Virginia Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Blog

Are autonomous vehicles safe? Self-driving cars and self-driving trucks are the future of transportation.  These vehicles are are also referred to as autonomous vehicles.  The future may be coming too soon for the safety of the motoring public and pedestrians. Autonomous vehicles use a combination of radar, lidar (complex sensors that use laser lights to…

After a truck accident, your personal safety should be your top priority. While may you feel fine immediately after a wreck, it is not uncommon for people to experience increasing pain and symptoms days later. Unfortunately, delaying treatment can negatively impact your personal injury claims. In this article, Phelan Petty’s truck wreck lawyers discuss the…

At Phelan Petty, we have the utmost respect for our country’s service members. Unfortunately, when the unthinkable happens and they’re injured by another government employee, they cannot file a lawsuit and demand compensation. This includes active service members who fall victim to medical malpractice at a military hospital. A controversial rule called the Feres doctrine…

You were doing everything right, but then your life changed with the flick of an eye. As you were stopped at a red light with a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, a semi-truck suddenly slammed into your vehicle from behind. Your head snapped forward and back, hitting the steering…

The birth of a child should be a beautiful, joyful experience. Throughout the process, it is the doctors and nurses’ duty to ensure the health and safety of both the mother and child. Unfortunately, a single moment or series of poor decisions can lead to improper medical care and a birth injury for the child…

If you are a sexual assault survivor, you deserve to have your voice heard. Sexual assault or abuse is traumatic, devastating, and wrong. You have rights and deserve justice. Unfortunately, myths, misconceptions, and challenges around the reporting process keep many survivors silent. In this article, Phelan Petty’s injury lawyers clarify common issues and misconceptions surrounding…

Recently, a case was filed by TorHoerman Law on behalf of a 19-year-old young man who quickly became addicted to vaping, smoking multiple JUUL “pods” per day. The 85-page Illinois JUUL e-cigarette lawsuit alleges that by age 22, the young man suffered multiple seizures, cognitive impairments, balance problems, mood disorder, permanent brain damage, and back…

We place a lot of trust in our doctors. When something goes wrong, it’s tempting to give them the benefit of the doubt and ignore our concerns. However, no one is infallible. At Phelan Petty, we believe that victims of medical malpractice deserve answers and accountability. If you believe that you are a victim of…

Many of us assume that as science and medicine evolve, birth injuries are becoming a thing of the past. However, an average of 76 children suffer birth injuries every day in the United States, and 50-80% of mothers experience tearing and trauma during labor and delivery. Unlike birth defects, which develop before birth, birth injuries…

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can have a devastating impact on your way of life and mental health. Unfortunately, both doctors and victims often disregard the symptoms of TBIs, even when they present themselves immediately following an incident. To make matters worse, sometimes symptoms do not appear until days or even weeks later. Overlooked and often…

Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft make local travel simple and convenient, and more Virginia residents than ever are using these apps. However, if you have been in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, determining liability can be extremely difficult. If you or someone you love were in a car accident while riding in an…

There is nothing more emblematic of summer than a road trip, but summer is also one of the most dangerous times to be on the road. More fatal car accidents involving teen drivers occur during the 100 Deadly Days of Summer than any other time of the year. Distracted driving is a common cause of…

E-Cigarette Explosion Breaks Jaw In March of 2018, a teenager in Salt Lake City was smoking a vape pen when it exploded in his mouth.  The emergency room physician who operated on the teen compared the boy’s e-cigarette explosion injury to “kind of like a close-range gunshot wound.”  Another treating physician said, “[t]hat’s an injury…

Most of us probably do not even think about the possibility of a car accident when we climb into an Uber or Lyft. But once a crash happens, you quickly realize that the aftermath of a rideshare wreck is anything but straightforward. How well do I really know this driver I just met? Who is…

Congress takes action on dangerous inclined baby sleepers Bills were introduced this week in the U.S. House and Senate to ban all infant sleeping devices with an incline greater than 10 degrees. This would bring the U.S. in-line with Canadian safety regulations regarding inclined baby sleepers. Millions of baby sleepers recalled Inclined baby sleepers are…

While we love nothing more than a good road trip, summer can be a dangerous time to drive. Not only are there more Virginians traveling, but they are also driving heavily-packed vehicles on busy roads during some of the most dangerous months for highway travel. Tire blowouts are an unsuspecting danger that can change lives…

Understand Virginia’s Bike Safety Laws to Have Fun and Stay Safe Virginia is a great state for bicycling, and Richmond is an especially terrific city for a brisk ride. Unfortunately, it seems the roads are becoming more dangerous for cyclists. According to research compiled by the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 13 fatal car…

Vaping nicotine is often touted as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes are extremely dangerous and extremely addictive. In recent years, use has exploded among middle and high school students. Keep reading to learn why the U.S. Surgeon General has declared underage vaping an epidemic, how to talk to your kids about the…

Kids II Sleeper Recall Highlights the Risk of Rocking Sleepers Kids II is recalling about 700,000 rocking baby sleepers sold since 2012 at Walmart, Target and Toys R Us.  Kids II manufactures baby products for brands such as Baby Einstein, Ingenuity, Bright Starts and Disney Baby. The Kids II Rocking Sleepers recall comes just two weeks…

During your personal injury claim, it’s more than likely that the insurance company will want to negotiate a settlement. In fact, most accident victims will eventually settle their claims. However, unless you’re careful, it’s easy to make costly mistakes that can reduce your settlement’s value. Are you considering filing a personal injury claim? Rather than…