Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: June 12, 2011

Lack of Street Planning Exposes Atlanta Elders to Pedestrian Accidents, Injuries

Elderly pedestrians account for just 13% of the American population, but comprise 22% of all pedestrian accident deaths here.It doesn’t take an Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyerto understand that these pedestrians are simply at a higher risk of being fatally injured in accidents.However, the situation could get worse.As the nation’s baby boomers step into their mid-60s, transportation safety advocates expect these pedestrian safety problems to explode.

Not only are seniors living much longer, but they are also living healthier lives.A 65-year-old American today probably lives independently, and walks a lot for leisure for health.Unfortunately, these persons are likely walking on streets that have not been designed with their safest interests in mind.

Many of the streets were designed decades ago, when there were fewer numbers of pedestrians on the street, let alone elderly pedestrians.In those days, streets were designed for automobiles only.An elderly person is slower than most people for who our crosswalks were designed.That’s a fact of life, and street planning has not taken this into consideration.

Published on: June 11, 2011

Focus on Elder Abuse Prevention In Georgia Today

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This week, elder safety groups and Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.The Georgia Department of Human Services is asking all people to wear purple on Wednesday to raise awareness about elder abuse.

This week, family health agencies and elder safety groups in Georgia are asking all citizens to look out for signs of elder abuse.

Signs of physical abuse of elders are easy to detect.

Published on: June 10, 2011

Motorcycle Accident Causes the Death of a Police Officer

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

An off-duty police sergeant in Centreville, Houston County, Georgia was killed in a motorcycle accident last week.According to news reports, the 45-year-old Police Sgt. was riding his motorcycle when he collided with a car at an intersection.He was seriously injured, and died of his injuries. As an Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer, I see the dangers motorcycle riders face every day. Unfortunately, too many drivers just fail to keep a close eye out for motorcycles.

Motorcyclists in Georgia are at a greater risk of collisions with motorists this summer, when more numbers of drivers and motorcyclists can be expected to share the road.Not only are motorcyclists dealing with a large population of adult drivers on their way to holidays distracted by their families and their holiday plans, but they are also sharing the highways with larger numbers of teen drivers.

Summer is when the total number of teenage drivers on the road is higher, and the months of June, July and August see 40% more driving by those teen motorists.These are inexperienced drivers, who may fail to practice basic motorcycle safety behaviors, like looking out for motorcyclists at intersections.This accident illustrates how necessary it is for motorists to be extra cautious when approaching an intersection, and look out for motorcycles.Many young and teen drivers tend to think of summer as a long, extended weekend, and fail to prioritize traffic safety rules.

Published on: June 9, 2011

Fulton County City Imposes Dog Fee to Prevent Dog Bites, Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It’s not going to be the most popular measure in the city of College Park in Fulton County as far as dog lovers are concerned, but it could help monitor a number of aggressive breeds, reducing the incidence of bites involving these breeds.The City of College Park has imposed a new dog fee on owners of certain breeds of dogs. As an Atlanta personal injury attorney, I very much welcome the new fee. The is a high frequency of dog bites among certain breeds and city and county governments need to take action.

College Park Council member Ambrose Clay began pushing for the ordinance after reports of two dog bite incidents in his area over the last year.The ordinance will go into effect on the 1^st of July, when owners of certain breeds that the city has already decided are potentially dangerous, must pay an annual $25 fee.This fee must be paid even if the dog has never been involved in an attack or bite incident before.The breeds that are included in this ordinance include, not surprisingly,many breeds which are often involved in dog bite incidents in Atlanta.Several pit bull mixes including American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers are included in the list of dogs.Other breeds also include Dobermen, German Shepherds and Rottweilers.Besides owners of these breeds, owners of dogs that have been involved in a bite incident are also required to register their dog in the registry.

As expected, dog owners who own these breeds in College Park, have been upset.However, the College Park Council believes that this fee system will enable the city to track and monitor the movement of aggressive breeds, especially those that are involved in bite incidents. See, http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/14842402/dog-owners-face-fee

Published on: June 8, 2011

Bus Accident Causes Deaths, Injuries; Underscores Need for More Safety Reforms

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A bus accident in Virginia that killed four people would not have occurred if the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had put the bus company out of service for repeated violations.The agency failed to do so, allowing the bus company to operate for a few more days while it appealed. Just a few days later, the bus crashed on a Virginia highway, killing four people and injuring 53 passengers.This is an indication to Atlantaaccident attorneys that the federal agency needs to seriously reconsider its procedures that allow unsafe bus companies to operate.

The federal agency had planned to put the bus company, North Carolina-based Sky Express out of service for a series of repeated violations.What the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration should have done was to force the company to ground all its buses immediately.It failed to do so.Instead, the agency decided to give the company an extension to appeal.This decision proved fatal for at least four passengers on a Sky Express bus that crashed just a few days later.

The bus driver in that accident told investigators later that he had been driving in a fatigued state.Now, the federal agency is being criticized for its delay in pulling Sky Express off the road.Over the past few years, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has cited Sky Express for numerous safety violations, including allowing drivers to drive more than 10 hours without a break and speeding.

Published on: June 7, 2011

Atlanta Hotel Window Safety in Question after Fatal Fall Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Window safety at an Atlanta hotel, which was the scene of a horrific fall accident that killed a young woman, is now under scrutiny.Questions are being asked about how the hotel’s windows failed to prevent an accident caused by “horseplay” which resulted in the wrongful death of one woman and serious injury to another woman. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I would thoroughly investigate the manner of installation of the windows, the design of the windows and window frame as well as any prior complaints or problems with the windows.

The victim, Lashawna Threatt and her friend were in the room on the 10th floor of the W Hotel in Atlanta.They were part of a group that was celebrating Threatt’s 30th birthday.According to the friend, Threatt and her friend were play fighting in the room when they suddenly crashed through the window.The two landed on a sunroof adjoining the hotel, and while the friend suffered injuries in the accident, Threatt died as a result of her injuries.She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Questions are being asked about how the two women could simply fly through a hotel window while they were playing.At this point in time, police are not investigating the safety of the hotel’s windows.They are calling this an accident.A criminal investigation is also underway.There are also indications that the family of the victims is planning a lawsuit against the hotel.

Published on: June 6, 2011

Woman Critically Injured in Acworth, Georgia Pedestrian Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A 19-year-old woman, who was injured when she was struck by a pickup truck as she walked on a crosswalk, continues to remain in a critical condition in the hospital.The man who was driving the pickup truck that struck her has been arrested. As an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, often the worst cases I see involve pedestrians. Motorists must remember that whenever they approach an intersection, they need to slow down to protect pedestrians.

The woman was walking on the crosswalk when she was hit by the truck driven by 19-year-old Dalton Mason.He was arrested by police a little while later at his home in Acworth.He has been charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to stop at a stop sign and other charges.Preliminary investigations seem to suggest that the pedestrian had the right-of-way here.

Preventing pedestrian accidents in Atlanta is going to be even more challenging in the summer with more pedestrians on the street.Besides, rising gas prices have already meant more pedestrians choosing to walk to work than drive.These pedestrians are likely to be at risk from motorists who fail to respect even a pedestrian’s most basic rights.

Published on: June 5, 2011

18 Car Accident Deaths on Georgia Streets over Holiday Weekend

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia police are reporting an increase in auto accident deaths over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.This year, a total of 18 people were killed in car accidents and motorcycle accidents over the holiday weekend, an increase from five deaths in 2010. Of course, there were many more persons injured this past holiday weekend. As an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, I always note a significant increase in accidents over every holiday.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, most of those deaths occurred on Atlanta streets.Out of the 18 deaths, 11 occurred in Atlanta.At least some of those accidents also involved motorcycle deaths and pedestrian accidents resulting in deaths.In Atlanta, a student at Georgia Tech was killed in a motorcycle accident when his motorcycle was struck by a drunk driver.Another motorcycle accident was recorded in Lilburn over the weekend.

Heavy traffic and motorists rushing to get to their destination during the holiday were responsible for many of the fatalities.In one accident, a 19-year-old motorist escaped injuries when his car flipped over.As he was standing outside the car checking out the damage, he was struck by a passing vehicle.He died at the scene.

Published on: June 4, 2011

Two Children Injured in Atlanta Car Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Two children were left seriously injured in a pedestrian accident in southwest Atlanta last week.The accident occurred near Donnelly Avenue, and involved a stolen car. As an Atlanta injury attorney, I have too often seen stolen vehicles involved in auto accidents involving serious injuries. We need to continue to work hard to reduce the number of vehicle thefts which in turn will reduce the number of these accidents.

According to Atlanta Police, a group of four young men seem to have stolen a Dodge Intrepid.The two children, aged seven and nine were walking on a sidewalk with their mother.The nine-year-old child suffered from cerebral palsy, and was in a wheelchair.The child was thrown out of the wheelchair when the car struck, and was slammed on the pavement.The younger child suffered a broken arm.The mother also suffered injuries.

According to several witnesses, the car had been traveling erratically down the road just before the accident.The four young men got out of the car and fled the scene of the accident.The police are still looking for these men as investigations continue.

Published on: June 3, 2011

Even Healthy Senior Motorists May Be at Risk of Driving Errors That Cause Car Accidents which involve Injuries and Wrongful Death

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As Atlanta car accident lawyers, we know that older motorists face specific driving challenges that may increase their chances of being involved in a serious auto accident and suffering serious injuries.However, a new study shows that the older the driver, the higher the risk of making a critical driving error that could end in an accident. The study is something that older drivers and their families in Atlanta and throughout Georgia should consider as they make decisions together about when to stop driving.

The study conducted by researchers at Australian National University, studied 266 volunteers aged between 70 and 88.The volunteers were required to take a driving test, with a driving instructor and an occupational therapist in the vehicle.

17% of the drivers in the study made critical driving mistakes, like veering or failing to check in their blind spots.The risk of making critical driving errors increased with age.For instance, drivers between the age of 70 and 74 made an average of one driving error.Drivers between the age of 85 and 89 however made an average of four critical driving errors.Additionally, those drivers who had been involved in an accident over the past five years were also much more likely to make driving errors.