<![CDATA[Wrongful Death - Law Offices of James Morris]]> https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/categories/wrongful-death/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 23:20:15 GMT en-us <![CDATA[Virginia Tech Shooting: Who’s to Blame?]]> https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/virginia-tech-wrongful-death-case-whos-to-blame/ https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/virginia-tech-wrongful-death-case-whos-to-blame/ Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:43:44 GMT In 2007, a lone gunman shocked the nation with his violent rampage on a campus full of unsuspecting students in Blacksburg, Virginia. The campus was the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and the gunman, a disgruntled English major with a history of psychological distress and anxiety disorders. Five years after the massacre that took the lives of…

]]> In 2007, a lone gunman shocked the nation with his violent rampage on a campus full of unsuspecting students in Blacksburg, Virginia. The campus was the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and the gunman, a disgruntled English major with a history of psychological distress and anxiety disorders. Five years after the massacre that took the lives of 33 students, including his own, and injured 25 others, prosecution attempted this past week to establish responsibility in this extensive list of wrongful death cases.

When word first broke on campus that a gunman opened fire on his classmates, university police dismissed him as a jealous boyfriend posing no further threat to the student population, or so the prosecutors lead jurors to believe. Despite yielding both .22 caliber semi-automatic and 9 mm handguns, the prosecution provided evidence that university police waited two and half hours before responding to the first shots on campus according to the Washington Post. Once a response was finally set in motion, the police pursued the wrong suspect, allowing the gunman to chain-lock the doors of Norris Hall and continue his massacre.

In a case like this, it’s difficult for a wrongful death attorney to establish responsibility or determine who was negligent  due to the complexity of the situation. But grieving parents need some sense of closure in directing blame for the death of their child. Since the gunman was unable to stand trial, the parents attorneys attempted to prove the elements of negligence in the university police’s error in judgment and response.

At James Morris Law, in wrongful death situations involving car accidents,  construction accidents or other types of negligent cases, it is our job to bring justice to those who’ve lost a loved one. If you’re in need of a buffalo personal injury lawyer, or buffalo wrongful death lawyer  call James Morris Law today, 716-855-1118.

]]> <![CDATA[Danger on the Curbside?]]> https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/danger-on-the-curbside/ https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/danger-on-the-curbside/ Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:43:30 GMT The Washington Post reported this week that “curbside” buses, those that pick passengers up at designated roadside stops as opposed to at a terminal, are five times more likely to be in an accident than terminal buses.  The National Transportation Safety Board claims that safety inspectors for these bus companies are unable to keep pace with…

]]> The Washington Post reported this week that “curbside” buses, those that pick passengers up at designated roadside stops as opposed to at a terminal, are five times more likely to be in an accident than terminal buses.  The National Transportation Safety Board claims that safety inspectors for these bus companies are unable to keep pace with driver fatigue, which is a contributing factor toward the increase in crashes. The lack of available inspectors, roughly 2,300 assigned to over 53,000 buses, is one reason that current inspectors cannot keep pace. The NTSB also believes that companies are frequently changing their names in hopes of slipping past inspectors’ radars, leading to an upsurge in unmonitored safety violations. A demonstration of the serious consequences of these safety hazards came in March, when a speeding bus hurdled off an elevated highway and smashed directly into a utility pole. The bus split from front to back, killing 15 and leaving 18 with injuries. Senator Chuck Schumer has since proposed that a letter-grading scale, charting a company’s cumulative safety ratings, be made available to consumers prior to selecting a transportation service. This still does not account for the lack of available inspectors.

Don’t pay for the mistakes of a negligent bus company. If you or someone you know has been injured in a bus accident call the Law Offices of James Morris now and receive the reparations you deserve.

]]> <![CDATA[Child Drowning Serious Problem in New York State. How to Stay Safe.]]> https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/child-drowning-serious-problem-in-new-york-state-how-to-stay-safe/ https://www.jamesmorrislaw.com/blog/child-drowning-serious-problem-in-new-york-state-how-to-stay-safe/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:45:33 GMT Children drown fast. In an instant, without warning, a child can be fighting for their lives in a stream or lake or swimming pool. Just recently, a 14-year-old boy died when he drowned in Lake Erie near Westfield, N.Y. Sadly, children drown more often than you may realize. Among children 1 to 14 years old,…

]]> Children drown fast. In an instant, without warning, a child can be fighting for their lives in a stream or lake or swimming pool. Just recently, a 14-year-old boy died when he drowned in Lake Erie near Westfield, N.Y.

Sadly, children drown more often than you may realize. Among children 1 to 14 years old, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide.  And among the 3,443 people who died nationwide from drowning in 2007, one out of five victims was under 14 years old.

Swimming pools are magnets for children on a hot, summer day. But children can drown just as easily in several inches of water in a bathtub. And for every child who dies from drowning, another four must be rushed to an emergency room for nonfatal injuries caused by being submerged under water.

Injuries sustained by children who survive a drowning can be severe and change their lives forever. Being submerged under water for just four to six minutes can often result in permanent brain damage.

Sometimes, children drown accidently. Other times, other people’s reckless behavior results in your child’s death or injury. That’s why laws exist requiring swimming pools to be fenced in. That’s why responsible adults put life preservers on children every time they ride in a boat. Accidents happen. Be prepared.

Every parent dreads experiencing such a horrific accident. We all believe we will share our entire lives with our children. Losing them in such a traumatic way can be shattering. Knowing what to do next can be baffling. We can help. We’re the Law Offices of James Morris.

Serving Buffalo and other communities throughout New York State, James Morris has years of experience representing children and their families. Don’t delay. Take action. Contact James Morris today. We’re on your side.

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