Car Accidents And Fatalities Dampen Labor Day Weekend Festivities. Virginia State Police report that there were 636 car accidents in Virginia over the Labor Day Weekend. In addition, nine people died in car accidents in Virginia (one was on a moped). Sadly, five of the people who died were not wearing their seat belts. Alcohol was a factor in at least two of the deaths. In an earlier post, I discussed the predictions of the National Safety Council regarding potential fatalities over the Labor Day Weekend. The Council predicted a 6% increase in traffic fatalities over last year. For Virginia, the actual increase in fatalities was 50% as last year there were only 6 fatalities. Virginia State Police did increase enforcement efforts over the weekend. Police wrote 11,204 speeding tickets and arrested 108 people for driving under the influence. Also, there were 2,464 tickets for reckless driving. These types of statistics seem impressive until you consider the millions of drivers who were on Virginia's roads over the weekend. The only good news coming out of the State Police offices is that overall, fewer people have died in car accidents across the Virginia compared to last year. But, it seems drivers are rushing to make up the difference. If you have been injured in a car accident or tractor trailer truck accident, contact me for a free consultation on your rights as a personal injury victim. 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, Greene, Augusta, Staunton, Waynesboro

Fluvanna Personal Injury Lawyer Discusses Deadly Tractor Trailer Accident. A recent tractor trailer truck accident in Fluvanna county, Virginia left one man dead and his wife seriously injured. The accident happened on Route 15 and involved a tractor trailer truck. The driver of the passenger car was traveling north on Route 15 in Fluvanna county when he slowed to make a left turn. The tractor trailer truck was behind the car and did not slow down enough. As a result, the truck struck the passenger car in the driver's side, killing the driver. The truck diver was charged with reckless driving. Interestingly, the tractor trailer was not loaded at the time of the accident, which might account for the speed of the tractor trailer and the failure of the the truck driver to stop before causing the accident. Route 15 in Fluvanna county is for the most part a 2 lane highway and it can be treacherous if posted speed limits are not obeyed or if a driver follows too closely. The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team and Accident Reconstruction Team arrived at the scene of the accident to assist with the investigation. As part of our personal injury law practice, it is sometimes necessary to have an expert assist in determining the cause of a car accident. Tractor trailer accidents can be particularly challenging. One of the experts with whom I have worked in serious truck accident cases is the former head of the Virginia Accident Reconstruction Team. His expertise in the area of car and truck accidents has been very helpful in proving fault where the defendant driver denies responsibility for causing the car crash. Our personal injury law practice knows when experts are needed to prove the case and we get the expert to the scene as soon as possible to make sure that the investigation is timely and that physical evidence,such as skid marks, does not disappear. Contact our law firm at (434) 202-8181 for more information about auto accident injury cases and how we can help. 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, Greene, Augusta, Staunton, Waynesboro

Crozet Railroad Tunnel And Track To Become Trail And Park. Albemarle and Charlottesville railroad enthusiasts, as well as everyone who enjoys the outdoors, will look forward to the opening of a section of the Blue Ridge Tunnel to the public. The tunnel was built in the mid-1800s as a railroad route under the Blue Ridge mountains. It is located in Afton, Virginia. The tunnel was designed by the French engineer Claudius Crozet and was built by Irish laborers and slaves. The tunnel was used until 1944, when the C&O railway completed a larger tunnel to handle modern freight trains. The tunnel is carved out of greenstone and is about 4,200 feet long. The planned trail will open up 700 feet of the tunnel from the Crozet side. It will be preceded by a 3,400 foot walking trial from the Afton depot along the old railway bed. According to published reports from the Charlottesville Daily Progress, the project is being overseen by Nelson County, but includes representatives from Albemarle and Augusta counties and the city of Waynesboro. Until the project is completed, the tunnel remains inaccessible as private property is involved. 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, Greene, Augusta, Staunton, Waynesboro

Virginia State Police officials have announced increased patrols for Virginia highways and roads over the Labor Day weekend. Historically, the long weekend and all the activities associated with the holiday, result in an increase in car accidents, serious injuries and highway deaths. The concern is probably justified. AAA is predicting that over 34 million Americans will take trips over 50 miles this weekend, a 4.2% jump from last year. The National Safety Council is predicting over 394 traffic deaths from accidents, an increase of 6% from last year. In addition, the council estimates that 42,000 people will need medical treatment from auto accidents this weekend. Interestingly, the estimated death count from auto accidents could drop by almost half if drivers and passengers would just buckle up. Think about it. The simple act of fastening your seat belt makes it almost 50% less likely that you will die as a result of a car accident. Since there will be a lot of traffic on the roads, allow more time to get your destinations this weekend - and wear your seat belt! 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, Greene, Augusta, Staunton, Waynesboro

Charlottesville Tracto Trailer Truck Accident Causes 10 Mile Backup on I-64

Travelers on westbound I-64 encountered a 10 mile backup today as a result of a tractor trailer truck accident that closed both lanes. US 250 around Charlottesville was also congested as traffic was redirected away from the accident site. This interstate highway accident follows the recent and very serious accident on I-81 involving 41 trucks and cars in Rockbridge county, Virginia. 10 people were injured in the I-81 accident and the highway was closed for a very long time. These accidents highlight the dangers of tractor trailer truck traffic on heavily traveled highways. Recently, our firm assisted a driver who was injured when a tractor trailer transporting logs failed to stop for traffic. Our investigation revealed that the driver was fatigued and did not react in time to traffic conditions which were readily observable. New regulations addressing the amount of time a truck driver can stay on the road may prove helpful in addressing the issue of driver fatigue and accidents caused by lack of sleep. Other transportation industries already have strong limits on hours of service for their responsible operators. However, only time will tell if the new regulations improve highway safety. 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, Greene, Augusta, Staunton, Waynesboro

Texting While Driving - Virginia Law Changes

Virginia law concerning texting while driving has changed. As of July 1, 2013, it is now a primary offense to text while driving. What this means is that if a police officer or state trooper sees you looking down while driving or gazing at a cell phone, they can pull you over to see if you were texting. Previously, the police could not stop you just for a suspicion of texting, there had to be some other traffic offense to justify the stop. The change in the law is probably a reaction to the increased number of accidents involving a distracted driver. I read recently that insurance rates for female teenage drivers are now the same as for male teenage drivers. The reason for the change is that the accident rates for the two groups are now about the same because female teenage drivers are increasingly driving and texting. And, they are having more accidents because of using their cell phones while driving. Personal injury lawyers always explore whether or not the driver who caused the accident was using a cell phone at the time of the accident. It is fairly easy to get the record of cell phone use from the wireless carrier. The penalty for a violation of the ban on texting while driving is $125.00. 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, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham

Buckingham Branch Railroad Employee Injury Claims

I recently settled a case for an injured railroad employee who worked for the Buckingham Branch Railroad at the time of his injury. Interestingly, the Buckingham Branch Railroad is not self insured like the larger Class 1 railroads such as CSX railroad and Norfolk Southern railroad. Instead, the Buckingham Branch Railroad has a hefty deductible in every railroad employee injury case and then its insurance kicks in as necessary to resolve the claim. As a result, a Buckingham Branch railroad employee's claim may be handled by an insurance company adjuster in conjunction with the Buckingham Branch railroad's input. Norfolk Southern railroad and CSX railroad both handle all railroad employee injury claims in house and use a small group of lawyers who specialize in handling railroad employee injury claims that are the subject of the Federal Employer's Liability Act or FELA. I have handled many claims for all of these railroads and know how to resolve successfully a railroad employee's injury case in the shortest amount of time possible. 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, Greene, Augusta, Roanoke