News

Police chiefs in the city of Richmond, and Chesterfield and Henrico counties said Monday that their radio traffic will be encrypted on July 2. After that, only public safety personnel will be able to monitor radio transmissions.

In an email to news outlets, the chiefs said the move is aimed at ensuring that the dissemination of in-progress tactics and activities during high-risk events is limited to those whose mission is to resolve events swiftly and with minimal risk to those involved.

The chiefs also said they want to ensure that the communication of sensitive personal information does not violate legal rights or privacy.

Police in Virginia Beach ” the states largest city ” announced in May that they also plan to encrypt their radio channels. They said the move is aimed at preventing criminals from listening to police communications.

Encrypting police radio transmissions is not a new trend, but one that could affect the relationship between police and the news media, said Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

Theres not a statutory or constitutional right to listen to a scanner ¦ but there has been this historical and practical relationship between the police and press to be able to have access to this so that the information can be gotten out to the public, Rhyne said.

Jay Webb, news director of WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, said he is opposed to encryption, but realizes police have their reasons for doing it.

My biggest fear is that well just flat-out miss things and will have to rely more and more on our viewers to tell us what theyre seeing because we cant hear it on our scanners, Webb said in an email.

See more at VA Lawyers Weekly.

Call the Law Offices of Collier & Collier to learn how this might affect the speed of your case or any other aspect of your life and well-being. For the latest legal news, advice, and more be sure to visit our website regularly. And if you have any legal concerns, be sure to contact us at 804-368-6368 for a free consultation. We service clients in Richmond and the surrounding areas. Home and hospital visits are available.

Semi truck tractor trailer riachmond

Tractor-trailer accidents cause significant damage and often cost trucking companies a lot of money. For this reason, they employ 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:

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.

Get to the hospital to asses injuries: No matter how you initially feel after an accident, it is important to seek medical attention in close proximity to the accident date. We suggest the day of or the day after the accident occurs. Not only will this help solidify the accident as a potential cause of any lasting injuries, but it also ensures your safety and well-being.

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.

Black Friday is dangerous. And, as expected, quite a few people were injured while trying to take advantage of some shopping deals this year. It can be valuable to take a look at this year’s injuries, how they might have been avoided, and what lawsuits may follow.

Here’s a rundown of 2017’s Black Friday injuries:

Shooting, Stabbing in Sears Parking Lot

Houston Police blamed Black Friday for a brawl between two men in a Sears parking lot that led to one of them being shot and the other being stabbed. “We don’t know if they know each other, we don’t know if they got into an argument inside the mall and they came out here, we don’t know any of that,” Sergeant Richard Rodriguez told Houston’s Fox26. “Basically, it’s Black Friday, a lot of people shopping, a lot of activity.” Both men were taken to the hospital, and there may be some assault and battery lawsuits coming, in addition to any criminal charges.

Missouri Mall Mishap

Another shooting at a mall in Columbia — this one after midnight on Thanksgiving — left a Missouri man with life-threatening injuries. At this point, it’s not certain whether the shooting was intentional or accidental, as both men involved knew each other, and the shooting occurred inside a vehicle, possibly while one was trying to holster the weapon. Even unintended shootings can be the subject of injury lawsuits, if the person with the gun was acting negligently.

‘Bama Brawl

Some more shoppers trying to get a head start on Black Friday deals in Alabama ended up shutting down the mall instead. While initial reports of gunshots were debunked, video posted to social media shows two females fighting it out in the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, both sustaining minor injuries. As the New York Post reports:

One witness said the fight happened at a store called Buckle. In the middle of the fight, a shoe flew over the railing and hit a baby one level below — and that sparked a second skirmish, an onlooker said.

And, if you’re wondering, yes — you can sue someone for beating you up.

Hopefully you made it through Black Friday unscathed. If not, contact the law offices of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 1-804-368-6368 or toll free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case.

This month marks the beginning of a new NFL football season. You can expect water-cooler talk about team rivalries, constant gossip about player injuries, and more drunk drivers on the road each Thursday and Sunday. Dont think football season affects the road? Well, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 43% of all traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday in 2012 were caused by intoxicated driving. That statistic is up 10% from what could be expected on any average Sunday.

Because of the elevated risk of drunk drivers on the roadways, it is important to know how to spot and report them.

How to spot a drunk driver on the road:

Weaving frequently and not able to drive in straight line
Making wide turns
Driving at slower speeds than usual
Stopping without a cause
Driving on the wrong side of the road

How to report a drunk driver if you come across one:

Stay as far away from the vehicle as possible
Do not try to pass the vehicle or signal it to pull over, this may cause an accident
Without disrupting or becoming distracted from your own driving, safely take notice of the license plate and the make, model, and year of the vehicle
Pull over and call 911 and give them your description

If you plan on tailgating and showing support for your team, make sure to do so responsibly. Make use of public transportation or a designated driver if you plan to drink. And if you dont plan on drinking but do anyway be sure to wait until you are sober to operate any motor vehicle.

If you are hit by a drunk driver, dont hesitate to call The Law Offices of Collier & Collier, P.C. toll free at 877-825-0543. 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.

As our loved ones age they can become extremely dependent on others due to a foggy memory, increased frailty, loss of motor skills, or other effects of old age. This can mean relocating the elderly to a home, or hiring a live-in caregiver to assist with daily tasks. In some of these situations the elderly can be abused or neglected, and it may be hard to tell when that is happening.

There are obvious forms of abuse like physical and sexual which leave visible evidence like bruises and scars that can be spotted by someone outside of the family. But other abuse methods are more sinister because they are harder to notice. Emotional abuse through insults, repeated yelling, humiliation, isolation, or neglect of their needs can go unnoticed for long periods of time before it is too late.

Elders may also be in a situation of financial duress. An unscrupulous caregiver might misuse an elders personal checks, credit cards, or accounts. They may even steal cash, income checks, or household goods, engage in identity theft or worse. Common rackets these unscrupulous caregivers may use are: announcements of a prize that the elderly person has won but must pay money to claim, phony charities, and investment fraud. This is not a comprehensive list; there are many ways to financially abuse an elderly person.

It is important to keep in contact with your relatives and pay attention for signs of abuse. If you live far away from your relative, be sure to call regularly and talk to them as well as the caregiver; make sure you talk to the relative though as the caregiver may try to restrict access to them. If you can, try to visit at least once a month, announced or unannounced and watch for any warning signs.

If you feel that a relative has experienced abuse in a care facility, or that a wrongful death has resulted from the prolonged abuse of a relative you can call the professional attorneys at The Law Office of Collier and Collier. We understand that abuse is shocking, and we will do everything we can to help bring legal closure to the situation for you and your family.

Call our offices toll free today 877.825.0543.

Police in Richmond planning to encrypt radio channels

News

Shooting, Stabbing in Sears Parking Lot

Footer

Collier & Collier, P.C.