This is a story everyone remembers. On September 11, 2009, Dr. Raymond Cook went drinking…then drank some more…then got behind the wheel and caused the wreck that killed Elena Bright Shapiro, a promising ballerina with the Carolina Ballet. According to an article on WRAL.com, Cook’s trial begins today. Raleigh police said Cook, of 10516 Beckridge […]
Trial Begins for Doctor Charged in Ballerina's Death Read More »
It turns out that Allstate’s “good hands” are a little dirty. The New York State Insurance Department announced that Allstate has agreed to pay New York $1.2 million as part of a $10 million regulatory settlement. In all, 45 states will share the settlement dollars. The agreement follows an 18-month targeted, multi-state examination of Allstate’s
Allstate Insurance Slammed in Multi-State Review Read More »
This is the kind of story that makes you want to stay off the roads, build more prisons, and require mandatory severe sentencing for DWI offenders. According to the online edition of the News & Observer, Monroe resident Kevin Ohagan fled a traffic stop just after midnight on Sunday (October 24, 2010) and minutes later
Impaired Monroe Man Kills After Six "Second Chances" Read More »
Distracted driving–driving while talking on a phone, texting, applying make up, reading a newspaper, etc.–accounted for 16% of all traffic fatalities in 2009. The actual number of people who died on the road fell from the previous year, but the proportion of cases caused by driving while distracted (DWD) remained the same. According to an
Despite Small Decline, Distracted Driving Remains Epidemic Read More »
HensonFuerst was honored this month with an article in Trial magazine (September 2010, Volume 46, No. 9). We were included in a special section called “Justice in Motion.” Here is the article, in its entirety: Like most plaintiff lawyers, David Henson of Raleigh, North Carolina, has had clients whose stories struck close to home. He
HensonFuerst Law Firm Featured in Trial Magazine Read More »
We’ve met thousands of people who have been injured by drunk drivers. Which means that we’ve had a lot of time to ask the same question those victims and their families always ask: Why would anyone drive drunk? Now, science may have at least one answer.
Why Do People Drive Drunk? Science Reveals One Answer Read More »
The problem of impaired-driving is a serious one. While America witnessed a decline in the number of impaired-driving fatalities from 2007-2008, the numbers are still too high. That’s why law enforcement agencies throughout the country are participating in an intensive crackdown on impaired driving. This national impaired driving crackdown—known by its tagline, Drunk Driving. Over the Limit.
National Impaired Driving Crackdown Read More »
Another day, another automobile recall. Has there ever been a worse year for car safety issues? Mazda is recalling 500,000 cars worldwide, about 215,000 in the United States, for problems with the power steering. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall includes all 2007-2009 Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 vehicles. The
Mazda Recall: Half a Million Affected by Power Steering Problems Read More »
Today, General Motors announced a voluntary safety recall of all 2009 and 2010 models of the Chevy Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook crossover vehicles. The second-row seat belts may be damaged in a way that makes them appear properly latched, even when they are not. The recall affects about 250,000 vehicles. “Because
GM Recalling Crossover Vehicles for Seat Belt Problems Read More »
Turning 16 is a grand milestone for most teens. Their driver’s license gives them their first real taste of freedom. But combine that with a 3,000-pound car and their invincible mentality and teens hit the fast lane to danger. [Rocky Mount Telegram, July 31, 2010] North Carolina has seen a 40% decrease in teenage driver
NC Highway Patrol Working to Keep Teen Drivers Alive Read More »