By Jim Lewis, Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

The cause of an accident at the intersection of E. Water and 4th streets in Charlottesville, Virginia (VA), has yet to be determined, but the outcome was decidedly dire for one man. According to police reports, a scooter rider was thrown from his motor bike when he collided with an SUV and suffered life-threatening head and brain injuries when he landed on the pavement.

Apparently, the scooter rider’s helmet was not properly secured, and it came off at some point after the crash, leaving the man’s skull unprotected.

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Police could not immediately determine whether the SUV driver or scooter operator had the right of way. Regardless of who was at fault, drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and scooter riders can take two important lessons from the accident. The first is that anyone approaching or entering an intersection must watch for motor bikes. Two-wheelers can be difficult to see, especially for people behind the wheel of large vehicles like SUVs, vans and trucks. But “I didn’t even see them” is never an acceptable explanation or excuse for hitting and injuring a person on a motorcycle, bike or scooter.

The even more important lesson is that while helmets absolutely save lives and prevent injuries, the safety equipment only works if it is used properly. When putting on a bike helmet or a motorcycle helmet, make sure it fits tightly without causing discomfort and does not obscure your vision. Also snap the chin strap securely.

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Kevin Duffan, Bus Crash Injury Victims’ Attorney

A House subcommittee meeting has put school bus safety in the spotlight once again. Testifying at the meeting was National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s head administrator David Strickland. He recommended additional safety features, including seat belts, should not be considered for school buses, as they are already the safest mode of transportation for children.

Strickland cited a “handful of deaths” each year involving school buses, but he argued that many of these accidents occur just outside the bus.  Only a couple of students are killed inside a school bus each year, compared to the thousands of children who are injured and killed in car accidents in regular vehicles.

Though seat belts would only further cement the idea that school buses are safe vehicles, Strickland acknowledged their expensive costs to school districts. “Adding the belts on the buses may actually decrease the number of buses available for children to ride, which would actually increase the number of fatalities of children who would be forced to take passenger cars,” he said. Local governments should decide on their own whether the upgraded safety measures would justify the cost, Strickland recommended.

It’s difficult for me as a Virginia (VA) school bus accident attorney to hear NHTSA speak out against seat belts. While it is great to hear that school bus crash fatalities are low, it’s frustrating to know that a few more lives might have been saved had school districts shelled out the money for seat belts. When it comes to protecting our children, no price is too high.

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Randy Appleton, West Virginia Brain Injury Attorney

A bike accident in Putnam County, West Virginia (WV) that sent an 11-year-old girl to a nearby hospital with injuries has brought charges of criminal neglect against the child’s father. According to police reports, a car collided with the girl as she was riding along heavily traveled Mount Vernon Road in the town of Teays Valley during the evening of March 22, 2012. The youngster was trapped under the car’s bumper and dragged several feet before the driver could stop.

The girl was not wearing a helmet, which is required safety equipment for any bicyclist younger than 15 years of age in West Virginia. While the child does seem to have been spared a brain injury, the high risk for that outcome and the fact that her parents were not supervising her at the time of the accident led police to file charges against the father.

View a larger map of where a car struck and injured an 11-year-old girl in Teays Valley, WV.

The driver who hit the bike rider and caused the girl significant bruising and scrapes was not cited for a traffic violation. That would not necessarily prevent the injured child’s parents from filing a personal injury claim, especially if signs of physical or mental disabilities persist or appear over time.

But what strikes me as the real story here, as an attorney who has represented both children and adults who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, is that any parent would allow a child to ride a bike while not wearing a helmet. Head protection is required by law because helmets absolutely save bicyclists’ lives. Regardless of the outcome of the criminal neglect case against this girl’s father, I see it as a very good sign that police take the West Virginia bike helmet requirement so seriously.

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Personal Injury Attorney

We all know that motorcycles can be incredibly dangerous, but if their riders lose sight of the road for even a moment, motorcycles can be deadly. A Boone, NC man was airlifted to the hospital after he crossed the center line and hit a car head-on. To learn more, visit our blog. Head On Motorcycle Crash Injures One

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Jim Lewis, North Carolina Brain Injury Attorney

Drunk drivers can wreak all kinds of havoc on our roads, but when a bicyclist comes into the equation, the danger becomes all the more real. A drunk driver on I-85 in North Carolina hit a man who was biking across country, leaving the bike rider hospitalized in critical condition. To learn more about the accident, visit “Bicyclist in Critical Condition After Being Struck by Drunk Driver.”

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Jim Lewis, Carolina Brain Injury Attorney

College students frequently utilize bicycles to get around campus. As inexpensive, environmentally-friendly vehicles, it’s not hard to understand the popularity of bikes. But as evidenced by a crash on the North Carolina State University campus that left a bicyclist critically injured, many dangers exist, including drunk drivers. To learn more about the crash, visit our blog. NC State Student Injured in Bike Crash.”

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By Kevin Duffan, Carolina Car Accident Attorney

Family road trips around the holidays are pretty common, so it’s terrifying to imagine a drunk driver crossing your path. Unfortunately, a North Carolina (NC) family lived that nightmare and ended up in the hospital when a man now facing DWI and hit-and-run charges hit their SUV. To learn more, visit “Drunk Driver Causes Guilford County, NC Accident, Sends Nine to Hospital.”

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About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

By John Cooper, Virginia Brain Injury Attorney

Bicycle accidents, no matter how minor they may seem, can have life-changing affects on your health. One man learned this after being struck by a vehicle, and six weeks later, experiencing memory loss and concentration difficulties. To learn more, visit our blog to read “Injured Bicyclist Receives $3 Million Dollar Settlement.”

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. 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 injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.

By Randy Appleton, Personal Injury Attorney in Virginia

Another major bus crash has made the headlines. My colleague John Cooper wrote about this awful wreck that occurred on the New Jersey Turnpike involving a bargain bus. Just a couple months ago, four people were killed in a bus accident near Richmond, VA. To learn more, check out “Major Bus Crash on New Jersey Turnpike Causes Multiple Injuries.”

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) but we also have an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. 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 injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Carolina Brain Injury Attorney

Hit-and-run accidents are among the most horrific kinds of collisions, but intentional hit-and-runs are truly terrifying. A North Carolina man was repeatedly struck by a vehicle after an altercation at a bar. To find out more, go to our blog to read “NC Man Intentionally Run Over After Bar Fight.”

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. 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 injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.