$3.25 Million Settlement in Bus Crash - Driver Fell Asleep

In 2009, a bus filled with mostly senior citizens was returning from a casino when it veered into the median, crossed the oncoming lanes of traffic and turned on its side in a ditch. The cause of the collision was that the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Later investigations revealed that the driver had been previously diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in 2001 at Mayo Clinic,  but refused treatment.

The company that owed the bus should have never allowed this driver to operate this bus with the medical condition he was in at the time of the crash. 

If they would have properly conducted routine medical evaluations, they would have determined that he was diagnosed with the severe sleep apnea at least 8 years before the collision. Companies that blatantly disregard the safety of others, must be held accountable.

Though money cannot reverse catastrophic injury or replace lost loved ones, it can  help you provide security to families who have been harmed by others and allow them to try and rebuild their lives.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of the wrongdoing of another, contact us a Linton & Associates for a free consultation. We have the knowledge and the resources available to hold accountable those responsible for your injuries.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

Keywords:  Bus Crash, Settlements, Driver Fatigue, Alabama Injury Attorney

Strip Club Hit With $1.75 Million Verdict

A DeKalb County, Georgia jury has awarded $1.75 million to the mother of a woman who was killed in a car wreck in 2008. On Labor Day weekend, three years ago, a man who was over-served alcohol by a strip club and attempted to drive home. 

The victim was 22 years old when she was killed, and left behind two small children.

At the time of the collision, the drunk driver was traveling the wrong way on I-20 with a blood alcohol level of 0.398.

The man's blood alcohol level was so high that there was no way that employees of the strip club would not have noticed. In fact, his blood content was almost five times the legal limit which is a level often causing loss of consciousness, loss of bladder control, decreased breathing, coma, and even death. In other words, his level of intoxication was far beyond that which might go unnoticed by others and so high, in fact, that most would be unable to operate a vehicle at all.

The purpose behind a given state's Dram Shop Law is simple -- to discourage a vendor from continuing to serve alcohol to a person that is clearly past their legal limit.  Since the bartender has the choice to stop or continue serving the customer, he or she should be held liable when they ignore the signs of heavy intoxication that later cause major death or injury to another.

How is it that none of the employees at this establishment knew he was this intoxicated or how many drinks they had served him?

$3 Million Jury Award in Tired Trucker Accident

A  federal jury in Florida has awarded the family of a 33-year-old man who was killed in 2009 by a fatigued truck driver $3 million. The case involved a collision between two commercial tractor-trailers. The driver of the at-fault truck failed to yield the right of way and caused the victim's truck to hit the back of her truck.

The at-fault driver testified in court that she saw lights coming, but felt that they were far away. Testimony revealed that she had been on duty for about 19 hours prior to the accident, which was in violation of the 14-hour "Hour of Service" Rule of the Motor Carrier Safety Act.

Unfortunately, large companies routinely push commercial truck drivers to break the law in order to make delivery deadlines. It is a very common practice and is responsible for many injuries and deaths each year in our country. These companies have to be held accountable and forced to stop making shipping deadlines more important that human lives.

From 1986-2006, there was a 49 percent increase in registered large trucks, equaling 8.8 million trucks throughout the country and a 76 percent hike in miles traveled by large trucks. Tractor-trailers pose a much greater risk of being involved in a rollover or jack-knife accident, due to their immense size. The national 2007 facts about truck accidents are unsettling:

• There were 4,584 trucks involved in fatal accidents.
• There were 4,808 fatalities in crashes involving semi-trucks.
• There were 139,587 commercial trucks involved in non-fatal accidents.
• There were 56,487 semi-trucks involved in injury collisions.
• There were 83,908 injuries in crashes involving commercial trucks.
• There were 83,100 trucks involved in tow away accidents.
• There were 2,248 large trucks involved in Hazmat placard crashes.

Source, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS)

If you or someone you love has been injured by the wrongdoing of another, contact us today at Linton & Associates for your free consultation. We will fight for you against these large companies and ensure that they are held accountable for the injuries that they have caused you to suffer.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

Keywords:  At-Fault Driver Accidents, Semi-Tractor Trailer Accidents, Settlements, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death

Family Awarded $2.9 Million

The family of a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a 2004 hit-and-run crash while she was trying to cross a road has been awarded $2.9 million by a Bucks County, Pennsylvania judge.  The case was decided without a jury.

The girl, who was about to begin ninth grade, fell victim to a hit-and-run accident and killed by a 21-year-old who was intoxicated at the time and was driving with a suspended license. The at-fault driver was arrested for hit-and-run DUI and later plead guilty and is still in prison today. No amount of money will bring this precious little girl back to her family.

However, it allows the family to hold on to the fact that the person responsible for killing their daughter is being held responsible and is not just going to be free to do this to other innocent victims.

If you or someone you love have been injured as a result of someone's  carelessness or recklessness, contact Linton & Associates today for your free consultation. We are Alabama injury lawyers that come to you no matter where you are located. We have the knowledge and the resources to hold accountable those that harm you.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, DUI Accidents, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

Keywords:  Hit-And-Run, Hit and Run, DUI Accidents, Pedestrian Hit and Run, 14-Year Old Pennsylvania Girl Hit and Run, Personal Injury, Family Settlement

$11 Million Settlement Reached in Brain Injury Case

A 19-year-old Virginia woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a traffic crash, has settled her case for $11 million with the owner of a van that crossed the center line on a wet two-lane highway. 

She was a backseat passenger in the vehicle that was hit by the van. She incurred $562,043 in medical bills for the treatment of these injuries after the crash.

Currently, Alabama’s statute of limitations for bringing a personal injury or wrongful death claim is two years from the date of the accident. So, if you’ve been injured in an auto accident, consult with an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law to discuss your situation – and do so well before that deadline. As always, consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.

Before the injury, the woman participated in softball and gymnastics and took advanced placement classes in high school. The woman now has the functional abilities of a 12-year-old and her doctors feel that it is unlikely that she will ever recover any more intellectual capacity.

Unfortunately, these injuries happen too frequently and they are often the result of the wrongdoing of someone else. Likewise, when these injuries do happen, insurance companies refuse to do the right thing and if they are not forced into accountability, the victim suffers a second injustice to them.

At Linton & Associates, we are Alabama personal injury lawyers - committed to helping our clients recover the justice that they deserve. If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of the wrongdoing of someone else, contact us today for your free evaluation. We have the knowledge, experience and resources able to hold those that injured you accountable.

Source:  Lawyersusaonline.com

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

Keywords: Traumatic Brain Injury, Personal Injury, Car Wrecks, Motor Vehicle Accident, $11,000,000 Settlement, 19-Year Old Virginia Woman

What Are The Real Motives Of Your Insurance Company

Being a personal injury / auto accident attorney brings me into many situations that one would not want to be in. The facts that I have been told over the last few days bring that even further to light and have given me a boost of energy to my fight against insurance companies ripping you off. No matter what we have to do, Linton & Associates is going to fight to protect you and make the insurance companies do the right thing.

Last week I was approached by a potential client that lost his teenage son in an car accident. There are many questions that this father has regarding the circumstances around his death and he is past the initial shock of losing his child and he is now seeking answers. As is to be expected, he and his wife were so devastated by the loss of their child that calling an attorney was not high on their list of things to do and if we lived in a perfect world, it should not be high on their list. After being contacted several months after the car accident took place, we attempted to investigate as to whether or not there is a potential claim. But, once again, we have come across a real life example of an insurance company going to extreme measures to put profits ahead of policy holders.

Jury Awards $17 Million Verdict In Doctor's Death

A San Diego jury recently awarded $17.4 million in damages to the family of a 41 year old Naval surgeon, who was killed while he was riding his bicycle when he was struck by an ambulance owned by American Medical Response, Inc. 

The verdict is believed to be the largest ever individual wrongful death verdict in San Diego county. The Doctor was an orthopedic trauma surgeon who served as director of Orthopedic Trauma, tumor and Reconstructive Services at the Naval hospital in San Diego. source: Daily Journal

At Linton & Associates we are Alabama injury attorneys that are here to help you bring the responsible parties to justice if you or a loved one are injured as a result of the negligent conduct of another party. We are personal injury attorneys that put you first. Contact us today for a free evaluation.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death

Keywords:  Wrongful Death, Settlements, San Diego Jury, 41-Year Old Naval Surgeon

Jury Awards $5,000,000 Verdit in Commercial Bus Crash

A New York County jury returned a verdict in the amount of $5,000,000 on behalf of a 48 year old advertising executive who was a passenger in a motor vehicle which was rear-ended by a commercial bus. As a result, he suffered mild traumatic brain injury.

If you or a loved on has been injured by a commercial vehicle, contact Linton & Associates for a free consultation and review of your case.

Linton & Associates has the knowledge and resources to hold the responsible parties accountable for the pain they have caused you and your family.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

Keywords: New York County Jury Awards $5M, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury,

Jury Awards $11.8 Million in Drunk Driving Accident

A Maryland jury awarded more than $11.8 million last month to a man whose car was rear-ended by a repeat drunk driver in August, 2007.

Michael W. Harris, the Plaintiff, developed a painful and debilitating nerve condition as a result of the crash that has largely confined him to a wheelchair. 

On the afternoon of August 28, 2007, Harris, then working as a landscaper, was stopped at an intersection when the drunk driver hit him from behind.

The driver fled the scene, and when she was finally stopped, she failed two field sobriety tests and was booked for DUI. The woman had a long history of DUIs and was convicted of a separate DUI about a week after the Harris accident. Source: Lawyers USA Online

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a drunk driver contact us today at Linton & Associates. We are personal injury lawyers that put you first. We have the experience and resources to to bring the responsible party to justice.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death. 

Keywords:  DUI, Drunk Driving Settlement Maryland, Personal Injury

Railroad Settles Wrongful Death Suite for $4 Million

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed over the death of a ten-year-old girl. In the first phase of the trial, involving only compensatory damages, a Missouri jury returned a verdict for $4 million. The second phase, involving punitive damages, followed, but the case was settled before that phase could be completed. The parties actually reached a settlement while they jury was deliberating. BNSF agreed to pay the full judgment of $4 million within ten days with no appeal.

The child, Shelby Wilson, was a passenger in a car that was struck by one of BNSF's trains at a rural crossing. The company failed to mark the crossing with lights and a gate. It was only marked with warning signs. The state had ordered the more stringent measure nearly a year before the accident. There was a dispute over whether the driver of the car was at fault and caused the accident. But the jury ruled against BNSF on that issue. source: Lawyers USA Online

If you or someone close to you has been injured at a poorly marked railroad crossing, Linton & Associates, LLC has the knowledge and resources to help you hold these companies accountable for your loss. Contact us today at http://www.linton-associates.com/

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.

$3,019,955 Jury Verdict in Unisured Motorist Lawsuit

A Plainitiff, insured by State Farm, was awarded $3,019,955 last month by a Florida jury in a case arising out of a motor vehicle accident. A motorist ran a stop sign and collided with the Plaintiff's vehicle. The Plaintiff was badly injured in this collision. At the time of the accident, he was on a year's retirement leave from his teaching job where he had taught for 35 years. The driver who ran the stop sign only carried $25,000 policy limits. The Plaintiff had an under-insured motorist policy with State Farm that carried a policy limit of $2,000,000. State Farm refused to pay the Plaintiff what he was owed under the policy so he was left with no choice but to file suit. State Farm's lawyer asked the jury to only award the Plaintiff $400,000. Source: lehighacrescitizen.com Clearly the jury saw the insurance company for what they are. Greedy for your premium, but absent when it's time to be there for you. If you or someone close to you is not being treated fairly by an insurance company, let Linton & Associates stand up for you. We are here to force the insurance company to do the right thing.

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.