(703) 273-9500

Blogs

Blog Category:

Drunk Driving Accidents

11/15/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

Prince William County man driving home after drinking at Jimmy Buffet concert charged with involuntary manslaughter in 2 deaths

William John Mallory charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Rebecca Sacra and her two-year-old grandson Jonathan Wade-Ortiz. Alcohol was a factor in the crash that killed the two passengers. Drunk driving accident lawyers Weiner, Rohrstaff & Spivey can answer questions of people who have been injured by drunk drivers. 703-273-9500

9/20/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

DUI Leesburg - passenger killed

It makes me sad every time I read about someone who was killed by a drunk driver.  On September 10, Justin Robert Shuback was driving drunk when he rammed into the rear of a dump truck.  His passenger, Adam Katz -- who was probably his friend -- was killed.  Shuback ran away from the scene of the crash.  He was charged with felony hit and run and DUI.

I also get mad when I read such stories.  I know, I know.  A criminal accusation doesn't mean a conviction.  I revere the Constitution.  Really, I do.  But besides the criminal justice system, there is an important civil justice system.  Under Virginia's wrongful death laws, Katz's family can sue Shuback for money damages for the losses they have suffered at the hands of the drunk driver Shuback.  Those are important rights to hold the wrongdoer responsible for the death of a loved one.

If it turns out that Shuback was indeed drunk, he may be subject to punitive damages, not just negligence.

Anyone who has lost a family member in Virginia because of the carelessness of another should contact a lawyer experienced with wrongful death claims.  The lawyers at Weiner, Rohrstaff & Spivey help families whose loved one has been killed by the negligence of another.  Give us a call at 703-273-9500, contact us through our website, www.WRSattorneys.com, or email srohrstaff@wrsattorneys.com.  We answer your questions for free. 



8/23/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

School Bus Drivers Who Use Cell Phones While Driving Are As Dangerous As Drunk Drivers

I posted a blog at Virginia Child Injury Lawyer about whether school bus drivers should be allowed to use cell phones while driving our children around in school buses.  The blog refers to a study that found that drivers on cell phones, regardless of whether they use a hands-free device, have impairments that are comparable to drunk drivers.

I sure wouldn't want my children, or anyone else's for that matter, to be on a bus with a driver who's on a cell phone.  It should be prohibited by every school district, whether private or public, as well as daycare centers who provide transportion, and immediate termination should be the sanction for violating the rule. 

7/21/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

Virginia accident lawyer has free book about how to wreck your case

If you have been injured in an accident in Virginia, you need to get our free book FIVE FATAL ERRORS THAT CAN WRECK YOUR VIRGINIA ACCIDENT CASE -- AND HOW TO AVOID THEM.  We wrote this book to answer the many questions we are consistently asked and to provide valuable information to people who have been injured as they work to get their lives back on track.

We answer questions about how to deal with insurance companies and what to do if your lawyer wants you to go to "her" doctor.  We discuss the special circumstances if you have been injured by a drunk driver.  We explain the entire claims and litigation processes.  And, we tell you how to find the right lawyer for you.

Call us at 703-273-9500 or send us a fax at 703-273-9505 or email us at srohrstaff@WRSattorneys.com to request your FREE COPY of the book.



3/17/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

St. Patrick's Day DUI

Lots of celebrating for St. Patrick's Day was done over the past weekend.  However, you can be sure there are still plenty of celebrants who will be out on the roads today and tonight.  Make sure you and your family are among those who are celebrating responsibly.

A Virginia DMV report on the numbers of people who are injured or killed by drunk drivers and who are convicted of DUI charges over this holiday shows that the numbers continue to be noteable. 

If you are among those affected by a drunk driver, you need to speak to an attorney experienced in these matters.  Give us a call, 703-273-9500, or contact us through the website, http://www.WRSattorneys.com, for information that will help you.



1/5/2009
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

Drunk Driving - Is It Murder?

Last night's CBS episode of "60 Minutes" had as its lead story, "Drunk Driving: Is It Murder?"  Now, don't get me wrong.  I believe our judicial system protects us all only when everyone accused of a crime, including those who drink too much alcohol and are charged with drunk driving, has access to a strong defense against charges brought by the government.   Without that, our system is out of balance, for we are all at risk for being wrongful accused.

My law firm represents many people who have been seriously injured in accidents caused by drunk drivers.  Drunk drivers are dangerous, and people who have been irresponsible by deciding to get behind the wheel and drive drunk ought to be subject to all the remedies our system allows:  (1) criminal punishment and (2) orders to pay compensation to their victims for the devastation their irresponsibility caused.  The first is a criminal sanction, the second a civil one.

Prosecutors quoted on the "60 Minutes" episode advocate the position that stiff criminal penalties will be deterrents to driving drunk.  Although I am not sure if that is true, I believe that we as society cannot ignore the outrageous, irresponsible decisions that people make when they get behind the wheel and drive drunk, and they should be subject to both criminal and civil sanctions.   

We have represented many people who have seriously injured by drunk drivers and the families whose loved ones were fatally injured by drunk drivers.  Contact me at srohrstaff@wrsattorneys.com or via our website at www.WRSattorneys.com if you or someone you know has been injured by a drunk driver or is you just need answers to your questions.



11/17/2008
Sandra Rohrstaff, Partner
Comments (0)

Jury awards $5M to woman who lost her arm in drunk driving accident

 A headline like this gets attention.  The accident occurred in 2003 in Massachusetts.  If you read the article, you will see that the woman who lost her arm sued the drunk driver and the restaurant that served him 11 beers in a little over two hours.  That's called "dram shop liability."  Such a lawsuit would not exist in Virginia, because Virginia does not hold restaurants and bars that serve alcohol to intoxicated individuals responsible if the patrons leave their establishments after getting drunk and injure someone.  In this case, the drunk driver was an employee of the restaurant who started drinking at 10:30 p.m. after this shift was over and was served alcohol and drank heavily for two hours.  The woman passenger who lost her arm was not with him at the restaurant and met him at a party later.  After having three more beers and a rum and coke, the drunk driver and his passenger were on their way back to the party after going to a convenience store when they ran off the road and crashed into a parked school bus. 

Reaction to the verdict has been animated.  Some people say she was an idiot to get in the car driven by a drunk driver, that it was her fault, not the restaurant's; that the restaurant didn't force alcohol on the driver and should not have been held responsible.  Some people also called the judge and jury idiots for allowing the verdict in the first place.

What do you think?



Bookmark and Share


Contact Us

Free Books

Ask an Attorney

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Tell us more:


Weiner, Rohrstaff & Spivey, PLC
10605 Judicial Drive
Suite B6
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 273-9500
Fax: (703) 273-9505

Get Directions

Super Lawyers
Seriously Outstanding
only 5% selected each year