Auto Accident

In the chaos following an car accident or other collision there is a lot to keep track of. We have created an easy step-by-step guide to follow in the immediate wake of a collision:

Stay at the scene of the accident, never leave until it’s appropriate to do so. If you leave, particularly where someone has been injured or was killed, you could face jail time for being a hit-and-run driver.
Check on yourself and other passengers, asses for any injuries or pain. Once you are satisfied with your assessment in your vehicle, check on the other drivers and see if they have experience injuries.
Call the police. Tell them the extent of injuries at the scene, where the accident is, and how many cars are involved. Ask that a police report be filed when the officer arrives, and obtain the name and badge numbers of the responding officer.
Exchange information with other drivers. In as polite a manner as possible, get the names, numbers, addresses, drivers’ license numbers, license plate numbers, and basic insurance information from all drivers involved. If there are passengers, also obtain their names, numbers, and addresses.
Don’t admit guilt. Do not apologize at the scene, simply act in a professional manner. If you apologize for any injuries or damage you may be unintentionally admitting legal liability for what happened. But immediately after an accident, it might not be clear who was at fault or more at fault.
Take pictures of the scene. Make sure to document the damage to any vehicle and property as quickly as possible. Any “before” photos of your car may also be helpful for determining your compensation after the accident.
Inform your insurance company and follow the claims process.
Consider consulting an attorney if there were injuries in the accident.

After an automobile accident, you may require multiple surgeries, extensive rehabilitation or long-term care. Our Richmond car accident attorneys have worked on many cases similar to yours, and we are familiar with the future expenses you may incur. We will obtain full and fair compensation for your physical injuries and your past, present and future losses.

Contact the law offices of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 1-804-364-5200 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

Mopeds are a popular commuter vehicle here in Richmond. Their low-profile size makes them easy to park, electric motors make them efficient and cheap to use, and they allow motorists to bypass several fees in the registration process. But what else does the DMV of Virginia have to say about mopeds?

Registration and License:

Mopeds are defined by the Virginia code as any vehicle with less than three wheels that displaces less than 50 ccs and has a seat that is less than 24 inches in height.

DMV will issue one license plate per moped to be placed on the rear of the vehicle. When titling a moped, you will be requested to complete a Moped Certification exam indicating how you intend to operate the vehicle. However, the DMV will not require/collect the following for mopeds:

Electric vehicle fee
Insurance
Odometer reading
Safety inspection
Sales and use tax (You will still have to pay retail sales tax if you purchase a moped in Virginia; however, mopeds are exempt from personal property tax)

It is important to note that if a moped is operated in excess of 35 mph, it is considered a motorcycle. You would be required to comply with all motorcycle vehicle registration, insurance and inspection requirements.

Safety Requirements:

Due to the lack of safety devices installed on mopeds, the DMV of Virginia requires several safety precautions while operating one.

Virginia law requires that every moped driver driving on Virginia roadways carry a government-issued photo ID (does not have to be a drivers license)
Every driver and passenger must wear a helmet while riding a moped. Drivers must also wear a face shield, safety glasses or goggles unless the moped has a windshield.
Operation of mopeds is prohibited on the interstate

Regarding DUIs:

While under most circumstances, a moped is not considered a motor vehicle it is noted in the law as one when specifically referring to DWI and DUI offenses. So you cannot drive a moped while under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

It is illegal to drive a moped if your license is suspended or revoked for convictions of DUI, underage consumption of alcohol, refusing a blood/breath test, or driving while suspended/revoked for a DUI-related offense
If your driving privilege is suspended or revoked due to a DUI-related conviction, you must be in full compliance with all requirements imposed by DMV and the court before operating a moped

If your license has been revoked or you have been involved in a Moped or motorcycle accident, contact the law offices of Collier & Collier right away at 1-804-364-5200 or toll free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

In the chaos of a car accident, you can be incapacitated, incoherent, or otherwise kept from contacting your emergency contacts. It is obviously important to notify loved ones of your condition and location in the event of a car accident or other emergency, but when incapacitated, it is impossible to do so.

In order to counteract this, the DMV of Virginia offers a special program to set and forget your emergency contact information so that it will be in the hands of those who can help exactly when they need it. The Emergency Contact Program is available to people with any valid Virginia drivers license or ID card. Per the DMV website: You can add, modify, or delete up to two emergency contacts at any time. Your information will be securely stored by DMV and will be accessible only by law enforcement in the event of an emergency.

To enroll a minor under the age of 18, the parent or guardian will have to create a DMV pin for themselves, and then add the necessary information. Children under the age of 15 will need to have a child ID registered with the DMV.

In addition to the program offered by the DMV, you may want to utilize a special feature of the iPhone if you own one. iPhones can store emergency contact information and medical notes so thats its accessible to anyone from your lock screen. On iOS version 8.0 and later, iOS products have an Apple Health app.

To add emergency information on your device:

Open the Apple Health app, which is installed on all iOS devices running iOS 8 and later. This app cant be uninstalled.
Tap on Medical ID in the bottom right corner.
Tap Create Medical ID.
At the very top, make sure Show When Locked is turned on (to green). Fill in as much information as is relevant to you. If you have no known allergies or arent taking medication, it still helps to write None or None known so that medical personnel dont assume youve overlooked these fields.
Make sure you assign at least one person as your emergency contact person. You must save that persons name and phone number in your Contacts app for the Health app to be able to include it.
Hit Done to save.

To test that the app has worked properly, lock your phone. Now wake it up but dont fully unlock it with the passcode or Touch ID (thumbprint). When you slide to get to the passcode screen, you should see Emergency at the bottom. Press it, and a new screen appears with a number keypad to dial, as well as Medical ID in the bottom left. Press Medical ID, and youll see your information appear along with a phone icon that, when pressed, will automatically dial your ICE contact.

Contact the law offices of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 1-804-364-5200 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

Tractor trailer accidents cause significant damage and often cost trucking companies a lot of money. For this reason, they employ big insurance companies who will begin investigating immediately in order to minimize their costs and pay you as little as possible. This means, that in the event of a tractor trailer accident, you should contact an attorney for legal help as soon as possible.

The most important things to do after an accident involving a large tractor trailer are:

Assess the situation: The FIRST Thing you should do is to assess any injuries you have. If you are injured, or think you might be then try to remain calm and await medical attention. If you are certain you can move without aggravating any serious injury, assess the safety of the scene and the extent of injury to anyone else involved in the accident. Look for any emergency situations, like a car on fire, or someone with a life threatening emergency. Ensure that someone has contacted 911 to report the accident.

Get to safety: Get safely off the road. One of the most important things to do will be to remove yourself, and everyone involved, from the danger zone. If you can move your car, try to remove it from the roadway and the path of traffic. Do this in the safest manner possible and move your car as far as possible from the lanes of traffic. This will help avoid secondary accidents. Make sure you get the help you need. Once the police and paramedics have arrived it is important that you follow their directions.

Record and report everything: Report all facts to the police if asked. It is important to be honest and truthful and respond to their questions. Furthermore, do not feel the need to give unnecessary information to the police at the scene. If you do not feel that you can give an accurate statement to the police because of your mental state, be honest with the officer and advise him/her that you cannot give them an accurate statement at that time.

Contact your insurance agency: Find out how they will handle recovery of your vehicle. If they have a response team they may come out to inspect the scene. Make sure you disclose any possible injuries to them and write down the claim number they assign to the case. Collect as much information as possible. Once things start to calm down and all emergency situations have been resolved, it is important for you to try to get as much information as you can. You cannot assume that the police will collect all the information you may need to preserve your rights.

If youve been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer, call the experienced Richmond tractor trailer accident lawyers of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 804-364-5200. We help clients in Richmond and beyond receive full compensation for their injuries.

Few things are more nerve-wracking on the roads around Richmond than passing or driving near an 18-wheeler. The noise, the inherent sense of danger, and the size of the other vehicle make it a harrowing experience. And in the instances where a 3,000 pound vehicle collides with an 80,000 pound semi truck, the results can be tragic and include irreparable injuries and even fatalities.

Many things can lead to a collision with a semi truck, but it is very likely that the driver of the semi truck simply didnt see you when they were turning, rapidly decelerating, or changing lanes. Large trucks have large blind spots and its important to be mindful of those areas on the highway.

Here are some ways to maintain a safe buffer zone on the road:

Know where the blind spots are: There is a blind spot directly behind the truck, on each side of the truck that can span for several lanes, by the right-hand door, and in front of the truck that encompasses the lane the truck is in and one lane to the right.
Do not follow a truck too closely: By staying close behind a truck (also known as “tailgating”), you’ll be in the truck’s rear blind spot. If the driver does not know you are there and makes an emergency stop, you may rear end the truck. A safe following distance is considered to be 300 feet (or 20 car-lengths) at 55 mph.
Give plenty of space when driving in front of a truck: Ensure that there is ample room when you change lanes in front of a truck to avoid being rear ended. You should be able to see the entire front of the truck (or both of its headlights) in your inside rear-view mirror before you pull back in front of a truck.
Blow your horn if you see the turn signal on your side come on: If you notice a truck start moving into your lane blow your horn. You may be in the driver’s blind spot. Blowing your horn is your only warning to a trucker that you’re in the place he or she is trying to go. Hit your horn several times if necessary.
Be patient: When sharing the road with trucks, it’s important to drive carefully and to realize that trucks cannot maneuver quickly in an emergency situation. Being patient is as important as knowing where the truck’s blind spots are.

Large truck accidents cause significant damage and often cost trucking companies a lot of money. For this reason, they employ big insurance companies who will begin investigating immediately in order to minimize their costs and pay you as little as possible. Thats why its important to call the tractor trailer accident attorneys of Collier & Collier, P.C. right away. Contact us at 1-804-364-5200 or toll free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

In a car accident? Follow these steps:

Auto Accident

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