Attorney Blog

Tips on How to Stay Out of a Wintertime Saratoga County Car Wreck

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

The most certain way to stay safe when the road conditions become severe in the winter is to stay off of the road. However, many have to venture onto the winter roads because of work or out of necessity. When staying home is not an option, there are certain things to remember that can help keep you from getting into a Saratoga County car wreck.

Driver behavior is usually the major cause of accidents in any season.

If possible, wait for salt trucks and snow plows to improve the road conditions before driving.
Once on the road, drive slowly so that you can maintain control of your vehicle.
Remember that posted speeds are for fair weather and not for severe weather conditions.
Also, to maintain control of your car, do not make any sudden turns and do not slam on your brakes.
Another tip is to keep at a safe distance from the cars in front of you. They may spin out or lose control at any time.

If you would like to read more about winter driving tips, read “10 Tips to Help You Stay Safe When Driving This Winter.”

No matter what the conditions are, car crashes are unpredictable and can happen to anyone. If you have been in a Saratoga County car wreck, contact Brian Lee at Brian Lee Law today. Schedule a free consultation by calling 518.595.4407.

Make sure to learn about Saratoga County car accidents by downloading Mr. Lee’s free book, Adding Insult to Injury: Dealing With the Insurance Companies in the Aftermath of Your Personal Injury Auto Accident.

Dos and Don'ts Following a Saratoga County Car Accident

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

If you are reading this post, you have likely been in a Saratoga County car accident. Or, you may be brushing up on what to do just in case you ever are. After being in an accident, there are many things to remember. Here is a list of dos and don’ts, after you have been in a wreck:

DO contact police or emergency responders. The first thing you should do after an accident is to contact the appropriate responder.
DON’T go away from the accident. If it is safe for you to stay at the scene of the accident, stay there and wait for the police.
DO check for injuries. After addressing your potential injuries, see if others involved in the accident need help or are injured.
DON’T admit guilt. Even if you think it was your fault, you should not admit guilt. There can be many factors that lead to a Saratoga County car accident. This can include those that you would not be aware of at the time of the accident.
DO find out how much your insurance covers. Understanding your insurance coverage can help you decide what to do following the accident.
DON’T publicly discuss the accident. It can be tempting to talk about the accident in public or on social media websites. But this information could be used against you in a court case.
DO call 518.595.4407 to schedule a free consultation with Saratoga County car wreck attorney Brian Lee.
DON’T forget to download our free online book, Adding Insult to Injury: Dealing With the Insurance Companies in the Aftermath of Your Personal Injury Auto Accident.

More than 100k Ticketed for Texting and Driving

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

An interesting article from the NYdailynews.com blog:

More Than 100K Ticketed For Texting & Driving

BY Celeste Katz

Gov. Cuomo has gone after texting-while-driving, and he's touting new stats to prove it's working.
Our Danielle Valente reports:
Cuomo introduced legislation in June that categorizes using a handheld device in traffic as an offense. Over 7,000 tickets have been issued for texting while driving from July 12, 2011 to February 7, 2012, and over 110,000 were issued for using a handheld device – totaling close to 119,000 tickets.
“Texting while driving is illegal and endangers the lives of New Yorkers across the state," Cuomo said in a statement, "These tickets should send a resounding message to all drivers: keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.”
Representatives from both the New York State Police and Department of Motor Vehicles back Cuomo.
"I want to commend Governor Cuomo for strengthening the efforts of law enforcement by making texting while driving a primary offense,” said DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala. “With more than 5,500 deaths and more than 440,000 injuries nationwide each year, we know that we have a long way to go in not only educating the motoring public but in changing their driving behaviors."

This is a staggering statistic...

Thank you to the Saratoga Springs Deptartment of Public Works

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Today in The Saratogian the Department of Public Works announced plans to fix the dangerous intersection of Lincoln Ave and Ballston Ave. According to the article, the intersection has restricted sight-distance and is not lined up with South Street. 13,400 vehicles use the stretch of road each day, amounting to nearly 100,000 a week. 15 accidents have occured at that intersection in the past 42 months. According to the US Department of Transportation, in 2008 36% of vehicles in accidents were turning or crossing at intersections just prior to their crashes. I am glad to see the Department of Public Works taking an interest in this dangerous intersection, as well as other around town. While we make our living representing persons injured in motor vehicle collisions, we really do mean it when we say we hope you never need us! For more information about our firm, please feel free to look around my website or call my office at 518-595-4407.

Below, please find a link to the article from The Saratogian

http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2012/02/03/news/doc4f2b3fc1ef997709741633.txt

Photos by: Erica Miller

Story by: Lucian McCarty

Our new website

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Prosecutors to Pursue More Severe Charges in Saratoga County DWI Case

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A teacher from the Schuylerville Central School District is facing possible jail time and vehicle assault charges after allegedly hurting a teen in a drunken driving case.

The teacher, 37-year-old Robert J. Thompson, was reported to be driving while intoxicated on November 20th. Thompson was driving in Saratoga Springs on Route 29 when he struck the vehicle of 19-year-old Clinton English.

At the time of the collision, Thompson was only charged with a felony DWI. Since that time, prosecutors have learned that English has severe injuries, including a broken vertebra. As a result, Thompson is now being charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter. With this new felony charge, Thompson faces up to 7 years in jail.

Thompson’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit and was measured to be 0.24. The Saratoga County car wreck occurred when he was on his way home after drinking beer at a friend’s house. Thompson previously said that the accident was his fault as he had been drinking and then fell asleep at the wheel. Thompson also has a past conviction of DWI from 2003.

It has been reported that English is still in a back brace from this Saratoga County DWI accident. His injuries have kept him from returning to his job at Sears and from returning to his classwork at Schenectady County Community College. Despite these difficulties, English remains upbeat and positive.

After posting bail, Thompson returned to teaching his elementary school special education class on January 6th. He will be appearing on February 17th in Saratoga Springs City Court.

The Saratoga Springs car wreck lawyers at Brian Lee Law wish those injured a speedy recovery.

Mother of Child That Died in Saratoga County Car Accident Was Ticketed

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

A mother, whose child was fatally injured in a recent Saratoga County car accident, has been ticketed for her involvement.

The January 20th accident occurred on Corinth Mountain Road at approximately 4 p.m. Shiho Price, 39, was driving with her four children when she drifted over the yellow traffic line into oncoming traffic and collided with a pick-up truck driven by James Pitelli, 22.

Price’s son, 11-year-old James Eggleston, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The ongoing investigation into the fatal accident has led to the mother, Shiho Price, being issued two tickets. One ticket was for driving at a speed not reasonable and the other for failure to keep right.

The investigation has not yet determined what caused Price to swerve into oncoming traffic. It is also not know how fast she was travelling. Officers have pointed out that the accident happened at a curve in road and that the conditions were wet.

Price’s 3-year-old was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The 3-year-old has recently been listed in fair condition.

The other children in the crash, a 2-year-old and a 14-year-old, are both thought to be in fair condition at this time.

The driver of the pickup truck was neither ticketed nor hospitalized.

The Saratoga County car accident lawyers at Brian Lee Law offer our condolences to the family and friends of James Eggleston.