Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: October 6, 2010

Four People Killed in Georgia 15-Passenger Van Accident

Four People Killed in Georgia 15-Passenger Van Accident

Four people were killed in an accident caused when a15-passenger van overturned in South Georgia.The accident, which also injured more than 15 other people in the van, occurred on US Highway 27 in southwest Georgia.The occupants were members of a church group on their way to an event in Florida.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, the van’s rear right tire blew out, causing the driver to lose control of the van.The van flipped over several times, ejecting all of the passengers.The pastor of the church, the Tabernacle of Prayer and Deliverance in Columbus, and three other occupants of the van, were killed in the crash.Injured persons were airlifted to nearby hospitals.In all, there were 19 people on board ranging in age from 11 months to adults in their 40s.

Published on: September 29, 2010

Georgia Accident Victims Need More Trauma Care Facilities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia Accident Victims Need More Trauma Care Facilities

An uneven distribution of trauma care facilities in Georgia means that persons who meet with accidents in DeKalb or Fulton Counties have a better chance of surviving, compared to those in rural Georgia.The metropolitan Atlanta area has access to several trauma care centers where healthcare professionals can provide the kind of emergency care that saves lives.Thousands of people across Georgia are not that lucky.A new measure would remove this gap, giving accident victims in rural areas a chance to survive.

Come November, Georgia citizens can vote on a referendum on a vehicle license tag fee.The measure would add $10 to the existing fee structure, and the funds generated would be used to pay for the expansion of the trauma care facility system in Georgia.However good the intentions may be, the measure may have trouble being approved, especially during an election year.

Published on: September 29, 2010

One Killed in Canton Truck Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

One Killed in Canton Truck Accident

A 22-year-old man was killed in a multi-vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer and two passenger vehicles in Canton last week.The accident occurred on Wednesday evening on the exit ramp from Interstate 575 to GA 140.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a tractor-trailer ran a stop light at an intersection, and struck a Chevrolet Tahoe.The impact caused both vehicles to hit a Honda Prelude.The driver of the Honda Prelude, a 22-year-old resident of Canton, sustained serious injuries, and was declared dead at the scene.The driver of the Chevrolet Tahoe was also injured.

Published on: September 21, 2010

Decline in Highway Fatalities Could Actually Jeopardize Auto Safety Legislation

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Decline in Highway Fatalities Could Actually Jeopardize Auto Safety Legislation

Last week, we reported about a nationwide decline in highway fatalities that has been traced to enhanced auto safety, greater use of seatbelts and better DUI enforcement.Ironically, it now seems like opponents of the massive auto safety bill that is currently pending in Congress, will use these reduced highway fatality rates to actually scuttle the legislation.

The safety measures were developed in response to the Toyota crisis which broke last year, and involved cars accelerating to high speeds before crashing.In the days after four members of a California family died when their Lexus accelerated to high speeds and crashed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was found to be severely wanting in its regulatory functions and oversight of auto companies.The federal agency has little power to announce recalls on its own, and must rely on automakers to take proactive steps to protect American consumers.

Published on: September 20, 2010

How Safe Are Georgia’s Gas Pipelines?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

How Safe Are Georgia’s Gas Pipelines?

Last week, a tremendous gas pipeline explosion tore through a neighborhood in San Bruno, California, killing four people and injuring several others.The explosion has been linked to a rupture in the gas transmission line.Since the explosion, there have been reports that residents in the neighborhood smelled gas before the blast.They complained to Pacific Gas and Electric, the utility company that owns the pipeline, and never heard back.Now, it turns out that the pipeline which was installed in 1948, had been certified by the company as being at a” high risk of failure.”

Even though this happened in California, it’s very easy to feel uncomfortable about something like this happening in Georgia.When was the last time you saw utility company workers performing preventive maintenance checks and repairs of gas pipelines?Much of our national infrastructure is crumbling, and there’s no reason to hope that things are much different several feet below the ground.

Published on: September 11, 2010

Atlanta Is Most Dangerous City in the World for Pedestrians

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Atlanta Is Most Dangerous City in the World for Pedestrians

GOOD magazine has taken pedestrian fatality statistics from 21 international cities, and has ranked them on safety.It isn’t surprising, but still a matter of shame to us, that that the city of Atlanta has been named the most dangerous in the world for those who wish to walk.

In Atlanta, according to the study, there are 10.97 pedestrian fatalities for every 100,000 pedestrians.Most of the other positions on the list are also taken up by American cities, outlining the danger pedestrians in the US face compared to those in some European and Asian cities.Detroit, Los Angeles, Baltimore Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Boston and Seattle occupied the other top positions on the list.New York and Portland seem to be some of the safest large cities in the US for pedestrians.Even Tokyo with its heavy density of population seems to be a much safer city for pedestrians than most American cities.

Published on: September 10, 2010

US Highway Fatalities Down to Lowest Levels in Six Decades

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

US Highway Fatalities Down to Lowest Levels in Six Decades

A combination of improved seatbelt usage, safer cars and anti-DUI crackdowns led to a substantial drop in accident fatalities in the US in 2009.Not only are the numbers lower than they were in 2008, but they’re also the lowest than they have been in 60 years.

In 2009, 33,808 people died in highway accidents, a drop of 9.7% from the previous year.41 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico reported declines in highway fatalities last year.There was also a record decline in the number of deaths per 100,000,000 miles traveled, which dropped to 1.13 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled last year.

Published on: September 10, 2010

Auto Accident, Boating Fatalities Mark Labor Day Weekend

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Auto Accident, Boating Fatalities Mark Labor Day Weekend

There were 13 auto accident fatalities and two boating fatalities in Georgia over the Labor Day weekend.The fatality toll was lower than last year’s figures.

There were 4 auto accident fatalities in DeKalb County, Atlanta and Cherokee County, and at least nine deaths that occurred outside the metro Atlanta area.Police believe at least four of these Labor Day fatalities were linked to alcohol-related car crashes.During the Labor Day weekend last year, there were 15 fatalities from 1,917 accidents that also resulted in 867 injuries.

Published on: September 9, 2010

Back to School, but Safely

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Back to School, but Safely

School is back in session again, and that means more school buses on our roads, and more harassed parents racing against the clock to get to the gates on time.This is always a riskier time of the year, not just for students, but also for Atlanta’s motorists.It’s very likely that most children and their parents have forgotten about safety over the holidays, and hence, this reminder.

There will be thousands of children across Georgia using school buses after the long summer.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, children are more likely to be injured when they are either getting down from, or getting on the bus, and not when they are riding on one.That is definitely something that parents need to think about.

Published on: September 8, 2010

Atlanta Worst City for Motorists in Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Atlanta Worst City for Motorists in Georgia

The city of Augusta is the safest for motorists in Georgia, and is one of the safest in the country.Atlanta, on the other hand, is the most dangerous for motorists, with drivers here having a likelihood of being involved in an accident that is much higher than the national average.The statistics came via an annual report by Allstate insurance.You really don’t need an insurance company to tell an Atlanta auto accident lawyer that the city can often seem like a motorist’s worst nightmare.

Motorists in Atlanta have their likelihood of being involved in an accident increase by 22.4% more than the national average.The average Atlanta motorist has a gap of 8.2 years between collisions.The city ranks at 146 on Allstate’s list of the top 200 cities.Motorists in Augusta, on the other hand, have a 1.9% less likelihood of being involved in an accident, compared to the national average.These motorists have a 10.2 year gap between collisions.Augusta was placed at 60 on the list.