Van Blois Law

Unsafe driving behaviors can lead to dangerous, life-threatening accidents for walkers.

What are the most common dangers that construction workers face on the job?

Invisible or late-onset car accident injuries are the most dangerous.

R. Lewis Van Blois receives recognition for his work on behalf of those who have been severely injured.

Given the seriousness of an injury to the brain, people often wonder how it will heal and if they will have long-term effects.

A traumatic brain injury can have sustained - and significant - effects on an individual's life.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation may improve recovery for individuals in a vegetative state.

Federal Officials Fail to Protect Public from Fatigued Drivers On behalf of Van Blois Law posted in Trucking Accidents on Thursday, August 10, 2017. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) are abandoning planned regulations that require testing for fatigue-inducing disorders for truck drivers and train engineers. Safety experts say that millions of lives will continue to be at risk for accidents caused by fatigued ...commercial drivers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have found that driver fatigue is a factor in one third of all commercial truck crashes. Sleep apnea can cause daytime drowsiness and is to blame for multiple train derailments and deaths. The Metro-North Railroad found that 11.6 percent of its engineers suffer from sleep apnea. Plans were underway to protect the public from fatigued commercial truck drivers and railroad engineers until President Donald Trump's campaign to drastically slash federal safety regulations. The Trump administrations decision to kill sleep apnea regulation is likely to cause preventable deaths and injuries. Commercial truck drivers and railroad engineers suffering from obstructive sleep apnea do not get adequate rest because airways close and breathing decreases and can even temporarily stop. Individuals who have undiagnosed sleep apnea are unaware they have experienced periods of sleep interrupted by breathing difficulties when they awaken in the morning. The result can be dangerous daytime drowsiness leading to catastrophic semi-truck or railroad crashes. Last yea rthe FRA issued a temporary safety advisory to have railroads begin sleep apnea testing while complete federal rules were being approved. Now these safety regulations will not be enacted causing significant risks to the public. The Van Blois Law Firm has specialized knowledge in handling crashes caused by fatigued drivers. In one case a fatigued big rig truck driver drove across the United States and negligently drove into a California intersection in front of an automobile killing the driver and causing severe traumatic brain injury to the passenger. In a Nevada case, a fatigued truck driver fell asleep and drifted across the center line killing an on coming driver whose family retained our law firm. In both cases and in other similar cases we have obtained substantial settlements for our clients.

Can broken bones lead to long-term disability?

A brain injury can have serious consequences for a child whose brain is still in development..

As bad as a broken bone may feel, things can get even worse. Serious complications can come from a seemingly simple break.

Sadly, far too many people make the illegal and dangerous decision to operate their vehicle after they've consumed alcohol. These individuals are not only putting themselves at risk, they are endangering everyone else on the road.

Recovering from a spinal cord injury is a physical and emotional process. Read more about what it looks like.

A seemingly simple slip or trip could lead to serious injuries. Knowing how to prevent it is the first step.

Michael E. Gatto, Esq., has been invited by the Orange County District Attorney's office to provide a training on criminal restitution. Michael has conducted restitution hearings both as a prosecutor and as a private attorney representing crime victims. Michael will discuss unique issues arising in restitution cases involving future earnings loss, future medical care treatment needs; attendant care; and, loss of household services.

7 reasons why semi-truck accidents happen.

Truck platooning is an aerodynamic approach to cut fuel consumption by reducing wind resistance.

San Francisco is California's most dangerous City for pedestrians. Fifty percent of all traffic deaths in San Francisco are pedestrian accidents.

"California juries are fed up with drunk drivers."

Most catastrophic bad weather truck accidents could have been avoided if truck drivers would have followed the law.

The good news is that not all injuries result in paralysis.