Georgia Personal Injury Blog

EMTs and Patient Killed in Georgia Ambulance Crash

By Grant Law Office on June 14, 2013

A 65-year-old patient and two emergency medical technicians were killed in a Georgia car accident involving a collision between their ambulance and a semitrailer. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the fatal truck accident occurred on state Highway 32 near the town of Ocilla in South Georgia. Officials say the ambulance had its lights and sirens on when a semi jackknifed across the centerline. The ambulance struck the left side of the semi and the driver, patient, and other medical technician were killed. It is unclear what caused the truck to jackknife.

Jackknifing is when a trailer pushes on a tractor from behind and rotates at an acute angle, like a folding pocketknife. Jackknifing is extremely dangerous for a number of reasons. Smaller vehicles can get crushed by the swinging trailer, and the momentum of the truck may force it into other vehicles as the truck driver struggles to bring it to a halt. Jackknife accidents can even prove dangerous after the truck has stopped because the positioning of the trailer will likely impair further motion of the truck. This means that the large tractor-trailer will be sitting in traffic as a giant hazard for approaching vehicles.Read more…

Study Shows Malpractice Payouts Account for Small Portion of Healthcare Costs

By Grant Law Office on June 10, 2013

The idea that medical malpractice claims are a major reason why healthcare costs are so high is a popular talking point. A recent study by the National Practitioner Data Bank, however, showed that large medical malpractice payouts by doctors only account for a fraction of national healthcare expenditures. According to the report published in The Journal for Healthcare Quality, the $1.4 billion a year spent on high payouts only accounts for .05 percent of healthcare costs.

As reported by Reuters, up to $60 billion in costs annually come from unnecessary procedures and tests. This is a considerably larger amount than the cost of medical malpractice lawsuit payouts.Read more…

Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Offers Five Important Swimming Pool Safety Tips

By Grant Law Office on June 6, 2013

Now that summer is upon us, it is important to review swimming pool safety tips. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10 people die from unintentional drowning every day. Approximately two of those victims are aged 14 or younger. For every child who drowns, another five require emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.

Not all drowning incidents can be prevented, but a number of these tragic accidents are entirely avoidable. Here are five important swimming pool safety tips to remember:Read more…

Atlanta Car Crash Proves Fatal

By Grant Law Office on June 4, 2013

A 68-year-old man was killed in an Atlanta car accident when a flatbed tow truck struck the vehicle in which he was a passenger. According to a news report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the fatal truck accident occurred at the intersection of Marietta Street and Northside Drive in northwest Atlanta. Officials say the collision occurred at an intersection, but they have not provided information regarding who was responsible for the accident. The fatally injured Chattanooga man was sitting in the front seat of the sedan. The driver of the sedan and three juveniles in the backseat were transported to a nearby hospital. The tow truck driver was not injured.

Intersections are some of the most common locations for serious injury accidents. Common causes of Atlanta intersection accidents include:Read more…

Family of Fatally Injured Victim Demands Justice

By Grant Law Office on May 27, 2013

Two months ago, a 24-year-old man with a history of reckless driving was determined to have been responsible for the death of a 70-year-old woman. According to a My Fox Atlanta news report, the driver who officials said was at fault has still not been arrested for the fatal crash, and the victim’s family is pleading for justice. Officials say the woman was fatally injured on State Route 101 in Carroll County when the driver of a pickup clipped another truck, went airborne, and landed on top of the victim’s vehicle on the other side of the road.

The victim’s family is still left wondering as to why the at-fault driver, who has been previously arrested or cited for reckless driving and speeding about a dozen times, has not been arrested yet in connection with their loved one’s death. According to the Fox 5 news report, if the driver is charged, it will be for a misdemeanor vehicular homicide count because he was not impaired at the time of the crash.Read more…

Georgia Personal Injury Attorney Offers Tips to Prevent Motorcycle Accidents

By Grant Law Office on May 22, 2013

Motorcycle riding can be as exhilarating as it is dangerous. If you choose to ride in Georgia, it is crucial that you exercise caution at all times. Remember to ride at speeds relative to the roadway conditions and to exercise safe riding habits.

Here are a few tips about how you can prevent a serious injury motorcycle accident:

• Read your owner’s manual. It is important to have a basic understanding of how your motorcycle works and what type of maintenance it may need.
• Perform an inspection. Before hitting the roadway, check the tires, cables, lights, horn, mirrors, oil, fuel, coolant, and brakes.Read more…

Driver Killed in I-75 Semi-Truck Collision

By Grant Law Office on May 13, 2013

A driver was killed and another was injured in a Georgia big rig accident involving a collision of two semi-tractor trailers. According to a report by The Associated Press, the fatal truck accident occurred on I-75 about 17 miles north of Valdosta in Cecil. The Valdosta Daily Times reports that the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Officials suspect that either the rear truck was going too fast or that the front truck was going too slow. The driver of the rear truck was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and the driver of the front semi was hospitalized.

Because of the size and weight of trucks, the injured victims of truck accidents are typically occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. It is possible, however, for truck drivers to suffer serious or fatal injuries as well. A wrongful death suit against the at-fault driver or trucking firm may help provide the support needed for funeral expenses, lost future wages, loss of companionship, and other related damages. In many cases, it is advisable for the family of someone killed while working to pursue compensation through multiple avenues.Read more…

Trucker Currently Facing Reckless Homicide Charges Arrested for DUI

By Grant Law Office on May 10, 2013

WCIV News has reported that a truck driver, who was scheduled to be in court on a reckless homicide charge as the result of a fatal crash in January, was again arrested recently for a DUI in Georgia. Officials say the 35-year-old driver, Arnold Williams, was stopped on Interstate 20 after several people called the Newton County Sheriff’s Office complaining about a tractor-trailer swerving in and out of lanes. Police found that the driver was disoriented at the time.

Williams registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.22 percent on the Breathalyzer, which is close to three times the legal limit. He also failed field sobriety tests as he stumbled and swayed when standing on one foot. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Williams was facing homicide charges in connection with an incident where the truck he was driving hit a car on the I-526, killing a 27-year-old student at the Medical University of South Carolina.Read more…

Compounding Pharmacy Recalls 53 Products for Contamination

By Grant Law Office on May 8, 2013

All injectable sterile products with the Balanced Solutions Compounding Pharmacy name have been recalled. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that Balanced Solutions Compounding Pharmacy LLC has voluntarily recalled its sterile products because of concerns that they might be contaminated. Individuals can visit the company’s official website to view the complete list of the 53 recalled products.

While inspecting the Balanced Solutions facilities, FDA inspectors say they found “poor practices and conditions,” which may have resulted in microbial contamination. According to a news report in Medscape, there was a lack of sterility assurance, which was confirmed through further analysis. Inspectors were particularly concerned with a chromium chloride injection that contained gram-negative bacteria. That form of bacteria can cause disease and infection, but there have not been any reports of injury or illness associated with the recalled products to date.Read more…

May is National Stroke Awareness Month

By Grant Law Office on May 6, 2013

In 1989, President George H. W. Bush designated May as National Stroke Awareness Month. It is a unique time of year when healthcare providers band together to raise awareness about the danger of strokes. This is important because strokes are extremely common. The National Stroke Association reports that strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than133,000 people annually. It is also the leading cause of serious, long-term adult disabilities.

A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or blood vessel, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. Shortly after this happens, brain cells may begin to die and permanent brain damage can occur.Read more…