Car Accidents

Published on: May 31, 2011

Revolutionary New Treatment Helps Auto Accident Victims with Spinal Cord Injury Stand Again

Atlanta car accident attorneys have been encouraged by a flurry of promising new aids to help spinal Injury victims walk again.However, this particular breakthrough is very different – a young man who had been left paralyzed after a serious car accident in 2006, and was confined to a wheelchair, has been able to stand up on his own andeventake a few steps.The researchers are hailing this as one of the biggest breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research.

Spinal injuries are frequently seen in devastating car and truck accidents.These are some of the most debilitating injuries, leaving an individual with markedly reduced movement, sensation and mobility.There is no complete cure for spinal cord injury, which is why it is so encouraging when we have little signs of progress like this.

The man, Rob Summers had been left with a serious spinal cord injury that left him incapable of moving his legs, and controlling his bladder and bowel movements.Summers was chosen to participate in research at a Kentucky spinal research center.He underwent the surgical procedure to implant a device containing 16 electrodes in his spine just below the damaged area.When the device is switched on, it excites the damaged nerves of the spine, delivering signals from the leg muscles, and helping a person move his toes, feet and legs.

Published on: May 28, 2011

MARTA Bus Driver in Dragging Accident Incident Has History of Bus Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The MARTA driver, who was operating the bus involved in a dragging accident that left a 62-year-old woman seriously injured, has been involved in bus accidents earlier.The woman, Belinda McMillian has been fired since the accident, but records suggest that she had a history of bad behavior on the job. As an Atlanta personal injury attorney, I have too often seen companies fail to rid themselves of problem drivers.

According to her personnel file which runs into 420 pages, she once crashed her bus into a parked car, causing the car to hit another vehicle.In another incident, her bus clipped the mirror of another parked vehicle.Her personnel report also shows plenty of complaints from passengers about her abusive nature.

However last Sunday, McMillian outdid herself.The 62-year-old passenger, who uses a walker, had just gotten off the bus and turned around when she realized that she had left her purse on the bus.Her arm got caught in the closing doors of the bus.What happened next was a nightmare for the woman.McMillian continued to operate the bus, driving on, while dragging the elderly woman alongside the bus.The woman was dragged more than 60 feet, before witnesses got McMillian to stop the bus.When the bus stopped, McMillian opened the door at which point the lady fell on the road.Not bothering to check on the lady, McMillian simply drove off from the scene.

Published on: May 27, 2011

Survey Finds Americans Want More Traffic Safety Laws to Prevent Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that Americans would rather have more government interference in matters of traffic safety to prevent auto accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents. Of course, these accidents often result in serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths. According to the survey, 62% of Americans want more traffic safety laws to reduce poor driving behaviors and minimize accident risks.What’s more, 57% of respondents wanted their individual states to get more involved in making the roads safer.This is an indication to Atlanta car accident attorneys that there is plenty of support for recent moves in Georgia to enact mandatory seatbelt laws for all, and ban texting while driving for all motorists.

According to the survey, 70% of Americans feel that traffic safety laws should be strictly enforced.There’s a lesson here for Atlanta and throughout Georgia which has recently banned texting while driving – laws can be meaningless unless these are enforced and violators penalized sufficiently.

Additionally, the survey also indicates that there is plenty of support for tough teen driver licensing standards.86% of the respondents believe that new drivers should be required to complete a driver’s education course before they are allowed a driver’s license.American motorists also want to see automakers invest in technologies that will help prevent accidents and keep motorists safe.60% of the respondents wanted automakers to do more to make their vehicles safer.

Published on: May 26, 2011

New Georgia Law Designed to reduce the number of Bicycle Accidents and Motorcycle Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With increasing gas prices and unrelenting traffic congestion plaguing the state, many Georgians are finding it’s more economically savvy (and healthy, besides) to travel by bicycle or motorcycle in lieu of automobile. Unfortunately, this trend towards cycling is also resulting in an increased number of accidents involving cyclists and their impatient motorist counterparts. In fact, according to the Georgia Office of Highway Safety, in 2008, 12 percent of the people killed in motor vehicle crashes in Georgia were motorcycle drivers — the highest motorcycle fatality count within 15 years. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I know that this number is only the tip of the iceberg since a significant number of serious injuries result from motorcycle accidents every year.

This is a growing problem in Georgia, where in 2008 motorcycle driver deaths has increased by 59 percent since 2004. As a remedy, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law last week a bill aimed to protect them, while simultaneously granting respite to sympathetic drivers who nevertheless feel a modicum of nervousness when inching by a motorcycle or bicycle.

House Bill 101 requires drivers to give cyclists at least 3 feet of space. Before last week, motorists had only to maintain an arguably ambiguous “safe distance” when passing. Now, those same motorists will have to actually cross the yellow line to comply with the law.

Published on: May 9, 2011

Feds Release New Bus Safety Rules to Prevent Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A series of fatal and serious bus accidents recently have resulted in new proposals to enhance bus safety for American passengers, and prevent serious accidents.The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, this week announced a new set of proposals to minimize the risk of bus crashes. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I only hope that the proposed regulations are enacted. The regulations then need to be monitored over time and strengthened where necessary. Bus accidents are far more serious than car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and many truck accidents due to the number of persons who have the potential of suffering personal injuries.

There have been several bus accidents over the past two years that have indicated the need for new safety regulations that can help deal with some of the serious bus safety issues that we currently face. The new proposals aim to do that.For instance, one of the issues that have bothered Atlanta bus accident attorneys has been the fact that bus companies find it too easy to reappear under a new name and address after one of their vehicles has been involved in a fatal accident.The new rule would create a federal standard that would help determine whether a carrier used to exist under a different name earlier.This would close current loopholes that allow carriers to resurface a few months after a serious accident, under a new name.

The new proposals also make it tougher for commercial drivers to get their licenses.Under the proposals, a driver would need to have a commercial driver’s learner’s permit before he can receive his commercial driver’s license.Besides, the federal agency wants to establish a uniform CDL testing standard across the country.

Published on: May 6, 2011

Death in Cobb County, Georgia Car Accident Traced to Red Light Violations

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The parents of a young Cobb County woman, who was killed in a car accident two weeks ago, are calling for stronger charges against the motorist involved.Cobb County police are blaming the accident on red light violations. Car accidents involving wrongful deaths often involve a red light violation. Of course, auto accidents of this type also result in significant personal injuries since persons trying to “beat” the red light are often traveling at a high rate of speed. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I know these cases are occur far too often.

The young woman had been driving a Toyota Safari, which was struck by an Infiniti.The woman had a green light at an intersection, when the Infiniti driver ran a red light and broadsided the Toyota.The Toyota driver suffered serious injuries, and was rushed to the hospital.However, she died two days later.

The Infiniti driver now faces misdemeanor charges.However, the parents of the young woman want felony vehicular homicide charges to be brought against the man.Vehicular homicide charges can only brought in cases where the motorist was driving under the influence, was driving at excessive speeds or was on the run from police.This particular accident doesn’t seem to meet any of those criteria, and therefore, it isn’t very likely that felony charges will be filed here.

Published on: May 1, 2011

Study Finds Antidepressants Help Repair Brain Cells, Heal Brain Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Traumatic brain injuries are some of the most devastating injuries that Atlanta auto accident lawyers see.These serious injuries can also be seen as a result of a slip and fall accident when a person sustains impact to the head.What makes these injuries even more devastating is that there is no complete cure for traumatic brain injury.All doctors can do is administer emergency treatment as quickly as possible.A new study indicates that the use of antidepressants can help increase brain cells, thereby helping treat an injury.The researchers believe that if a patient is administered antidepressant therapy right after a traumatic brain injury, in addition to all other kinds of therapies, it could help foster the survival of healthy brain cells after an injury.

The use of antidepressants in the treatment of brain injury is not exactly new.In fact, most patients who suffer from TBI are susceptible to depression, and are often prescribed antidepressants.However, a new study conducted on mice found that injured mice that were given antidepressants had up to 70% more brain cells after four weeks on the antidepressant therapy, compared to those mice with brain injuries who had not been given antidepressants.The mice had been given the antidepressant, imipramine

That’s not all.Researchers also analyzed the performance of the mice during a novel object recognition test, to determine whether the thriving of brain cells in these mice, actually contributed to better cognition skills.Researchers analyzed how much time the mice under the antidepressant therapy spent looking at new or novel objects.Researchers found that the mice that had received the antidepressant therapy spent at least 15% more time looking at the novel objects.This indicates that these mice found the objects to be new, thereby indicating better memory capacity.

Published on: April 30, 2011

Students Injured in School Bus Accident in Gwinnett County, Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Several school students were injured in a bus accident involving two school buses in Gwinnett County earlier this week.The accident occurred at an intersection where two school buses were stopped.A third bus approached the scene, and rear-ended the second bus.The driver of the third school bus sustained minor injuries, and was taken to the Gwinnett Medical Center.Unfortunately, as an Atlanta injury attorney, I have seen too many bus accidents result in far more serious injures and wrongful death.

There were a total of 38 children on the third bus, and 10 of them suffered back injuries. The students on the other two buses did not suffer any injuries.The driver of the bus has been cited for following too close.The drivers of the other two buses have been suspended temporarily while an investigation into the accident continues.

Atlanta bus accident lawyers will have to wait until investigations are completed to learn why the third bus driver was not able to stop in time to avoid crashing into the other bus.However, it’ll probably be worthwhile to probe the role of distractions and inattention as a factor in this crash.School bus drivers have an additional responsibility to be cautious and completely attentive while driving.These buses carry some of our most precious cargo, which makes it all the more important for drivers to be attentive at all times.

Published on: April 26, 2011

One Person Killed in Wrong Way Driving Accident in Gwinnett County

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As Atlanta car accident lawyers, we often notice that wrong way driving accidents are some of the deadliest collisions.These accidents typically involve one car traveling at highway speeds in the direction of other vehicles that are also traveling at the same level of speed.Such accidents are typically high-impact accidents that end with multiple deaths or serious injuries.An accident over the weekend in Gwinnett County, Georgiathat killed one person and left two others with critical injuries, is being blamed on a wrong way driver.

The accident occurred on Saturday night, and involved a total of three vehicles.According to Gwinnett County police, a car traveling the wrong way veered across the median and crashed head-on into another vehicle.The car then flipped over, and crashed into a third vehicle.A woman was killed in the accident.Two other people, including the wrong way driver, suffered critical injuries.Police are investigating the accident, but no charges have been filed yet.Police are considering the possibility that the wrong way driver may have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

Every year, approximately 300 people are killed in accidents caused by wrong way motorists.Many of these accidents are caused because motorists are driving under the influence of alcohol, and end up traveling in the opposite direction.Alcohol use is the most common cause of wrong way driving.It’s not so surprising to Atlanta car accident attorneys that alcohol use is so often cited in wrong way driving.Alcohol use clouds a person’s judgment, blurs his vision and affects his powers of reasoning.A person like this is also likely to miss highway street signs, ending with him driving in the opposite direction.

Published on: April 24, 2011

Missing Airbags in Used Cars in Atlanta Pose Hidden Injury Risks Of Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most frequent cause of airbag injuries in an accident is not late deployment or early deployment, but failure to deploy.In many cases, airbags fail to deploy because they’ve not been replaced after the car was involved in a previous crash.What is even more worrying to Atlanta car accident lawyers is that there is currently little information about the number of used cars out there that do not have airbag systems.To prevent injuries, we need to develop a system to identify such cars before they are involved in an auto accident.

There have been several cases involving repair shops that charged for replacing of airbags after the vehicle was involved in an accident and then failed to replace the systems.One such repair shop was even sued by a couple whose son was killed in an accident.The couple had paid the repair shop to install airbags on its used vehicle, and after the accident, it was found that the airbags had been stuffed with paper.

For a repair shop, replacing an airbag system would cost between $1,000 and $3,000. In the absence of any regulations of these shops, there have been many cases where owners of used vehicles drove their car out of the repair shop, believing that their car was safe.Data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that over five years, at least 51 fatal accidents could be traced to missing airbags in cars.These airbags failed to deploy because they had never been replaced after a previous accident.