Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: July 7, 2009

Georgia Home Depot Customer Awarded $1.5 Million in Premises Liability Lawsuit

A Home Depot customer, who sustained serious injuries in a Marietta store from a piece of wood falling off a folk lift, has been awarded $1.5 million in premises liability damages.

In 2005, Larry Reece was at a Home Depot in Marietta when a pallet of plywood fell about 24 feet on him. Reece suffered serious neck and spinal injuries that left him debilitated, and unable to continue his work as a residential contractor. According to his attorney, he settled with Home Depot over punitive damages, but the case had to go to jury trial over personal injury damages. He has now been awarded $1.5 million in damages, while his wife has been awarded $30,000 for loss of consortium as part of the damages.

Besides the debilitating injuries and the severe pain that he suffered, Reece also had to deal with the high expenses of hospitalization and other medical costs. Since the accident, Reece has racked up about $120,000 in medical expenses.He was required to have permanent hardware in his neck to resume his normal activities. Most traumatic of all, Reece who has been a construction worker all his life, was unable to return to his job. He lost his livelihood, along with the trauma and loss of income that that accompanies.

Published on: July 6, 2009

More Accident Fatalities Result from Highway Defects Than Speeding, Alcohol

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A report by a transportation development advocacy group says that the country could save more than $200 billion from automobile accidents if it invests in better highway design, maintenance and repairs.

The Washington Post has this interesting report about how road-related conditions are responsible for more than half of the 42,000 accident-related deaths that occur each year. Contrary to popular perception, it’s poorly positioned utility poles, steep curves, road obstructions and other hazards that contribute to the most number of accident-related deaths in the country- not drunk driving, speeding or failure to wear seatbelts.

Consider this:

Published on: July 3, 2009

Four Dead in Lowndes County Car- Truck Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

News coming in has confirmed a deadly truck accident this morning in Valdosta in Lowndes County. Apparently, four people have died in the accident that involved a car and a rental truck on I-75. The crash happened early this morning at about 2:30.

It’s a tragic start to the four-day long Georgia Highway Patrol crackdown that will last over the Fourth of July weekend. The crackdown begins at 6 pm today. Georgia Highway Patrol is expecting that there will be 22 fatalities in accidents over the weekend, which will end on July fifth. Law enforcement officers are gearing up for special anti drunk driving and speeding crackdowns to keep drunk drivers and dangerous speeders off the road. This will include special checkpoints around the state and additional patrolling.

The Fourth of July holiday sees the largest number of accident-related fatalities for a single day each year, and Georgia Highway Patrol, in spite of the crackdown, will be expecting no different this year. With the holiday traveling set to begin in full earnest on Thursday evening, Georgia car accident lawyers would encourage motorists to be careful out there.

Published on: July 2, 2009

Motorcycle Rider Critically Injured in CowetaCounty Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A motorcyclist was seriously injured in an accident involving a passenger vehicle and his motorcycle on I-85 north of Coweta County.According to news reports, the motorcyclist collided with a four door sedan leaving the rider with critical injuries.

The accident occurred on a construction zone on I-85 where work to widen the highway is underway. We don’t know yet if that had an effect on the accident, but speed limits along the areas that are under construction have been lowered to 50mph. The highway has also been the scene of several such accidents in the past few months including a fiery tractor trailer accident earlier this year, in which one of the trucks burst into flames leaving the driver with burn injuries. That accident was one among several accidents involving tractor trailers, as well as passenger vehicles on interstate 85.

Construction work along several sections of I-85 are expected to continue for the rest of 2009, which means that driving conditions on the highway will continue to be congested. Authorities have made repeated appeals to motorists, truckers and motorcyclists to keep the ongoing congested conditions on the highway in mind while driving, and to slow down speeds. Unfortunately, according to officials, there are too many motorists and truckers who don’t seem to be heeding those pleas.

Published on: July 1, 2009

Search Efforts Continue after Atlanta Parking Deck Collapse

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Two days after a fourth level parking deck in Atlanta collapsed, damaging several cars, and resulting in, miraculously enough no injuries, rescue personnel were still not willing to take chances. Rescue efforts continued through Tuesday as Fire and Rescue personnel used cranes, dogs and thermal cameras to comb through the debris to search for any injured persons who could be trapped inside.

So far, there have been no reports of missing people, and the extent of the damage seems to have been restricted to the at least 38 vehicles that were damaged in the collapse. The deck in Midtown district collapsed at around noon on Monday.What caused the sudden collapse is still largely unclear.However, the company that acted as a general contractor and oversaw the construction of the deck was the same one that has been involved in another high profile, but far more serious accident last year.

As we have discussed in this blog earlier this year, the company Hardin Construction Company is the same company that was involved in the construction of the pedestrian walkway at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in December last year. Yes, the very same walkway that collapsed while concrete was being poured, leading to at least eight people with injuries and one contractor dead.Earlier this month, in fact, Hardin was fined for its role in that collapse. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for failure to see that the towers were properly braced, fining it $6,300.

Published on: June 26, 2009

Trucking Group Presents Annual Highway Safety Agenda

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A recent highway safety agenda unveiled by the American Trucking Associations has 18 points that are sure to make Georgia truck accident attorneys every happy indeed.

The trucking group outlined the points on the agenda at a news conference at Capitol Hill.The program includes a set of comprehensive measures, including steps aimed at enhancing the performance of drivers, safer trucks and safer vehicles to prevent truck accidents.

The agenda includes:

Published on: June 25, 2009

Fatal Motorcycle Accident in Forsyth County Traced to Motorist’s Illegal U-Turn

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A motorcycle rider who was critically injured in an accident in Forsyth County over the weekend has succumbed to his injuries at an Atlanta Hospital.

The victim 49-year-old Terry Hitt was riding a motorcycle which collided with a Suzuki SUV when the motorist tried to make an illegal U turn. The motorcycle collided with the driver’s side door of the car. Hitt sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.He died on Sunday afternoon. Hitt is survived by his two children, mother and brother.

The motorist Marian Anwar was initially charged with making an improper left turn, and now faces second degree vehicular homicide charges in connection with the motorcycle accident.

Published on: June 23, 2009

Nestle Cookie Dough Recalled After Reports of E. coli Poisoning

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Nestle SA has announced a recall of its Toll House cookie dough because of fears of E. coli contamination linked to dozens of cases of food poisoning nationwide. About 47 varieties of the cookie dough have been included in the recall.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to eat Toll House refrigerated and prepackaged cookie dough because of the risk of E coli contamination. The agency has asked consumers who may have any of the pre packaged cookie dough to throw these away. Consumers have been advised that they could face the risk of food poisoning even if they cook the dough, because the bacteria might be transmitted to their hands and cooking surfaces. According to the FDA notice, the contamination was exposed in a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health departments.

So far, there have been 66 reports of illnesses from 29 states since March this year. 25 persons have been hospitalized and seven of these had suffered a complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome [HUS] which can end in kidney damage and even death.

Published on: June 20, 2009

Fourth of July Crackdown to Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents in Georgia Begins Tonight

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Every year, the Georgia State Patrol increases patrolling and enforcement efforts around the Fourth of July to minimize the number of car accidents around the holiday. This year’s crackdown on drunk driving begins tonight.

The campaign Operation Zero Tolerance kicks off at 9 pm tonight, and will last through the fifth of July. It will include the participation of more than 500 police agencies in Georgia, all taking part in the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety “100 Days of Summer HEAT” initiative. Enforcement officers will be conducting additional patrols across Georgia highways, and will be cracking down especially hard on intoxicated motorists. The 100 Days of Summer HEAT initiative will run through the Labor Day weekend. The initiative includes crackdowns targeting drunk drivers, speeders, as well as motorists violating seatbelt and child safety seat laws.

Every year, we celebrate the declaration of our independence with great fanfare. We burst fireworks, and host barbecues. Unfortunately, the Fourth of July is also the single deadliest day of the year, with the maximum number of accidents occurring on this day. Between 1986 and 2002, an average of 161 people died in automobile accidents on Fourth of July.

Published on: June 19, 2009

Father of Child Injured by Crocs at Atlanta Airport Sues Company

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The father of a boy who was injured when his Crocs shoes got caught in an escalator at an Atlanta Airport has filed a lawsuit against the company. The father Clark Meyer, is claiming $2 million in damages for injuries suffered by his son, identified only as “AM”.

According to the lawsuit, Meyer’s son was “severely and permanently injured” in the accident on July 15^th last year. On that day, the boy’s foot was snagged on an escalator at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. The boy who was four years old at that time suffered at least three broken toes and cuts. In the lawsuit, Meyer alleges that the company was aware of the dangers to children wearing the popular Crocs shoes in 2005, but that didn’t stop the company from marketing the shoes targeting young children.

It is the second such lawsuit filed in Atlanta in 2005 involving children and escalator injuries linked to the popular shoes. Crocs meanwhile has denied that the shoes cause any injuries. The company blames faulty escalator design and the parents for the injuries suffered by children who wear their shoes.