Dunn NC Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

3.4 million trucks recalled for safety issues with brakes

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, September 20, 2019.

You don't have to be victimized by a negligent driver to end up in a serious motor vehicle accident. Sometimes, faulty equipment in your own or another person's vehicle can cause a crash.

For example, General Motors (GM) just issued a massive recall notice to 3.4 million vehicle owners. Acting in response to pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM reluctantly put out the notice that numerous trucks and sports utility vehicles may have a problem with their brakes. The NHTSA has been investigating at least 111 complaints since last year -- including nine crashes.

4 tips for driving safely in construction zones

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

North Carolina is booming nowadays. While the increase in residents is good for property values, it has taken a toll on roadways in the Tar Heel State. Therefore, regardless of where you drive, you are likely to encounter road construction.

Road construction can be disastrous for motorists. In fact, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, there were 710 fatal accidents in construction zones in the United States in 2017. Here are four tips for staying safe when driving in construction areas.

4 ways to protect your small business from cyber theft

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Business Law & Civil Litigation on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

If you run a small business, the odds are good that many of your customers pay with debit or credit cards. Many don't even carry cash. Checks are almost obsolete among younger people.

Because of these factors (and more) cybersecurity is an increasing concern for both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and small businesses alike. Here are some tips to protect your company from cyber theft -- and any potential lawsuits that might follow:

Be careful what you say following a car accident

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, August 30, 2019.

There are all different kinds of car accidents -- and all different kinds of injuries result. Many of them are fairly obvious from the start -- but adrenaline can mask a lot of pain and leave people surprised when they suddenly realized they're actually injured.

That's why the best answer to the question, "Are you hurt?" following a car accident, is, "I don't know." Because you don't. Many possible hidden injuries can occur in a wreck.

Millennials consider criminal justice reform a big concern

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Criminal Defense on Monday, August 26, 2019.

If you want to get a millennial's attention in the political arena, talk about criminal justice reform. The vast majority of this younger, larger generation that is now becoming a huge political force is concerned about the way that the legal system and ordinary people interact.

In fact, according to the latest survey out of the GenForward Project, more than 40% of millennials say that a politician's stance on criminal justice reform will heavily influence their vote in the next presidential election.

The impact of a car crash often causes injuries to the spine

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. on Friday, August 16, 2019.

Vehicle manufacturers design many safety features such as seat belts, head rests and air bags to protect your head and chest from absorbing the impact that typically occurs in a crash. Unfortunately, the force of that impact can then shift to your spine.

Here are four common spine-related injuries that often occur even in a minor collision:

Spinal fracture: While a seat belt keeps the lower body relatively still in a collision, the upper body can experience considerable movement, which creates the possibility of a compression fracture in your spine.
Herniated disc: During a vehicle accident, the jolt of impact can cause one or more of the discs between the vertebrae to shift out of place, affecting nearby structures or nerves. As a result, you will likely feel numbness or radiating pain.
Spondylolisthesis: A stress fracture in the bone can cause a vertebra to shift. As with a herniated disc, the displacement can compress nerves or the spinal canal. The result may be weakness, numbness and trouble walking.
Whiplash: The most common result of a car accident, whiplash results from impact that causes the head to snap back and then forward violently. It usually affects the cervical portion of the neck, often causing stiffness, headaches, dizziness or blurred vision.

Back-to-school time can make co-parenting tough

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Family Law on Thursday, August 15, 2019.

In many areas, the steady signs that summer is almost over are appearing: School clothes are in the stores, school supply lists have been posted and parents are gearing up for the first day of a new school year.

That can suddenly throw the co-parenting routine you've established into a jumble -- especially if your child or children are transitioning schools, such as moving on from grade school into middle school or middle school into high school.

North Carolina trooper paralyzed in car accident

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, August 9, 2019.

A member of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol was paralyzed from the neck down in a motorcycle accident on July 22 at a traffic stop.

The trooper, a 14-year-veteran of the highway patrol, was hit by another vehicle in Charlotte as he tried to stop a third vehicle. The driver of the vehicle targeted for the traffic stop, a 36-year-old man, fled the scene but was later apprehended. He faces significant charges as a result of the accident.

North Carolina's rule on charging teens as adults to change

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, August 9, 2019.

You may or may not know this, but North Carolina is finally taking steps to fix what many people (especially defense attorneys) believe is a 100-year-old mistake. That's when North Carolina's government defined 16-year-old children as "adults" under the criminal justice system.

The new "Raise the Age" law is set to take effect this December. Once it does, defendants under the age of 18 who are facing misdemeanor charges or the two lowest level of felonies will be tried in juvenile court instead of adult court. This is a major shift -- and one that corrects double standards that currently exist in the law like the one that saw four teenagers (two who are 16 years of age and two who are 17 years of age) charged as adults for "possession of a handgun by a minor."

Inadequate security at festivals, concerts and fairs

On behalf of Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A. posted in Premises Liability on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

One of the perks of summer is the number of local festivals, concerts and fairs around. When you attend one of these events, you have a right to expect that the organizers will have taken certain steps to ensure the general safety of everyone present.

What are some of the top security issues that you should expect the event's organizers to properly manage?

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