Georgia Personal Injury Blog
How Do I Check to See if My Vehicle Has Been Recalled?
You probably hear about recalls all the time on the news, but often, do not assume that the recall has to do with you or your vehicle. However, most people do not realize that recalls occur all the time, including for issues that do not make it onto the news. You need to know if your vehicle has been recalled for anything, including individual parts that may be defective inside of the vehicle that could affect overall safety. How to Check for Vehicle Recalls If you are not sure whether or not your vehicle has any active recalls, that is…
Georgia’s “Family Purpose” Doctrine
In most situations, parents or guardians will not be held liable for the actions of their children, but that is not always the case. The state of Georgia does have a “family purpose doctrine” in place under which a person who has the right and duty of control over a motor vehicle could be held liable for another family member’s actions in the event a collision occurs. We want to discuss the family purpose doctrine as well as how this could affect a personal injury claim you are involved in. What is the Family Purpose Doctrine? The family purpose doctrine…
Can A “Swim At Your Own Risk” Sign Protect Against Personal Injury Claims?
Swimming pools can be incredibly fun, but they can also present significant hazards. Pools pose many risks for swimmers, and it is important to know who is responsible if an injury occurs. Regardless of whether or not a pool is on private residential property or somewhere that the public has the right to be, there may be a “swim at your own risk” sign present. Do these types of signs protect a pool’s owner from liability in the event an injury occurs? Premises liability laws will usually make pool owners liable for injuries suffered by parties who use their facilities.…
Georgia’s Wrongful Death Claim vs. Estate Claim
When a person loses their life due to the negligence of another individual or entity in Georgia, there may be various ways for both the family members and the estate of the deceased to recover compensation. This includes both a wrongful death claim as well as an estate claim. Even though individuals often confuse these two as being one and the same, there are differences between these two types of claims that you need to be aware of. Understanding a Wrongful Death Claim in Georgia Wrongful death claims arise anytime the death of an individual is caused by the negligent,…
Brake Failure Crashes
In August of 2022, Ferrari recalled just about every single car that it’s made since 2005 due to possible break failure. While you may look at that story and think, “Okay, I don’t drive a Ferrari,” the reality is that brake recalls happen more often than people realize. Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz recalled 300,000 vehicles that they manufactured between 2006 and 2012 over a brake defect. Brake failure crashes can lead to significant injuries and property damage for drivers and passengers on the roadways of Georgia. It is important to understand who could be held liable if an accident is…
What Happens if a Truck Company Erases a Driver’s Tracking Data After an Accident?
There are various types of evidence that could be gathered and used in the aftermath of a truck accident to help prove liability for the incident. Some of this evidence revolves around the truck’s “black box” and GPS data. GPS systems are fairly common on larger commercial trucks these days, and they are often requested as part of an investigation into a truck accident. But what happens if the truck company erases the black box or GPS data before the investigation can begin? Spoliation of Evidence Related to the Crash One of the first things that an attorney will do…
Georgia Jury Returns $1.7 Billion Punitive Damages Verdict Against Ford Motor Company
Today a jury in Gwinnett County Georgia answered the question left pending by their verdict rendered yesterday: what amount of punitive damages should be imposed against Ford Motor Company for selling 5.2 million “Super Duty” trucks with a dangerously weak roof that would crush down on occupants during a rollover wreck. The unanimous jury imposed $1.7 billion in punitive damages against Ford. Yesterday the jury returned a verdict for Plaintiffs Kim and Adam Hill for the wrongful deaths of their parents, Voncile and Melvin Hill, and for pain & suffering by their parents after the rollover wreck of their 2002…
What is an Overloaded Truck Accident?
Large commercial vehicles on the roadway operate under strict federal and state guidelines. Many of these guidelines surround the weight limits of the vehicles, including how much load semi-trucks can carry at a time. Anytime a vehicle is overloaded beyond its weight capacity, this significantly increases the chance of an accident occurring. Accidents involving commercial trucks often lead to major injuries and property damage on the roadways of Georgia. Commercial Trucking Weight Limits When we examine information available from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), we can see that there are various weight limits for commercial trucks on the…
My Child Was Injured by a Defective Car Seat
Car seats save lives. Every state across the country, including Georgia, has regulations regarding car seat use for children. All children are required to be in a car seat until they reach a certain age or meet the height and weight requirements. However, what happens if a child is injured as a result of a defective car seat? In these situations, parents may be able to hold companies or manufacturers responsible and recover compensation for their losses. Car Seats are Crucial Safety Devices According to information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 38% of children 12…
How Does Georgia’s Comparative Negligence Law Affect My Case?
Any time an accident that leads to an injury occurs, the parties involved will examine liability. If one party caused the injury to another party, then the victim will likely be able to recover compensation for their losses from the at-fault party. However, liability is not always cut and dry. There are times when more than one party is at fault for an incident, and some individuals can even be partially responsible for causing their own injuries. Under Georgia’s comparative negligence laws, this can affect compensation amounts. What is Comparative Negligence in Georgia? Every state across the country has laws…