Georgia Personal Injury Legal Blog

Truck accidents have not reduced with new ELD rules

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in truck accidents on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Truck accidents in Georgia and across the U.S. can do so much damage. Regulators are constantly seeking ways to improve safety. For a long time, one of the main reasons truck accidents were believed to have occurred is because of drowsy truckers. Frequently, drivers were becoming drowsy after going beyond the rules for consecutive hours on the road. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instituted a rule that all trucks need to have an Electronic Logging Device installed to prevent the driver from being untruthful when recording their time spent on the road. A new study indicates that the new rules do not appear to have been as effective as expected in reducing crashes.

Northeastern University and the University of Arkansas released their study, showing that while more drivers were complying with the rules, the number of accidents remained relatively static. Using data from Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 1, 2018, the researchers analyzed recordable crashes and driver inspections to gauge how effective the mandate has been.

Motorcycle accidents are often due to negligence of other drivers

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in motorcycle accidents on Thursday, February 7, 2019.

Motorcycles are a common sight on the Georgia roadways. People who ride express how much they enjoy being on the open road on their bikes. Despite a motorcyclist's vigilance, there can still be accidents involving other vehicles on the road. Often, this is due to drivers who do not understand or care about the vulnerability of motorcycle riders. There are certain steps that drivers and riders can take to share the road without incident, but, when there is a crash, those who were hurt or lost a loved one should think about their rights to compensation in a legal filing.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a motorcyclist is 28 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those in a passenger vehicle. The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety said that, in the past 11 years, more than 10 percent of fatalities in the state involved a motorcyclist. One man serves as a prime example of the danger riders face after he was hit while riding.

Should I see a doctor even if I feel fine after a car accident?

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

If you have been involved in a minor car accident, there may have been some damage to your vehicle, even though you and your passengers feel fine after the incident. It is likely that you feel nervous or anxious in the aftermath due to the rush of adrenaline, but, like many people, you may see no reason to go to a doctor if you did not suffer any visible injuries.

It is actually common for the rush of adrenaline after car accidents to mask any pain or injuries initially. In addition, many injuries, including serious ones such as traumatic brain injuries, can start to become apparent only in the hours and days after the accident. This is why it is always important to visit a doctor after you have been in an auto accident, even if you feel completely fine.

Distracted driving accidents still concerning

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, February 1, 2019.

It has become widely accepted in Georgia and throughout the U.S. that distracted driving is one of the most common concerns and causes of motor vehicle accidents. Given the risk and the propensity of people to continually look at their device and try to multitask, it remains important to keep track of behaviors to try and find solutions to the problem. Research is a key part of that and a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates the problem is not getting better.

In its report, IIHS says that the number of drivers using cellphones while driving rose by 57 percent when compared to a similar study in 2014. The difference between 2014 and 2018 is in how people are using the device. In the past, they were simply talking on the phone. In 2018, they are using it for myriad purposes, including checking the web, sending text messages, using navigation apps and more.

Hit-and-run motor vehicle accidents cause injuries and death

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Motor vehicle accidents are the cause of significant injuries and death throughout Georgia. People who are simply minding their own business as drivers, bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians can find themselves confronted with severe injuries and the problems that go along with them. If the accident is bad enough, there can be a fatality with the family left behind wondering how they will move forward without the contributions of a loved one.

When there is a crash, drivers are expected to remain at the scene. Unfortunately, some decide to flee. This is a mistake and makes a bad situation worse, especially if it is a pedestrian crash. Those who have been hurt or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident should think about the future and consider a legal filing for compensation.

Georgia head-on motor vehicle accidents can cause serious injury

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Head-on motor vehicle accidents are among the most dangerous in Georgia and across the nation. These crashes will often occur because drivers ignore traffic laws, are in a rush to get to their destination, make dangerous maneuvers, are under the influence or are distracted. Drivers will be completely at the mercy of the other driver when a vehicle veers into their lane and drives straight toward them. Since these crashes are difficult to avoid and can cause such extensive damage, they can result in serious injuries and death. People who are injured or have lost a loved one in head-on crashes must think about whether a legal filing is needed for compensation.

A head-on accident sent two people to the hospital. The crash happened in the morning at shortly before 6:30 a.m. when a vehicle that was going north made an illegal pass of another vehicle. The road was a no-passing area. It subsequently had a head-on crash with an SUV. There were two people in the SUV - an adult driver and a 13-year-old boy. They were injured and taken to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle that crashed into them was given citations for various infractions.

Don't go it alone after a slip and fall accident

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in premises liability: slip and falls on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

When the word "accident" is mentioned in Marietta and throughout Georgia, the first response that a person will inevitably have is to think that it was a motor vehicle crash. Since this is one of the most common ways in which people are injured, it is completely understandable. However, people can be hurt in other ways. Slipping and falling might sound like something that is uncommon and infrequent, but it happens quite often. In addition, the injuries people can suffer after slipping and falling can be severe and even fatal. This is when it is important to know what to do after the fact and how to gauge premises liability: slip and falls.

A slip and fall incident can happen anywhere. It can occur when walking on someone else's residential property. If, for example, there is an item that was left outside and a person trips over it, that could be the basis for a legal filing. Damaged sidewalks and other factors can cause a person to fall and become injured. This can also occur in a store. Supermarkets often have spills that are not cleaned up in a timely fashion or there might be a leak that results in a puddle for customers to slip and fall on.

How to react to an aggressive dog

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

Even if we don't own pets ourselves, it is almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with them at some point. While the vast majority of dogs are perfectly safe and never attack or bite, there are always risks, because even the most good natured of dogs can change personality instantly if they feel threatened or sense danger.

If you have young children or are not used to interacting with dogs yourself, it is important that you take the time to understand how you can prevent a dog bite. By teaching your children these techniques, you have the possibility to help prevent them from being injured in the future.

Citations and reduced motor vehicle accidents stem from new law

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, January 4, 2019.

Every day Georgia drivers can look to their left and right and see someone who is peering downward, clearly staring at a smartphone or other device. Regardless of whether they are sending a text, surfing the web, using social media or engaging in other activities, it is undoubtedly dangerous to themselves and others. In the middle of 2018, the state took steps to reduce the number of drivers who were using their devices behind the wheel by implementing a new law that drivers must be hands-free when using a device behind the wheel.

With six months having passed from the law going into effect, the results are starting to be known. Statistically, more than 8,000 citations were given to drivers who failed to comply with the law. That is since July. A statement from the Governor's Office for Highway Safety indicates that there have been fewer deaths on the road and it is believed to be, in part, due to this new law and the amount of attention officers are paying to drivers who might violate it. The number of citations - 8,306 to be exact - is not directly known to be a proximate factor in the increased safety, but that is the implication.

Large truck accidents can cause injury and death in Georgia

On behalf of The Stefanie Drake Burford Law Group posted in truck accidents on Thursday, December 27, 2018.

Trucks can be an intimidating sight on the Georgia roads. This is true whether it is a semi-truck delivering goods and passing through the state, construction trucks, and dump trucks. For drivers in other vehicles large or small that are sharing the road with these large vehicles, it is imperative to maintain vigilance and be cautious. Even when people are keeping a close eye on these vehicles, there can still be a crash. Since trucks are so large, heavy and often traveling at significant speeds, there is a good possibility that there will be injuries and fatalities. Those who have been affected by truck accidents must know they have the right to seek compensation in a legal filing.

A head-on crash between a county bus and a garbage truck led to four people being hurt. The accident occurred in the morning when the southbound garbage truck went over the center line and into the lanes heading northbound. It crashed into the bus. The 45-year-old female driver of the bus was taken to the hospital. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Only one passenger, a 58-year-old man, was on the bus. He too was taken to the hospital and his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.