Practice Areas

Oct 30, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently unveiled a new safety campaign that’s working to keep teens safe through the busy upcoming holiday driving season. It’s the “5 to Drive” campaign and it’s addressing the five factors that can have the biggest impact young drivers’ careers behind the wheel. “The ’5 to Drive’ campaign gives parents and teens a simple, straightforward checklist that can help them talk about good driving skills,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Our Birmingham car accident lawyers understand that traffic collisions continue to be the number one cause of death for teens across the nation. In 2011, there were more than 2,100 teen drivers who were involved in deadly collisions. Close to half of those teens were killed in these accidents. And to help to reduce the risks, we’re calling on parents to step in and kick off the conversation today. Sit down and talk with the teen driver in your family about the risks behind the wheel and the habits that can help keep them safe.

Oct 29, 2013 - Workers' Compensation/Work Injury by Cross & Smith

There were close to 500 workers killed in the agriculture sector in 2012. The fatality rate in this industry is more than 21 per 100,000 full-time equivalent worker, which is the highest fatality rate of any sector. In addition to these fatalities, there were close to 48,500 workers injured in 2011. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are more than 2 million people who are employed in the agricultural industry in the U.S. Those who work and farm are at serious risks for critical injuries, death, work-related lung diseases, cancer, skin diseases, noise-induced hearing loss and even heat exposure. farm accidents in Alabama are an all-too-common threat during harvest season. The number one cause of death for farmworkers between 1992 and 2009 was tractor overturns. These accidents account for more than 90 fatalities each and every year. Each day, there are close to 250 farm workers who suffer from a serious injury and are forced to take time away from work. About 5 percent of these injuries result in permanent impairment.

Oct 16, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

When we think about distracted driving, most people will think of talking on a cell phone or text messaging behind the wheel. But according to Allstate, the top five driver distractions include, eating and drinking, adjusting music, interacting with passengers, playing music loudly and reaching into the back seat. Those are things we’re all guilty of, and they are activities that could result in a potentially fatal accident. Between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States alone. In North America, distracted driving contributes to as many as one-half of crashes reported annually. Our Tuscaloosa car accident lawyers understand that’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to Insurance Hotline, Americans are also guilty of grooming, smoking, playing with car controls and tending to babies while in the driver’s seat.

Oct 15, 2013 - Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but not when it comes to child safety. There are several easy and effective behaviors that parents can share with kids to help reduce their risk of injury. During Halloween, children are more likely to be killed in a pedestrian accident than any other night of the year. This is why it’s important that we not only instill safe habits before the big night, but that we also provide supervision to smaller kids who need it. It’s also important that we dress them in safe costumes that won’t cause any problems.

Oct 3, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

We tend to think of railroads as a travel method of a bygone era. In reality, not only are Alabama railroad crossing injuries and deaths an ongoing risk, they are a rising one. According to new data from the Federal Railroad Administration, the number of pedestrians fatally struck by trains nationwide spiked by more than 25 percent in the first five months of this year. The figures indicate that while there were 158 railroad pedestrian deaths from January through May of 2012, there were 199 during the same time frame this year.

Oct 2, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

It’s been six months since a huge sign at the Birmingham International Airport came crashing down, killing a 10-year-old boy and severely injuring his mother and younger brothers. Our Birmingham premises liability lawyers know three other signs just like it were removed. We know, based on an investigation by Al.com, that there were advance warnings that the signs could pose a safety threat. And we also know that the family of the boy has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, that is slated to proceed in November of next year. What we don’t know is how much safer we are in the airport.

Oct 1, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Involvement in a Tuscaloosa car accident typically happens suddenly and without warning. The only way to prepare is to steel yourself before each and every trip, no matter how seemingly insignificant. That means buckling your seat belt, making sure the kids are properly restrained, keeping your vehicle in good working condition and remaining alcohol and distraction-free. Now, it may also mean affixing a yellow dot to the back of your vehicle.