From Charlottesville, Virginia

Covering the state of Virginia, Wilson & Hajek, a personal injury law firm, is centrally located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Francis Hajek is an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney and lawyer who provides aggressive representation and personal service to his clients who have suffered injuries. Since 2007, he has been listed in Best Lawyers in America. www.winjurylaw.com

Monday, June 20, 2011

Charlottesville Monday Morning

Monday morning in Charlottesville.

Fog, rain and gloom will not define the day. Instead, I will be working with an accident reconstruction expert to try to figure out how a car accident happened. Our firm often works with experts in different fields to try to determine what happened to cause an injury or death. Recently, a former railroad engineer and road foreman of engines was able to assist our law firm in determining the braking capabilities of a locomotive engine. This type of interesting exploration of facts makes for an interesting day and, hopefully, a successful injury case

Francis P. Hajek
Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Teen Drivers and Summertime

According to the Center for Disease Control, teen drivers are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. In fact, every day there are approximately eight teen fatalities resulting from car crashes. In the summertime, this statistic gets worse. Night time driving also doubles the risk for the teen driver. If you have a teen driver in your household, now is the time to educate your teen about the risks of driving. At Wilson & Hajek, we hate to see teenagers injured or killed. Fortunately, there are positive steps that parents can take to avoid serious teen auto accidents. First, establish a zero tolerance policy for alcohol and driving. Second, establish a parent-teenager contract that sets forth the teen's responsibilities. Third, set a positive model for your teen by obeying traffic safety rules. According to the CDC, these steps make a difference and help prevent teen fatalities. For more information about teen driver issues, go to http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsTeenDriving/




Francis P. Hajek
Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Injuries on Amtrak Train From Assault By Passenger

Are we ready for "train marshalls" who ride Amtrak to keep the peace. It may well be time in light of several recent attacks on passengers and crew. Sky marshalls are assigned to airplanes to prevent dangerous incidents. It seems that trains need the same protection. Last week, a passenger on a train headed to Lynchburg, Virginia, assaulted a train crew member shortly after the train left Charlottesville. The train was stopped in Nelson County and the passenger was removed. He proceeded to kick out the window of the police car and assault a deputy. Authorities suspect that the passenger was under the influence of something. Perhaps train crew members need to be equipped with pepper spray or other defensive materials. In any event, some response is needed. Too m any people depend on Amtrak trains for transport to allow a dangerous environment to exist.


Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Summer Road Construction and Accidents

Charlottesville Car Accidents - Road Construction - Injury and Accident Lawyers

It is summertime and the driving is not so easy. Charlottesville area road construction projects are creating backups and bottlenecks all over town. In particular, road construction on I-64 has created a daily headache for motorists trying to get past or access Route 29. Several car accidents have resulted as the interstate narrows from two lanes to one. In addition, the exit to south 29 is blocked off. Motorists have to detour through the Ivy exit and double back to exit onto 29 south. This project is just one of many in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area. According to statistics compiled by the Nation Highway Traffic Safey Admnistration, summer months experience the greatest number of accidents. In particular, July and August are the months when accidents seem to occur with the greatest frequency. Interestingly, Saturday is the most dangerous day of the week for auto accidents. So if you are on the road on a Saturday in July and August, be extra careful. If you are in a car wreck, call the experienced injury lawyers at Wilson & Hajek.

Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Monday, June 13, 2011

Virginia Wrongful Death Act

Virginia Wrongful Death Act | Auto Accident Lawyers Wilson and Hajek Discuss Virginia Law

Charlottesville newspaper, radio and television news reporters have covered the recent tragic death of a teenager in Nelson County. The teenager was a passenger in a car where the driver apparently fell asleep. Even thought the youth was wearing a seatbelt, the violence of the single car accident resulted in death. The civil action concerning the death of a loved one in Virginia by a wrongful act, such as the action of the driver in this auto accident, is usually subject to the Virginia Wrongful Death Statute.

The damages that go to beneficiaries in a Virginia death by wrongful act case, such as an auto, truck, or motorcycle accident, are awarded according to Virginia statutory law. If a person is killed through no fault of their own, the following damages may be awarded by a judge or by a jury:

(1) any sorrow, mental anguish, and loss of solace suffered by the beneficiaries. Solace may include society, companionship, comfort, guidance, kindly offices, and advice of the decedent;

(2) any reasonably expected loss in income of the decedent suffered by the beneficiaries;

(3) any reasonably expected loss of services, protection, care, and assistance which the decedent provided to the beneficiaries;

(4) any expenses for the care treatment, and hospitalization of the decedent incident to the injury resulting in his death; and

(5) reasonable funeral expenses.

In Virginia, the damages may be distributed to the spouse, the children, and children of any deceased child or decedent, or to the surviving statutory beneficiaries. The damages may be distributed among the beneficiaries in amounts set by the judge or jury.

To determine your rights under the Wrongful Death Act, call Wilson & Hajek for a free consultation. This consultation includes a discussion of your rights as a beneficiary, who is the party that can bring a wrongful death action and help with how to proceed. This is a painful time when professional advice from an accident and injury lawyer is needed and when advice is critical. You can call and talk with an experienced lawyer about the accident. Our law offices are located in Virginia Beach and Charlottesville with a toll free number (877) 222-1588 and a website at www.injurylaw.com.



Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Charlottesville Pedestrian Struck and Charged In Accident

Charlottesville police have charged a pedestrian who was struck while crossing a street. He has been charged with crossing outside of the crosswalk. Most of the time, we tend to assume that the driver is at fault when a pedestrian is struck. And, Virginia law provides many protections for pedestrians who are crossing streets at intersections. However, the pedestrian also has a duty to maintain a lookout. Most significantly, the pedestrian will always be the loser in a battle between a car and a human. So even is the pedestrian has the right of way, a lookout is essential. In this case, the pedestrian had a duty to cross at the intersection. Of course, we do not know what the pedestrian will say. The bottom line is that you have to be careful when crossing streets

Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro

Monday, June 6, 2011

Texting and Driving Update

TEXTING AND DRIVING, PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS WILSON & HAJEK

Our law firm focuses on accidents and providing personal legal advice to seriously injured persons in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties and cities of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Nelson, Madison, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Louisa.

Our attorneys represent persons injured in car, truck and motorcycle accidents. Many of the personal injury accident cases that come to our offices in Virginia Beach and Charlottesville, Virginia involved alcohol related car accidents. Lately, we have seen an increase in the number of cases involving cell phone use, with a particular danger associated with texting while driving. Texting and driving is dangerous. Texting and driving is fast overtaking alcohol as the #1 cause of car accidents and serious personal injuries.

A local television reporter recently aired a video of the reporter riding with a state trooper in an unmarked police car. The video recorded drivers on the highway texting while driving and the trooper could not pull them over. Texting is a secondary offense in the State of Virginia. If the texting driver started swerving from lane to lane, the trooper would pull the car for reckless driving as the initial violation, and issue a texting while driving ticket as a secondary violation. The trooper commented that texting and driving is a dangerous problem causing inattention and swerving by drivers which leads to serious car accidents and serious personal injuries.

Some eye opening facts:

a. Eighty percent (80%) of car crashes and sixty-five percent (65%) of car crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three (3) seconds of the incident;

b. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of American drivers admit to texting behind the wheel. (Some probably would not admit);

c. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of American adults think sending text messages or emails while driving is distracting, dangerous and should be outlawed.

This is a problem among teens and adults alike. This dangerous act which causes car, truck, and motorcycle accidents is more prevalent among teens. However, forty-seven percent (47%) of adults admit to texting while driving. Statistically, the mix of driving and texting is extremely dangerous and the reality is accidents and injuries. However, many people consider texting to be a key aspect of their social lives and are willing to ignore the dangers of serious accidents and injury.

Hopefully, this post will make you aware of the ever increasing dangers of serious car, truck, and motorcycle accidents caused by texting while driving. Should you suffer a serious injury cause by a texting driver in a car accident, the Virginia Beach and Charlottesville based law firm of Wilson & Hajek can help with your claim. Call us toll free at (877) 222-1588. You can also contact us through our website

Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Staunton, Waynesboro