Construction zones are dangerous places for drivers and transportation workers alike. The busy interstates of Hampton Roads see their fair share of accidents in construction zones.
We were, therefore, horrified to hear about the case of a worker who was hit by a drunk driver on I-264 in Norfolk, Virginia in 2012. The impact caused him to have both legs amputated. We were contacted by the worker and were happy to represent him in the legal claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Virginia Lawyers Weekly reported the case which stemmed from an accident on Sept. 14, 2012 on I-264 in Norfolk. An intoxicated driver went around cones and a police car and crashed his vehicle at high speed into the back of a highway work crew’s flatbed truck. The plaintiff and a co-worker were sitting on the bed of the truck with their legs hanging out as they placed cones on the road to mark out the construction area.
The force of the impact from the accident hit the plaintiff’s legs with such force that he lost his left leg below the knee and his right leg above the knee.
Liability was very clear in the wake of this terrible accident, but the defendant had a minimum limits $25,000/$50,000 liability policy. There was a single $1 million Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist policy on the employer’s vehicle.
A case was filed in Norfolk Circuit Court and with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission and settled in mediation.
It’s always terrible when drivers or workers are injured due to the irresponsible actions of a drunk driver. While some injuries heal, if you suffer an amputation it will affect you for the rest of your life. When you are driving in a Virginia work zone, you should always make sure to watch out for workers and stationary vehicles.
Last year we noted the problems experienced in construction zones on I-164 in Virginia Beach. The Virginian-Pilot reported on 21 recent work zone accidents in a 12-mile stretch from near Witchduck Road to Parks Avenue.
VDOT and Virginia State Police joined forces to launch a work zone awareness effort. The Pilot reported on how the troopers wrote 59 summonses at the outset of the campaign, including 29 for speeding.
If you have been injured in a work zone or anywhere else on the highway due to the fault of another driver, call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.996.5988 for a free consultation.
