Personal Injury

Published on: June 15, 2023

Road Restrictions on E -Scooters Place Riders at Risk of Pedestrian Accidents

Many cities including the metro Atlanta region have seen a boom in the number of e – scooter riders, but limits on the operations of these vehicles mean that many of these riders choose to ride on sidewalks, increasing their risks of being involved in pedestrian accidents.

Around the country, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter riders, and cities have welcomed the expansion of this community because that reduces the stress on motor vehicle traffic, especially in congested cities like Atlanta. However, many cities have restricted the roads that these vehicles can be operated on. This means riders often choose to ride on sidewalks, placing them in direct conflict with pedestrians, and increasing their chances of being involved in pedestrian accidents. In fact, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter personal injuries and accidents involving pedestrians.

In most cities, the laws allow persons to ride e- scooters on roads where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. That restricts the operation of ride vehicles to bike lanes and bike paths. In areas where it is not possible to ride on bike lanes, e – scooter riders prefer to ride on sidewalks. This may be safe for the scooter rider, but involves increased risks for pedestrians, especially when the e-scooter is being operated at high speeds. Most riders do tend to lower their speeds when they are riding on sidewalks as compared to riding in a bicycle lane. Even so, the potential risk of personal injuries to pedestrians is very real. Some cities have placed greater speed restrictions on privately operated scooters that are being operated on sidewalks in order to reduce the risk of personal injuries to pedestrians in accidents with the scooters. Other cities are even considering a complete ban on e – scooters on sidewalks.

Published on: June 12, 2023

Pool Drowning Deaths Increase During Summer

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With summer fast approaching and thousands of children and families cooling off in swimming pools across the country, it is important for Atlanta pool owners to understand their risks of premises liability when a drowning occurs on their premises.

Most drownings involving children occur in swimming pools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the age of 1 and 4 are more likely to die from drowning than any other factor. For children between the age of 5 and 14, drowning is the second most likely cause of unintentional death, after auto accidents. Every year, there are 4,000 fatal drowning accidents recorded in the United States, and as many as double that number of non -fatal drowning accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia has a drowning death rate that is approximately 1.37 for every 100,000 population.

Most of these accidents occur in residential and commercial swimming pools. Even if a drowning does not result in death, it can result in severe or even catastrophic personal injury. The loss of oxygen supply to the brain can result in brain damage and other consequences that can contribute to long- term or lifelong disability of a child or adult. Close to half of all drowning accidents that do not result in a death will result in hospitalization of the victim. A drowning is much more likely to result in death or long term injury compared to other unintentional injuries.

Published on: June 5, 2023

Sharp Increase in Fatal Slip and Fall Accidents Involving Seniors

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Over the past 2 decades, there has been a staggering increase in the number of fatal slip and fall accidents involving American seniors, with the rate doubling during this period of time.

Slip and fall accidents are a major cause of wrongful deaths and personal injury involving seniors, and in fact, according to some statistics, contribute to the highest number of wrongful deaths involving seniors every year. However, a new study shows exactly how alarming those risks are, and how dramatically those wrongful death rates have increased. The study by researchers at the Pennsylvania State University shows that in 1999, there were a total of 10,100 fatal slip and fall accidents involving American seniors above the age of 65. By the year 2020, that number increased to 36,500 fatal slip and fall accidents involving seniors.

That is a staggering increase, and seems to show that in spite of advancements in fall protection for seniors, these personal injuries are only increasing. The researchers say that there simply is not enough of a focus on slip and fall prevention involving senior citizens, and that is contributing to this increase. The study also shows that fatal slip and fall accident rates seem to have increased among all categories of seniors since 1999. Rates seem to have increased for both men and women. White male adults had the highest slip and fall death rate with as many as 78 deaths for 100,000 population in 2020. Fall-related death rates also rose for black, native American, Hispanic and Asian seniors.

Published on: June 1, 2023

These Three Dog Breeds are Banned by Insurers for Their Bite Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Summer is when there is typically an uptick in the number of dog bites and attacks reported across Georgia and the rest of the country. Did you know that there are three dog breeds that most home insurance companies simply refuse to include in their dog bite liability coverage?

Many insurance companies have breed lists that include breeds of dogs that the company will not cover if the customer has the specified breed of dog in their home. Most insurance companies, for instance, refuse to include Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and pit bulls in their liability coverage. That means that if you are a homeowner who owns one of these breeds, you are likely to find yourself in serious financial trouble if your dog attacks another person and that person brings a dog bite claim for damages against you.

While some insurance companies have such breed lists, others may consider whether they will provide coverage for these dogs on a case -by – case basis. For instance, many insurance companies refuse to extend coverage when a homeowner has a dog that has been tagged as a “vicious dog” on the premises. A “vicious dog” is one that has been involved in an attack or a bite involving injuries or damage.

Published on: May 30, 2023

Even Mild Brain Injury can Increase Risk of Criminal Behavior

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Traumatic brain injuries like those that typically result from auto accidents, pedestrian accidents and slip and falls can have a number of long term consequences. A new study finds that the risk of criminal behavior increases after even a mild brain injury. This increased risk is something that has to be considered when litigating personal injury claims.

The study was conducted in New Zealand, and found that a brain injury does not have to be severe in order to have effects that result in criminal behavior. Even a mild brain injury like a concussion can significantly increase a person’s risk of engaging in criminal behavior.

The analysis found that people with a brain injury had a higher rate of criminal convictions and arrests, compared to persons who had not suffered a brain injury. Further, the risk of criminal behavior seemed to increase with the number of brain injuries the person had suffered. A higher number of concussions translated into a higher risk of criminal activity.

Published on: May 18, 2023

Implant Could Help Control Blood Pressure in Car Accident Victims with Spinal Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Persons who have suffered spinal injuries in car accidents or fall accidents may suffer from dangerous drops in their blood pressure. A new implant can help circumvent this problem.

A person who has suffered a spinal injury may suffer from dangerous drops in blood pressure when he tries to move from a sitting to a standing position. In such cases, the person may feel dizzy or nauseous when he moves or stands. In some cases, the person may even faint as a result of the drop in blood pressure. An extremely severe drop in blood pressure can even have possibly fatal consequences.

The conservative approach to treating this problem of dips in blood pressure in spinal injury victims has been to prescribe a high – salt diet or compression stockings. However, even with the use of such methodologies and aids, victims continue to complain of dizziness and other problems.

Published on: April 20, 2023

How Auto Accidents can Cause Complications for Pregnant Women

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Traumatic personal injuries can be devastating for pregnant women, and auto accidents are some of the leading causes of these types of injuries involving pregnant women. A new study finds that even a minor car accident can significantly raise the risk of complications for an expectant mother.

The results of a new Taiwanese study were published in the journal Injury Prevention recently. The researchers analyzed auto accident injury data involving more than 20,000 pregnant women over a 10 year period, and found that women who suffered even minor injuries in an auto accident while pregnant suffered significantly increased risks of complications, including placental disruption and excessive bleeding. Many of these women were at a much higher risk of requiring emergency C-sections.

Based on the data, the researchers believe that women who have been involved in a car accident during pregnancy are more than 50% likely to experience a placental disruption and more than 30% likely to suffer from prolonged contractions. They also had a risk of excessive bleeding that was 19% higher and a 5% higher risk of C-sections. Women who suffered even minor injuries were found to have an even higher risk of complications. For example, among women who had suffered even minor personal injuries in a car accident, there was a 70% higher risk of placental disruption and 54% higher risk of induced labor.

Published on: April 14, 2023

Most Slip and Fall Accidents Involving Seniors are Preventable with Simple Steps

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With an increasing senior population in Georgia, public spaces should be re- evaluating fall accident risks, especially those involving elderly citizens. Whenever a person falls, they are at significant risk of personal injury and even wrongful death. While often overlooked, improving protections against fall is an important step in preventing slip and fall accidents.

A new report finds that just 5 simple and basic steps can help reduce the risk of slip and falls involving the elderly. The results of the study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews says that as many as a third of elderly people suffer slip and fall accidents every year and many of these falls occur in the person’s own home. However, the basic risks involved remain the same, whether it is a home or a public property. Cluttered floors, lack of illumination, and lack of adequate handrail systems contribute to a large number of all slip and fall accidents involving senior citizens every year. In addition, guardrails are important to preventing slip and falls on stairs which often result in catastrophic personal injury.

According to the report, the five basic steps that can help reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents include decluttering floors, lowering slip and trip threats, installing appropriate hand- rail systems wherever necessary, improving lighting in corridors and stairwells and installing non – slip material on staircases. Taking these five simple measures, according to the report, can lead to a 38% reduced drop in the risk of slip and fall accidents involving the elderly.

Published on: March 29, 2023

Highly Ranked Cars Less Likely to be Involved in Fatal Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

When motorists drive cars that have been ranked highly by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, they are less likely to suffer fatal personal injuries in a car accident.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is one of several organizations that publishes safety rankings for automobiles. Thousands of Americans who buy new cars every year depend on ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Consumer Reports and other organizations. For them, these rankings form a critical component of the buying decision.

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that when motorists are driving cars that have been highly ranked, their risks of suffering fatal personal injuries in an auto accident fall by 12% compared to vehicles that are ranked poorly. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety focused on motorists driving cars that performed well on small overlap tests. The study found that motorists driving cars that performed better on small overlap tests in frontal car accidents were less likely to suffer personal injuries in an auto accident.

Published on: March 21, 2023

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

An estimated 2.8 million Americans suffer from a brain injury every year, and more than 5 million Americans currently live with a disability that has been caused by a brain injury. Since 2021 and right through 2023, the Brain injury Association of America has been commemorating Brain Injury Awareness Month in the month of March with the theme “More Than My Brain Injury. “

According to the Brain injury Association of America, an overwhelming majority of all brain injuries are caused as a result of falls. An estimated 47% of all traumatic brain injuries every year are caused by falls, with car accidents accounting for the second highest number of brain injuries at 13%. Approximately 17% of traumatic brain injuries are caused when a person is struck by an object, while 8% are the result of violent assaults. Other causes of brain injury include medical malpractice.

Whatever the cause of the brain injury, these are some of the most common serious personal injuries in the United States, and also some of the most misunderstood. The Brain Injury Association of America estimates that as many as one in 60 people suffers from a disability resulting from a brain injury. This means that it is highly likely that you know someone who suffers from cognitive deficits, memory problems, difficulties in concentration and a variety of other disabilities as a result of a traumatic brain injury.