Georgia Personal Injury Blog
Can Passengers File a Claim After a Car Accident?
When we talk about filing claims after a car accident in Atlanta, we usually discuss the drivers involved. However, if you or a loved one are a passenger injured in a vehicle crash, you need to know what to do. Georgia car accidents are a reality. Information from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety shows us that hundreds of thousands of vehicle crashes occur each year in this state. Out of those crashes, there are thousands of injuries, some of them severe. What can an injured passenger do? Believe it or not, an injured passenger will likely have an easier…
What is a Staged Car Accident?
Vehicle crashes are not uncommon in Georgia. According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, there are over 400,000 reported traffic crashes each year in this state. They cause serious injuries and over 1,000 annual fatalities. However, not all vehicle accidents are actual “accidents.” Some vehicle accidents are staged. What do you mean by “staged?” Staged car accidents are those set up by those looking to commit insurance fraud or file a fraudulent personal injury lawsuit. In these incidents, a driver (or motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian) intentionally causes a crash that makes it look like the fault of an unsuspecting…
What is an ELD?
When you are heading down the roadways and see a large commercial truck or bus, you probably do your best to give it space. You are right to do so. While large truck and buses are generally safe, they can cause severe injuries and even fatalities when a crash occurs. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tells us that there were 4,761 fatalities and 148,000 injures due to large truck crashes in the US in 2017. There have been many efforts to improve large truck and bus safety over the years. A new requirement that all commercial truck and…
What are the Dram Shop Laws in Georgia?
Drunk driving is a continuous problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) says that more than 10,000 people lose their lives each year due to drunk driving crashes. That comes to around 30 people each day. During the latest reporting year in Georgia, there were 368 alcohol-related traffic fatalities. That accounted for nearly 24% of all traffic fatalities that year. Georgia has placed significance on personal responsibility when it comes to determining who is liable to injuries and damages in a drunk driving crash. That is, the person who chose to drink and drive historically got the blame. However,…
Who is Liable for My Child’s High School Sports Injury?
If you have kids in middle or high school involved in sports, then you know there are risks of injuries. You may have even dealt with a few. However, sometimes high school sports injuries are severe. You need to know if anyone is liable if a serious injury does occur. What are the most common school sports injuries? Many people automatically think of football when they think of sports injuries, but serious injuries can happen in any sports or recreation activity. This includes baseball, basketball, cheerleading, track, lacrosse, and more. With millions of teens participating in high school athletics all…
How to Stay Safe During Night Walks
Night walks feel great. Walking once it gets dark because of short winter days, or to beat the heat of summer require strategies to be sure to stay safe. Short walks to the car, or long walks for exercise, all need the same precautions. Night Walking Safety Rules Differences between walking after dark and walking in daylight means changing habits to stay safe. Night walking should be on the sidewalk and pathways off the road, not on the street. In order to react quickly to vehicles, night walkers face into traffic to see clearly. Exercising extra caution when crossing streets…
How Bad Is Buzzed Driving?
The term buzzed driving describes a driver exhibiting signs of impairment from alcohol or opiates while behind the wheel of a vehicle. Referring to impaired driving as buzzed driving tries to reduce the apparent severity of the crime. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 2,597 people died in just the month of December (2010), with 775 deaths involving impaired drivers. Buzzed driving, impaired driving, or driving under the influence, all describe drivers who lack the necessary awareness to avoid accidents. The signs of alcohol or opiate impairment vary from person to person. How much alcohol, or drugs, it…
How to Handle a Georgia Hit and Run Accident
Hit and run refers to a car accident that causes damage and a driver leaves the scene of the accident. That driver leaves without making a report of the incident to authorities or providing their contact information. It does not matter if the driver caused the accident. Everyone involved must remain at the scene until excused by law enforcement, or the direct exchange of information between drivers finishes up. Hit and run victims deal with shock, disbelief and confusion when someone leaves the scene of the accident. Even without injuries, a victim of a hit and run feels violated and…
Can Prior Medical Records Be Used as Evidence in Georgia Accident?
Insurance companies work hard to minimize the payouts they make on personal injury claims. Once the victim proves they do suffer from a medical problem, the insurance company must find another way to reduce the claim. One of the ways they try to do this is by suggesting a pre-existing condition is the real cause of the accident victim’s current condition. Accident victims often feel like the insurance company does not believe them. The stress from this disbelief adds to their physical and emotional injuries from the accident. However, the insurance company is responsible only to their shareholders, so they…
What Are Georgia’s Uninsured Motorist Laws?
Georgia does not require uninsured motorist insurance coverage. When a driver is not at fault in an accident with an uninsured vehicle, this insurance provides protection. Therefore, many Georgia drivers carry this additional coverage on their auto insurance policies. Most policies limit the coverage to $25,000 per person and a total of $50,000 for the entire accident. Uninsured Motorists and Underinsured Motorists Uninsured motorists (UM) carry no insurance, or the insurance provider denies coverage because of the circumstances of the accident. Underinsured motorists carry insurance, but the coverage is insufficient to cover the total cost of damages in the accident.…