Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: January 7, 2021

Increase in Traffic Accident Deaths in Georgia in 2020

Preliminary figures show that there was a significant increase in traffic accident facilities in Georgia in 2020, despite the pandemic and stay-at-home orders. In fact, according to the study, the numbers may be the highest on record since 2007.

The preliminary figures released by the Georgia Governor’s office of Highway Safety showed that there were 1,615 traffic accident deaths in the state of Georgia in 2020. That was the highest total on record since 2007, when there were 1,641 facilities recorded. It was also a significant increase from the figures in 2019 when the state recorded a total of 1,491 deaths in traffic accidents.

It’s important to remember that these are preliminary figures, and the total numbers are very likely to increase as the agency continues to confirm the number of traffic accident deaths across the state last year. The majority of accident deaths in 2020 occurred on state roads and highways.

Published on: December 31, 2020

Some CBD Products may Increase Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

CBD products have become extremely popular in recent years, as more states, including Georgia, have loosened restrictions on the sale of products containing cannabis for the treatment of certain conditions including chronic pain, anxiety and other conditions. The use of CBD products increased exponentially this year by people trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

There may be an increased risk of being involved in car accidents when you are on some types of products containing cannabis. New research indicates that CBD products that contain THC, could significantly increase a person’s risk of being involved in an accident.

There has been concern about the effect of cannabis on a person’s driving abilities. Driving under the influence of drugs can significantly impair a person’s driving skills and increase the risks of being involved in an accident. However, as the use of products containing marijuana increases around Georgia, it is also important for us to learn more about how the use of these products affects a person’s driving abilities.

Published on: December 18, 2020

Winter Presents Slip and Fall Accident Risks for Seniors

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Snow and ice accumulation, freezing conditions, slippery surfaces – all of these can combine to present dangerous conditions and serious slip and fall accident risks for seniors in Georgia.

Seniors may be at an especially high risk of falls, compared to younger adults, but these risks are more pronounced during the winter. Seniors, in fact, are much more likely to suffer falls during winter, compared to other times of the year due to more dangerous weather and ground conditions. These accidents can be serious because a senior can take much longer to bounce back from a fall accident that results in fractures and other injuries, compared to a younger person.

A fall may be much more serious in a senior citizen because his bones are brittle and weaker making them more susceptible to a break or a fracture. Young people are much more likely to suffer sprains, while older persons are much more likely to suffer fractures in a slip and fall accident. Additionally, fractures are more difficult to heal in a older individual. Some types of fractures, like hip fractures, can permanently impair or restrict a person’s mobility.

Published on: December 11, 2020

What You Need to know about Winter Roads for Safe Motorcycling

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Winter roads can be treacherous for motorcyclists, and a slick, wet road can be an accident waiting to happen. An experienced motorcyclist knows that it is very important to be aware of the road conditions that you are travelling on to avoid accidents.

Motorcycling during winter comes with its own set of challenges, and some of these can be very serious. Every motorcyclist knows that it’s important to stay within safe speed zones while motorcycling in winter.

Black ice is a common cause of accidents during winter. If you see something resembling ice on the road in front of you, stay clear of it. Contrary to what you think, black ice isn’t exactly black in color. It only looks that way, because it is transparent and simply reflects the color of the road asphalt beneath. While motorcycling, you may sometimes come across black ice which forms when sections of the road are exposed to extreme cold as well as water. The water could come in the form of melting snow or rain.

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: November 27, 2020

Fall Prevention Toolkit helps Prevent Hospital Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Normally when you go to a hospital, you believe you will leave better after treatment. The last thing on your mind is getting hurt in an accident while being treated at a hospital. However, fall accidents in hospitals are a leading cause of patient injuries in a hospital. Researchers recently analyzed the results of the use of a specially designed fall prevention toolkit among hospital patients, and found that the use of the toolkit significantly helped reduce the risk of fall accidents in the hospital as well as injuries sustained as a result of these accidents.

The study was conducted by researchers who tested a special toolkit that they designed specifically to prevent hospital fall accidents, and included a number of items, including a poster that is designed to be displayed by the side of a patient bed. The toolkit also includes specifically designed prevention plans that can possibly be integrated into electronic health records, and displayed on computer screens.

The researchers tested the usefulness of the toolkit in helping reduce the risk of fall accidents, among 37,000 patients between 2015 and 2016. They found that the implementation of the toolkit directly resulted in a 15% drop in the number of patient falls recorded in these hospitals. It also directly contributed to a 34% reduction in the number of injuries that were sustained in these fall accidents.

Published on: November 20, 2020

Worrisome State of Georgia’s County-Maintained Roads

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new report finds that many county-maintained roads in Georgia have been chronically undermaintained and in poor shape, increasing the risk of accidents for motorists travelling on these roads.

That information was published in a recent report by transportation research non-profit group, TRIP. The group recently released a report titled Moving Georgia Forward: Road and Bridge Conditions, Traffic Safety, Travel Trends and Funding Needs in the Atlanta region. The group conducted a survey of a number of counties in the state starting from 2019 and ending in 2020, specifically focusing on the condition of the transportation network of the state. The survey found that as many as 22% of roads in Georgia that are maintained by counties, are in substandard condition.

Not only are these roads in poor condition, but there also does not seem to be any hurry to get these roads fixed any time soon. Funding shortages will only ensure that many of these roads will continue to be deficient well into 2021 and beyond. At the current funding rate, only approximately 12% of the total number of miles of roads that are in need of repair work, including resurfacing, will be fixed in 2020. Overall, only 52% of the total amount of funding that is required to fix the entire network of county-maintained roads, is available for use. Hundreds of thousands of people use these county roads on a regular basis, and when these roads are poorly maintained and unsafe, they pose a serious risk of accidents to motorists.

Published on: November 12, 2020

Requiring Seat Belts for All will Reduce Traffic Accident Deaths in Atlanta

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is kick-starting its annual seat belt enforcement campaign, even as a bill that would require all occupants of a car in Georgia to be buckled in remains pending.

The current bill pending in the Senate would require that all occupants of a vehicle, including any adults in the back seat, remain buckled while the car is in motion. This bill was introduced in 2019, and has a lot of support from lawmakers who believe that it is important for all occupants in a car to receive equal protection against injuries and the possible risk of death in an accident. If this bill is ultimately be passed and becomes law, Georgia will join the list of states that now require all motorists and passengers to be buckled in while driving, without exception.

Currently, the law in Georgia requires only front seat passengers to wear seat belts. The law applies only to minor back seat passengers below the age of 17. Adult passengers in the back seat are exempt from the law.

Published on: November 4, 2020

Older Vehicles Increase Accident Risks for Senior Drivers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As the number of older American increases, so does the number of elderly drivers out on the roadways. Older drivers above the age of 70 are much safer now on the roads that they used to be. However, several factors, including a slowness to adopt newer auto technologies, could be working against them, and could expose them to the risk of accidents.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently published the results of a study that focused on how accident rates for seniors have actually dropped over the past few years. The study focused on the period between 2009 and 2017, and found that during the first half of the study, the rates of car accidents involving seniors actually dropped.

That may not be all good news, however. The first half of the study period coincided with the Great Recession, and that was the time when there was a drop in the rates of all types of auto accidents. During the latter half of the study, accident rates involving seniors stayed consistent, while accident rates involving middle-aged drivers started increasing again.

Published on: October 27, 2020

Pedestrian Safety Concerns on Atlanta Highway

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association marked October as National Pedestrian Safety Month, even as pedestrian safety concerns loom in Atlanta.

Atlanta residents who frequently use Hollowell Parkway, a stretch of state highway that expands from Northside Drive to I-185 have been raising concerns about several pedestrian accidents in the area. There are no pedestrian crossings on this approximately one-mile stretch of Hollowell Parkway. This means that pedestrians are put to great risk when they have to cross the street. As a result, there have been a number of accidents in the area.

Hollowell Parkway is a very busy highway, that is used very often by trucks. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition calls this stretch one of the most dangerous roads in Atlanta. According to law enforcement, since 2016 alone, there have been as many as 7 pedestrian accidents on the stretch of road. During the same time, there have been 40 pedestrian injuries occurring on Hollowell Parkway.