Distracted driving in Alabama

Every time an Alabama resident gets behind the wheel he or she is getting into harm’s way. Indeed, considering how rampant texting-and-driving and distracted driving are these days, it doesn’t seem to matter how safe and cautious we are, there is always the chance of getting into an accident with someone who isn’t paying attention to the road ahead. At Johnston Moore & Thompson, we are seeing more and more texting-and-driving and distracted-by-a-smartphone cases at our law firm every day.Continue reading

How to make you and your motorcycle more visible to motorists

Just as much as you know the thrills of riding a motorcycle, you know the dangers accompanying it as well. Although the percent of fatalities from motorcycle accidents in Alabama has gone down from 2011 to 2015, based on statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it’s possible to lower the number even more. The easiest way to do this is to make you and your motorcycle more visible to motorists. Try these simple and inexpensive tricks to increaseContinue reading

Lawsuit blames broken brake valve for fatal truck accident

A lawsuit filed late last month claims that a faulty brake valve installed in a tractor-trailer rig was to blame for a fatal vehicle crash last year. The 2015 accident resulted in the death of a mother from Shelby County. The crash also left the victim’s baby boy with injuries. The woman’s husband and the father of the infant boy filed the above-referenced wrongful death lawsuit. The suit alleges that on Oct. 20, 2015, at approximately 8:15 a.m., his wifeContinue reading

4 tips for avoiding car crashes

There are a few things that every motorist needs to do in order to avoid getting into a serious car accident, but not all of them are entirely obvious. For this reason, we would like to share the following four pieces of advice with all Alabama drivers. If Alabama motorists only followed these recommendations, numerous lives would be saved and a lot of catastrophic injuries would be avoided. First, avoid driving in the fast lane. The reason for this isContinue reading

What is comparative negligence?

Not all car accidents are completely clear when it comes to trying to decide who is to blame for the crash. Even if police identify an at-fault driver on an accident report, further litigation and expert examination of witness testimony and other evidence can reveal that multiple drivers were at fault for a particular crash. If an injured driver is seeking a personal injury claim related to such a crash, the legal theory of “comparative negligence” might come into play.Continue reading