While we all know that tax time can be a stressful time, a new study shows that it can also be a dangerous time on the roadways.  According to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association the odds of getting into a fatal crash increase by 6% on tax filing day.  The study looked at the 6,783 people who died in car crashes in the United States over the last 30 years on April 15th, compared to the same day week before and week after.  The results show a 6% increase in the number of fatal auto accidents.

This is no surprise to Norfolk Auto Accident Attorney Brother Rutter.  "Stress leads to distraction, which ultimately leads to unfortunate accidents.  Whether it is taxes, or a cell phone a driver who is not focused is a dangerous driver."  Dr. Donald Redelmeier who wrote the study adds "One explanation is that stressful deadlines lead to driver distraction and worsen short-term human error."

Because we all share the roadways, this heightened risk does not just apply to late filers but to everyone on the road.   Stay focused on the roadways this tax season and be aware of the possibility of heightened danger in the cars around you.

A new law in the state of Virginia has cracked down on drivers who are convicted of DUI.  Beginning 7/1/12 anyone convicted of driving under the influence will be required to have their car equipped with an ignition interlock device.  The required device is a personal Breathalyzer that drivers mudt blow into before the vehicle will start.  Even a trace amount of alcohol in the drivers' system will prevent the car from starting.

This new law is just one of many measures that the state is taking to crack down on DUI's.  In 2010 37% of fatal accidents in the state of Virginia were alcohol related.  While many may object to certain details of this new law, the fact remains that DUI's are a real problem in our state and our country.

As auto accident lawyers in the state of Virginia, we see our fair share of injuries caused by drunk drivers.  Many of these accidents are absolute tragedies where a client was struck by a drunk driver causing serious injuries and even death.  Every one of these accidents is a tragedy and can be prevented by drivers choosing to make the right decision.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an auto accident due to someone else's negligence, contact the auto accident attorneys of Rutter Mills today for a free, no obligation consultation of your legal rights.

St. Patricks day is notoriously known as one of the most prevalent holidays for drunk driving.  The fact that this holiday falls on a Saturday this year does not help matters.  Local police will be out in full force with checkpoints and safety checks to do what they can to crack down on drunk driving, but they can only do so much.

This holiday weekend if you plan on drinking, please be smart and plan ahead so you don't take the chance of driving drunk.  Remember, even one or two drinks can impair your driving ability and drastically increase your risk for causing an accident.  Don't take the risk of causing an accident and hurting yourself and others in our community.

For the rest of us, be aware of your surroundings and understand that there is an increased risk on the roadways this weekend.  If you or someone you know is injured in an auto accident due to the negligence of another driver, call the personal care attorneys at Rutter Mills for a free, no obligation consultation of your legal rights.

Be Safe this Weekend!

The estate of a man killed in a 2009 motor vehicle crash were awarded a $2.5 million civil settlement yesterday.  The defendent driver was traveling 94 mph when he collided with a car driven by the plaintiff.  Both passengers were killed in the accident, a male and a female both only 19 years old.  

Wrongful Death lawsuits are always a tragedy, and require a special kind of attorney to handle the case.  The Rutter Mills Wrongful Death Litigation team consists of a group of compassionate lawyers with many years of experience with Wrongful Death claims.  If you or someone you know has suffered the tragedy of a Wrongful Death, contact Rutter Mills today so we can help your familly through this tragedy.

Every year when major "drinking" holidays such as New Year's Eve come around there is a big emphasis on taking measures to prevent drunk driving.  These measures are great, and if they even prevent one person from drinking and driving they are a success.  That being said, drunk driving is more than just a holiday problem. and continues to be just as dangerous throughout the year.  

The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a safety alert in 2009, noting the dangerous nature of Drunk Drivers in the U.S.  Below are a few startling statistics to consider:

- One alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurs every 45 minues

- 10,839 people died in the U.S. from alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2009

- Drivers with a B.A.C. of over .15 or people who were repeat offenders with a drunk driving arrest were involved in more than 70% of the fatal crashes.

These statistics are disheartening, and should serve as a reminder to all of us to be extra careful of other drivers on the roads, as it seems that some drunk drivers refuse to learn their lesson.  If you are the victim of a car accident because of the negligence of another driver, contact the personal care attorneys of Rutter Mills today for a free consultation of your legal rights.  

An $8.8 Million settlement was awarded to the family of a woman killed in an automobile accident.  The woman and her husband were struck by a teen driver who was not only speeding, but texting while driving.  After further investigation it was found that the teen was texting his girlfirend when the accident occured, and had sent a total of 127 texts that day.

Texting and driving is a serious problem on our roadways, and this is just one of many extremely sad cases that result from this extremely wreckless activity.  Texting and driving can change lives in an instant, and is never worth the risk.  If you are a parent of a teen, please express the importance of not texting while driving.  

If you have been injured in an auto accident, or are the victim of another driver's negligence - contact the personal injury lawyers of Rutter Mills today.

Please join us in saying "Thank You" to those who have served our country, and their family members who have so proudly supported them over the years.

To all of the Veterans who have proudly served our country, we want to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" for all that you have done for the rest of us.  You have all given so much for us to enjoy the freedom that we do.
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

A 60 year old pedestrian who was walking across a parking lot toward a grocery store in Richmond last year was struck and run over by a defendant driver.  The defendant motorist who was backing out of a parking space was unaware she had struck the plaintiff, and continued backing until a witness on the sidewalk started screaming at her to stop.  The plaintiff, who was trapped under the car until being extricated by the fire department suffered multiple injuries including several fractures.
The jury found that the motorist was negligent in failing to maintain a proper lookout, and awarded the plaintiff with a $1,250,000 settlement.
If you are injured as a result of someone else's negligence, contact the personal care attorneys of Rutter Mills for a free, no obligation consultation of your legal rights.   

In these tough and uncertain economic times, the last thing most families want to do is to obligate themselves to pay larger monthly auto insurance premiums. What you may not realize is that the savings of ten or fifteen dollars a month in insurance premiums may cost you dearly if you are in a car accident.

Take this scenario for example: middle aged family man gets home from work one afternoon. He decides to head out for a haircut. While driving through an intersection with a green light, his car is struck by another motorist who neglects to stop for the red light. The man driving to the haircut is seriously injured. It takes some time for him to recover from his injuries. The person who caused the wreck has a minimum limits Virginia liability auto insurance policy ($25,000.00). So does the injured man who turns out to be our client. For settlement purposes, the man’s personal injury case is worth in the neighborhood of $85,000.00. He will never be fully compensated because the most he can recover from insurance in this example is $25,000.00. Had the client raised his own insurance coverage to $100,000.00, he would have been able to recover the full settlement value of his claim by tapping into the underinsurance coverage available under in his own auto policy. The cost per month for this additional insurance coverage would only have been about the same as he would have paid for a decent haircut! This situation is not an isolated incident. We have had numerous clients at Rutter Mills who have been in the same or worse situations.

You must plan ahead to protect yourself and your family from the risk of being the victim of someone’s carelessness. Look at your insurance policy. If you have minimum liability and underinsured motorist coverage ($25,000.00), speak with your insurance agent or insurance company. Get quotes for premiums which will give you higher policy limits. Then make a decision which will protect you and your loved ones from being a victim of the negligence of another.

A $3,000,000 settlement was awarded to the estate of a man who was killed in an auto accident.  The accident, which took place in March of 2009 involved a man traveling with his son and daughter in law who were struck at an intersection by a negligent driver driving a truck owned by a local Service Center truck.

If you or someone you know is injured in an auto accident, contact the personal care attorneys of Rutter Mills today.  Our lawyers are available 24/7, waiting for your call.