Compensation for Georgia Bus Crash Injuries

By Grant Law Office on August 14, 2012

Riding a bus is typically a safe way to travel in Georgia. The size and weight of buses, however, makes them more prone to causing serious damage to other vehicles and very often when a bus crash occurs, we find that many passengers are seriously injured or even killed as a result of the traumatic injuries they suffer. Buses do not have airbags for passengers, and they rarely even have seatbelts. Therefore, bus passengers can be thrown about in the event of a collision resulting in severe injuries.

Under Georgia law, an act of negligence is sufficient to establish liability. This means that a bus driver who negligently causes an accident, and the bus company that hired the driver, are legally responsible for the injuries suffered by bus passengers. In fact, common carriers in Georgia have a statutory duty to exercise extraordinary diligence in caring for and protecting the people they transport.Read more…

School Children Injured in Atlanta Bus Accident

By Grant Law Office on July 30, 2012

Several children aged 10 to 16 were injured in an Atlanta bus accident that may have resulted from debris on the roadway. According to a WSBTV news report, the bus accident occurred along Interstate 85 south of Steve Reynolds Boulevard in Gwinnett County. Officials say the church bus vehicles were traveling in a caravan when the pickup truck that was leading the caravan swerved to avoid hitting debris on the roadway. One of the buses hit the truck and the other swerved to avoid the collision. The Associated Press reports that the injuries suffered by 18 of the school children were not life threatening. Victims reportedly suffered scrapes and cuts along with injuries resulting in neck and back pain.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris is responsible for approximately 25,000 accidents and nearly 100 deaths each year. When an accident results from a dangerous roadway condition, it must be determined who caused the hazard.Read more…

Drivers Cited Following Atlanta School Bus Accident

By Grant Law Office on July 3, 2012

Citations have been officially given out to four drivers following the Atlanta school bus accident that resulted in multiple injuries. According to a news report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the injury accident involving six school buses occurred on the I-20 in Atlanta on May 19. Officials say the first bus carrying students and chaperones from Burke County Middle School began braking for slowed traffic near a construction zone when the second bus rear-ended it. That started a chain-reaction collision involving all six buses and a 2011 Chevrolet HHR. One of the bus drivers suffered the most serious injuries, but 60 others were also injured. Three of the bus drivers and the driver of the passenger vehicle were charged with following too closely.

According to Georgia Code 40-6-49: “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.” Drivers who fail to leave enough space between vehicles will have difficulty avoiding a collision if traffic slows or if there is the need to take sudden evasive action. It is particularly important for drivers of large vehicles, such as buses and trucks, to leave enough space because heavy vehicles are a lot more difficult to stop.Read more…

Georgia Boating and Alcohol Laws Less Strict than DUI Laws

By Grant Law Office on June 29, 2012

Georgia’s laws against boating while under the influence of alcohol (BUI) are looser than the state’s laws against driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and also looser than the BUI laws of many other states, prompting some to call for a change.

Currently, Georgia law prohibits driving a boat if one’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is higher than 0.10 percent. However, Georgia law sets the cutoff BAC for legal driving at 0.08 percent. Many other states set their boating limit at 0.08 percent as well, but Georgia does not.Read more…

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…

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…