NHTSA Reports “Staggering” Commercial Truck Fatalities in 2020
In early March 2022, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) released their annual report on motor vehicle crashes and fatalities. Large truck fatalities in 2020, the most recent data available for analysis, were at some of their highest rates ever, prompting the Truck Safety Coalition to release a statement, calling the fatality figures…
Read MoreWhen a Failure to Communicate Leads to Catastrophic Injury
When you go to the doctor, you expect to receive proper and necessary treatment, including the correct medication, surgery, doctor, and care. Nobody assumes they will lose a limb because the doctor does not speak their language. However, this is exactly what happened to a patient in Knoxville, Tennessee. A recently-filed lawsuit alleges that a…
Read MoreExactech Knee and Ankle Implant Recall
Exactech, Inc., a company which manufactures products for joint replacements, has issued a recall of its knee and ankle polyethylene liners in the United States, as the inserts may fail and require revision surgery to replace. Since 2004, approximately 147,000 inserts have been used in joint replacement seugeries, which means thousands of people could potentially…
Read MoreVirginia Physician Found Dead One Week After Being Charged with Sexual Assault of a Child
Michael B. O’Brien, a former orthopedic surgeon from the Spotsylvania County region, has been found dead in his home. At this time, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office believe the death to be a suicide, and have not noted any foul play. Last week, O’Brien was charged with one count of forcible sodomy of a victim…
Read MoreThe Complications of Burn Injuries
Burns are some of the most common types of injuries. If you have had a mild sunburn or a reaction to a strong chemical like bleach, or if you have touched a hot pan while cooking, you have likely sustained a first-degree burn before. But just because something is common does not mean it is…
Read MoreGood vs. Uber – a $63 Million Question
Uber and Lyft have millions of users across the country. Whether you are looking for a safe ride home after having a few drinks with friends, need a lift to a doctor’s appointment, or simply want some dinner but do not feel like cooking, rideshare companies have you covered. This means there are also many,…
Read MoreReport: Large Trucks Overrepresented in Fatal Work Zone Crashes
A recent report from the Institute for Safer Trucking (IST) analyzed a wide variety of statistics from across the country regarding fatal large truck crashes. Using data collected from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), IST’s goal is to identify and reduce sources of big truck accidents and deaths.…
Read MoreFederal Program Now Allows Teen Truckers to Cross State Lines
The federal government is moving forward with a plan that allows truckers under the age of 21 to drive big rigs back and forth across state lines. Previously, truck drivers must be age 21 and up to cross state lines, but this new legislation implements an apprenticeship program that allows drivers ages 18 to 20…
Read MorePhelan Petty Secures $3 Million Jury Verdict for Fetal Death
Phelan Petty partners Jonathan M. Petty and Brielle M. Hunt were recognized by Virginia Lawyers Media for securing one of the top verdicts in Virginia for 2021. Their $3 million jury verdict in a fetal death case in Henrico County was listed as #3 for the year. This verdict was the first plaintiff’s verdict in…
Read MoreSpace Heaters Can Start Home Fires
As the weather grows cooler each year, people across the country turn to portable heaters to help warm their homes, and as they do, some space heaters start home fires causing deaths, injuries, and loss of property. Virginia consumers might imagine risk of space heater fires is linked to colder, northern climates, but when the…
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