Demerit Points Are Not the Only Consequences of a Reckless Driving Ticket

• In Virginia, a reckless driving ticket is a Class 1 Misdemeanor. This mean that a conviction can impact your current job, your future employment, and any security clearances you have.
• You can be fined up to $2,500 dollars.
• You can lose six Virginia DMV demerit points.
• Your insurance costs can skyrocket.
• The tickets can cause you to temporarily lose your drivers license.

Is the Cost of a Lawyer Worth It?

Knowing Your Rights as a Home Buyer

• Infestation of termites
• Extensive water damage
• Mold
• Structural damage
• Faulty foundation
• Gas leaks
• Dangerous fireplace
• Faulty siding or roofing

Beyond the Basics

• Drive with hands at "8" and "4" instead of "10" and "2"
• Practice the right way to correct an off the road event in a safe location, at low speeds, with an experienced driving instructor
• Avoid driving off the road by keeping eyes focused on the road (don't be a distracted driver)

Make a Plan Before Party Time

We understand that asking that someone to not drive after drinking can be socially awkward. This is why we urge you to let people know that you would like them to choose a sober ride home before they arrive at your home.   

While you are planning what food to serve and what drinks to offer, give extra thought to how you, as the host of the party, can ensure that your guests make it home safely. Some of the more useful tips for preventing your friends and family members from drinking and driving include: 

• Ahead of time, arrange carpools, cabs or a place to stay for all of your guests
• Serve food high in protein and carbohydrates
• Put various non-alcoholic drinks out in plain site

As Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers we have seen the terrible impact drunk drivers have on the lives of those they hit. When thinking about your next gathering, we urge you to think, "Do I want to be responsible for letting my drunk friend leave the house and get into an accident?"

The Virginia Beach drunk driving accident law firm of Tavss Fletcher hope that together, we can work together to lessen the impact that drunk driving has on the lives of too many. If you have been hurt during an accident in Norfolk, VA or anywhere in Virginia please call 757.625.1214 for your free consultation.

Benefits of the New System

The new system, Traffic Records Electronic Data System (TREDS), allows police to enter crash reports online. These reports are then available to anyone interested in the details of the crash. Citizens are not the only group of people who can use the information. 

Researchers and safety advocates can use it identify accident trends. After identifying the places where multiple traffic accidents are occurring, local officials can decide the best way to make the area safer and prevent accidents.

How to Use TREDS After an Auto Accident

If you have been involved in a car accident where police were present, you can look up the details of the crash. This information is particularly useful if you are considering filing a lawsuit for damages and injuries related to the accident. 

Taking the crash report to your Virginia Beach personal injury lawyer during your initial consultation will help you make better use of your time. These reports are often a good place to start and will allow your attorney to get a better idea of the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Was the other driver cited for any traffic violations? What was the exact time the accident occurred? Were there any witnesses?   

As Virginia Beach personal injury attorneys, we hope that the new system helps streamline the accident reporting process, something that will benefit all drivers in Virginia. 

Her partner called nurses, attempting to get help for the mother of his newborn child, yet they did nothing to help stabilize her erratic blood pressure and heart rate. By the time they took notice, some six hours after the surgery, the woman was gravely ill, her bed sheets covered in blood.

During this time the mother had lost over half of the blood in her body. One simple check could have prevented this, yet the nurses and doctors did not bother to simply lift a sheet and check her incision. They did not bother to wonder why her vital signs were fluctuating and instead noted that the new mother was "resting comfortably."

An Inexcusable Tragedy

While the mother survived the terrible incident, she was left with permanent brain damage. The medical mistakes made by Maryview Medical Center will forever impact the life of the mother and her child.

The doctor responsible for the surgery gave up his medical license shortly after the incident. The negligent doctor was the subject of multiple Virginia medical malpractice claims and many believe that his license should have been revoked long ago.

What to do When Hurt by Hospital Error

Our Virginia Beach medical malpractice attorneys have seen too many incidents like this one, when hospitals simply do not give the care necessary to keep their patients safe. Our goal is to not just get our clients the compensation they need, but to ensure that the doctor and hospital are held responsible for their mistakes.

If you have been hurt because of a medical error in Norfolk, Virginia Beach or anywhere in Virginia contact an experienced lawyer at 757.625.1214 for your free consultation. Together we can work to protect others from the terrible mistakes doctors make.

• Dosing errors (wrong numbers typed into program) 
• Failure to detect life-threatening illness (missing information) 
• Delaying treatment (poor human-computer interactions) 
• Loss of data (deleted entries or computer failure) 

Strategies for Successful Early Release

Because of the numerous recent early releases, drug counselors are working to help the released stay away from old haunts and habits, instead focusing on a new, crime-free life. Kerry Black Wiles is an experienced, award winning drug counselor. She is confident that, with the right treatment program, these individuals can have success after prison.

"One of the keys for them will be to avoid, as we say, ‘Your same playmates, your same playgrounds,'" Wiles said. "These are part of the skills we try to teach in recovery programs. The trick will be to make sure we continue to work with the judicial and correction system to get those coming out on drug-related charges into the right kinds of treatment programs."

The hope is that anyone released under the Fair Sentencing Act will be given the support they need to make the most out of the time they have been given back.

If you need help after being released in Virginia or need legal advice about applying for early release under the Virginia Fair Sentencing Act, please contact an experienced Virginia Beach criminal law attorney at Tavss Fletcher today for your free consultation.

On One Side: Cheers

Families of the prisoners, defense attorneys, and those concerned with the rights of minorities are relieved that the too-strict sentencing of those in possession of crack cocaine has been reversed. They point to the fact that the now defunct law punished those in possession of crack cocaine 100 times more severely than those in possession of the powdered form.

In general, black defendants had been caught with crack while white defendants were most often found with powdered cocaine. Many see the reversal as justice served to those who long suffered under an unfair, prejudiced law.

On the Other Side: Jeers

Others are concerned that the release of some 12,000 inmates over the next few years will drive up the rates of drug and violent crimes where the released prisoners settle. They also fear that less strict sentencing will drive up use and sales of crack cocaine.

However, for those who have missed loved ones, and for the imprisoned who are ready to reenter society and make a change for the better, the Fair Sentencing Law is the answer to their prayers. The sister of an inmate who is about to be released spoke about just how serious her brother is in making the best use of his early release.

"He wants to get out, get a job and get his life back together," said Susan Cardwell, sister of soon to be released Darryl Flood. "He says he'll work two jobs if he has to."

The Norfolk, Va. criminal law attorneys at Tavss Fletcher are glad to see the Fair Sentencing Act being implemented. If you believe that your loved one should be eligible under the new law and need help ensuring their timely release, do not hesitate to call 1.757.625.1214. Contact an aggressive, experienced Norfolk criminal lawyer today.

To many people, allowing your child to ride in the car without a proper car seat is as good as child abuse. Before you argue, consider this: the leading cause of death in children is not cancer, illness, or any other kind of disease. The leading cause of death in children is car accidents.

Safety experts argue that if you are not properly restraining your child while in the car, you are leaving them vulnerable to serious injury, even death. While we tend to worry about illnesses that are out of our hands, we too often forget that we have the power to help protect the lives of our children every time they get into a car.

Keeping your child safe while in the car is the best way to prevent accidents and injuries. New AAP recommendations state that children under the age of 2 should remain rear facing in car seats. After this, children should be restrained by a five-point harness until they reach the seat's weight or height limit. The next step is a booster seat which, again, should be used until the child exceeds the manufacturer's recommended height or weight.

Only you can ensure that your child is properly restrained. The staff and Virginia accident attorneys at the Norfolk accident law firm of Tavss Fletcher urge you to learn more about the right seat for your child and use it each and every time you get in the car. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, don't hesitate to contact our office for your free consultation at 757.625.1214.

Fall seems only a fleeting moment to those of us dreading winter; however, it is the perfect time to see the best that Virginia and North Carolina have to offer. If you time your ride just right, you can witness one of the most amazing feats of nature on the planet: the annual migration of the monarch butterflies. In early fall, thousands of these winged beauties make a stop just south of Asheville, North Carolina. After you check out the butterflies, hop back on your motorcycle and head to the Wagon Road Gap overlook. Many think that this North Carolina spot offers the most beautiful views along the Blue Ridge Parkway. No matter what section of the scenic route you choose, take advantage of your surroundings and hit the highway.

Why We Think Motorcycles Are THE Way to Travel

As a motorcyclist, you are able to enjoy roadways such as the Blue Ridge Parkway in ways that drivers cannot understand. Our Virginia motorcycle attorneys don't think that there is any better way to see, feel, and become a part of one of nature's greatest shows. So check your safety gear, watch for drivers distracted by fall foliage, and get out there and ride, Virginia!

The first accident occurred in May when former wrestler Shane Helms and his girlfriend crashed their motorcycle after leaving a NC restaurant. Helms and his passenger were seriously injured and Helms has just been charged in North Carolina with a DWI stemming from the crash.

The second was more recent and involved wrestler Matt Hardy. Hardy crashed his 2009 Chevrolet Corvette into a tree early Saturday afternoon. Police report that while it didn't appear that Hardy had been drinking, he seemed to have taken some type of impairing substance. Hardy agreed to a blood test and will appear in court on Sept. 28th.

Why the sudden rash of pro wrestler accidents in North Carolina?

While there is no right answer to this question, it does seem that both accidents were caused, in part, by drugs or alcohol. The WWE offers drug and alcohol abuse help for both current and former wrestlers. If drug or alcohol abuse is an issue for either young man, the criminal law attorneys at Tavss Fletcher hope that the men get the help they need and recover fully from injuries sustained during the crashes.

If you have been involved in an accident we can help. Contact our experienced lawyers today for your free consultation.

In order to combat the rash of bicycle and pedestrian accidents across Virginia, this week has been named Virginia's Bicyclist and Pedestrian Awareness Week. For the third year in a row, police in Culpeper and across Va. will be placing electronic message boards, increasing police presence near crosswalks and reminding the public that they must share the road with bikers and walkers.

"Pedestrians have the right-of-way in crosswalks and motorists need to pay attention and stop," said Culpeper Police Chief Chris Jenkins.

Saving Lives Through Bicycle Helmet Use in Virginia

Across the state, police, in conjunction with Drive Smart Virginia and BikeWalk Virginia, have been offering helmets to those who need them. The hope is that increased helmet use will help lower the number of bikers seriously injured or killed during an accident. Head trauma is a leading cause of permanent injury and death for bicyclists involved in an accident.

What You Can do to Prevent an Accident in Virginia

The staff and attorneys at the Norfolk accident law firm of Tavss Fletcher hope that you take this week of pedestrian and bicyclist safety seriously. As a driver you are responsible for keeping your eyes on the road at all times and always looking for walkers or bikers before you make a turn. If we all carry this message of awareness and accident avoidance with us throughout the year, we can help stop a serious accident before it happens.