Personal Injury

Published on: October 20, 2021

Are You At Risk of Road Rage?

Auto accidents caused by road rage are on the rise. Traffic in the metro Atlanta area is notorious and surely the source of many road rage incidents. According to some estimates, as many as 1,700 people suffer severe or fatal injuries in accidents caused directly by road rage every year.

Road rage goes beyond being angry or aggressive. Driving a car, especially while alone, can be a stressful situation, and a person driving under stress can make for a dangerous driver. Some people are more like to suffer from road rage. According to experts, persons with a Type A personality who are more competitive and aggressive in their daily lives are also more likely to show aggressive tendencies while driving. These tendencies could actually place them at risk of an accident.

If you are curious about whether you have the makings of an angry driver, ask yourself these questions. Do you often leave home late, and then find yourself irritable that other motorists aren’t giving way for you like they should so you can reach your destination on time? Do you often found yourself cursing at other motorists or making rude gestures? Do you feel like all other motorists around you are bad drivers, and therefore need to be taught a lesson so that they don’t repeat such poor driving behaviors? If you’ve answered “yes” to all of these questions, you may be at risk of road rage and not even know it.

Published on: October 15, 2021

Technology to Help Prevent Fall Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Older persons may have a high risk of suffering injuries in a slip and fall accident. Fortunately, we now have devices and technology that can significantly help reduce those risks.

Over the past decade, an entire array of gadgets and devices has been introduced primarily with the goal of helping prevent fall-related injuries involving seniors and other vulnerable populations. From sensors and alarms, to watches and hip-protecting devices, there are a number of technologies that have been introduced to help reduce the risk of injuries in fall accidents involving older people. These technologies range from systems that are in place in facilities like nursing homes to wearable devices that prevent fall risks.

One study by the American Journal of Managed Care found that a camera system powered by artificial intelligence and installed in nursing homes can help reduce the risk of injurious fall accidents involving seniors by a staggering 75 percent. The system can help reduce the number of ER visits after a fall by 80 percent. The study found that the use of the system combined with staff reviews of footage of falls and near-falls involving residents, greatly helped minimize risks.

Published on: August 30, 2021

Long Term Outcomes for Brain Injury May Be Better than Earlier Believed

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A brain injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can sustain. Findings from new research could have an impact on doctors’ recommendations for life support for patients with TBI. This means that persons with a serious brain injury may have much better long-term outcomes than previously expected.

A traumatic brain injury occurs as a result of trauma or a blow or jolt to the head. These injuries can occur in any number of ways, but the most common causes of traumatic brain injury are car and auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, and assaults or violence.

The results of the new study focusing on brain injury were published in July in the journal Neurology. The researchers focused on 484 patients who suffered from moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. The researchers tracked the patients over a year, and found that over this time period, close to 25 percent of the patients recovered to a much greater extent than expected. For example, among patients who were in a vegetative state after the injury, as many as one in 4 were able to perform simply orientation tasks like recognizing themselves as well as identifying the date and their location with 12 months after the injury.

Published on: August 16, 2021

Older Drivers and Car Accident Risks: Myths and Facts

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In some states, the population of older drivers is projected to reach as much as 20% over the next decade. But does a population comprised significantly of drivers automatically mean higher accident numbers?

There are many myths and misconceptions about senior drivers. Here we debunk just a few of them.

Seniors must give up driving privileges in order to remain safe

Published on: August 10, 2021

Fatal Elevator Accidents Prompt Regulator Concern

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This summer brought the return of the vacationers in U.S. after a year of being unable to travel, and with it a return to the use of rental vacation properties. U.S. federal regulators are calling on vacation rental websites like Airbnb to review and strengthen their policies to protect customers from injuries caused by outdated elevators on properties listed on their websites.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is specifically calling on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO to alert customers to the risks from outdated elevators on their rental properties. There have been a number of elevator-related injuries in such vacation rental properties across the country, and some of these injuries have been fatal. The most recent incident involved the death of a seven year-old child who suffered fatal injuries when he became entrapped between the doors of the elevator. The accident occurred at a beach vacation home.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is calling on holiday and vacation rental websites like Airbnb and Trip Advisor to require their hosts who rent out these properties to disable any residential elevators on their properties. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking that hosts provide recent certification from inspectors, certifying that there are no hazardous gaps between the doors of their elevators.

Published on: June 13, 2021

Increase in Deliveries, Canine Aggression Led to Rise in Dog Bites Last Year

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In 2020, when the majority of people were staying at home, there was a record increase in dog adoptions and online shopping. Normally, these two event would seem unrelated, however a significant increase in the number of mail deliveries across the country last year led to a significant increase in the number of dog bite attacks recorded across the country in 2020. The US Postal Service recently released a statement which defined the most dangerous states for postal workers last year as well as the cities that recorded the highest number of dog bites involving mail carriers.

Fortunately, Georgia does not figure in the list of states with the highest number of recorded attacks against mail carriers in 2020. No Georgia city featured in the list of cities that saw the highest number of attacks involving postal workers. For purposes of the list, the Postal Service considered any dog bite-related injury to the mail worker, or any incident resulting in a complaint to a supervisor.

Mail workers are some of the most frequent victims of dog bites in the metro Atlanta region. With summer here, it’s time not just for families but also dog owners to be mindful of the increased risk of dog bites. Most Americans last year relied on online deliveries of their basic needs, and online shopping rates soared, leading to increased exposure of all mail carriers to dog bites. Long periods of being locked up at home without exercise and walks also led to an increase in canine aggression levels. Exercise is crucial in maintaining canine health and dog experts believe that lack of exercise led to an increase in dog bites last year, especially those involving children.

Published on: May 5, 2021

GOHS Marks Bicycle Safety Awareness Month in Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety kickstarted its nationwide bicycle safety awareness program by making a number of stops across the state of Georgia. Several cities played host to the new public awareness campaign that is focusing especially on bicycle safety in the month of May.

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is commemorating the month of May as National Bicycle Safety Month. As part of the campaign, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety conducted a “Capital to Coast 2021” program across the state. This program involved an educational tour that covered 5 cities in Georgia- Atlanta, Athens, Macon, Savannah and Brunswick.

The campaign focused on important bicycle safety issues, including enhancing bicycle helmet usage. The risk of many injuries, especially head injuries in bicycle accidents, can be reduced with the proper usage of bicycle helmets. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has been focusing on increasing awareness of the need for helmet usage and the safe ways of wearing helmets.

Published on: February 23, 2021

The Real Reason Why Women are More Likely to be Severely Injured in Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Women have a higher risk of being severely injured and suffering certain types of injuries in in car accidents compared to men. The prevalent theory is that this is the result of physiological differences between men and women. A new study spotlights other more likely factors for this disparity.

The study was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the results were released recently. Men are overall much more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than women. However, women are more likely to suffer fatal injuries. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, women are between 20 and 28% more likely to sustain fatal injuries in accidents compared to men. They are also approximately 37 to 73% more likely to suffer serious injuries in an accident compared to male drivers, even after adjusting for factors like speed.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, women are more likely to suffer certain types of injuries in accidents because of the types of vehicles that they are likely to drive. The circumstances surrounding the accident could also have a lot to do with the kind of injuries that females suffer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety researchers found that in a front-impact accident, women had a 3 times higher risk of experiencing moderate injuries like concussions. The risk of suffering a traumatic brain injury or lung injuries was twice as high as for males.

Published on: December 4, 2020

Why Winter Poses a Serious Risk of Dog Bites in Atlanta

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Winter depression is a very common occurrence in human beings. But did you know that it can also affect dogs? This could possibly be why dogs become aggressive, making them much more likely to be involved in bites or attacks, during the winter time.

Seasonal affective disorder is a fairly common winter-related condition that occurs in human beings. This is a type of depression, that is caused due to the fact that human beings spend less time outdoors during winter. The lack of exposure to sunlight and the dark and gloomy conditions causes symptoms that are very similar to those in depression.

There is evidence that something very similar also occurs in our canine friends. The long, dark days, and the lack of their usual physical activity outdoors could possibly cause dogs to experience some of the same type of symptoms, including irritability and aggressiveness. These types of weather conditions could cause dogs to exhibit behaviors that are not similar to their normal behaviors.

Published on: October 20, 2020

Lack of Infrastructure Blamed for E-scooter Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety blames a combination of lack of infrastructure and inexperience for a large number of e-scooter injuries.

Micro-mobility, or the use of e-scooters and bicycles for work as well as recreational travel, is a massive trend in Georgia and across the United States. The number of people who choose to use e- scooters and bicycles has increased exponentially, and this number is only likely to increase further as the pandemic continues. More numbers of people are likely to avoid mass transit to avoid coming into close contact with large numbers of people, and choose modes of transportation like e-scooters and bicycles that prevent them from the risk of infection.

However, just like bicyclists, e-scooter riders also face the risks of injuries, as they travel. According to the report released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, many scooter riders may remain safe as long as they use bicycle lanes. However, the report states that many scooter riders choose to ride their vehicles on sidewalks. This practice is especially common in those areas where bike lanes are not available.