Georgia Personal Injury Blog

Georgia Distracted Driving Conference to Take Place on September 14

By Grant Law Office on August 30, 2013

According to a report by the Department of Transportation (DOT), in 2009, around 5,400 people nationwide were killed in distracted driving accidents and thousands more suffered injuries. These alarming statistics have pushed many organizations and agencies, both public and private, to engage with the public and inform them of the dangers of distracted driving.

The National Organization of Youth Safety (NOYS) is getting ready for the Georgia Distracted Driving Conference, which will take place at The Classic in Athens, Georgia on September 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gathering will feature informational presentations on the dangers of distracted driving as well as discussions on how to spread awareness of distracted driving and encourage safe driving habits among the youth.Read more…

Atlanta Falcons Team Physician Explains How Spinal Cord Injuries Can Occur

By Grant Law Office on August 28, 2013

On August 16, a Creekside High School football player took a fatal hit to his neck during scrimmage, according to a report by CBS Atlanta. A medical examination determined that the impact had fractured his third vertebra.

Dr. Brandon Mines, an associate with Emory Sports Medicine Center who is also a pro football team physician, said spinal cord injuries (SCI) can never be predicted, and the only way for athletes to prevent them is to take every precautionary measure.

The spinal cord is vital to the functions of the body. While SCIs are rare, they have the potential to be fatal.Read more…

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…