Practice Areas

Feb 28, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

For all the ways that we have worked to improve the safety of new teen drivers, there is apparently much more to be done.  A new report, based on preliminary 2012 data, indicates that Alabama saw a 9 percent spike in the number of teen driver fatalities in the first half of last year, as compared to the first half of 2011. Our Tuscaloosa car accident attorneys find this deeply troubling, especially as local news reports seem to indicate anecdotally that the trend is nowhere near slowing.

Feb 15, 2013 - Motorcycle Accidents by Cross & Smith

Just days ago, a man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the summer 2011 motorcycle crash in Fairhope that claimed the life of a 59-year-old Tennessee man. The rider died at the scene, and authorities later determined the driver of the other vehicle had consumed marijuana shortly before the crash.  Tragic as such incidents are, our Alabama motorcycle injury attorneys understand they are likely to become more common, per a new study by researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island, published in this month’s edition of the Injury Prevention journal. For starters, the Baby Boomer generation has a great affinity for motorcycles, and they show no sign of giving up those two wheels, even as they continue riding into their 60s and beyond. The researchers discovered that in 1990, roughly 10 percent of all motorcycle riders were over the age of 50. As of 2003, that figure had more than doubled to about 25 percent.

Feb 13, 2013 - Truck Accidents by Cross & Smith

A teen driver near Huntsville reportedly hit a guard rail and plummeted into Flint River, while reportedly swerving to miss another vehicle.  Our Tuscaloosa personal injury attorneys know young drivers are at high risk of an accident through spring and early summer. There is no indication that alcohol was a factor in this crash, but we know drunk driving is just one concern with prom and graduation celebrations on the horizon. The Centers for Disease Control reports that motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for American teens, with roughly seven youth between the ages of 16 and 19 dying every single day on the roadway. In 2010, that was approximately 2,700 killed and another 282,000 seriously injured. When you account for number of miles driven, statistics show that teen drivers in this age group are three times as likely as those over age 20 to be in a fatal wreck.

Feb 7, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

The AAA Foundation released its annual Traffic Safety Culture Index report late last month, revealing that while public attitudes toward risky driving behaviors tend to be widely recognized and chastised, far fewer motorists actually practice what they preach.  Our Tuscaloosa car accident lawyers understand this double standard has long been noted by traffic safety officials. The question is how we work to go about turning beliefs into better behaviors. Survey takers – nearly 4,000 in all, polled last September – put a premium value on roadway safety, holding firmly to the extensive data that reveals speeding, cell phone use, road rage and impairment are dangerous behind the wheel. As such, most support strong laws to restrict those kinds of actions and impose significant penalties on offenders.

Feb 5, 2013 - Birmingham by Cross & Smith

A transit bus recently caught fire in Birmingham with three passengers on board, culminating in an explosion that rendered the vehicle totally destroyed.  While our Birmingham burn injury lawyers have learned no one was hurt, it’s a fitting coincidence that the incident happened in the midst of National Burn Awareness Week, Feb. 3-9. The fact is, this was a dramatic example of the burn risks that are all around us. The American Burn Association (ABA) notes that the most common type of burn injuries are attributed to scalding, usually in the home or in assisted-living situations. The most vulnerable individuals are babies, young children, elderly adults and people with disabilities. When these vulnerable individuals sustain a scald injury, they are more likely to have to be hospitalized. They have a greater likelihood of complications, such as infection, and they tend to have a longer, tougher recovery.