North Carolina Injury Lawyers Blog

After a deadly accident in Virginia on Tuesday, the Federal government cracked down on the bus charter company rendering them virtually inoperable. The accident, which killed 4 individuals and injured more than 50 others was one of the most severe bus accidents in recent history. The bus which was en route from Greensboro, NC to New York City, had flipped over on I-95 less than a half hour north of Richmond, Virginia. The driver of the vehicle, Kin Yiu Chueng was charged with reckless driving and exhaustion is said to be one of the contributory factors leading up to the crash.

The charter, SkyExpress Inc, operates out of Charlotte, NC and has more than 30 fleet vehicles which run multiple daily trips from Charlotte to Chinatown in Manhattan, these fleet vehicles often stop at various destinations on the way up the east coast, this one had just departed the Raleigh/Durham area after picking up additional passengers. Since the accident, the SkyExpress Inc's website has been taken offline.

Continue reading "Fed Bans Charlotte Based Bus Line From All U.S. Highways " »

17 year old, Travis Cannon, from Denver, NC was charged last week with misdemeanor death by vehicle in an accident which killed classmate, Haley Campbell.

It has been reported by WCNC that a vehicle ahead of Cannon's had stopped abruptly to make a turn, causing a SUV to follow the same movements. Unfortunately, Cannon was forced with the split second decision of running into the SUV which was ahead of him, swerving right into a car lot or swerving left into oncoming traffic. His turn left into oncoming traffic caused a collision with a truck, killing Campbell.

Continue reading "Charlotte Area Teen Charged in Accident That Killed Friend" »

Snow and ice covered roads are something of rare occurrence here in the Charlotte area, but when they do come, conditions can become treacherous. Unfortunately these road conditions led to the death of a young woman over the Christmas weekend.

Multiple news sources, including The Charlotte Observer report that the victim, 24 year old Winthrop graduate, Hannah Floyd was a passenger in the vehicle which encountered slick road conditions in the early morning hours about 3:30am on Sunday December 26th. It has been reported that the vehicle slid off of the road and struck a utility pole at an estimated 55 mph. The driver of the vehicle, Maegan Dacus, has since been charged with a DWI and last known reports show she was in serious condition at Carolinas Medical Center

Continue reading "Area Woman Killed on I-85 in North Charlotte During Snowy Roads Over Holidays" »

Monday morning, January 3rd, a CMPD officer responding to back up in the Grier Heights neighborhood struck a lawful driver on Monroe Rd in east Charlotte. The driver, Kay Floyd, was thrown from her Kia minivan and sustained what has been said as severe injuries. Currently it has been reported by Fox Charlotte that the woman is in stable condition at Carolinas Medical Center. The officer, Cory Milbourne, a 10 year vetran, sustained minor injuries and has since been released from Carolinas Medical Center.

Continue reading "Charlotte PD Officer Involved in Serious Accident" »

Up until this week, Charlotte has gotten away from the strange frequency of cars getting onto interstates or major roadways going in the wrong direction. A few years ago, it seemed like every couple of weeks a news crew would be covering a story of vehicles heading the wrong way on roadways in Charlotte, typically at night. These accidents caused many innocent deaths and serious injuries; the causes for these wrong-way drivers was left uncertain.

Early Monday morning, a vehicle was traveling in the wrong direction on Independence Blvd in east Charlotte. The driver, apparently struck a concrete median and rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle then caught fire causing heavy damage, leaving the vehicle and it's contents unrecognizable. The driver, an unidentified man, died at the scene. Police are still looking for information leading to the identity of the driver, if you have information contact the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.

Continue reading "One Way Accident on Popular East Charlotte Roadway Kills One" »

In the first part of this advice column, we discussed the initial steps you should take when involved in an accident to make sure you and others involved are as safe as possible. This section will discuss about the next steps you should that should lead dispute free and painless resolution.

1. It is not a good idea to establish fault with the other driver(s). This can lead to confrontations, sometimes dangerous. It is best to wait for the officer to arrive before giving any statements. If you do communicate with the other party be sure to gather important information to submit a claim; Name, License Plate Number, Make, Model of Vehicle, Insurance Company and Policy Information. If there were witnesses and they are willing to talk, obtain their information as well.
2. When the officer(s) arrive, be sure to give as detailed of a statement as possible in order to ensure that everything is being accurately reported. The insurance companies involved often use this report as a starting point to determine liability, severity and fault. Make sure you get a copy of the police report for your records.
3. Call your insurance company as soon as possible to report a claim. If you need medical attention, your health should be put first. Explain in depth to your insurance company what happened and most likely they will help you through the process without much difficulty.
4. If you feel like you are being untreated unfairly or simply want a more impartial opinion on the matter, don't hesitate to contact an attorney. Most initial consultations are free of charge and they are more than willing to assist with making sure you're being treated fairly.

Continue reading "Have an Accident? What You Should Do, Part 2" »

Regardless of whether or not you were at fault in an accident, the Charlotte Department of Transportation has published several helpful suggestions that may be beneficial to aid you in these situations. Automobile accidents are inevitable, some may never experience one first hand, but we've all seen them. Regardless of whether or not you are unfortunate enough to have an accident, these are all tips that can help you during that stressful and sometimes life threatening incident.

1. After the collision, take a moment to gather yourself and stay as calm as possible. Assess the situation at hand and make sure yourself and all passengers are alright. Take a look a the other vehicle and possible dangers of oncoming traffic or fires & explosions.
2. If there are injuries that need immediate attention, and you are qualified to do so, render first aid as soon as you can so long as the environment is safe. Call 911.
3. In some areas, you may be required to move your vehicle from travel lanes if it is operable; other areas may require you to keep vehicle where it is for investigation purposes. This varies from each jurisdiction, so be sure to know the laws of the areas and keep a lookout for signs displaying rules. Regardless of the laws, the safety of yourself and those around you should be the determining factor in whether or not you move your vehicle.
4. If you are in a dense traffic area, remain in your vehicle until rescue and police arrive. If you determine you are in a safe area and you are unable to drive your vehicle off the roadway, it is recommended you leave your vehicle and get to a safe pedestrian area.

Continue reading "Have an Accident? What Should You Do, Part 1" »

As police were attempting to conduct a traffic stop early Sunday morning in Monroe, NC, the suspect, Kevin Ohagan, allegedly fled the scene causing a police pursuit. Shortly after the pursuit began the suspect collided head-on with a vehicle, killing Daniel Herring, as he was returning from a church event.

The suspect, Kevin Ohagan, has reportedly been arrested nearly 20 times in the past decade, 6 of which have been DWI charges. Witnesses claim that Mr. Ohagan and a female passenger were unconscious after the collision and there was alcohol present in the vehicle. It is also reported by the Charlotte Observer that when the suspect regained consciousness, he said "I didn't do it, I have to get out of here".

As the number of fatalities continue to rise in automobile collisions involving suspects with multiple DWI convictions, authorities and government officials are being looked upon to impose harsher punishments and create more restrictions to ensure that those convicted previously have difficulty getting back on the road.

Suspect in Fatal Wreck Had 6 DWIs, Charlotte Observer October 25, 2010

Continue reading "DWI Suspected in Monroe Collision, Causing Fatality" »