On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Friday, May 18, 2012
Last month we wrote a post about the death of a 22-year-old man who was killed when he was struck by an SUV as he walked home from a party. According to witnesses, after the crash, the driver of the SUV stopped to check for damage and then left the scene of the accident. Tragically, the victim of the hit-and-run accident which occurred in Union County, on Potter Road, was not discovered until the following morning.
Sometime after the pedestrian accident, the owner of the SUV contacted the North Carolina Highway Patrol to report that he thought his vehicle had been involved in the incident. Though he had not been behind the wheel of the SUV on the night of the accident, he believed his damaged vehicle had a part in the accident after he read a story about it in the newspaper.
By Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Firm Information on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Plaintiff suffered a depressed parietal skull fracture, pneumocephalus, impalement of the skull with intracranial foreign body, and a C1-2 fracture after a tree limb was cut by his employer and accidentally dropped on his head. The employer did not have workers' comp coverage so suit was filed against the employer. Judgment was awarded to Plaintiff in 2008 for $1,500,000.00. The amount is uncollected for lack of insurance coverage and defendant left the state and has no assets.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Workers' Compensation on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Last month we wrote about the many businesses in North Carolina that were not carrying workers' compensation insurance despite the state's law requiring that they do so. Companies throughout the state have been getting away without workers' compensation insurance to the detriment of their employees, because the state did not take any action to stop the practice. According to an article published in the News & Observer, the number of businesses doing so was in the tens of thousands.
In the past few weeks the situation has apparently changed a bit. Earlier this month, many owners of businesses found themselves at the state Industrial Commission's headquarters facing officials from the commission. The officials were seeking payment on workers' compensation opinions previously rendered in favor of workers who were injured on the job.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, May 11, 2012
No resident of North Carolina is prepared for the sudden unexpected loss of a loved one in a motor vehicle accident. When this happens, those left behind can have a hard time knowing how to move forward with their lives and often feel powerless. While there is nothing that can be done to bring back the person who has been lost, family members may have some legal options.
In some cases, the family of a person who has died due to the negligence of another can file a wrongful death lawsuit. When successful, such a claim will result in a monetary award for the amount of money the deceased person's life was deemed to be worth.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Distracted driving is an issue that is commonly discussed these days in the context of auto accidents throughout the nation. The state of North Carolina is not an exception when it comes to this issue. Communities throughout the state have taken steps to combat distracted driving in the form of the use of cell phones. One of those communities is Chapel Hill.
As we discussed in a post earlier this year, town council members in Chapel Hill voted to completely ban the use of cell phones while driving, including the use of hands-free devices. While other North Carolina communities have passed laws regarding the issue, with the complete ban, Chapel Hill's is the strictest.
By Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Thursday, May 3, 2012
A Honda Accord was parked on the side of the Roxboro Street off-ramp from northbound I-85 late Wednesday night after it ran out of gas. A pickup truck collided with the parked vehicle and the driver and another person in the truck them jumped out and ran away; however, the owner of the vehicle was later arrested and charged with driving while impaired and felony hit-and-run. A 1-year-old child, who was in the parked vehicle when it was hit, was critically injured in the collision. A woman and a 3-year-old child who were also in the car have been treated for minor injuries. To read more about this story visit www.wral.com.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Thursday, May 3, 2012
As we have mentioned in the past, there are many potential causes of car accidents. The long list of causes includes car crashes that ensue when a vehicle encounters the scene of a previous auto accident.
A North Carolina man, who earlier this week survived a single car accident, died after a minivan struck him as he stood in the road surveying the damage from the first crash. The first incident occurred when the Saturn the man was driving east on Interstate 40 reportedly left the road running into both a median and guardrail near Exit 93.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
It is always sad when a car crash results in a death. These instances are particularly upsetting when the fatal motor vehicle accident is the result of a road rage incident. A North Carolina man involved in one such incident last year recently entered a guilty plea in response to charges of involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.
The September 2011 car crash took place in Richmond on Interstate 195. According to the Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney, the 41-year-old man was driving his pickup truck down the interstate when he encountered a Honda, driven by a 24-year-old man, ahead of him. Speeding, the pickup reportedly pulled past the Honda, and then slammed on the brakes in front of it.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Workers' Compensation on Saturday, April 28, 2012
OSHA is the nation's leading worker safety agency, but takes an average of eight years to adopt new regulations, according to a new report. Safety experts believe that this is far too long, which can potentially result in unnecessary risks and burdens on workers in North Carolina and nationwide.
According to critics, the agency is too cautious in setting new rules on dangerous chemicals and other work-related hazards, primarily because of procedural and political red tape. Compared to other agencies such as the EPA and the Transportation Department, OSHA takes, on average, 50 percent longer to approve new regulations.
On behalf of Riddle & Brantley, LLP posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Monday, April 23, 2012
In a previous post we wrote about a program one North Carolina community embraced in an effort to try to reduce the number of fatal auto accidents involving teenagers. With one of the biggest nights of many teens' lives just around the corner, it is a timely effort. The event is of course, Prom.
In addition to dancing, fancy clothing and corsages, underage drinking and drunk driving often play a role in the evening. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for teens behind the wheel, Prom is one of the more dangerous nights of the year. A spokesperson for the Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Teenagers indicated that around 40 percent of car accidents on the night of prom are alcohol related.
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