Georgia Personal Injury Law Blog

Police officers across the nation often put their lives on the line in the performance of their duties. These men and women are seen on the news participating in high-speed chases, arresting violent criminals, or conducting searches for people in remote or dangerous areas. However, these acts of heroism are only a very small fraction of what most officers do on a daily basis. It can be easy to forget that officers may also be at risk while doing much less glamorous tasks. One Georgia State Patrol officer became the victim of a drunk driving accident while he was on duty. The accident occurred on Monday, Nov. 6, on Matt Highway where the officer was directing traffic. Authorities stated that the officer was hit by a car driven by a Forsyth County Water and Sewer Department employee. After the accident, the officer underwent surgery for his broken leg, and the driver…

Motorcycles are a common sight on roadways in Georgia and across America, and they come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Those driving larger vehicles have a responsibility to keep a close eye out for them. A motorcycle accident involving other vehicles often results in severe injuries, or worse, for the motorcyclist due to the limited means of protection available to bikers. On the morning of Nov. 4, an accident occurred on Hwy. 34 between a motorcycle and a pickup truck. The motorcyclist was heading east when the truck, which had been stopped at the intersection, pulled onto the highway. Because the motorcyclist did not have time to slow down or dodge the truck, he crashed into the driver's side door of the pickup. The biker suffered severe injuries as a result of the crash. He was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center. Fortunately, there were no other reported injuries. Authorities are…

Thankfully, most Georgia car accidents don't involve fires. When they do, it's usually because big rigs or other large vehicles were involved. In 2012, a collision between an SUV and a pickup truck resulted in a horrific blaze that killed a young boy. His family subsequently filed a wrongful death suit against Chrysler, the manufacturer of their vehicle. The accident occurred when a pickup truck collided with a left-turning SUV. The force of the collision caused the gas tank of the struck vehicle to rupture. The fire caused by gas that ignited resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy in the SUV. After the accident, the parents of the child filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer of the vehicle in which their son was a passenger. They claimed that the location of the gas tank was directly linked with the death of their son. The gas tank of the vehicle…

It can sometimes be unnerving for Georgia drivers to navigate the roadways with large commercial trucks. Often, drivers will move over to the next lane when they see one pulled over to the side of the road in order to prevent a truck accident. Unfortunately, drivers are not always able to move over, or they are otherwise distracted, and accidents still occur. Such an accident occurred on Interstate 75 when a rental moving truck crashed into a larger truck that was pulled over in the emergency lane. The driver of the truck, which was hauling combustible material, had pulled over into the right emergency lane to fix a flat tire. The rental truck was driving southbound and veered into the emergency lane, clipping the driver's side of the stopped vehicle. After colliding with the truck, the rental truck then crashed into a passenger van, which flipped and landed upside down on the road's left shoulder. Authorities…

Most Georgia families know that coping with the death of a loved one can be difficult. Too often, a car accident is the cause of a family's grief. A single, poor decision can forever change the lives of individuals as well as entire families. One such accident occurred in Milledgeville, Georgia. A head-on collision between a sedan and a pickup truck resulted in the injury of three individuals. The two drivers were injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment. The third individual, a passenger in the sedan, suffered fatal injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Macon where he died. The accident occurred when the driver of the sedan refused to stop when a trooper attempted to pull him over. According to authorities, the trooper was attempting to pull the car over for a seat belt violation. The driver of the car turned onto another road and collided with the truck…

Being involved in a car accident is a traumatic event that is even more difficult when the accident causes an injury. Whether serious or relatively minor, if you sustain an injury following an auto accident, you should not underestimate the situation. Many people are not aware of the legal circumstances and their rights when it comes to an injury from a car accident. It can be important for you to have a consultation with a personal injury attorney following an accident. Here are a few tips to help you decide when to contact a lawyer who focuses on this area of the law. The severity of injuries and long-term effects The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety reported that 19,405 people sustained serious injuries in 2015 due to a motor vehicle accident. While it can be advisable to consult with a personal injury attorney in any case in which you have suffered an…

A motorcyclist is more vulnerable to injuries sustained in a traffic accident than someone who is in an enclosed vehicle. Furthermore, the risk of injury increases for riders who are over the age of 60. To complicate matters, the driver's insurance company may take the position that the motorcyclist is responsible for the accident, when, in fact, the fault often lies with the motorist. All about growing older Many changes take place in your body as you age. For example, bones become more brittle and are more prone to fractures. Eyesight becomes a bit more blurry, and even with glasses, your vision will likely not be as sharp as it once was. Among the major physiological changes is a redistribution of visceral fat and a reduction in the elasticity of the chest wall. As you age, you will notice that your balance has changed and that your reaction time is slower.…

Georgia residents living in rural areas have probably been caught behind individuals driving farm equipment, like tractors, on the roads. These vehicles only travel between 18 and 25 mph, and other drivers can sometimes become frustrated with the slow pace. This often results in drivers speeding around the slower-moving farm equipment. Unfortunately, drivers do not always wait for a safe time to pass these vehicles, and the results can be disastrous. This was the case in Madison County where a truck crashed into a slow-moving tractor. A witness to the crash, the driver of a second tractor, reported that the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit the first tractor. The tractor was described as being torn in half as a result of the crash. The driver of the tractor was pinned underneath the front half of the machine. Witnesses say that the pinned man was making…

Georgia drivers know that driving next to a semi-truck can be unnerving. They are easily the largest vehicles on the road, and they have notoriously large blind spots. Therefore, the drivers of these trucks have to be even more vigilant about following driving laws. Unfortunately, not all truck drivers adhere to these laws, and the result is too often a fatal truck accident. On the evening of Sept. 27, Georgia State Patrol responded to a crash involving a semi-truck and a car. The car held two passengers, the driver, and a child. The driver was killed in the crash, and the child was reportedly taken to Archbold Medical Center. Reports also say that the child was in critical condition. The crash occurred on Maddox Road and State Route 188. Authorities say that the driver of the semi-truck failed to yield upon exiting a private driveway. The truck crashed into the…

Most drivers, especially young drivers, have felt the temptation to speed along a stretch of highway. Unfortunately, some have given in to this temptation with tragic results. Such was the case on Sept. 23 when the Georgia State Patrol responded to a car accident on Highway 16, which they suspect may have been caused by reckless driving and speeding. The crash involved two cars and three injured individuals. One car traveling eastbound is said to have struck another car whose driver was attempting to pull onto the highway. Both the driver and passenger of the first car were transported by helicopter to Atlanta Medical Center, and the driver of the second car was taken to Piedmont Newnan via ground ambulance. Witnesses to the collision informed the police that they saw the first car passing others over a double yellow line. They also said that the car was traveling at speeds exceeding 80 mph.…