Personal Injury

Memorial Day Marks the Start of Summer: Make It a Safe Season

May 29, 2017 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

When Memorial Day comes around each year, we know it is the start of summer. Since many families in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina spend time outdoors and take vacations, now is the perfect time to think more about summer safety, Memorial Day safety, and ensuring that your family remains healthy throughout the season.

In the event that you or someone you love does sustain a serious injury this summer, an experienced Western North Carolina personal injury lawyer can help.

History of Memorial Day

When we gather around the picnic table or head out of town for a Memorial Day vacation, few of us think about the history of the holiday. According to an article from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Memorial Day officially became a holiday three years after the end of the Civil War in 1868. At that time, the Grand Army of the Republic (an organization made up of Union veterans) established May 30 as “Decoration Day,” or a time to decorate the graves of those killed in the Civil War.

National Safe Boating Week Highlights Ways to Stay Safe on the Water

May 24, 2017 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

Each summer, many residents of Asheville, Waynesville, and Franklin, NC, as well as residents of Greenville and Spartanburg, SC, and surrounding areas enjoy boating with friends and family. Whether you are planning to enjoy boating on one of the numerous lakes in Western North Carolina or Upstate South Carolina, or if you are planning a drive to the coast, it is important to learn more about boating safety to avoid personal injuries.

May 20-26 is National Safe Boating Week. Now is a great time to learn more about safe boating practices and to understand issues of liability when boat accidents happen.

Tips for Safe Boating This Summer in North Carolina and South Carolina

Western North Carolina is full of popular recreational lakes, such as Lake Lure and Lake Fontana. Yet without practicing safe boating, accidents and boating injuries can happen.

Could Cars That ‘Talk to Each Other’ Reduce Crashes?

March 7, 2017 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced a proposed rule that would enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication for all new light-duty vehicles. The proposed rule aims to prevent car accidents by letting vehicles communicate with each other.

This idea was first floated by the NHTSA nearly 3 years ago. If put into effect by 2019 as proposed, it would start phasing in the new rule in 2021, with 2023 set as the deadline for compliance.

How V2V Technology Works

V2V technology uses dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) to allow vehicles within about 1,000 feet of each other to exchange information about location, direction and speed. That info is sent 10 times per second, and vehicles with V2V can use that information to warn the driver about safety hazards.

If a vehicle has automated driving features, it can also use the V2V information to adapt its speed, direction, or braking in order to avoid crashes.

Could Candles Pose a Safety Risk for Your Family This Holiday Season?

December 21, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

During Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve, many people use candles to commemorate the holidays and decorate for the season. Lighting candles is fun a tradition and sets the mood for your holiday festivities, but it is important that certain precautions are taken so that your holidays do not end in injury or tragedy.

Home Fires

According to statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from 2009 to 2013, fire departments in the U.S. responded to 9,300 home structure fires started by candles. Those fires resulted in the deaths of 86 people, numerous injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage.

NC and SC Cited as ‘High Risk’ for Deer Collisions

December 19, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

A new report released by State Farm Insurance has found that both North Carolina and South Carolina are “high risk” states for deer accidents. South Carolina ranks 12th in the country, with 1 in 93 drivers filing a deer damage claim each year. North Carolina is close behind, with one annual deer damage claim for every 112 drivers.

These can be expensive accidents. The average deer damage claim in 2016 totaled nearly $4,000. They can also cause serious injuries and even death.

It is especially important that area motorists are on the lookout for deer during the fall driving season. Deer are most active and aggressive during the months of November and December. If you are driving this fall in rural areas of Upstate South Carolina or Western North Carolina, please keep your eyes open for deer.

Three Tips to Help You Avoid Deer Collisions

Watch for the Deer Crossing Signs

Those deer crossing signs are important. They are put up in areas where deer activity is known to be especially common. While deer accidents can certainly occur outside of those marked zones, you should remain especially vigilant when driving through a deer crossing area.

Is Talc Safe? Manufacturers Say Yes, But Juries Disagree

December 12, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

Serious questions have been raised about the safety of talc. The latest scientific research strongly suggests a link between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer.

If you believe that you or a family member has been a victim of talc-related ovarian cancer, you need to contact an experienced drug and product injury lawyer at Grimes Teich Anderson LLP as soon as possible. Our lawyers can comprehensively review your case and help you determine what to do next.

Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer: Recent Developments

Is Your Employer’s Financial Stability Putting Your Safety at Risk?

December 5, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

Your employer’s financial trouble could increase your risk of suffering physical harm. That is the finding of a groundbreaking new study that was conducted by Dr. Malcolm Wardlaw of the University of Texas at Dallas.

Dr. Wardlaw has found that there is a statistically significant correlation between an employer’s financial health and the actual health of the firm’s employees. Using years of comprehensive workplace injury data that was provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dr. Wardlaw found that financially distressed employers see more workplace accidents and injuries.

The results of this study are both alarming and unacceptable. We cannot let worker safety become the victim of a business’ financial problems. Worker safety must always come before cost-cutting.

Why Are More People Dying in Car Crashes?

November 5, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

A recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 35,092 people died in car accidents in the U.S. last year – a 7.2% spike over 2014, and the biggest increase in 50 years.

The increased deaths are not just for passenger vehicles, but across all categories: cars, trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, etc. According to the National Safety Council, North Carolina had the 5th highest increase in the number of car crash deaths in the United States from 2014 to 2015, a shocking 26% increase.

The sudden increase is surprising, since advances in safety, such as improved airbags, automated braking, backup cameras and blind spot warnings, should theoretically continue to prevent more and more accidents and make injuries less severe when they do happen.

Would Speed Limiters on Trucks and Buses Make Our Roads Safer or Just Slower?

October 31, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) are proposing a rule for heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks to be equipped with speed limiters (also called “speed governors”), preventing the vehicle from exceeding a set maximum speed. The maximum speeds suggested for the final rule are 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour. The government agencies involved say they will consider other speeds after receiving input from the public.

Speed limiters are being recommended in order to save lives and fuel costs. Heavy-duty vehicles inflict much more damage at high speeds than lighter-weight vehicles, so the hope is that capping speeds will reduce truck accident fatalities and serious injuries. According to NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind, “This is basic physics…. Even small increases in speed have large effects on the force of impact. Setting the speed limit on heavy vehicles makes sense for safety and the environment.”

Study Finds Drivers with ADHD Face Greater Risks of Car Crashes

September 22, 2016 | by Grimes Teich Anderson LLP

New research confirms that drivers affected by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to be involved in serious car crashes. An article in JAMA Psychiatry reports that drivers with ADHD are about 50 percent more likely to be in accidents as compared to the rest of the population.

The National Resource Center on ADHD notes that individuals with ADHD are prone to distraction, inattentiveness and impulsive behavior. These three issues also happen to be among the most common causes of car accidents.

To make matters even more challenging for parents of young drivers with ADHD, cell phones have become an increasingly tempting distraction. Parents need to be able to keep their young drivers safe. In the unfortunate event that a serious accident does occur, you need to have an experienced car accident attorney by your side throughout the claims process.

ADHD and Car Accidents: Understanding the Risks

According to a report from Reuters, a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry has found a clear link between ADHD and car accidents. After reviewing the driving history of more than 40,000 young drivers, the researchers determined that people with ADHD are 50 percent more likely to be involved in a serious car accident. This is a very alarming figure.