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Recent Updates
June 21, 2010
Death Resulting from Work Injury
June 14, 2010
Tippecanoe County Jail Inmate Receives Incorrect Medical Treatment
June 11, 2010
Bus Accident Leaves One Dead and Several Injured
May 18, 2010
Indiana Medical Malpractice & Wrongful Death ? Rights to My Loved One?s Patient Medical Records
May 07, 2010
Hamilton County Indiana Jail Death
May 03, 2010
One Worker Dead Following Indiana Construction Accident
April 27, 2010
Car Accident Indianapolis Results in Serious Injuries
April 19, 2010
Trucking Accident Northern Indiana
March 29, 2010
Press Release from NTSA
March 24, 2010
Pallet Falls, Kills Kroger Employee
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents include single vehicle accidents, accidents involving semi-trucks and motorcycles, and accidents in which a pedestrian or bicyclist are struck. In 2005 there were nearly 6,420,000 automobile accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 42,642 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2006. This equates to approximately 117 people a day -- one death every 12 ?? minutes. In fact, car accidents are listed as the number one killer of teenagers in the United States. The financial cost for these automobile accidents is more than 230 Billion Dollars per year. In Indiana, if you are in an automobile accident, it is important to file a report with the appropriate police authority before leaving the scene of the accident. Doing this will document the accident for insurance purposes and result in a police accident report that will include statements from the drivers and witnesses. The report will also confirm the presence or absence of injuries, any traffic or road conditions which contributed to the accident, and document the weather. The investigating officer will also list what he or she believes to be the primary cause for the accident. Although not usually admissible in a court of law, police accident reports are extremely important to insurance companies who often make liability decisions based on the report. If you are injured in the accident, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. It is also important to take photographs of the vehicles involved and all of the injuries sustained as soon as possible and continue photographic documentation of the injuries throughout the duration of the treatment. For more information, call or email the attorneys at Wagner Reese & Crossen.
Galena IN US 150 Truck Crash
Posted by: Steve Wagner
December 12, 2008
A semi-truck driver died after being trapped in the cab of his truck that caught fire following a crash in the 7300 block of US 150 just west of Featherengill Road in Galena, Indiana. David Purlee of Salem, Indiana, died December 2, 2008 when a Toyota Camry heading westbound on US 150 crossed the center line and struck the semi. Patrick Best, the driver of the Camry, was flown to University Hospital in Louisville with serious but not life threatening injuries.
The police will most certainly perform an accident reconstruction to determine why the Camry crossed the center line. Causes of cross over accidents include medical emergencies, cell phone use, overcorrection, and sometimes simple inattention. Although state police accident reconstructionists are capable, the victims of accidents like this should always consider hiring an attorney to conduct an independent investigation. A diligent personal injury attorney will almost always obtain independent witness statements, retain a top notch accident reconstructionist, and take proper measures to preserve evidence such as the "black box" from the Camry and the truck.
Noble County Tractor Trailer Crash
Posted by: Steve Wagner
December 02, 2008
A fatal crash at the intersection of US 33 and CR 200N on November 29, 2008 involving a tractor trailer remains under investigation. The accident killed two young men, Andrew Hill of West Lafayette and Jeremy Tuttle of Albion. The driver of the tractor trailer was taken to a local hospital with leg injuries.
In any semi crash, one of the key facts that is investigated is the driver's hours of service ("HOS"), as it is proven that fatigue is a major cause of tractor trailer crashes. Obviously, when an 80,000 pound truck collides with a 2,500 pound car, the results are often tragic. Because of this deadly potential, ensuring that drivers do not exceed the allowed HOS is extremely important.
Under the current FMCS regulations effective in 2004, truck drivers can drive 11 straight hours a day, unload for 3 hours, rest 10 hours, and then do it all over again. Before 2004, drivers were limited to 10 hours of driving in a 15-hour workday and were required to take 8 hours off.
