Alabama Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A Glencoe, Alabama (Calhoun County) car accident was likely caused by a sleeping driver. According to reports, Patrick Hicks and Charles Avery had pulled their vehicle and trailer onto the shoulder of U.S. Highway 431. While Hicks and Avery were standing on the shoulder, a car driven by John Robert Martinez left the roadway and struck the trailer, causing the trailer to strike the two men. Sadly, Mr. Hicks and Mr. Avery lost their lives in this wreck.

As a result of this crash, the families of Mr. Hicks and Mr. Avery each have their own Alabama wrongful death claims against Mr. Martinez. In order to bring such a claim an estate will have to be set up for both Mr. Hicks and Mr. Avery. Further, there is also a likely claim for each ones estate under Alabama uninsured (underinsured) motorist statute. Under these facts, they likely have an uninsured (underinsured) motorist claim for the vehicle they were riding in and any other vehicle in which they are listed as in insured driver. In addition, most uninsured motorist policies provide coverage even if a person is not a named insured if that person "resides" with a relative that has uninsured motorist coverage. Thus, there may be uninsured (underinsured) motorist coverage if either Hicks or Avery lived with a relative that had such coverage. Finally, it would also be important to discover how many vehicles are covered under said policies as Alabama uninsured motorist law allows for stacking of insurance policies.

In, 2008 there were 1,290 car wrecks in Alabama caused by asleep and fatigued drivers. This motor vehicle accident is a tragic reminder that as drivers we have a duty to be alert at all times while on the roadway. As motorists, if we feel that we are fatigued in any way we should immediately pull off the highway so as not to endanger our own lives and the lives of others.

A tractor-trailer collision with a car on U.S. Highway 280 in Smiths Station, Alabama (Lee County) killed one person. The truck accident occurred at the intersection of Lee County Road 248 and Hwy 280. Glenda Baggett of Smiths Station, Alabama was sadly killed when her Chevrolet sedan collided with a 2006 Freightliner truck driven by Ronnie Howard, Sr., of Midway, Georgia. Alabama State Troopers are still investigating the motor vehicle accident, but initial reports indicate Ms. Baggett may have failed to stop at a red light. According to a report by a local television station WTVM, this is a very busy and dangerous intersection. According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, in 2008 there were 18,025 Alabama auto accidents that were caused by one driver failing to yield the right of way.

A rear end automobile accident in Randolph County Alabama has sadly claimed the life of Robert Lee Foster of Roanoke. According to reports, Foster was traveling on Alabama Hwy 22 and had stopped for traffic when he was struck from the rear by Tina Burks. The initial impact from Burks' vehicle pushed Foster's pickup truck into oncoming traffic where he was struck by a tractor trailer (18 wheeler) driven by Thomas Spurling of Anniston. Tragically, Mr. Foster died as a result of his injuries.

Initial reports do not indicate what caused Burks to rear end Foster's truck. It could be simple inattention or following too closely or Burks could have been distracted by something such as her cell phone or radio. Mr. Foster's family likely has a viable Alabama wrongful death claim against Ms. Burks for causing this motor vehicle accident. Further, it's likely that Ms. Burks does not have sufficient auto insurance to cover such a claim; therefore, Mr. Foster's family would also have a claim for uninsured and/or underinsured motorist benefits through Mr. Foster's motor vehicle insurance policy(ies).

A car wreck on Interstate 65 in Montgomery has sadly claimed the life of 19 year old Jessica Sylvester of Mobile, Alabama. The car accident happened early Saturday morning when Ms. Sylvester's car crossed a median and struck an 18-wheeler head on. According to reports, Alabama State Troopers are still investigating this tragic accident, but believe the Mobile teenager may have been on her cell phone at the time of the crash.

Research has shown that using a cell phone use while driving, whether it's hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times as likely to get involved in a wreck serious enough to injure themselves. For more information on distracted driving visit Distraction.gov.

The most recent Alabama car accident and Alabama truck accident statistics from 2008 show a decline in the number of automobile accidents and the number of people injured and killed on Alabama's highways. In 2008, 964 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in Alabama, which is down 13.2%. Further there were 123,969 wrecks reported in 2008, which is down 8.3%. This decline is likely linked in part to the down turn in the U.S. economy as Alabamians tried to save money by driving less and by driving slower to conserve fuel.

2008 Alabama Auto Accident Statistics

• One motor vehicle accident was reported every 255 seconds.

• One person was injured in a traffic crash every 14 minutes and 47 seconds.

• One person was killed in an automobile accident every 9 hours and 6 minutes.

• Most Alabama wrecks (72.1%) occurred in urban areas, but most fatalities (67.1%) occurred in rural areas.

• For each person killed, there were 36.9 injured.

• Of all fatal wrecks, 47% occurred at night.

• The 2008 pedestrian death toll was 72.

• There were 98 fatalities among motorcycle or moped riders.

• Bicyclists accounted for 4 fatalities.

The single car wreck occurred in Bullock County, Alabama Friday when the driver of the SUV Andrea Bell of Montgomery lost control of her vehicle while attempting to pass another vehicle on Highway 110. Bell's vehicle ran off the road and into a pond. Bell's children Jacoby Amir Bell, 4, and Antonio Jamal Williams, 2, were in the vehicle at the time it crashed. Sadly, the vehicle sank into the 15 foot deep water before Bell could rescue her children. The accident is still under investigation by the Alabama State Troopers and it's believed that bad weather conditions may have played a role in the wreck.

Bullock County is a rural county located in southeast Alabama. There were 101 automobile accidents in 2008 in Bullock County, 39 of which resulted in someone being injured. According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety there were 3 fatalities in car and truck accidents in 2008 in Bullock County.

A severe crash on Hwy 31 in Limestone County just north of Decatur, Alabama has claimed the life of one person and sent another to Huntsville Hospital. The pictures of the vehicles in this motor vehicle accident reveal just how big of an impact occurred. An initial investigation reveals one vehicle may have come across the center line and struck the other vehicle. Full details of exactly what occurred will not be known until Alabama State Troopers complete their investigation. In 2008, there were 1,710 automobile accidents in the Decatur area, 349 of which resulted in someone being injured. Five people died in Decatur area car and truck accidents in 2008.

The Alabama uninsured motorist attorneys at M&B are pleased to announce they have reached a pre-litigation policy limits settlement for our client who was injured in an April 2009 Huntsville car wreck. As a result of this crash our client suffered injuries to her neck, back, chest and knee that required her to be hospitalized for several days. In addition to her initial hospitalization she under went numerous follow up visits as well as physical therapy. As Alabama car accident attorneys we often see cases where the at fault party in an auto accident is uninsured, which is exactly what occurred in this case. Fortunately, our client did have uninsured motorist coverage, which we were able to recover to help compensate our client for her medical bills, out of pocket expenses, and pain and suffering.

Visit the following link for more information on Alabama's Uninsured Motorist Law.

A Decatur Alabama car wreck on Alabama Hwy 20 has claimed the life of Anthony Cheek, Jr. According to a news report, police believe the driver of the other vehicle, which was headed westbound on Hwy 20 crossed over the grass median and struck the vehicle being driven by Mr. Cheek. It appears police are still investigating this motor vehicle accident and have yet to determine what caused the other driver to loose control of his vehicle and cross over the median.

As experienced Decatur Car Accident Attorneys whenever were asked to review an accident such as this one of the first things we do is gather information and physical evidence in hopes of determining what caused the at fault driver to loose control of his vehicle. Areas of inquiry include:

• Was the driver driving under the influence;
• Was the driver distracted by such things as using a cell phone or sending a text message;
• Did the driver's vehicle have a mechanical malfunction, such as steering, brakes, tires etc..;
• Did the driver fall asleep.

A Greenhill, Alabama (Lauderdale County) car accident this past Friday on U.S. Highway 43 has tragically killed 3 people and severely injured another. The North Alabama auto accident occurred when the driver of a 2006 Chevrolet HHR SUV attempted to turn west across the highway when it collided with a Semi-truck and trailer driving southbound on Hwy 43. According to reports, the weather and icy road conditions played role in the cause of the wreck. The driver of the 18 wheeler was uninjured in the accident.

According the Alabama Department of Public Safety, there were 475 Alabama motor vehicle accidents in 2008 that occurred when the roadway was Icy/Slushy. Further, there were 2,168 auto accidents in Lauderdale County, Alabama in 2008, 558 of which resulted in someone being injured. In 2008, 15 people died in Lauderdale County car and truck accidents.

A new federal ban on texting by the DOT hopes to reduce Trucking Accidents. The DOT announced on 1/26/10 a new federal guideline banning texting while driving commercial motor vehicles. The federal ban goes into effect immediately and applies to drivers of 18 wheelers who driver in interstate commerce and drivers of commercial buses and vans who carry more than eight passengers. Truckers who violate the new texting ban are subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.00.

The state of Alabama is also trying to reduce the number Alabama trucking accidents by passing a state law banning texting while driving. The bill has already cleared the Alabama House of Representatives and if the bill passes the Senate it would become law and ban drivers of all vehicles from texting while driving.

As a part of its campaign to reduce the number of car and truck wrecks due to distracted drivers, the DOT has launched a new website at www.distraction.gov. According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, drivers who text while driving are more than 30 times more likely to be in a wreck than non-distracted drivers.

The Mobile auto accident occurred in the midtown area of Mobile, Alabama. According to the Mobile Press-Register, the driver of the motorcycle was transported to Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, which was less than one mile away; sadly the driver did not survive. The report indicates the driver was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The details of the car accident are still under investigation. According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, there were 2,106 motorcycle accidents in Alabama in 2008, 98 of which resulted in a fatality. The number of Alabama motorcycle wrecks increased from 2007 to 2008 as did the number of fatalities. It's imperative that drivers be on the look out for motorcycles while they are on the roadway as a minor fender bender in a car accident can end with a tragic result if involved in the same accident with a motorcycle.

A single car accident on I-85 in Opelika, Alabama (Lee County) killed an Atlanta resident and severely injured another. The auto accident is the first fatality in Lee County in 2010 and occurred in the early hours of the morning. According to reports, the vehicle went into a ravine and overturned and trapped the occupants. At some point the vehicle burst into flames. Currently, it is not clear what caused the motor vehicle accident. When most individuals are involved in a single car accident they don't believe they have any legal recourse. While in many instances this may be true, there are numerous other examples where a single car accident can be the result of someone else's negligent conduct. For example, if another vehicle runs a car off the road causing an accident and the other vehicle flees the scene the injured party can still have a legal claim under Alabama's uninsured motorist laws. Further, a person's injuries in an accident can be enhanced by the failure of a safety device such as an air bag, seat belt, or brakes. In these types of situations a products liability lawsuit can be brought. Thus, if you have been involved in a single car accident you should contact an experienced Alabama car accident lawyer to determine your legal rights.

A Birmingham, Alabama teenager who suffered from mental disabilities was tragically killed in Gadsden when she stepped into the roadway and was struck by a truck. According to the Gadsden Times, the car accident happened on Monday at 6:28 am on U.S. Highway 411. Reports indicate the Birmingham teenager was in the custody of the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources and was living in a group home in Gadsden (Etowah County) at the time of the accident. Evidently, the teenager had wandered away from the group home just before the accident happened. Hopefully, there will be an investigation into this matter to determine how the teenager wandered away from the group home so that this type of tragedy does not occur again.

The snow falling in Alabama will likely mean an increase in the number of car wrecks on Alabama's highways. Drivers should avoid taking to snow covered roadways if at all possible. Some simple safety tips for driving in icy and snowy conditions include:

• Decreasing your vehicle's speed and leaving yourself ample distance between other cars for stopping.

• Use lower gears if possible, which can help increase traction.

• If your rear wheels begin to skid, take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction of the skid.

For more cold weather safe driving tips on how to avoid an auto accident visit the weather channel.com