Georgia Personal Injury Blog

FMCSA Pushes to Overhaul Computer Systems, Stop “Chameleon Carriers”

By Grant Law Office on April 17, 2012

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for keeping track of safety violations and other legal violations made by commercial truck and bus companies within the U.S. If a company’s violations are particularly dangerous, repetitive, or common, the FMCSA has the power to put the company “out of service,” forcing it to stay off the roads until the issues are corrected.

In recent months, however, the FMCSA has found that its outdated computer systems – which are maintained separately and do not share information with one another – are making it increasingly difficult for the agency to keep up with “chameleon carriers.”Read more…

Hypothermia May Cause Additional Damage to Severely Injured Accident Victims

By Grant Law Office on April 13, 2012

When a serious accident occurs, those injured by it often need serious trauma care and they need it fast. Rescue workers are trained to determine what a seriously injured person needs to stay alive until they can be transported to an emergency room or trauma center for treatment. However, many patients arrive at trauma centers suffering from hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature – a condition that can cause its own harm and make other injuries more difficult to treat.Read more…

Cellphone Use While Driving Can Lead to Serious Accidents

By Grant Law Office on April 11, 2012

It’s not a surprise to many motorists that cell phone use may increase the risk of an Atlanta distracted driving accident. Many motorists can share stories of how they saw a driver on a cell phone nearly cause an accident, and too many can relate how they or a loved one were actually injured in an accident involving a cell phone-using driver. Many states have banned or restricted texting and handheld cell phone use in an effort to protect drivers from these serious accidents.

However, recent research indicates that using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of accidents as many as four times over, even if the driver uses a hands-free device like a headset, and that going hands-free does not reduce the risk of an accident versus holding onto the cell phone.Read more…

Georgia Tech Students Develop Tool to Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patients

By Grant Law Office on April 5, 2012

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common workplace injury among people whose jobs involve large amounts of typing, working with hand tools, or other skills that require dexterity and coordination. Severe cases of carpal tunnel syndrome often require surgery and can result in permanent impairments, making it difficult or impossible to work. Rehabilitation is often painful, time-consuming, and incomplete.

Now, a group of students at Georgia Tech have created a device that helps carpal tunnel patients regain dexterity, strength, and hand coordination more effectively. Known as Re-Hand, the device looks like a joystick with large buttons. It is attached to a computer, and the user operates the device through various games. The games improve hand and wrist strength and coordination, and the program keeps track of data and can send it to the user’s doctor so that the patient’s progress can be monitored.Read more…

Studies of Vietnam Veterans Find Connection Between Brain Injury and Long-Term Seizure Risk

By Grant Law Office on April 3, 2012

Studies of veterans who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during combat in the Vietnam War have revealed a greatly increased risk of developing epilepsy, including regular seizures, in the decades following a severe head injury, according to a recent article from the National Institutes of Health.

The researchers followed the health of 1,221 Vietnam War veterans for many years after their combat tours ended and they returned to the U.S. Most of the veterans had suffered a penetrative injury, in which shrapnel or another object had broken through the skull and injured their brains.Read more…

For Improved Safety in Georgia, Choose a Motorcycle That Fits You

By Grant Law Office on March 30, 2012

Choosing a motorcycle that fits your body is key not only to your comfort on the road, but also to keeping maximum control over your bike, and thus being able to protect yourself as well as possible if an emergency situation or Georgia motorcycle accident occurs, according to Motorcycle.com. By keeping a few fit points in mind, you can improve your safety and enjoy your rides more.

When you sit on a bike, your toes should touch the ground well enough to allow you to balance or stand on them when the bike is at a stop. Your hands should rest on the hand grips comfortably, without straining in your shoulders, arms, or wrists, and your feet should rest on the foot pegs without straining or cramping when the motorcycle is in motion or on its stand.Read more…

Dalton Woman Fights for Traffic Light at Site of Husband’s Death

By Grant Law Office on March 28, 2012

After losing her husband in a Georgia car accident at the intersection of Piney Ridge Road and the South Dalton Bypass in Dalton, Georgia recently, a Dalton woman is fighting to have the city install a traffic signal at the intersection in order to protect the lives of others who travel through the area, according to a recent article in the Dalton Daily Citizen.

The family began pushing for a traffic light at the intersection several years before the Dalton man’s untimely death. They became concerned when their daughters began attending Southeast Whitfield High School located across the bypass from their house, which meant the girls had to cross through the intersection every day in order to get to and from school. The family says that a hill leading up to the intersection makes it very hard to see what traffic is coming, and that at least two other accidents in the intersection in recent years have led to serious injuries or deaths.Read more…

New Imaging Technique May Help Treat Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries

By Grant Law Office on March 27, 2012

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) like concussions and puncture wounds to the brain can cause serious, permanent physical impairments or even death. A new type of diagnostic imaging technique may help patients with newly-suffered traumatic brain injuries as well as patients living with disabilities caused by a traumatic brain injury that happened in the past, according to a recent article from Highlight Health.

A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh and published in the Journal of Neurosurgery found that using high-definition fiber tracking (HDFT) to take images of patients’ brains might allow neurologists to see where TBI has interrupted communication between different parts of the brain by injuring or destroying the neural pathways. The HDFT images are created by processing MRI images through a special program.Read more…

Protect Children from Injury by Using Infant Gear Properly

By Grant Law Office on March 21, 2012

Infants and toddlers are at a high risk of injury because they lack the kind of balance and body control needed to move through the world safely, and they also don’t understand that many common household situations can cause harm. Infants can also be harmed if equipment intended to protect their safety, like car seats and straps on high chairs, is not used properly. Approximately 1.3 million infants are injured each year by defective or improperly-used infant equipment, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To reduce the risk of child injury, always follow the instructions on all infant gear and equipment, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Be especially careful when using infant seats in vehicles. Rear-facing infant seats placed in the backseat are safest for small babies, but they must be securely and properly strapped to the backseat and the infant must be securely and properly strapped into the seat for maximum protection in a crash.Read more…

Have a Safe St. Patrick’s Day in Georgia – Don’t Drink and Drive

By Grant Law Office on March 16, 2012

Many U.S. residents in Georgia and across the country love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, often by visiting bars, restaurants, or parties where alcohol is served. While alcohol can be part of a great party, you can also protect your own safety and the safety of someone you love by taking a few simple steps to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the roads this coming weekend:

• Choose a designated driver to prevent a dangerous Georgia car accident. Don’t hesitate to choose yourself – and remember to stay away from all alcoholic drinks if you do. Make sure your designated driver has plenty of non-alcoholic drink and snack choices.
• Public transportation, taxi companies, sober-ride-sharing programs, and even walking can all offer a safe alternative to driving with alcohol in your system. Prepare yourself by programming the contact information for a few of these options into your cell phone before heading out. Not only will you be ready if you need a ride, but you’ll be able to help others get home safely as well.Read more…