Georgia Personal Injury Blog

Atlanta School Bus Accident Involved Hit and Run Driver

By Grant Law Office on January 22, 2013

Several children were injured in an Atlanta school bus accident when the bus carrying 29 high school students collided with a vehicle whose driver then left the scene of the crash.

According to a news report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the hit-and-run accident occurred on Hightower Road in northwest Atlanta. Officials say the bus was hit by a white pickup truck that had a silver toolbox. Several children sustained neck and back injuries, but none of the injuries are believed to be serious. It is not clear if officials have tracked down the driver responsible for leaving the scene of the crash.Read more…

Bicyclist in Critical Condition after Georgia Crash

By Grant Law Office on January 14, 2013

A 66-year-old Canton man was seriously injured in a Georgia car accident when his bicycle collided with a Chevrolet pickup truck. According to a news report in The Canton-Sixes Patch, the bicycle accident occurred near the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 575 on the Cumming Highway in Canton. Officials say the driver of the truck that struck him remained at the scene of the crash. The cyclist was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. It is not clear if the driver will be cited for the collision.

Georgia Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), there were 937 Georgia bicycle accidents in the year 2006. From the years 2000 to 2006, 6,797 bicyclists were involved in Georgia accidents resulting in 118 fatalities and 5,078 injuries. Of those crashes, six out of 10 were on city streets. When a serious injury or fatal bicycle accident occurs, it is vital to determine who was responsible for the crash and how it could have been prevented.Read more…

One in 24 Drivers Admit to Drowsy Driving

By Grant Law Office on January 14, 2013

One in 24 drivers say they have fallen asleep while driving, according to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to an Associated Press news report, health officials believe that the number of people who drive while drowsy is probably even higher than that. The CDC study found that about four percent of Americans said they dozed off behind the wheel at least once while driving in the last 30 days.

The survey included 147,000 adult drivers and was conducted in 19 states and the District of Columbia in 2009 and 2010. Drowsy driving was found to be more common among men and in drivers who are between the ages of 25 and 34.Read more…

Seven Injured in Georgia Collision with Wrong-Way Elderly Driver

By Grant Law Office on January 10, 2013

Seven people, including a 10-year-old boy from Boone, were injured in a wrong-way crash on the Interstate 95 in Savannah, Georgia. According to an Associated Press news report, the injury collision occurred when an elderly driver went south in the northbound lanes of the freeway and collided with an SUV carrying members of the same family. The elderly driver turned his 2007 Buick Lucerne left across the freeway trying to get to an exit and crashed into a Honda Pilot at the entry to the ramp. All seven people in the two vehicles were hurt. The investigation into this collision is still ongoing.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 33 million licensed drivers in the United States who were 65 or older in 2009. An average of 500 seniors are injured in car accidents every day nationwide. For each mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase starting at age 75 and increase significantly after age 80. This is largely due to the fact that older adults are susceptible to injury and medical complications. Age-related declines in vision and cognitive functioning as well as physical changes may affect some older adults’ driving abilities.Read more…

Children Killed in Georgia Tractor Trailer Accident

By Grant Law Office on January 9, 2013

Two boys, aged 6 and 12, were killed in a Georgia car accident involving a collision between a tractor-trailer and an SUV. According to a news report in The Dalton Daily Citizen, the fatal truck accident occurred on Old U.S. 411 and Georgia 136 in Murray the morning of January 4, 2013. Officials say a GMC Envoy may have failed to stop at a stop sign before colliding with the tractor-trailer. The two children were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Their 39-year-old mother and 13-year-old relative were hospitalized. The 41-year-old truck driver was also taken to a nearby facility for treatment.

Many Georgia traffic accidents occur at intersections. It is crucial for everyone’s safety for motorists to obey all traffic control devices. According to Georgia Statute 40-6-72: “Every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop sign shall stop…After stopping, the driver shall yield the right of way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when such driver is moving across or within the intersection or junction of roadways.”Read more…

Bicycle and Truck Accident Fatalities in U.S. on the Rise

By Grant Law Office on December 28, 2012

The number of traffic accident fatalities in the United States is at its lowest since 1949. According to a news report in The Associated Press, deaths of bicyclists and occupants of large trucks increased significantly despite the overall reduction in the rate of traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that traffic fatalities dropped 1.9 percent to 32,367 in the year 2011. That is the lowest fatality rate ever recorded with 1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. However, you wouldn’t know it from reviewing the number of fatal bicycle accident and truck occupant fatalities.

Bicycle fatalities jumped up 8.7 percent in the year 2011. The Associated Press report says that this increase may be a reflection of the increase in the number of bicyclists on the roadway. In cities such as Washington, D.C., which has recently added bike lanes, the number of bike riders has increased by 175 percent since 2004.Read more…

Atlanta Car Accident Attorney Offers Tips to Prevent Distracted Driving Crashes

By Grant Law Office on December 26, 2012

Distracted driving is a more serious issue than many Atlanta drivers may realize. According to a the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,092 people were killed and an estimated 416,000 were injured in car accidents nationwide involving a distracted driver in the year 2010. With the growing popularity of smart phones, this problem is not going away any time soon.

One of the best ways to avoid being involved in a distracted driving crash is to make sure that you are focused on the roadway at all times. It doesn’t take long for traffic conditions to change, and if you are staring at your phone or driving with your hands off of the wheel, you may not be able to react in time to avoid a crash.Read more…

Natural Gas Explosion Causes Injuries

By Grant Law Office on December 21, 2012

More than 20 people were injured and 42 buildings were damaged in a natural gas explosion that was initially blamed on a utility worker. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the worker was following the correct procedures when he damaged the underground pipe. A flood of gas built up in a Springfield building and a spark set off the blast. In the explosion, 42 buildings housing 115 residential units were damaged and three of the buildings were condemned. Many of the injured victims were gas company workers, firefighters, and police officers.

According to the American Gas Association (AGA), the leading cause of natural gas explosions is damage caused by digging near existing pipelines. Accidents are particularly common when unapproved excavating occurs near pipelines. Excavation damages accounted for nearly 60 percent of all pipeline incidents between 1995 and 2004. In the year 2004, 95 of the 288 total incidents along the natural gas system involved excavation damage. Many of these accidents resulted in serious injuries and damaged homes.Read more…

Federal Grand Jury Investigating Pharmaceutical Company Linked to Meningitis Outbreak

By Grant Law Office on December 19, 2012

Subpoenas are being issued to people who worked at the pharmaceutical company linked to the current meningitis outbreak that has killed 39 people nationwide. According to a news report in The Boston Globe, a federal grand jury has begun investigating the New England Compounding Center (NECC), a Framingham compounding pharmacy responsible for making the tainted steroid injections. The report states that federal prosecutors are considering criminal charges against the companies or people who were responsible for the outbreak.

According to the data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current meningitis outbreak has resulted in 39 fatalities. The ongoing fungal infection has resulted in 620 cases across 37 states. Of the estimated 14,000 patients who may have received the tainted injections, nearly 97 percent have been contacted for further follow-up. According to the most recent statistics, only one person in Georgia has been diagnosed with meningitis. It is unclear how many more people may suffer symptoms because of the three recalled lots of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate.Read more…

Man Injured After Flying Saw Blade Crashes through Windshield

By Grant Law Office on December 14, 2012

A Marietta man was injured in a Georgia car accident when a flying saw blade crashed through his windshield. According to a news report in The Marietta Daily Journal, the accident occurred on I-285 in Marietta. Officials say a 14-inch round concrete saw blade went through his windshield. He suffered laceration injuries on his head and wrist. His wrist injury included cuts to three tendons and an artery. Investigators are hoping the serial number on the saw blade will help determine who was responsible for the accident.

There are many ways in which drivers and passengers can get hurt on the roadway. While most accidents result from driver negligence, there are a number of accidents each year that result from objects on the roadway and debris that has fallen off from other vehicles. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, roadway debris causes approximately 25,000 accidents and 100 traffic fatalities each year.Read more…