Personal Injury

Complications Of Bad Back Cases

In serious injury cases, usually arising from tractor-trailer collisions or automobile accidents, it is not uncommon to see clients with serious back injuries which create a host of physical and mental problems for the innocent victim. If someone is rear-ended by a tractor-trailer, as an example, and suffers a significant back injury requiring a fusion or other surgical procedure, it is not uncommon at all for such a client to develop leg problems, hip problems and other associated maladies. The mental stress
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Attacking “Independent” Experts For Bias In A Personal Injury Case

As we have written before, it is becoming increasingly necessary that plaintiff’s counsel be prepared to attack the veracity and credibility of so-called “independent” experts in personal injury cases. Insurance companies and defense law firms routinely retain medical “experts” to testify that plaintiffs are not injured at all or have only suffered minor injuries. They do this by examining diagnostic tests and/or by offering testimony that the test results do not substantiate a traumatic injury. Such testimony can be extremely misleading because oftentimes a clinical
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How Insurance Companies Attack Bad Back Claims

Increasingly we are seeing a trend that started many years ago but continues today. This involves the use of so-called “independent” experts to provide testimony in personal injury cases to the effect that the claimant has suffered no injury at all or, if any injury, only a minor one. Insurance companies employ so-called “independent” medical examiners to review radiology films, many times, so that a radiologist can testify that based upon an examination of the film, there is no evidence of trauma seen, thus the
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Bicycle Accidents On The Rise

We read this past week an article in the paper about the increasing number of cyclists hit by automobiles under a variety of different circumstances typically involving gross negligence by the driver. In one reported case, the driver was on her cell phone and hit the cyclist from the rear while speeding. In another case, a drunk driver ran over a cyclist. In another reported case, a speeding motorist hit the cyclist on the shoulder of the road, killing him.
During the summer, of course,
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The Importance of Stackable Uninsured/Underinsured Insurance Coverage

We have written before about the importance of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This past week we resolved a case for a client that is a classic demonstration of why it is so very important that uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage be purchased at the time one acquires liability insurance coverage for their own vehicle.
In the case we mentioned, a young lady was hit by a driver who was clearly negligent. Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle that injured our client had only the minimum limits of liability
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Professional Service In A Personal Injury Case

For any innocent victim of a car accident where an at fault driver runs a stop sign, crosses the centerline or otherwise seriously injuries an innocent motorist, one of the essential ingredients of professional legal services for the victim is personal interaction between the victim and their attorney. In a serious case the innocent victim/client will need an attorney. Due to mass marketing, however, in many cases, clients may go to law firms where most of their interaction is not with attorneys but with lower
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What is Stackable Uninsured/Underinsured Insurance Coverage

When one purchases an automobile insurance policy from their insurance agent, the real reason that the policy is being purchased is to comply with Georgia law, which requires that all automobile drivers have minimum limits of liability insurance in the amount of $25,000.00 per person, $50,000.00 per accident. What this means is that if a driver is to drive lawfully under our laws, one must be financially responsible. If one runs a stop sign and injures another individual and breaks their leg, as an example,
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Most Dangerous Intersections For Motorcycles

Our Atlanta attorneys frequently litigate motorcycle accident cases. Our experience over many years shows that in almost all cases the motorcyclist was not at fault.
Recently, the Atlanta media reported a case in which a young man was fatally injured in the Little Five Points district when the scooter he was driving was hit from behind by a vehicle.
Allstate insurance company has conducted a study of the most dangerous intersections in Atlanta for motorcycle riders.
The data indicates that the intersection of 14th Street
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Deadliest Months For Teen Drivers Begin

As teens begin summer vacations, a disturbing warning has been issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The latest data from U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System show that the deadliest days of the year for teens ages 15-19 are in the months of May, June, July and August. During these four months, nearly twice as many teens died on the roads each day as compared to the rest of the year – for an average of nearly 16 deaths per day (15.9)
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Pedestrian Accidents

We read in the paper this week news articles about various traffic incidents involving pedestrians. In one case a drunk driver hit a pedestrian who was walking in a crosswalk at an intersection. The drunk driver apparently ran the stop sign running over and killing the pedestrian. In another case, again, a pedestrian was in a crosswalk and a driver simply failed to pay attention to the situation and ran over the pedestrian, seriously injuring the victim.
Big cities are dangerous because there are many
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MEDICAL EXPENSES OR OTHER BENEFITS WITH SUBROGATION

Subrogation is a complicated concept, likely unfamiliar until you find yourself entangled in a lawsuit. In the realm of personal injury cases, it empowers insurance providers to step into the injured party’s shoes, posing critical questions about medical expenses and responsibility.

Illustrating Subrogation in Personal Injury

Imagine being in a car accident through no fault of your own, resulting in medical treatments covered by your health insurance. If you decide to sue the at-fault driver, the crux becomes whether their insurance should reimburse your

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How to Prepare a Good Personal Injury Demand

To start, let’s define what a demand is. Demands come in many forms, but when it comes to personal injury, a market is a written formal request for payment to settle an outstanding claim or legal matter.  More simply, it is an offer stating the amount of money it would take for your client to pay all claims and dismiss or refrain from filing a lawsuit against the party that caused harm.  Accordingly, it must be presented well.

Writing a demand is an

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Damages in a Georgia Medical Malpractice Case

Understanding the intricacies of damages is crucial in legal battles concerning medical malpractice. 

These cases involve compensation for various losses incurred by the plaintiff due to negligent medical care. 

Contrary to popular belief, the scope of damages in a medical malpractice case is not vastly different from those in typical personal injury cases. 

Both general and special damages constitute the core elements of compensation that a plaintiff is entitled to recover.

General Damages: Pain, Suffering, and Beyond

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Time Limitations in Georgia Medical Malpractice Cases

Time is a pivotal factor in legal proceedings, especially when dealing with medical malpractice cases in Georgia. 

These cases come with stringent limitations and exceptions, shaping the window of opportunity for seeking justice. 

Understanding the intricacies of these limitations is crucial, as they significantly impact the ability to pursue a case successfully.

Statute of Limitations: A Race Against Time

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Filing A Federal Tort Claims Act Case

In the realm of legal proceedings, understanding the nuances of filing a Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) case can be a complex but crucial endeavor.

Whether you’ve suffered injury, property damage, or any form of harm due to the actions of a federal government employee, the FTCA provides a path for seeking compensation.

This article delves into the process of filing an FTCA case, offering insights and guidance every step of the way.

Understanding the Federal Tort Claims Act

The FTCA is rooted in

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Trucking Accidents and Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Georgia

Georgia trucking accidents and commercial vehicle accidents are significantly different than typical motor vehicle collisions that involve two individuals driving privately in vehicles and are not working on behalf of their employer at the time of the wreck.  The primary reason for this is that tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, which have also been adopted by the State of Georgia.  A “commercial vehicle” is defined as any vehicle used on the highway or interstate
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Georgia Medical Malpractice Cases in the Time of COVID-19

Prior the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to successfully bring a medical malpractice claim in Georgia, a plaintiff was required to offer expert medical testimony to the effect that the defendant physician or healthcare provider failed to exercise that degree of care and skill which would ordinarily have been employed by the medical profession generally under the circumstances.  See Boling v. Foster, 254 Ga. App. 374 (2002).  The legal duty owed by medical professionals was to exercise “a reasonable degree of care and skill.”
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What Damages Are Available In Wrongful Death Actions?

In Georgia when an innocent person is killed due to the negligence of a third person, the survivors have a claim for wrongful death damages. The full value of the life of the decedent includes both economic and non-economic components. The economic components are more readily deduced. If you take the earning capacity of the decedent, you multiply it over their projected work life expectancy and come up with a calculation as to what future lost wages would be due to the wrongful death.
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Challenges Associated With Serious Burn Injury Cases

Our firm regrettably has encountered several tragic cases involving serious burn injuries. These cases arise in a variety of contexts. Some of our clients have had chemical burns, others have had burns suffered in fires caused by defective products. We have handled wrongful death cases involving the death of young children due to defective air purifiers and serious disfigurement caused in automobile collisions and/or tractor-trailer accidents. Regardless of the factual context, for the victim who is innocent in the premises and suffers serious burn injuries
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Henry County Police Chase Ends In Death Of Teenage Passenger

On April 2 of this year, we blogged about an important decision rendered by the Georgia Court of Appeals on March 28, 2013 indicating that innocent passengers unwittingly involved in high speed police pursuits can file a claim for damages sustained if they prove a reckless disregard of proper police procedure by the police officer initiating or continuing the pursuit. The newspaper accounts of the incident in Henry County do not provide much by way of detail but apparently police officers were pursuing the
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