Georgia Personal Injury Blog

Dog Bite Injuries Often Result in Hospital Bills

By Grant Law Office on June 20, 2012

Dog bite injuries are rarely fatal in the United States. The estimated number of deaths per year is between 4 and 16, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, dog bites do cause about 800,000 injuries each year, and of these, about 330,000 people need hospital emergency room care and about 6,000 people must be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Children under age 14 are the age group most often affected by dog bites, according to the CDC. About 42 percent of dog bite injuries each year are suffered by children under age 14, with children ages five- to nine suffering the most bites of any age group under 14.Read more…

Coweta Residents Ask for Traffic Lights at Two Dangerous Georgia Intersections

By Grant Law Office on June 18, 2012

Two residents of Coweta, Georgia recently approached the Coweta County Board to request that traffic lights be installed at two local intersections to control traffic and reduce accidents, according to a recent article in the Times-Herald.

The first request was for a traffic light at the intersection of Highway 29 and Hal Jones Road, where one of the residents suffered a traumatic brain injury several years ago in a Georgia auto accident. The county has been redesigning the intersection to make a traffic light easier to install. However, the state has not yet approved a traffic light at that intersection because the Georgia Department of Transportation does not believe the rate of accidents at the intersection requires one.Read more…

Chattahoochee Boating Accident Takes Two Lives

By Grant Law Office on June 15, 2012

A boating accident on the Chattahoochee River in Stewart County recently cost two men their lives, according to a recent news report from WRBL.

The two men were riding in a fishing boat on the river, along with a third passenger. The driver of the boat lost control at a bend in the river and the boat rammed into a tree and into the bank. All three passengers were pitched into the river’s waters.

One of the passengers was able to swim to shore and call for help; he survived the accident and is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries. The bodies of the other two passengers, a 60-year-old and a 72-year-old, were pulled from the river by rescue workers a few hours after the accident. Both appeared to have suffered a combination of traumatic brain injuries and drowning, which proved fatal.Read more…

Even Legal Fireworks Can Be Dangerous, Studies Say

By Grant Law Office on June 13, 2012

Many types of fireworks are legal for consumers to buy and use during summer parties and other events. However, just because a particular type of firework is legal does not mean it is risk-free. At least 92 percent of all fireworks-related injuries each year are caused by legally-purchased and used fireworks, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Children under age 15 are at the highest risk for fireworks injuries of any age group. Children love and are captivated by fireworks, but they often don’t understand the risks of fireworks getting extremely hot or exploding. Even hand-held fireworks like sparklers can cause serious harm; many legally-available and easily-purchased types of sparklers can reach temperatures of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit while burning.Read more…

During Summer Work, Stay Aware of Heat Exhaustion Risks

By Grant Law Office on June 11, 2012

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can cause serious injury. Unfortunately, both conditions are common in a Georgia summer, especially among those who work outdoors on construction, agriculture, or other projects. Employers should monitor employees carefully and provide the resources they need to avoid heat-related injuries.

Heatstroke kills about 30 workers in the U.S. each year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Heatstroke occurs when body temperature rises higher than the body can compensate for by sweating.Read more…

Understanding 15-Passenger Van Safety Risks

By Grant Law Office on May 30, 2012

Fifteen-passenger vans are a commonly-used method of transportation for summer camps, sports teams, church groups, and other organizations to transport members to and from activities. However, 15-passenger vans have different safety risks than ordinary passenger vehicles. One of these is a considerably higher risk of a rollover accident, especially if the van contains more than 10 people or has weight placed over or behind the rear axle.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, 15-passenger vans have been involved in over 1,500 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the last decade. Over 500 of these involved the van rolling over during emergency maneuvers or after being struck by another vehicle. Over 80 percent of deaths that occur in fifteen passenger van accidents are caused by a rollover.Read more…

School Bus Crash Leaves Over 50 People Injured

By Grant Law Office on May 28, 2012

A chain-reaction school bus crash involving six buses and a car left one driver trapped in the wreckage and required over 50 people to seek medical attention, according to a recent article in the Greenfield Reporter.

The students were on their way to a school trip in Six Flags outside Atlanta when their buses were involved in an accident. Traffic had slowed to navigate a construction site, and one of the buses rear-ended another bus, setting off a chain reaction that involved six school buses in total and one passenger car. The accident shut down traffic on westbound Highway 20 for several hours while rescue crews worked to extract everyone from the damaged vehicles and clear the roadway.

One bus driver was pinned inside the damaged bus and had to be cut free, according to investigators. She was airlifted to a local hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition. About fifty students were examined for injuries at the scene and in local emergency rooms, but all were released to their parents with only minor scrapes and bruises, according to the school district.Read more…

Keep an Eye on Children in Hot Cars This Summer

By Grant Law Office on May 23, 2012

Each summer, as temperatures climb, so do reports about children losing their lives after being left in a closed vehicle baking in the sun. With this year’s unseasonably warm spring weather, two deaths have already been reported in two separate states. Infants in both Missouri and Texas have lost their lives after accidentally being left in the family vehicle as the sun shone and outdoor temps climbed into the 80s.

About 38 children lose their lives nationwide each year after becoming locked inside a hot vehicle, according to research from San Francisco State University. The majority of them are young children riding in safety seats who are simply overlooked. Often, the caregiver is on a different schedule than usual or gets distracted and doesn’t realize a child has been left in the car.Read more…

Understanding Long-Term Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries

By Grant Law Office on May 21, 2012

Spinal cord injuries can occur in nearly any type of severe accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents cause 46 percent of all spinal cord injuries each year. Falls, including accidental falls in the workplace or other venues, account for another 22 percent, while intentional or negligent injuries suffered during sports add another 12 percent.

The long-term effects of even a mild spinal cord injury can be severe. They include partial or total paralysis, numbness, or nerve pain in the areas of the body below the site of the injury. They may also include malfunctions or difficulty controlling organs or body functions, like difficulty breathing or controlling bathroom functions. If the injury is severe or includes injury to the brain, difficulty with thinking, communication, and memory can also occur.Read more…

Georgia Seat Belt Use Statistics Holding Steady, but Average for the Nation

By Grant Law Office on May 14, 2012

The rate of seat belt use in Georgia has held steady for the past several years, and its rates are about average for seat belt use throughout the United States, according to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The report examined seat belt use from 2003 to 2010 in all fifty states. Fifteen states, not including Georgia, had an average seat belt use rate over 90 percent during this period. Georgia’s own seat belt use rate hovers just below the 90 percent mark, with an 89.6% use rate in 2010 – a 0.7% increase over 2003.Read more…