Buffalo hones the title “City of Good Neighbors.” Walking downtown, smiles greet you on strangers faces and “How do you do?’ follows. The intimacy of personal relationships in this city is like a Reese’s cup; better with every bite. Some Buffaloians though, take advantage of this hospitable instinct, maybe by parking their car in your driveway. . . or dining room for that matter. I bleed cordiality, but if you wish to come in, use your fist to knock, not your bumper.

                Since the end of August, an astounding 25 drivers have crashed into local businesses, many of which have resulted in death and serious injury.  The most recent came this week when an SUV struck the front rail of Laughlin’s on Franklin Street, causing noteworthy damage to the neighborhood pub. Another highly publicized crash occurred in mid-September, when an elderly woman barreled into the side of Chee Burger Chee Burger, killing two and injuring several more. The list goes on from there.  With this latest accident, a pandemic can only describe what’s happening. Can we really pin 25 separate car-fights-building incidents on absent mindedness alone? One leading psychologist thinks not.

                Though many of these cases involve elderly drivers, personality plays a role too according to Psychologist Dr. Amy Beth Taublib. She told WKBW that a common delusion among people, namely senior citizens, suggests that their perceived driving skills supersede their actual driving skills, which she believes has contributed greatly to the surge in building-front crashes. “I certainly don’t think it’s coincidental,” Taublib told channel 7, “I think people who do these things have a certain psychological mindset.” Another theory discussed by Taublib recalls the “copy-cat” phenomenon, which implies that an accident like this occurring once increases the likelihood of it occurring again because violent incidents have a way of embedding themselves in the collective unconscious.

                The Amherst Town Board has taken preventive action toward limiting the frequency of these accidents. In September, the board passed an ordinance requiring local businesses to implant concrete pillars in front of their buildings if the building lies within a certain number of feet from the roadside. Since the passing of this ordinance, there have been at least 10 more accidents of this nature.  Glumly enough, if any truth exists in the “copycat” phenomenon, expect more of these crashes to come.

Every mile driven by an adult, a teenager driver 16 to 19 years old is four times more likely to get into a car accident, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while any time of year can be dangerous on the road, teens are much more likely to be involved in an auto accident during the summer. A recent study by AAA of accident data found that more deadly auto accidents involving teenage drivers happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day than any other time of year.

What would you do if you were injured in an accident caused by a teenager in New York State? You need a determined Buffalo NY accident lawyer on your side. You need the Law Offices of James Morris. An experienced Buffalo auto accident attorney at our firm can guide you through the complicated red tape often associated with such complicated accidents. We know the kinds of games insurance companies often try to play. They don’t intimidate us. We’re not afraid to vigorously fight for our clients’ rights. Put your trust in a Buffalo New York car accident attorney who puts people first. Contact the Law Offices of James Morris.

Teenage drivers kill thousands of people every year. In 2009, a teenager (15 to 19 years old) was killed in an auto accident nearly every 3 hours nationwide, according to the CDC. That’s more than 3,000 teenagers that year. Here’s another sobering statistic: between 2005 and 2009, nearly 15 teenagers (13 to 19 years old) were killed every single day nationwide between Memorial Day and Labor Day in car accidents, reports AAA. That’s more than 7,300 teenagers during that five year time period.

Teenager drivers in New York State regularly cause serious accidents. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of someone else’s reckless behavior. Take back control. Contact the Law Offices of James Morris. We’re on your side.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

Fatal bus accidents caused by bus drivers falling asleep at the wheel happen all the time. A recent New York Times article documents just how common and dangerous accidents caused by sleeping bus drivers can be in America. Studies show that 13 percent to 31 percent of commercial vehicle crashes are due to driver fatigue, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

What would you do if you were injured by a bus driver who fell asleep at the wheel in New York State? You need a determined New York bus accident lawyer on your side. You need the Law Offices of James Morris. An experienced Buffalo bus accident attorney at our firm can fight for your rights if you’ve been hurt in a crash. Serious accidents demand serious attention. Turn to a New York bus accident attorney with years of experience fighting for clients. Contact the Law Offices of James Morris.

Many bus drivers push themselves too hard. They work long hours, skip sleep and avoid taking breaks. The result: many bus drivers fall asleep at wheel. That’s when accidents happen, often with deadly consequences.

Each year, driver fatigue causes 100,000 car accidents nationwide. That’s one accident every five minutes. Sleeping driver accidents result in roughly 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities each year across the country.

More than 60 percent of adult drivers have admitted driving while feeling drowsy in the past year. Even more shocking, 37 percent or 108 million drivers nationwide have confessed to falling asleep at the wheel.

Bus accidents can be complicated. We understand complex state and federal transportation laws. We know how to hold bus companies responsible and unresponsive insurance companies accountable. We work tirelessly for results.

Don’t let someone else’s reckless behavior ruin your life. Take action. Contact James Morris today. We mean business.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

Uninsured New York motorists often put other drivers at risk, especially during tough economic times. Each time the unemployment rate goes up 1 percent, the number of uninsured drivers increases by an estimated 1 percent, according to a recent study. An estimated 16 percent of drivers have no auto insurance. Here’s another frightening statistic: 14 percent of car accidents are caused by uninsured motorists.

What would you do if you were involved in an auto accident with an uninsured motorist in New York State? You need a determined auto accident lawyer in New York on your side. You need the Law Offices of James Morris. An experienced car accident attorney in Buffalo at our firm can give you the attention you rightfully deserve. Don’t leave your future to chance. Count on an auto accident attorney in Buffalo with years of experience fighting for clients. Contact the Law Offices of James Morris.

Financial concerns are not the only reason why some drivers have no insurance. Sometimes, these high-risk drivers are not supposed to be on the road because they lost their license due to a drunk driving offense. The driver may have even been under the influence of alcohol when they had their accident with you. Car accidents involving uninsured motorists can be complicated. The best way to recover damages varies depending on the circumstances of your accident. The most direct route involves making a claim against your own uninsured motorist policy. But insurance companies can sometimes be unresponsive.

Don’t let an accident with an uninsured motorist derail your life. Get your life back on track. Take action. Contact the Law Offices of James Morris. We’re not afraid of insurance companies and their lawyers. We’re ready to fight for you!

The Law Offices of James Morris – we mean business!

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

You’re driving down a busy street. There’s a stop light ahead. The light turns red, you slow down. Next thing you know, the car behind you slams straight into your vehicle. You’ve just been involved in a rear-end collision. And you’re not alone.

Each year, more than 2.5 million rear-end collisions take place nationwide, according to the National Safety Council. That’s a rear-end accident every 12 seconds! Just recently, police in Western New York responded to numerous rear-end collisions due to icy road conditions throughout the region.

Snow and ice-covered roads often result in rear-end collisions. Other common causes of rear-end collisions include:

• Distracted drivers. Motorists talking or texting on cell phones often don’t realize they’re about to drive into another car.
• Excessive speed. Drivers traveling too fast often times don’t have enough time to stop or avoid a rear-end collision.
• Defective equipment. A car might have defective parts, have not been repaired correctly or may even be subject to a recall.

Rear-end collisions sometimes happen at low speeds in parking lots or near crosswalks. But even when vehicles are not traveling fast, rear-end collisions often result in injuries. Many accidents result in cervical or lumbar strain injuries. Other times, people sustain more serious injuries such as herniated cervical or lumbar discs. Rear-end collisions can even result in death.

What would you do if you were injured in a rear-end collision? What if you couldn’t work for weeks or months? How would you pay your bills? You need someone experienced with handling such complicated cases. You need someone who understands New York State’s complex legal system. You need someone determined to get results for you. You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

James Morris was selected by SuperLawyers in the personal injury field in 2009 and 2010 as one of New York State’s best lawyers. When you choose James Morris, you get an attorney dedicated to working tirelessly to win your rear-end collision case.

Don’t let a rear-end collision derail your life. Demand justice. Contact James Morris today.  We mean business.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

Many people automatically put on a seatbelt when they get in a car. It wasn’t always this way. And while seatbelts save lives, seatbelts are not always perfect.

As seatbelt use has increased, the fatality rate for car accidents has declined. In 1994, just under 60 percent of motorists wore seatbelts. That year, the fatality rate for car accidents was 1.4 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the standard measurement for accidents. By 2006, the fatality rate dropped 21 percent to 1.1 deaths and 80 percent of motorists wore seatbelts.

What changed? The rise in seatbelt use coincides with tougher seatbelt laws in many states throughout the country. States like New York have primary enforcement seatbelt laws. This means police in New York can pull someone over for not wearing their seatbelt and issue them a $50 fine. States with primary seatbelt laws report that 88 percent of motorists wear seatbelts. States without such laws report that 75 percent of motorists wear seatbelts.

But seatbelts aren’t perfect. Sometimes, a defective design can leave a seatbelt not functioning right. A gifted young professional baseball player, Brian Cole, was killed when his Ford SUV rolled over and his seatbelt failed to hold him in place. An investigation found that Cole had his seatbelt on at the time. Recently, a jury ordered Ford to pay Cole’s family $131 million, claiming the seatbelt did not operate correctly and contributed to Cole’s death.

Accidents happen fast. Your life can change in an instant. What would you do if you were injured? How would you pay your medical bills? What if your insurance company refused to cooperate? Knowing what to do can be difficult. Finding answers to your important questions can be frustrating.

You need an action plan. You need someone who understands New York State’s complicated legal system. You need someone who will demand justice. You need an advocate on your side who will fight tenaciously for you.  You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Our lawyers have years of experience successfully representing car accident victims in New York. We know the scare tactics some insurance companies and car makers use to avoid paying victims. Show them you mean business. Contact a law firm committed to getting results for clients. Contact James Morris today.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

Drivers fall asleep at the wheel all the time. Sometimes, no one gets hurt, like a recent driver in Upstate New York discovered asleep at the wheel at a traffic light.  But accidents happen. Each year, driver fatigue causes 100,000 car accidents nationwide. That’s one accident every five minutes. Sleeping driver accidents result in roughly 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities each year across the country.

More than 60 percent of adult drivers have admitted driving while feeling drowsy in the past year. Even more shocking, 37 percent or 108 million drivers nationwide have confessed to falling asleep at the wheel. Of those who fell asleep at the wheel, 13 percent revealed they have done so at least once a month.

Who’s asleep at the wheel? Most people rightly realize that long-distance truck drivers often fall asleep. That’s why the Federal Highway Safety Administration has designated driver fatigue as the number one priority for truck safety. But it’s not just tired truck drivers causing accidents. Other drivers falling asleep include:

• Men, who are twice as likely to fall asleep while driving as women.
• Drivers on the road between midnight at 6 a.m.
• Adults 18 – 29 years old.

Driving while tired seems innocent. But tired drivers choose to drive. They refuse to take breaks. They ignore warning signs. They put everyone at risk on the road.

What would you do if you were injured by a driver asleep at the wheel? You need someone with experience dealing with serious accidents. You need someone who will tenaciously fight for justice. You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Our knowledgeable lawyers have years of experience handling accidents involving drivers asleep at the wheel in New York State. We understand complex state and federal laws. We know how to hold big trucking companies responsible and unresponsive insurance companies accountable. We work tirelessly for results.

Don’t let someone else’s reckless behavior ruin your life. Take action. Contact James Morris today. We mean business.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.

We trust our schools. We rely on them to protect our children. We expect them to keep them safe. But accidents happen, often when we least expect them. Sometimes in the classroom. Other times just coming or going to school, especially in New York State, where roads can turn treacherous quickly in winter.

People especially need to be aware of children walking to school. Sometimes, children get distracted or caught up in the excitement of seeing a friend and unexpectedly dart out into a street. That’s when pedestrian accidents happen.

Sadly, a staggering number of pedestrians injured and killed are under 15 years old. In 2008, pedestrians sustained 69,000 injuries and 4,378 deaths in accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those statistics include 15,000 injured and 316 killed under 15 years old.

The statistics are even more startling for bicycle injuries and deaths for children. Cyclists under 14 years old account for 24 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and 50 percent of all bicycle-related injuries.

Why so many accidents? Sometimes, children don’t pay attention while walking to their bus stop, riding a bike or walking to school. Other times, it’s the driver doing something besides driving. Texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, fiddling with the radio – all of these activities distract drivers and put us all at risk.

Accidents happen. Everyone feels sorry. But actions have consequences. Don’t let someone else’s irresponsible behavior ruin your family’s lives. You need a team you can trust to fight for your rights. You need the Law Offices of James Morris.

Serving clients throughout New York State, James Morris has years of experience defending families traumatized by accidents involving school children. We know how precious your children are to you. An accident can instantly change your lives. Let us do everything in our power to right any wrongs done to your children.

Don’t be a victim. Take action. Contact James Morris today. We’re on your side.

The information contained in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as legal advice on any subject matter.