Georgia Personal Injury Blog

Motorcycle Helmets Reduce Occurrence, Severity of Head and Face Injuries

By Grant Law Office on January 24, 2012

Wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces the chances that the rider will suffer a head or face injury in a crash and reduces the severity of these types of injuries when they do occur, according to a recent study published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The NHTSA study examined data from 104,472 motorcycle accidents in 18 states over three years. By crunching the numbers, researchers revealed some interesting facts that should encourage any rider never to get on a bike without a helmet.Read more…

NFL Faces More Lawsuits over Long-Term Player Brain Injuries

By Grant Law Office on January 18, 2012

Two more cases have been filed in Atlanta by former National Football League players and their families seeking compensation for serious brain injuries, bringing the total number of players represented in the Atlanta court up to 28, according to a recent article from the Daily Report Online. Over 125 players and their families have filed similar cases nationwide.

The cases claim that the NFL failed to adequately protect players from repeated concussions during football games. Repetitive head trauma, like concussions suffered on top of concussions that haven’t fully healed, is linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. CTE can cause conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and it is also linked to serious changes in personality, mood, and cognitive and emotional functioning. One of the families that filed suit in Atlanta is that of a former NFL player who recently committed suicide after being diagnosed with CTE and suffered severe psychological symptoms.Read more…

Texting Isn’t the Only Dangerous Driving Distraction

By Grant Law Office on January 16, 2012

Many U.S. states have banned texting while driving, as has the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). But texting isn’t the only thing that can distract a driver enough to cause an accident. Eating, talking, and even personal grooming can all take a driver’s eyes and mind off the road and hands off the wheel – increasing the risks of a motor vehicle crash.

According to a 2010 report from the National Safety Council, approximately 1.4 million accidents per year are caused by drivers who are distracted by cell phones. This number doesn’t include distractions from texting – just those whose conversations on a cell phone resulted in a crash. A 2009 study performed at Virginia Tech found that texting while driving was even more dangerous than previously assumed. The study found that the risk of an accident goes up a stunning 23 times when a driver is texting.Read more…

In 2012, New Findings Shed Light on Traumatic Brain Injuries

By Grant Law Office on January 11, 2012

Traumatic brain injuries include any injuries to the brain caused by an accident or other event. One of the most talked-about and highly common types of traumatic brain injury is the concussion, in which the brain is bruised from a blow to the head. New research on traumatic brain injuries could lead to new awareness, prevention, and treatment options for these life-altering injuries, according to a recent article in Chicago Magazine.

In 2011, researchers began examining the results of years of studies of the effects of repeated blows to the head on athletes. They found that untreated traumatic brain injuries can lead to chronic conditions and/or serious problems with memory, concentration, chronic headaches, and even personality changes. Repeated concussions are linked to brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia in later years. It seems researchers have little doubt that traumatic brain injuries can have serious, lifelong consequences.Read more…

Fall Risk Leads to Recall of Bugaboo Strollers

By Grant Law Office on January 9, 2012

Bugaboo Americas, the makers of Bugaboo baby and child strollers, have recently recalled their Bugaboo Bee stroller because of the risk that children might fall out of it, according to a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada.

The stroller’s front wheels can lock while the stroller is in motion, making it much easier to tip the stroller over. So far, the company has received four reports of babies and toddlers who were in a Bugaboo Bee stroller when its front wheels locked and it tipped. The young children suffered minor injuries from the falls.Read more…

CPSC Recalls Bella Bliss Child Pajamas due to Violation of Federal Flammability Standards

By Grant Law Office on January 2, 2012

Bella Bliss, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is recalling an estimated 2,300 children’s Henley pima cotton pajamas, which violate federal children’s sleepwear flammability standards. As a result, these pajamas present an increased risk of fire-related child injuries.

The recalled pajamas were sold as a two-piece set in sizes 2 through 12, and are pink, blue, white, or red. The “Bella Bliss” brand name may be found on the neck tag. They were sold for between $48 and $58 at specialty clothing retailers and online retailers, as well as the Bella Bliss online store and catalog, from January 2008 to June 2011. Children should stop wearing the pajamas immediately, and they should be returned to the retailer from where the pajamas were purchased for an exchange, store credit, or refund. Consumers may call Bella Bliss at (866) 846-5295 for more information.Read more…

Holiday Traffic Accidents Claim 4 Lives in Georgia

By Grant Law Office on December 29, 2011

On Friday, December 23, at 6:00 p.m., the Christmas holiday travel weekend began, and, according to the Roswell Patch, it claimed four lives by the time it ended on Monday, December 26 at midnight based on Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) statistics.

The four Georgia traffic fatalities from this weekend included two reported by Cobb County Police, one reported by Atlanta Police, and one reported by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) post in Wilkes County. The Roswell Police Department conducted nine DUI stops over the holiday weekend, but there were no fatalities.Read more…

Impaired Neurocognitive Abilities in Young Adults Linked to VLBW

By Grant Law Office on December 26, 2011

Very Low Birth Weight, or VLBW, is dangerous for the health of a newborn, and, according to a recent study published in Neurology, its effects may continue through young adulthood. According to Medscape.com, the study concludes that newborns with VLBW tend to have deficiencies in neurocognitive abilities once they become young adults. It is no surprise that severely preterm births are already associated with impaired mental faculties in children, but there are not many studies that follow-up on these results as the children grow older. “Neurocognitive Abilities in Young Adults with Very Low Birth Weight” is that follow-up study.

Within this study, as part of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults, two groups of more than 100 adults each were subjected to a battery of tests. One group included young adults who had been born with VLBW and the other included young adults who had normal birth weight. The tests evaluated general cognitive ability in addition to executive functioning and related abilities. Academic performance was also considered. The study concluded that:Read more…

Georgia Not Yet Making a Move on NTSB Recommendation for All Cell Phone Ban

By Grant Law Office on December 23, 2011

Soon after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) banned commercial large truck drivers and bus drivers from using any hand-held cell phone while operating the vehicle, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made its recommendation to the nation’s 50 states to ban all non-emergency, portable electronic devices, including hands-free for all drivers. The NTSB made this recommendation following the conclusion that the initial cause of a devastating accident in Missouri was caused by cell phone use.

What started as a rear-end collision turned into a fatal multi-car pile -up when the 19-year-old driver of a GMC Sierra pickup truck rear-ended a trailer-less Volvo truck-tractor. This initial crash was followed by two more as a 71-passenger school bus rear-ended the pickup truck and then was rear-ended itself by a second, 72-passenger school bus. This accident resulted in two deaths and 35 injuries. The driver of the GMC Sierra had sent/received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes preceding the accident.Read more…

CPSC Issues Holiday Decorating Safety Alert

By Grant Law Office on December 21, 2011

Part of the fun during the holidays is decorating the house and, of course, the Christmas tree. But decorations and decorating are not without their risks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) receives hundreds of reports of injury and/or property damage every year during November and December as the result of Christmas tree and candle fires, broken ornaments, and other dangerous situations. In order to help families and their homes stay safe and avoid personal injury this decorating season, the CPSC and Underwriting Laboratories (UL) offer the following decorating tips:

• If you are buying a live Christmas tree, check for freshness. A dry tree is a fire hazard.
• Set up your tree away from heat sources, such as radiators, fireplaces, and vents.
• If you are going the artificial route for a tree, make sure it is labeled as “Fire Resistant.” Remember that this does not mean “fire proof,” however.Read more…