Two friends were killed in a tragic accident along the Chippenham Parkway in Richmond, Virginia, Saturday afternoon. According to reports from CBS 6 News, the accident happened while the 27-year-old driver of the vehicle was speeding and texting while driving.

The accident happened at 4:35 PM as the driver was traveling north along the highway with a 22-year-old passenger. Right after the Stony Point exit, the driver was texting when she veered the vehicle across and over the center median and into southbound traffic where she collided with another car head-on. Both the driver and her passenger were declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the southbound vehicle was seriously injured, but was taken to VCU Medical Center, where he remains in serious by stable condition. Officers are still investigating the crash.

Legislation is currently before the Virginia General Assembly that would make texting and driving a primary offense–meaning the act would be enough for an officer to pull over and cite a driver. The law only makes texting and driving an offense now if officers catch the driver committing another crime while behind the wheel.

The Virginia car accident lawyers with Geoff McDonald and Associates ask motorists not to wait for legislation to pass to stop the dangerous behavior of texting and driving. Instead, choose not to use your phone while driving. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, contact an experienced attorney today.

The valet driver who hit and killed a woman in October of last year as finally been charged in connection with the accident. According to Channel 12 News, the driver was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter earlier this month.

The accident happened on a brisk fall evening near the intersection of 5th and Broad Streets in Downtown Richmond, Virginia. The 23-year-old victim and her husband were walking on the sidewalk near the Hilton Garden Inn when the young driver hit the couple as they attempted to cross a street at a crosswalk. The young woman was taken to VCU Medical Center, where she died a short time later.

The 26-year-old valet driver could face up to 20 years in prison and a five-year license suspension if convicted of the crime.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that nearly 4,092 pedestrian lives were lost and 59,000 injuries occurred in 2009, with a majority of these fatal pedestrian accidents happening at intersections with crosswalks.

While the number of pedestrian fatalities may be on a slow but steady decline, the Virginia auto accident lawyers with Geoff McDonald and Associates ask that pedestrians and motorists be cautious of one another and become educated on pedestrian safety. If you have been injured by a motorist at no fault of your own, contact an experienced attorney today.

A 58-year-old UPS truck driver from Chesterfield County, Virginia, died Wednesday morning as the result of a wreck in the tractor-trailer he was driving. According to reports from CBS 6 News in Richmond, the accident happened at around 1:20 AM along I-85, just outside Charlotte, North Carolina.

Witnesses say that the trucker was attempting to pass another vehicle when either a driver error or mechanical malfunction caused the tractor-trailer to leave the left side of the road and strike a bridge. North Carolina State Highway Patrol Spokesperson Sergeant K.L. Blakley said that it appears the driver was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the cab of the truck. He was declared dead at the scene when paramedics arrived.

Witnesses told troopers that a faulty tire might be to blame for causing the accident; however investigators said they could not confirm that, and they were still working to determine the cause of the crash.

Estimates by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicate that seat belt usage rates among commercial truck drivers were 78 percent in 2010. Data shows that truck drivers are 80 percent less likely to be killed in the event of a crash if they are buckled up.

That is why they Virginia truck accident attorneys with Geoff McDonald and Associates ask that all motorists buckle up before the vehicle moves. If you have been injured in a truck accident at no fault of your own, contact an experienced attorney today.

A local Virginia company is in hot water due to generators that were improperly installed at area homes and businesses. According to WRIC 8 News, state and local authorities are now investigating the company because of the risk of electrocution and explosion the faulty installations pose.

It all started after one homeowner purchased the $7,000 generator following Hurricane Irene, but it wasn’t until recently that the problems were discovered. County inspectors found two pages worth of code violations surrounding the installation of the generator. Some of those issues include:

• The unit was installed too close to a shed, causing a fire hazard.
• The piping entering the home from the unit was too small.
• The area where the piping enters the home was not properly sealed.

The Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection (CCDBI) stated that the company has failed to obtain proper permits to install the generators on at least five occasions. A spokesman for the department added that infractions like these put the generators’ users at great safety risks. The CCDBI has since taken action against the company by submitting a court injunction Friday that will require the business to temporarily shut down.

The Virginia defective product attorneys with Geoff McDonald and Associates often help the victims of defective product injuries receive the compensation they need to pay for their losses and medical bills. If you have been injured because of negligent design or installation of a product, call us today to discuss your case.

A seven-year-old girl died Monday afternoon following an allergic reaction to peanuts. CBS 6 News reported earlier today that the mother of the child is now questioning actions taken by the school and staff during the incident.

The tragedy occurred at Hopkins Elementary School at around 2:30 in the afternoon. A spokesman for the Chesterfield fire department, Lt. Jason Elmore, who also responded to the scene, stated that the young girl was in cardiac arrest by the time rescue crews were able to arrived. The child was pronounced dead at CJW Medical Center.

The tragedy has raised numerous questions in the mind of the child’s mother. Her main question seems to be how the child was exposed to the peanut product. Also, she wonders why the school’s clinical aid refused to take an Epipen from her to keep on hand for the child in case she became ill, in accordance with the school’s policy.

The most important question is why medical staff did not attempt to give the child Benadryl during the allergic reaction as instructed to do earlier in the year, again, according to policy.

The Virginia wrongful death attorneys with Geoff McDonald & Associates say that it is vital to be able to prove negligence and fault on another person’s part in order to have a successful wrongful death case. They say one of the best ways to do this is to show a caregiver did not properly follow policy and procedure in the care of a patient.

A driver was arrested on charges of reckless driving and drug possession in Henrico, Virginia, after driving his truck into a utility pole. According to CBS 6 News, the man admitted to officers he was texting at the time of the crash.

The accident occurred last Saturday at the intersection of West Nine Mile Road and Bridge Street. A search of the vehicle by police uncovered drugs in the car. The man was subsequently charged with reckless driving for texting while behind the wheel and possession of marijuana.

Although the driver was not hurt, the accident serves as a lesson to others of the dangers that distracted driving poses.

Researchers with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have found that cell phone use while driving is directly correlated with distracted driving fatalities in our country.

The Virginia auto accident attorneys with Geoff McDonald and Associates encourage drivers to put the phones down while behind the wheel of the car. If you have been injured by a distracted driving accident, contact an experienced attorney today to get the help you need.

A 2-year-old Richmond, Virginia, toddler isn’t expected to suffer any permanent injuries after being hit by an SUV in the driveway of a home. Channel 12 News reported yesterday that the accident occurred at around 2:00 in the afternoon Tuesday on Powell Road in South Richmond.

The Richmond Police Department has not released many details regarding the case, but has confirmed that the child was hit, and not run over, in a driveway. The child was taken to the VCU Medical Center to receive treatment. The toddler, whose third birthday is less than a week away, was last listed in good condition and is expected to make a full recovery soon.

Police say their investigation continues, as they look to find out how far the vehicle rolled before the accident occurred and who was driving the SUV, in order to determine fault in the case.

According to KidsandCars.org, a non-profit organization aimed at ending accidents involving children and motor vehicles, 136 children died nationwide last year in similar accidents, 15 of which occurred in Virginia. That number was even higher in 2009 with 175 deaths.

The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys with Geoff McDonald & Associates would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists to be vigilant of your surroundings at all times when behind the wheel. Another important step is double-checking your mirrors before backing out. Many of the back-over accidents that occur are preventable if a driver simply looks twice before moving a vehicle.

According to WVEC News, A Newport,Virginia, hospital is battling the problem of surgeons leaving gauze in patients by utilizing a new machine, called RF Assure detection system, that can sense the foreign objects in the body before a doctor closes up a patient.

Makers of the machine say that it uses radio frequencies to scan the body for foreign objects, such as gauze pads, that could create a severe infection inside a patient if not removed at a surgery’s completion. Officials at Riverside say they received the machine for free, but have to pay roughly $60,000 per year for supplies for the machine. They say this is a small price to pay to prevent a multi-million dollar lawsuit that could be caused by a mistake.

It is estimated that roughly 1,500 patients per year have a foreign object left behind in their body after surgery. Studies show that the problem occurs most frequently during cesarean sections. Complications can include infection and possible erosion of the bowel.

Doctors at Riverside say that despite using the machine regularly, the staff still counts all the medical supplies before and after surgery to ensure nothing is missing.

The Virginia Medical Malpractice Attorneys with Geoff McDonald & Associates are glad to see hospitals in the area using state-of-the-art technology to prevent patient injuries during and post surgery. If you have been injured due to a doctor’s negligence, contact an attorney today for a free initial consultation.

A Sussex County Sheriff’s Deputy and another man were injured following a head-on collision this morning. According to CBS 6 News, the crash occurred while the deputy was responding to a crash involving two tractor-trailers on I-95.

Investigators stated that the trooper had his lights on as he sped down Route 40 to the scene of the tractor-trailer crash. Virginia State Police Sergeant Michelle Anaya stated the deputy lost control of his vehicle. The squad car went off the road and the deputy over-corrected, causing him to collide head-on with a blue sedan. Both the deputy and the other victim were unresponsive when they arrived. Paramedics quickly called in a Med-Flight helicopter to transport both victims to local hospitals for treatment.

The Deputy remains in serious but stable condition this afternoon. The condition of the other victim has not been released. The accident remains under investigation by state police.

Specific injuries a victim can sustain in head-on collisions include:

• Brain Injury
• Broken Bones
• Burns
• Death
• Head Injury
• Lacerations and Bruises
• Spinal Cord Injuries, including Paralysis
• Whiplash

The Virginia Auto Accident Attorneys with Geoff McDonald & Associates have experience handling cases for victims who were hurt in accidents at no fault of their own. If you have been injured in a car accident, contact us today for a free initial consultation.

Under normal circumstances, we tend to believe that drinking fruit juice is supposed to be good for us. New data released by a Consumer Reports study shows that the opposite may be true. They say that some commercial fruit juices may contain levels of arsenic and lead that are above safe limits.

Researchers collected 88 samples from 28 apple and three grape juices available in most grocery stores. Of the samples taken, 10 percent of the samples contained total arsenic levels above the standard allowed for drinking water–10 parts per billion (ppb). Lead levels at or above the 5 ppb limit also were found in 25 percent of all juice samples.

Sampled Brands Include:

• Apple & Eve (Apple)
• Wal-Mart Great Value (Apple)
• Mott’s (Apple)
• Welch’s (Grape)
• Walgreen’s (Grape)

Advocates for the Juice Product Association stated juice was safe for all consumers and that the industry, “Adheres to FDA guidelines.” However, there is no guideline set for toxins in fruit juice. In September, the FDA said it was considering setting one. Their report advises officials to set total arsenic limits in apple and grape juice at a maximum amount of 3 ppb. For lead, the recommendation is to at least meet the 5 ppb limit set for bottled water.

The Virginia Defective Product Attorneys with Geoff McDonald & Associates think commercial food manufacturers have a responsibility to supply consumers with safe food and beverages. Are current standards safe? Tell us what you think by posting to our Facebook page.