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Woman dies in Tractor Trailer Accident

A woman was killed Sunday afternoon when struck by a tractor trailer after exiting her vehicle on the right shoulder of the road.

Virginia State Police reported that the accident happened when traffic backed up on the exit ramp from I-495 West to I-95 South. To avoid hitting a car, the tractor trailer swerved onto the shoulder. At this point, it struck the woman’s car, then her, before moving back into the lane of traffic and colliding with another vehicle.

Sixty-eight year old Elizabeth P. Lyman of Fairhaven, Massachusetts was pronounced dead at the scene.

The exit ramp was closed for approximately one hour after the accident as police cleared the scene and investigated the accident.

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News Stories of the Past Week

News Stories of the Past Week

Have you had the chance to stay current with the news of the past week? If not, you missed out on a few great stories. Fortunately, we are here to bring them to you. Below are three personal injury stories that you definitely want to check out sooner rather than later.

1. Va. facility has helped cut traffic fatalities. How the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Vehicle Research Center in Piedmont Virginia’s Greene County is helping save lives.

2. Trouble with trailers. Information on trailer accidents and how to improve safety regulations.

3. Company self-insured for mine tragedy claims. Information on the West Virginia coal mining tragedy, including information on law suits.

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Benefits of Voice Controls in Vehicles

Ford Motor Company recently commissioned the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to study the use of voice controls for vehicle electronics. Using voice controls allows the driver to keep his eyes on the road. In turn, this decreases the chance of an accident.

Shane McLaughlin, part of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute team said, “What we’re finding across our studies is that if we can keep the eyes on the road, that’s a big piece of the puzzle.”

Generally speaking, the study shows that drivers using voice controls keep their eyes on the road much more than those who are prone to tuning the radio or dialing a cell phone.

For more information on this story, visit: Voice controls in the car keep eyes on the road.

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Six Injured in Suffolk Car Crash

At approximately 940 pm on Thursday April 8, 2010, Suffolk Police were called to a car accident on Portsmouth Boulevard.

At this time, no details are available concerning the cause of the accident. Police were on the scene for several hours. While investigating, eastbound traffic on Portsmouth Boulevard, at the point of the accident, was closed.

As a result of the two car accident, six people were taken to local hospitals. According to police, the one person ejected was airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Others were taken by ambulance to Sentara Norfolk General, as well as Sentara Obici Hospital.

More details to follow as police investigate the accident.

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Drunk Driving Simulation

Drunk Driving Simulation

For some students, the dangers associated with drinking and driving is not always realized until it is too late. But at one Virginia high school, a recent presentation changed this forever.

Valley emergency personnel and Virginia State Policy, in addition to school officials at Wilson Memorial High School, teamed up to hold a mock drunk driving car crash simulation.

Generally speaking, the presentation showed students what happens during a car accident under “drunken driving conditions.” Officials believe that this sort of simulation is much more effective than a classroom lecture. Students agreed. One of them, Emily Kellington said, “I think the visual helps them more than just listening to a lecture. The visual is a shock to them.”

It will be interesting to see if more schools in the area, as well as other parts of the country, begin to teach about the dangers of drunk driving using this sort of simulation.

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Wreck sends three to Hospital

On Tuesday afternoon, a three car accident sent four people to local hospitals. Two of the people involved in the crash were airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center.

At approximately 4 pm, a Jetta hit a Grand Cherokee on West Beverly Street in front of the Food Lion. According to the Staunton Police Department, the Jeep then slammed into another car which was pulling out of the grocery store parking lot.

The two people in the Jetta were airlifted away from the accident, while the driver of the Grand Cherokee and other vehicle were taken by an ambulance. A 10 year old boy was also riding in the Grand Cherokee, but fortunately he only suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Witnesses have said that the driver of the Jetta was speeding. The Virginia State Police accident reconstruction team is assisting in the investigation to determine the cause.

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Virginia Personal Injury News

Virginia Personal Injury News

Staying current with every personal injury news story is impossible. That being said, you can pick and choose a few stories here and there to ensure that you are up to date with what is going on around you.

Here are three personal injury stories from the past few days that are sure to teach you a thing or two:

1. Peninsula man sues pet shop after slipping on dog feces. A man is suing PetSmart for $1 million after slipping and falling on a mess made by a dog.

2. Trucks more likely to be involved in fatal accidents. In Kentucky, large trucks account for a large portion of fatal crashes.

3. Call for mercy spares teen. A teen is spared jail time after a hit and run accident.

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Easter Car Crash Claims Life of Elderly Woman

A woman on her way to church services Sunday morning died as a result of a car accident. Police are reporting that 79 year old Dorothy Mantos and her husband were in the process of turning into the Saint Nicholas Church parking lot when their vehicle was struck by a sport utility vehicle.

The accident occurred shortly before 9 am in the 700 block of Little Neck Road. Unfortunately, Mantos died as a result of the crash. Her husband, as well as two other passengers in the vehicle, were rushed to a local hospital for treatment. All three are in stable condition and none suffered life threatening injuries.

Police have ruled out speeding and alcohol as potential causes of the accident.

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DUI, Augusta County Auto Accident

DUI, Augusta County Auto Accident

A woman was charged with driving under the influence following a Tuesday evening crash on Route 340.

The driver of the car, Marla Farrar, was immediately taken to the University of Virginia Medical Center.

State Police said that Farrar drove across the centerline, hit an embankment, and went airborne.  Her car eventually landed on its side and slid to a halt. It took emergency crews approximately an hour and a half to cut through the roof of the vehicle and extract her.

Farrar faces DUI charges, as well as driving without a seatbelt.

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Virginia Man Charged with Fleeing Accident and much more

A Virginia man finds himself in a lot of trouble after running from police officials following a multi-car accident at the intersection of Cedar Road and Battlefield Boulevard.

Dimitric Evans was charged with the following: family assault, driving without a license, hit and run, and brandishing a firearm. It is easy to see why Evans decided to flee police – although this just added to his problems.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported by those driving in the four cars that were struck by Evans’ vehicle.

Susan Johnson, Currituck County Sheriff, reported that her officers’ pursuit of Evans’ car on N.C. Highway 168 was part of an investigation into illegal narcotics near Beechwood Shores.

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Personal Injury News

Personal Injury News

Are you interested in personal injury news? If so, you need to keep your eyes on the internet and your local newspaper – new stories are written on a daily basis. Even though this type of news is not always the most exciting, it can teach you a lot.

Here are three important personal injury pieces from the past week:

1. 11 killed in I-65 crash. Eleven people were killed in a highway accident in Kentucky.

2. 13 shots fired in road rage incident on I-95 in N.Va. Virginia state police responded to a road rage incident on I-95 in which shots were fired.

3. Gretna woman heals after wreck. Update on a woman who was involved in a serious car accident last year, and is still suffering from medical issues.

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Virginia Beach Car Accident Injures Three

On Sunday, March 29, 2010, a car accident at the intersection of Old Forge Road and Presidential Boulevard in Virginia Beach injured three people – one of whom is in serious condition at a local hospital.

At approximately 615 pm, an SUV and car collided. The collision led to the SUV flipping numerous times, before finally settling on its side.

To make things worse, a fire broke out as a result of the accident. Fortunately, everybody in both vehicles were wearing a seatbelt and able to escape. All three involved were injured, including a young child.

Police have reported that the driver of the car (not the SUV) was at fault due to speeding and failure to make a complete stop at the stop sign of the intersection.

For video coverage of this story, visit: Three injured in Virginia Beach car accident.

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