Blog

May 15, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

Alabama needs to get better about buckling up. Our Tuscaloosa car accident lawyers know that you can’t always prevent a crash from occurring, but your first line of defense is to make sure you and your passengers are strapped in. A report released recently by the Alabama Department of Transportation indicates that nearly 60 percent of people who died in traffic crashes in Alabama last year weren’t wearing a seat belt. Of course, it’s worth noting that some of those incidents involved vehicles that did not have seat belts, such as school buses. However, of the approximately 425 traffic fatality victims who were inside vehicles equipped with seat belts, 251 of those weren’t wearing them.

May 10, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

There is no question that the primary responsibility to remain distraction-free behind the wheel lies with the driver. However, given the huge scope of the problem and the enormous price we pay as a society, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is requesting some help from vehicle manufacturers. Our Birmingham car accident lawyers understand that USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood has released a list of voluntary guidelines for automakers that would help to reduce in-vehicle distractions, thereby making us all safer. The recommendations, which include limits on built-in electronic devices for navigation, communication and entertainment, are part of the NHTSA’s Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.

May 1, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

A new report reveals that 2011 was a dangerous year for cyclists. Our Birmingham personal injury lawyers have learned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has just released statistics revealing a nearly 10 percent spike in the number of pedalcyclists killed on U.S. roadways. Pedalcyclists would include any rider of a non-motorized, two-wheeled vehicle, which could include unicycles and tricycles. Mostly though, we’re talking about bicyclists. Although we’re looking at figures from 2011, comprehensive statistics were just released by the federal government and are the most recent available. The snapshot they provide is troubling.

Apr 29, 2013 - Truck Accidents by Cross & Smith

A recent series of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the underride guards standard with most U.S. big rigs pose a substantial risk of a passenger vehicle sliding under the truck in certain types of crashes. Our Alabama truck accident lawyers know that finding out more about this problem is key because once a passenger vehicle slides under a large trailer, the risk of serious injury and fatality spikes significantly. National standards require most semitrailers to be equipped with underride guards, which are steel bars that hang from the back of the trailer. The primary aim of the equipment is to prevent a passenger vehicle from sliding underneath the trailer in the event of a crash.

Apr 25, 2013 - ATV/SUV Rollover Accidents by Cross & Smith

In April, Alabama.com reported on the tragic death of a Coaling woman. The 37-year-old victim was involved in an accident while riding a four-wheeler. The four-wheeler was found lying on its side with the victim lying nearby next to a tree. The location of the crash was a private driveway near to the woman’s home. Her husband indicated that the victim had ridden the four-wheeler down the driveway to go to the mailbox and never returned. Our Alabama ATV accident lawyers know that recreational vehicles are enjoyed by many, especially over the spring and summer months when the weather is nice. Unfortunately, four-wheelers, ATVs and other vehicles of this type can also be deadly when an accident happens. It is important for everyone to understand the risks inherent in riding a four-wheeler and to take steps necessary to protect themselves from these risks. How Dangerous are Recreational Vehicles? The data on ATVs and four-wheelers shows just how much danger these types of recreational vehicles present to riders. According to ATV Safety, for example, there were 327 deaths on ATVs in 2011 including 57 children under age 16 who lost their lives. Many others were injured, with 107,500 people in total going to ERs due to ATV injuries, 29,000 of whom were aged 16 or under.

Apr 22, 2013 - Tuscaloosa by Cross & Smith

A new study shows that more children are being rushed to emergency rooms across the country for swimming pool injuries than they were two decades ago. Our Tuscaloosa swimming pool injury lawyers were troubled to learn that there were more than 1.5 million injuries from swimming in the U.S. involving people of all ages from 1990 and 2008. That number has increased yearly from roughly 80,000 back in 1990 to 93,000 in 2008. That’s an overall increase of 16.25 percent. When the researchers broke it down to examine only those injuries to children, the results were even more dramatic. For children 7 years of age or older, the rate of swimming pool injuries increased by 30 percent. It went from 9 injuries for every 10,000 to 11 injuries for every 10,000. Children under the age of 17 accounted for almost 60 percent of all swimming-related injuries.

Apr 17, 2013 - Medical Malpractice by Cross & Smith

Our Birmingham medical malpractice lawyers have learned that a widow was recently awarded $3 million in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Birmingham Surgical, P.C. and a doctor employed therein. It took the jury roughly an hour to reach their verdict, following a 17-day trial. The cause of his death was negligent delay of gallbladder surgery. Gallbladder surgery is supposed to be a fairly routine procedure, called a cholecystectomy. Some 500,000 people undergo the surgery each year.

Apr 12, 2013 - Construction Accidents by Cross & Smith

A jury has awarded $1.7 million to an Alabama man who incurred severe injuries as a result of a 2009 manlift accident at a steel mill. Our Tuscaloosa construction accident lawyers understand this incident occurred in Daphne, which is in southern Alabama, not far from Mobile. According to news reports, the incident happened the day before Halloween, while the worker was using a manlift to install an overhead crane. He was nearly 80 feet in the air. Suddenly, the wire ropes in the equipment failed. He plunged some 25 feet. The manlift’s boom retracted, similar to what you might see with an accordion, only on a much greater scale. As the worker fell, his right femur bone snapped. His head struck the control panel and he was knocked unconscious.

Apr 11, 2013 - Construction Accidents by Cross & Smith

Spring is widely recognized as “construction season,” as the warming weather brings a host of demolitions, new projects and repairs. Our Birmingham construction accident lawyers want to make sure every worker, contractor and owner out there is doing all that is necessary to ensure safety at ever level. There is a misconception that commercial job sites are somehow riskier than residential construction sites. It’s true that more workers and heavier equipment may present more opportunity for danger. But residential job sites pose their own unique risks. For example, fewer workers means less oversight and more opportunity to potentially overlook critical safety standards.

Apr 10, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

Distracted driving is responsible for thousands of accidents and injuries each year and is always dangerous behind the wheel. However, distracted driving can be especially dangerous when it is done by a commercial driver who has a large truck under his control or who is responsible for transporting passengers.  Our Alabama trucking accident lawyers know that commercial drivers are expected to pay careful attention when behind the wheel. It’s an appropriate focus as April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month nationwide. A new survey conducted by Aegis Mobility aims to find out whether professional drivers are actually living up to their obligations and avoiding distracted driving, or whether drivers are paying attention to things that they shouldn’t be as they travel the roads. Distracted Driving Survey For Fleet Operators The Department of Transportation has banned texting and driving for all drivers of large trucks and buses. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that the ban was an important safety step. The civil and criminal penalties for a driver who breaks the rules could be up to $2,750.