Georgia Personal Injury Law Blog

School buses are an invaluable mode of transportation for parents who, for any reason, are not able to ferry their children to and from school each day. One group of Georgia parents have filed a lawsuit after seven children were injured in a crash allegedly caused by reckless driving. The bus' video recording system showed the driver possibly displayed reckless driving tendencies in a timeline of events just before the crash. According to the video timeline, the bus driver hit a mailbox, swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, and increased his speed, all while driving with one hand, holding a cup between his legs, and not wearing his seat belt -- all in the span of 11 minutes. The video cuts off before the actual crash but does show that, because the driver was not wearing his seat belt, he slid off the seat and was not able to control the…

Using a cell phone while you operate a vehicle greatly increases the likelihood you will end up in a collision. According to the National Safety Council, you are up to 23 times more likely to end up in a car accident while texting than if you had both eyes on the road. To combat the epidemic of distracted driving taking place around the state, Georgia passed a new law that went into effect on July 1st earlier this year. Here is everything you need to know about the new law, but for the most part, as long as you keep your phone out of the way, you will have nothing to worry about. The Hands-Free Georgia Act This law prohibits motorists from holding a cell phone while a vehicle is in motion. That means they cannot make a call or text with an exception if there was an emergency taking place. You can also hold a…

Losing a loved one is never easy but it seems even harder to accept when the loss is due to the negligence of another person. Fatal accidents are often caused by someone who is not giving sufficient attention to the task at hand, usually in operating some type of machine that is capable of causing grave injuries, such as a car or truck. A Georgia man was recently a victim in one of the state's latest fatal accidents as he was traveling on Interstate 20. The 3 a.m. collision occurred when the young driver of a BMW sedan hit the back end of a 2009 Nissan. The driver of the BMW was speeding and following the other vehicle too closely at the time of the crash. Police also believe he had been drinking not long before the crash. Neither vehicle was able to stay on the highway. The impact was…

Deadly crashes can happen at any time and to any person, no matter what precautions a driver may take. There is no guarantee that other drivers are as careful on the road, that weather conditions are always perfect for driving, and that deer and that other animals do not dart out in front of a moving vehicle. A Georgia man has been sentenced after his conviction in causing one of the state's fatal accidents nearly two years ago. A report on the court proceedings did not give details of the crash, only that the driver was speeding when his car crashed into another vehicle carrying four members of one family. The mother and two of her children were injured, but her third child, a 19-year-old man, was killed. One of the children still experiences debilitating pain from her injuries. The 24-year-old driver accused and convicted of a host of charges, including…

There are many hazards on the road that drivers cannot control, like weather or construction. However, many accidents are not caused by hazards like these. They are caused by distracted driving. One such accident caused the death of a Georgia county sheriff officer's grandchild. The four-year-old girl died in an accident that occurred earlier this month. She was in the car with her mother and younger brother when the car was struck from behind by another vehicle. When authorities arrived on the scene, which included the child's grandfather, the little girl was pulled from the vehicle and CPR was administered. After the accident, the driver of the second vehicle told authorities that he had dropped a bottle and his phone into the floorboard of his car and was attempting to reach for them when he crashed into the vehicle carrying the mother and her children. Unfortunately, the child did not…

Many motorcyclists across the country enjoy riding with others. Some people choose to ride alongside other riders, and others choose to ride with a passenger. Unfortunately, when a motorcycle accident occurs, the driver and passenger both risk sustaining serious injuries. Georgia State Patrol officers recently responded to a crash that resulted in the injury of a motorcyclist and his passenger. The motorcyclist and his passenger were traveling east in the right lane of a highway when the accident occurred. A northbound sedan turned left onto the highway in front of the motorcycle. Unfortunately, the driver of the motorcycle did not have enough time to react to the vehicle and crashed into the sedan. Both of the motorcycle occupants were thrown from the bike. Each of the motorcycle riders was taken to nearby medical centers for treatment. The driver was taken via ground transportation to a nearby hospital, but his passenger was airlifted for…

A significant number of people have broken what they may consider being a minor traffic law, such as running a stop sign. However, these seemingly minor or insignificant traffic laws are in place to help prevent potentially deadly crashes. Georgia authorities recently responded to a car accident which resulted in not just one, but four deaths as well as several injuries. This accident occurred between a pickup truck and a smaller car, both of which contained multiple passengers. The driver of the car reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with the pickup truck. A total of seven people were either injured or killed in the crash. Three were riding in the truck and the other four, including a six-year-old boy, were riding in the car. All four passengers of the car, including the child, were killed in the crash. The three truck passengers suffered minor injuries. They were transported to…

Let us say that you were at an intersection with a four-way stop. It was your turn to proceed when, out of nowhere, a pickup truck sped through the stop sign and smashed into your car. Your airbags deployed, but you still suffered serious injuries. You are facing a long recovery and weeks of rehabilitation. Why did this have to happen? Dangers Speeding endangers the perpetrator of this activity as well as other nearby motorists. According to statistics gathered by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, speeding has been a major cause of roadway fatalities in our country for more than 20 years, a contributing factor in about a third of those deaths. Motivations Many drivers who are going faster than they should are simply running late. Most working people, especially, have busy schedules and try to cram too much into their 10- or 12-hour day. They jump in the car…

Intersections are dangerous. When drivers are not fully aware of their surroundings, accidents are more likely to occur. The Georgia State Patrol responded to a recent car accident that caused multiple injuries. The accident occurred when an SUV turning left onto U.S. 411 collided with a westbound pickup truck. Reports say that the SUV had pulled in front of the oncoming truck, causing the collision. The truck rolled to a stop near the median, while the SUV rolled down an embankment. Part of the highway was temporarily closed while paramedics and state troopers accessed the scene. Both drivers were extricated from their vehicles by emergency personnel after the crash. A passenger and the driver were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The seriously-injured driver of the SUV was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Authorities reported that his injuries were life-threatening. Entering and exiting major roadways is dangerous under any circumstances, but particularly…

It's tragic when anyone is killed or seriously injured in a car crash, particularly if the victim is a small child. These crashes might happen for a number of different reasons. Drivers may be distracted, trying to avoid another hazard, or simply taking a turn too wide or too close to another vehicle. Earlier this month Georgia authorities responded to a car accident that resulted in the deaths of two adults and the serious injury of a baby. The crash occurred at about 8:20 a.m. The two vehicles, a sedan and a truck, were traveling north and south respectively when witnesses say the sedan cross over the middle line. The two vehicles collided head-on, causing significant damage to the front of both vehicles. Both drivers suffered fatal injuries in the crash. The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene and the 10-month-old baby traveling with her suffered serious…