Fayetteville Personal Injury Law Legal Blog

What should you know about electrical injury?

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in personal injury on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

As a resident of North Carolina, you most likely work with electricity in some form every day. Whether it's the coffee maker you rely on to help wake you up or the electronics you use for communication, navigation and work, you are constantly exposing yourself to electricity. This means you're also constantly exposing yourself to the dangers related to electricity.

FindLaw states that electric shock from consumer products contributes to up to 70 fatalities every year. This isn't even counting shocks that may come from other sources, such as faulty wiring in a workplace. In fact, they state that in the workplace, electrocution is one of the most common sources of injury. 9 percent of workplace fatalities every year are due to electric shock of some kind.

Who is responsible for a child getting hurt on personal property?

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in personal injury on Monday, June 3, 2019.

Like other responsible parents in North Carolina, you may have taught your children not to go onto others’ property without permission. However, as you may be aware, children do not always follow the rules, especially if they are younger or are influenced by their friends. Attractive nuisance law exists to protect children who may wander onto others’ property and get hurt.

FindLaw explains that an attractive nuisance is something on someone’s property that may be dangerous, yet can entice curious children. For example, your neighbor may have a backyard pond or swimming pool, which, as you can imagine, may be irresistible to children during the hot summer months. As such, property owners are required to take reasonable measures to discourage or prevent children from accessing an attractive nuisance on their property. These safeguards may include the following:

Installing a high, locked fence around a yard that contains a pool or pond
Putting up warning signs about an aggressive dog in the yard or keeping the dog inside the home
Locking a shed containing power tools and other dangerous equipment
Not keeping the keys to a riding lawnmower in the ignition

How often are truck drivers abusing drugs and alcohol?

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in truck accidents on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.

If you feel uneasy anytime you find yourself driving near a semi-truck, you are not alone. Trucks, based on size and weight alone, pose a substantial threat to everyone else on the roadway, and the fact that many of today’s truck drivers are abusing drugs and alcohol makes sharing the road with these vehicles more dangerous than ever.

Just how prevalent is the substance abuse problem in the trucking industry? According to the American Addiction Centers, a series of 13 studies on truck driver substance abuse conducted between 2000 and 2013 revealed some extremely troubling statistics surrounding trucker substance abuse. In fact, the results of those 13 studies revealed that alcohol abuse is a particularly notable problem in the industry, with up to 91% of commercial truckers surveyed acknowledging drinking while on the clock.

Underriding collisions often have devastating consequences

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. on Friday, May 10, 2019.

Colliding with a semitrailer can cause you and the other occupants of your vehicle serious injuries or death. All collisions between semitrailers and passenger vehicles are dangerous, but underriding collisions are one of the most serious types of collision you could experience.

Underriding collisions occur when a passenger vehicle slides or is pushed under the semitrailer, which can happen because of the semitrailer’s high ground clearance. When an underriding incident occurs, the edge of the semitrailer can crush or shear off the top of the passenger vehicle, often with deadly results for the vehicle’s occupants.

Could your post-crash back pain indicate serious injury?

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in car accidents on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

Are you a resident of North Carolina who has recently been involved in a car crash? Depending on the type of crash and its severity, you might find yourself suffering from various aches and pains throughout your body. While some of these may be mild, others can be signs of serious health issues.

Back pain is something you should pay close attention to. It may be immediate and painful. FindLaw states that back pain can also appear after a crash rather than immediately, leading to drivers just like you discovering that they have whiplash or more severe damage days or even weeks after the initial impact.

Talking with your loved ones after a car crash

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in car accidents on Friday, April 12, 2019.

Motor vehicle collisions can be traumatic from an emotional standpoint, and they can also bring on many different financial hurdles and physical challenges too. People who are involved in these wrecks often suffer in many different ways, and they might have a lot of difficulties to overcome. It is pivotal for car crash victims to explore all of the legal options they have and any other resources that may be able to help them recover, such as their loved ones. For example, an accident victim may want to discuss the prospect of filing suit with their spouse.

There are a number of reasons why it may be so important to discuss an accident with loved ones. You may want your children to understand that you will be unable to participate in certain events and activities due to the accident, and you may want to talk with your husband or wife about how you will need to take time off work. Moreover, you may want to talk with a parent about some of your legal options and ask for their opinions on various issues. It is also helpful to discuss these situations with legal professionals in many cases.

What should you do after a car accident?

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in car accidents on Sunday, April 7, 2019.

As you drive along North Carolina’s roads, highways and freeways, you undoubtedly see your fair share of accidents. You may even have been involved in one or more of them yourself. If you have been fortunate enough to remain accident free, have you ever stopped to wonder what you should do after becoming involved in one?

FindLaw explains that, should you ever find yourself involved in an accident, the first thing you should do is stay at the scene. Even if the accident is a minor one with only minimal property damage, you should stay there until law enforcement officers get there and say you can leave. If you leave too soon, they may charge you you with leaving the scene or, worse yet, with hit and run.

Understanding the top causes of truck accidents

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in truck accidents on Monday, March 25, 2019.

Large tractor trailers are a vital part of the American economic system and people depend on these massive vehicles to deliver much needed goods to all parts of the country. Yet the sheer size and weight of commercial vehicles makes them more dangerous to other drivers on the road. In 2017 alone, 4,657 people were killed in large truck accidents, which is an increase from the 4,251 people who were killed in similar accidents the year before, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is critical that all drivers understand the top causes of large truck accidents so they can minimize their risk of being involved in a catastrophic collision.

One of the most common causes of truck accidents involves truck drivers who are distracted, fatigued or otherwise negligent in operating the vehicle. Truckers are behind the wheel for long periods of time, making it easy to become desensitized to matters occurring on the road. There are federal regulations requiring truckers to take rest and sleep breaks, as well as prohibiting truckers from engaging in distractive behaviors while behind the wheel.

The dangers of driving at night

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in car accidents on Friday, March 8, 2019.

Driving always comes with a certain amount of risk, but car accidents at night are especially harrowing. According to the National Safety Council, you are three times more likely to suffer a fatal crash at night. At the law offices of Wade E. Byrd in North Carolina, we are familiar with the devastation that is caused by car wrecks after dark.

NSC lists several factors that make driving at night more hazardous. One of the main issues with night driving is impaired vision. Depth and color perception are both affected by low light conditions. Unfortunately, reduced vision impacts response time and leads to accidents.

Auto accidents and severe lacerations

On behalf of Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. posted in car accidents on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

From a broken back to neck injuries and brain trauma after hitting one’s head, there are many different ways in which car crash victims are injured in wrecks. However, some types of injuries receive less attention even though they can create many challenges in a victim’s life. For example, some people suffer severe lacerations in car crashes, which can not only cause a great deal of pain and permanent scarring but may get in the way of their ability to work and result in significant medical costs.

People sustain deep cuts in a car crash in a number of ways. Sometimes, someone is struck by an object during the crash, while other people may suffer a laceration due to shards of glass. Laceration may also occur when a broken bone pierces through the victim’s skin. People may sustain deep cuts on their face, hands and other visible parts of their body, and these injuries can be deeply troubling for a variety of reasons.