Posted on July 17, 2015 in Truck Accidents

The sleep cycle is very important for people, as they need to sleep at certain times and for certain lengths of time to really feel rested. It's not just about getting eight hours a day, but about sleeping long enough to get into REM sleep. When this sleep cycle is interrupted, people can still feel very tired, even if they technically got enough sleep in 24 hours.

This is a huge problem for truckers, who often don't get a stable sleeping pattern. They often look at sleep as something they'll get whenever they have the opportunity, but they really have to drive at certain times, and that dictates their schedules more than sleep.

For instance, a trucker may have a shipment that has to be delivered at a certain time, meaning he or she only has a few hours to sleep before heading out. The trucker will take it, but he or she can't put off driving to sleep for that full eight hours.

Part of the problem is that truckers have to make sure they are able to get more work. For example, if a trucker drops off a load at 6 a.m., but then he or she has no legal driving hours left for the following 10 hours-due to the regulations that are in place to make sure truckers take time off-then the trucker won't get a load at all. Jobs usually start in the morning, so the trucker could lose a whole day if he or she can't start until two in the afternoon.

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 Posted on July 10, 2015 in Drunk Driving Accidents

The number of people killed in alcohol-related car accidents in Virginia last year was 251. While this number is two less than 2013, the two years were much higher than 212 when 229 people were killed.

To put these numbers in perspective, there were 7,666 alcohol-related accidents in 2014. There were 5,003 injuries in those accidents.

The number of people that were convicted of DUI in 2014 in Virginia were 24,895. They had an average blood alcohol content of.14, which is almost twice the state's legal limit.

At Locklin & Coleman, PLLC, we represent clients who have been injured in accidents that were not their fault. Many of these accidents were caused by an intoxicated driver. Although a DUI charge can make a civil case for damages easier, criminal charges are not required in order to seek compensation.

In many cases, insurance companies will try to settle the claim of the person at fault. If the at fault driver does not cover your losses, then we will either bring a claim against the intoxicated driver or pursue damages from your insurance company.

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 Posted on July 09, 2015 in Firm News

As of April 2015, attorney Locklin & Coleman, PLLC was recognized for his extensive and successful legal career by the Virginia Trial Attorneys Hall of Fame. We have included a scan of his official certificate.

Learn more about the organization - Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame

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 Posted on July 03, 2015 in Personal Injury

A traumatic brain injury can be minor to very severe. Such an injury can happen to anyone, although those in car accidents, slip and fall accidents and sports incidents are often affected.

The Glasgow Coma Scale is used by doctors and other health care professionals to determine how severe a patient's head injury is. There are three categories in the Glasgow Coma Scale: eye movement response, motor skill response and verbal skill response. Each category has specific responses that are attached to a number between one and six for verbal responses, one and five for motor skill response and one and four for verbal responses.

For example, a patient who follows commands will receive a six in the verbal skill response. No movement will receive a one. A patient who is able to answer questions correctly without difficulty will receive a five in the verbal skill response.

After determining a number for each category, they are added up. A score of eight or lower signifies a severe traumatic brain injury. A score of nine to 13 means that the patient suffered a moderate TBI. A score of over 13 means the TBI is minor.

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 Posted on June 26, 2015 in Truck Accidents

In the early morning hours of June 24, a Virginia state trooper was seriously injured when he was struck by a semi-truck and trailer. The accident occurred near Ladysmith on Interstate 95. The trooper, along with two others, was directing traffic around an area of high water.

A tractor-trailer heading southbound struck the troopers' patrol vehicles. It is not known at this time if the injured trooper was in or out of his patrol vehicle when it was struck. The patrol vehicles did have their flashing blue lights on when the accident occurred, according to a spokesman for the Virginia State Police.

Southbound Interstate 95 had two lanes closed until about 6:00 a.m. The trooper was transported to VCU Medical Center. According to reports, he suffered serious injuries, but those injuries were not life-threatening. The 67-year-old truck driver has been charged with reckless driving.

One truck driver said that there was a very bad storm that night that had traffic moving about 25 miles per hour. He said that he pulled off at a rest stop near the accident scene because the cars on the interstate were cutting him off.

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 Posted on June 19, 2015 in Drunk Driving Accidents

In June of last year, a three-car accident injured three people. Two of the injured were siblings, ages 14 and 17. They were headed home after swim practice when their Lexus was hit head-on. Another vehicle then crashed into the Lexus.

The man responsible for the accident was recently found guilty of DUI with an elevated blood alcohol content and two counts of felony maiming while driving under the influence of alcohol. His vehicle tipped over after the head on collision. It also caught fire, but he was pulled from the fire by bystanders. His blood alcohol level was.167. He was headed the wrong way on Interstate 81 when the accident occurred.

The 17-year-old suffered serious injuries, including torn arteries in his heart, dislocated vertebrae, a ruptured spleen, a concussion and several broken bones. He wears a leg brace today. His sister hurt her arm and had several cuts and lacerations. The driver of the third vehicle involved suffered lacerations and two leg fractures.

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 Posted on June 12, 2015 in Car Accidents

The National Transportation Safety Board was created by Congress with a mandate to remain independent and objective. The agency has a number of responsibilities, among which are conducting objective, precise investigations of motor vehicle accidents of all kinds, performing safety studies, and making recommendations to Congress and other federal agencies to promote public safety in transportation.

The NTSB doesn't have the authority to enforce its safety recommendations, but the government really ought to take them seriously. They're the result of careful study, statistical analysis and policy considerations.

Recently, the agency issued a 60-page special investigation report called "The Use of Forward Collision Avoidance Systems to Prevent and Mitigate Rear-End Crashes," which calls for collision-avoidance systems to be made standard on all new passenger vehicles and commercial trucks in the U.S.

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 Posted on May 15, 2015 in Personal Injury

Those who have been victimized by negligent or reckless motorists may suffer physically, emotionally and financially. After a car crash in which another was at fault, a victim may consider filing a personal injury suit against the other driver. While each case is unique, there are some common steps to a personal injury lawsuit that a Virginia attorney can expand upon.

The first step, once one's immediate medical needs are met, is usually to meet with a personal injury attorney. The lawyer will likely ask numerous questions, such as what happened, what are the nature and extent of injuries, did the victim speak with anyone else about the incident and so on. The injured party is likely to have countless questions themselves, and the initial consultation is a starting point for securing solid answers. Next is likely to be the actual filing of court documents to initiate the civil suit.

Before an actual trial takes place, what is known as the "discovery" phase of a personal injury suit commences. During this step, both sides disclose relevant information and facts to the other side so as to minimize surprises during trial. Also pre-trial, various motions or requests by attorneys for rulings on specific issues may take place. Some motions, known as dispositive motions, have the ability to end litigation before it proceeds to trial. Finally, a settlement may also take place before a trial even begins.

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 Posted on May 07, 2015 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Many Northern Virginia residents work for the federal government or have worked for it in the past. As a result, many local drivers are probably aware that federal regulations usually exist to improve certain things such as safety, not make them worse. Still, at times controversy and questions may arise over the impact of federal rules for specific industries.

The trucking industry is one area in which federal regulations have long had an impact. It is not difficult to imagine how a commercial vehicle accident can be avoided through proper regulations. In 2013, key changes were made to the commercial trucking industry that affected when truck drivers are on the road. Now, drivers carrying property cannot continue driving after 60/70 hours on duty within 7/8 days in a row. Only after taking off at least 34 consecutive hours may a truck driver "restart" a 7/8 day period. Another provision, which has since been suspended, mandated that drivers' rest periods include at least two periods from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.

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 Posted on May 01, 2015 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Roadway safety in Northern Virginia is the responsibility of everyone who uses the roads. However, not all drivers make the same commitment to safety, and as a result minor, serious and even fatal car accidents are a common occurrence on local roads. While no one can guarantee they will never be hit by a negligent driver, use of basic restraints may lessen the chances that certain injuries will turn fatal.

Sometimes, the simplest of precautions can turn out to be the most effective. While most Manassas drivers and passengers likely put on their seat belt automatically, not every vehicle occupant will do so. Proper seat belt use is not only obeying the law in Virginia, but also a potential safeguard against the fatal injuries one could suffer when their car is hit by a negligent driver. In 2012, over 50 percent of car occupants killed in fatal motor vehicle accidents were not wearing their seat belt at the time. Air bags may also help prevent fatal injury, but only when used in conjunction with seat belts.

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