Georgia Personal Injury Blog

The Causes of an Atlanta Jackknife Accident

By Grant Law Office on August 26, 2013

A “jackknife accident” occurs when a tractor-trailer folds in on itself like a pocketknife. In other words, the semi truck comes to a halt while the heavy trailer maintains momentum and pushes the tractor from behind, causing the trailer to swing around until it is nearly side-by-side with the tractor.

Jackknife accidents, although less fatal than other types of truck accidents, can be catastrophic to the involved motorists. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), jackknife accidents caused 254 fatalities along with more than 1,000 injuries in 2005. In addition to personal damages, jackknife accidents are responsible for thousands of dollars in property damage annually.Read more…

Brain Research Team Working on New Tool that Measures Consciousness

By Grant Law Office on August 22, 2013

In cases of severe brain injury, patients who have retained a level of awareness may appear indistinguishable from those who are in a true vegetative state. This is known as “locked-in syndrome,” in which a person is conscious yet unable to transmit it in any obvious way.

Since a patient’s level of awareness weighs heavily on his or her chances of recovery, neuroscientists and medical professionals everywhere are trying to find a reliable way to measure awareness, or consciousness.

The method being used today involves subjecting patients to external stimuli, such as voice commands or pain, and seeing if they react with movement or brain activity. However, this method of testing is imperfect and produces only crude measurements.Read more…

Medtronic Insulin Infusion Pump Defect Forces Mass Recall

By Grant Law Office on August 20, 2013

According to a report by Medpage Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Class I recall of Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Insulin Infusion Sets due to a defect that could potentially cause patients to suffer serious illness or even death.

The portable device was designed to replace injections for diabetic patients in maintaining blood sugar levels. It gradually pumps insulin into the patient through an infusion set that involves a tube being attached beneath the skin.

If insulin or any other fluid comes into contact with the pump’s tubing connectors, its vents may experience temporary blockage. This blockage can lead to improper levels of insulin delivery and consequently harm or even kill a patient.Read more…

8,700 Infants’ First Impressions Varsity Jackets Recalled by Macy’s

By Grant Law Office on July 25, 2013

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on July 18, Macy’s recalled approximately 8,700 Infants’ First Impressions Varsity Jackets, which were sold at Macy’s stores nationwide, on the company’s website www.macys.com, and at Military Exchanges between the months of September and November in 2012. They cost between $25 and $52.

The snap-up jackets are hooded and come in two different color sets: navy blue with green and turquoise trim, or gray with yellow sleeves and navy and yellow trim. The product’s style number, 1300, is located on the label sewn into the inside of the jacket. The jackets were sold in multiple sizes and can be identified by their corresponding UPC codes, all of which are listed on the CPSC website.Read more…

11,000 Electric Smokehouse Smokers Recalled Due to Potential Fire Hazard

By Grant Law Office on July 23, 2013

According to a report by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Masterbuilt Manufacturing Inc., a company based in Columbus, Georgia, has recalled around 11,000 smokers on July 18.

The official name of the product is “Electric Smokehouse Smoker.” The smoker is upright, powered through electric means, accompanied by a remote control, and can be described as rectangular with a black matte color. Its door is stainless steel, and one can see the inside of the smoker through a sizeable glass window. A control panel can be found on the top front of the unit.Read more…

Researchers at Georgia Tech Seek Better Understanding of Brain Injuries

By Grant Law Office on July 18, 2013

According to Health Canal, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are seeking a better understanding of the brain’s inner workings and the changes brought about by injury. Through this research, they are not only attaining knowledge of the brain’s many complex mechanisms, but also are coming up with better treatments for brain injuries and disorders, afflictions that greatly interest the Atlanta traumatic brain injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C.

One team is researching the effects of electrical and light stimulation on the brain and its possible usage to reduce or eliminate seizures associated with epilepsy. Two million people in the United States are afflicted with the disorder. Seizures occur when nerve cells in the brain fire abnormally and excessively. The stimulation techniques, if valid, could help patients on whom drug therapies do not work. Experiments will be conducted on an animal model that is experiencing temporal lobe epilepsy.Read more…

One Woman Killed in I-85 Rollover Crash Involving a Tractor Trailer

By Grant Law Office on July 17, 2013

According to a report on myfoxatlanta.com, on the early afternoon of July 8, a crash on the I-85 in Gwinnett County proved fatal for one woman. Two children were also injured in the crash. The father of the two children walked away unscathed.

A chain of unfortunate events resulted in this tragic accident. The four were in an SUV on I-85 close to Pleasant Hill Road when a tractor-trailer clipped the SUV, causing it to collide with a truck. The SUV proceeded to drive up an embankment and flip several times before going over a guardrail and finally landing and coming to a stop on an on-ramp at Steve Reynolds Boulevard.Read more…

Marine Killed in Albany Motorcycle Tractor Trailer Collision

By Grant Law Office on July 15, 2013

According to a report on WALB News 10, a Marine Sergeant, 26, was riding his motorcycle in Albany on June 30 when he was killed in a collision with a tractor trailer on Cordele Road. He was based in the Marine Corps Logistics Base and worked with the Command Maintenance Assistance Team.

The Albany Marine was traveling north when he encountered a truck going the other way and turning left into a truck stop. He couldn’t stop in time and ran into the passenger side of the large truck. He was taken to the hospital, where he passed away.

At the time of his death, charges were still pending, and the investigation of the crash site was not concluded.Read more…

New CPSC Annual Report Reveals Startling Data on Fireworks

By Grant Law Office on July 2, 2013

On June 26, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued its annual report on fireworks injuries and deaths at the National Mall. The data contained within the report was troubling, to say the least.

In 2012, six men were killed by firework devices, both legal and illegal. Around 8,700 suffered fireworks-related injuries; more than 5,000 of those injuries occurred between June 22, 2012 and July 22, 2012. In other words, the injuries that occurred during the 30 days surrounding Independence Day constituted 60 percent of the year’s total.

CPSC investigations into these incidents revealed that many of these injuries occurred due to malfunctioning fireworks or improper use. Most victims sustained only minor injuries and recovered fully or were expected to in a short time; however, there were several reports of victims sustaining more serious, long-term injuries.Read more…

Georgia DOT Plans to Improve Mike Padgett Highway

By Grant Law Office on June 28, 2013

It took several accidents along Mike Padgett Highway to encourage the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to make significant improvements and enhance traffic safety. According to a WJBF news report, the most recent accident that occurred on Mike Padgett Highway happened in Augusta on June 19, 2013. In that accident, officials say a vehicle rolled over after a truck swerved to avoid striking another vehicle. That accident left four people injured and hospitalized.

Many nearby residents and drivers have stated their concerns about the safety of this busy roadway, and the Georgia DOT has taken notice. The $25-million dollar construction plan includes the installation of concrete medians from Bennock Mill Road to Old Waynesboro Road.Read more…