Isaiah “Ike” Hamilton was recently honored for achieving 3 million miles safely. Hamilton was given a large celebration in which he received a bonus check, a gold watch, a belt buckle, a trophy, a company pin, and cap.

Mr. Hamilton explains that safety is “a lot of common sense” and says that he keeps “God first and stays focused on what he’s doing.”

Nice work Ike, you are a wonderful example for others to follow. Safe driving doesn’t happen by accident, some simple practices can help you live a long and prosperous life like Ike. Some of those practices include:

• Stay Focused – As Mr. Hamilton stated, staying focused simply leads to being a safer driver
• Wear Your Seat Belt – Nothing is more effective at saving your life during a car accident
• Never Drive Fatigued – Boyd Brothers drivers enjoy regular home time and they are committed to drivers’ needs

We all know that Mr. Hamilton is unfortunately the exception to the rule, as there are plenty of unsafe truck drivers out there. Let this man be the one to lead by example. If you find yourself in a truck accident because of a negligent truck driver, call an experienced truck accident injury attorney at our firm for a FREE Consultation about your rights and the merits of your claim. We fight for Justice – One case at a time.

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Photo Credit: Max Oden / moden@dothaneagle.com

Quntavious “Quin” Sampson was a budding young athlete with his whole life ahead of him. He played guard on Abbeville High School’s basketball team and wide receiver on the football team. Quin is remembered fondly by the basketball coach, Moses Knight Jr. and by the school principal, Dale Barnes. Coach Knight was quoted as saying “It’s just been a privilege to coach and know him.” Principal Barnes added “It’s a just a tragic situation, he was a very personable young man, and had a great personality. He was just a model student. He was a young man that anyone would be proud to call his or her son.”

Tragic indeed. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the Sampson family.

The car accident, which happened around 2:50 pm on Friday, 11, remains under investigation. No charges have been filed. Two other basketball players were in the vehicle when the accident happened, they both suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash.

All that is known so far about the car accident, is that the vehicle was travelling south on Henry County Road 107, and was probably going faster than the posted speed limit. The car ran off the road and hit a tree.

As much as it pains me to say this….none of the occupants were wearing seat belts.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of this young man. Why were no seat belts being worn? While there is no way to know whether or not seat belt use would have saved him, I still have to wonder why. It only takes a moment to buckle up and your chances of surviving a car accident are increased exponentially. The best way to reduce injuries in a car accident is by simply avoiding them in the first place. I beg you, please wear your seat belt at all times, it just might save your life someday.

If you or a loved one is in a car accident anywhere in Alabama, Tennessee, or Florida, please call an experienced car accident attorney at our firm for a FREE Consultation to discuss the merits of your case.

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A young man, 24 years old, lost his life when he was involved in a car accident on Alabama 174 near Mountain Springs Drive in St. Clair County. There were two other passengers in the vehicle who were taken to St. Vincent’s East for treatment of their injuries. Two people in one of the other vehicles involved were also taken to St. Vincent’s East while the occupant of the third vehicle was taken to UAB.

There is not much information about this car accident, other than speculation that icy roads may have been a factor. The wreck is still under investigation by the Alabama Department of Safety.

It is not known who was or wasn’t wearing their seat belt or if any drugs or alcohol were involved. Judging by the time of the accident (6:50 am), the man was probably on his way to work. This, of course, is merely speculation on my part.

With the increased winter weather and frigid temperatures prevalent in Alabama, I urge you to be extra careful when driving. As an Alabama injury attorney, I see a lot of car accident cases in my office. Many of them could have been avoided by simply being a bit more careful.

Please practice your defensive driving techniques, take your time, wear your seat belt and do not text while driving. We’ll all be a lot safer if we just practice a few of these simple techniques.

If you or someone you love is injured in a car accident in Birmingham, or anywhere in Alabama, please feel free to contact an experienced Alabama car accident attorney at our firm for a FREE Consultation about the merits of your case. You have rights and you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries caused by someone else’s carelessness.

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Alabama Boating Accident

A local commercial fisherman was killed and another injured when their boat took on water in Wheeler Lake and they were forced to swim 50-60 yards for shore. The frigid water (temp in the 40s), wind chill in the 20s, along with the multiple layers of clothing the men were wearing, was a perfect recipe for hypothermia.

The boat sank in the Tennessee River & officials will attempt to recover the vessel using sonar. The accident was very close (a few hundred feet) to the scene of a June 2009 drowning of a Giles County man.

Authorities report that one witness saw the two men bailing water from the boat. Another witness reported hearing the men calling for help as he was driving by, this witness called 911. Rescuers arrived within 10 minutes to find one man climbing to the shore as the other lay motionless in the water. Both were wearing life jackets.

This is a reminder for those of us who enjoy boating. Always respect the water, especially with the frigid temperatures we are experiencing in Alabama currently. I applaud both men for wearing the proper safety gear, and my thoughts & condolences go out to the family of the man who died in the boating accident.

If the boat was found to have a design flaw, this man’s family may be able to sue the manufacturer of the boat. When a product is found to be defective, the term used is a product liability claim. His family may also be able to file a wrongful death claim to recover lost wages the man may have been able to contribute to the family, had he lived.

If you or someone you love is injured by a defective or faulty product, and you feel you may have a product liability claim, please contact an experienced Alabama product liability attorney at our firm today for a FREE Consultation.

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Mike Schmitz photo, TORONTO SUN

While online today, I found a blog posting on an automotive web site that warrants a bit of discussion. Even though this story happened in Toronto, it could just as easily happen in Birmingham Alabama. A Transit bus driver was caught texting while driving a bus full of passengers. One passenger even took a snapshot of the offending driver as the bus traveled at a speed over 30 mph (50 km/h).

Public transportation should not put passengers at risk. Studies show that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving. Public transportation organizations should have an absolute zero tolerance policy for such things in my opinion. If my aged grandmother was traveling to a doctor’s appointment, I would not want her to be put at risk of an accident due to a negligent driver that is texting while driving.

There are already laws in place that make such practices illegal in parts of Alabama. When our law firm represents those injured in a car accident, you can rest assured we will seek the maximum penalty for someone who is guilty of texting while driving.

If you are riding in another person’s car, take a bit of initiative and be a designated texter. Your actions may help avoid a car accident and you also might escape a serious injury. If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, whether or not texting was involved, you have rights and may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Please feel free to contact an experienced Injury Attorney at our firm for a Free Consultation today – get the benefits you deserve.

Keywords: Car Accident, Birmingham Alabama, Drunk Driving, Texting While Driving, Injury Attorney, Free Consultation

Although this is not related to a personal injury topic, it is important and I wanted to repost the topic with a link to the story in an effort to help. A man was killed and his family would appreciate whatever help we can provide.

My heart goes out to the family of this man. Since there are very few details of the accident, please contact the Alabama Department of Public Safety or your local Police if you know anything about the situation. I’m sure this man’s family would appreciate any insight you could provide.

Please drive carefully, courteously, and please wear your seat belts.

As some uncharacteristically cold weather hits the South, officials are urging residents to remain at home unless they absolutely need to travel. Roads are icy, snow is falling, and the temperature is not rising enough to make the existing snow & ice melt during the day.

The weather service has posted winter storm warnings from Texas to the Carolinas. Ice is prevalent all over Birmingham, and people unaccustomed to the driving conditions are sliding off roads and highways throughout the state. Temperatures are expected to stay low into the middle of the week, which only adds to the existing icy covering over the state.

This sounds like a good time to stay in the warm house with a hot bowl of soup. If you absolutely must go outside for any reason other than to enjoy the snow, please be as careful as possible. One patch of ice could cause a nasty slip and fall accident, and could render you homebound for longer than the weather would. If you do happen to slip and fall on someone else’s property, and you feel they could have removed the ice before you were injured, you may have a premises liability claim. In any case, it is a good idea to talk with an Alabama injury lawyer about your rights if you have been injured in a slip and fall accident.

If you must drive, please be extra careful. The added weight and momentum of a car only amplifies your chance of injury on icy roads. While there are salt trucks being deployed throughtout Alabama, they simply cannot cover all the roads in the state. Please be extra careful when traveling down any of the minor, rural roads that may not get the added attention from the salt trucks.

Car accidents are already being reported throughout the South, not just in Alabama. In Northern Louisiana, a woman died in a single car accident when her SUV slid down an embankment and hit a tree. If are involved in a car accident on the icy Alabama roadways, contact an attorney at our firm right away for a free consultation about your rights. If another vehicle was involved, please gather as much information about the traffic collision as you can. Take pictures, gather witnesses, get a police report and DO NOT sign a waiver of your rights if one is presented to you by an insurance adjuster. Talk to a qualified Alabama Injury Lawyer first! You have rights and we will fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

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(Press-Register/Bill Starling)

Driver To Be Charged With Murder

Last Wednesday (Jan 5, 2011) a Chevy Tahoe veered across the center divide and struck a Ford Explorer traveling the opposite direction. The Tahoe was driven by a 30 year old Mobile man who will be charged with two counts of murder in the accident. There is more to this story, as the man being charged has a criminal past, was driving on a suspending license, and he had possession of a controlled substance which was crack cocaine.

The women who died were a 52 year old woman and her daughter, age 33. They were pronounced dead at the scene. There were also two foster children in the back seat of the Explorer who suffered some broken bones during the car accident.

For more details you can view the story on the Birmingham Press Register

Clearly, the man driving the Tahoe was being extremely negligent. Now, a family is without a mother and a grandmother. This is terribly sad and the family of these women has every right to seek damages for a wrongful death claim.

The taking of the life of an individual resulting from the willful or negligent act of another person or persons.

If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident, please contact an Alabama injury lawyer at our firm as soon as possible to be sure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

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Failing Medical Devices = Product Liability Claims

What is a Cochlear Implant? What does a Cochlear Implant Do?

Cochlear implants are intended to restore a level of auditory sensation to adults and children with severe-to-profound hearing loss via electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve.

Why are the Advanced Bionics HiRes 90k Cochlear Implants Being Recalled?

The Advanced Bionic HiRes 90k implants are being recalled due to two confirmed and nine (or more) catastrophic failures. These failures are responsible for (but not limited to) the following symptoms:

• Intermittent functioning of the device
• Sudden sensation of discomfort or pain
• Sudden loud noise
• Sudden loud popping noise
• Complete loss of sound
• Unwillingness of child to wear his/her external headpiece

Advanced Bionics has indicated that the failures of the recalled HiRes 90k devices may be caused by moisture inside the product. There is more information for patients via a press release found on the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) web site.

Defective medical devices like the Advanced Bionics HiRes 90k Cochlear Implant fall under the category of a defective product and may be subject to a product liability claim. If you or someone you love has a cochlear implant, contact your hearing care provider to find out if the recalled implant was used. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned here, please contact your hearing doctor immediately and then contact a proven Alabama product liability attorney at our firm to discuss your rights.

Wettermark, Holland & Keith offers a FREE Case Evaluation to determine the merits of your claim. You have rights and Wettermark, Holland & Keith will fight to get you the justice you deserve for your personal injury.

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