were saved would have died in boat, ship and surf accidents. Think of Coast Guardsmen as the police, firefighters and EMTs of the waves.

I add my thanks to the Coasties who rose to the challenge earlier this week, and rest easier knowing they and their colleagues will continue watching out for all on the water in the coming year and into the future.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL), and Washington, DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (800) 752-0042. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Car Accident Attorney

Two uniformed Portsmouth police officers recently received awards from the Norfolk-based MADD Southside Chapter for making a combined 31 arrests of drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs during 2009. I join the local members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in thanking the officers for taking impaired drivers off the roads, but I also fell strongly that even a single DUI violation is one too many.

Instilling the message that no one should get behind the wheel after drinking or doing drugs must begin early. Efforts like conducting safe driving education programs for teens attending Churchland, I.C. Norcom or Woodrow Wilson high schools are essential, as are making sober and safe ride services available to adults who overindulge during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Young drivers are especially prone to making the dangerous decision to climb aboard a motorcycle or drive a car, pickup truck or SUV after partying. Virginia DMV statistics for 2008 show that drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 caused 21 fatal DUI crashes and suffered 994 injuries in alcohol-related wrecks in 2008.

The cities around Portsmouth have certainly seen their share of youth DUI tragedies, with none being more recent or preventable than the alcoholic energy drink-fueled crash and death of a 16-year-old Kempsville High School student in which his classmate was operating the vehicle.

Drivers impaired by beers, liquor, prescription medications or illegal drugs have no place on our roads and highways. Let’s hope they make that responsible decision. When they don’t, it’s good to know the members of the Portsmouth Police Department are on the lookout for them. And when drunk or drugged drivers cause injuries or deaths, my colleagues and I stand ready to make them pay for the harm they’ve done.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL), and Washington, DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (800) 752-0042. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.

By John Cooper, Car Accident Attorney

A rare white Christmas has left Portsmouth, Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake and all the surrounding cities beautiful, quiet and dangerous for hospital workers, police officers and others who must drive regardless of the weather or road conditions.

The Virginia State Police reported more than 340 traffic accidents between December 25 and December 27, 2010. About half of those car, truck, van and SUV crashes caused injuries to drivers and passengers. The Downtown tunnel was closed for several hours Sunday because wrecked and abandoned vehicles produced gridlock on both sides of the tube.

If you are a doctor, nurse, military member with watch duty or public safety official, follow these safety tips while behind the wheel over the next few days:

• Check your brakes and tires for traction.
• Clear headlights, brake lights and blinkers of snow.
• Make sure your heater and defrosting system are working properly.
• Take some food and blankets with you, just in case.
• Start out slowly in the lowest gear recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer.
• Don’t pass snow plows or spreaders unless absolutely necessary.
• Keep a distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles.
• Be aware of potentially icy areas like bridges and shady spots.
• When driving on ice, don’t slam your brakes. Tap your brakes gently and turn slowly.
• Wear your seatbelt.

(Source: Virginian-Pilot)

The Virginia Department of Transportation has salt and sand trucks and snowplows working around the clock on I-64, I-664 and I-264. VDOT’s aims to have all snow and ice off the interstates by Tuesday night. Secondary roads — which include heavily used city routes like Effingham Street, High Street and Airline Boulevard — may not get cleared until Wednesday.

If you don’t absolutely need to drive anywhere for the next few days, don’t. A case my colleagues and I recently won for our clients proved that I-264 can be deadly even when conditions seem perfect. In that tragic incident, a young Portsmouth man died when the car in which he was riding got rear-ended by a tractor-trailer and burst into flames.

Add a foot or more of snow, patches of ice and hundreds of local drivers with little experience handling cars, trucks and SUVs in wintry conditions, and you have a recipe for accidents. Stay home, and stay safe if you must venture out.

EJL

About the Editors: Lawyers with the Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton law firm do only injury and accident law. We have experience handling car, truck, motorcycle, van and SUV accident cases, and our case results speak for themselves. Our primary office is Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we often represent clients in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk. Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL), and Washington, DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone at (800) 752-0042. We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton Injuryboard, VA-NC Wrongful Death Lawyers, VA & NC Medical Surgery Malpractice Attorneys Blog and Virginia Trucking Accident/Injury Blog to provide important health, safety and legal information to the public.