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Construction Accidents, Personal Injury

Construction Accidents: An Overview of Scaffolding Safety Laws in Georgia 

Also referred to as staging, scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support a crew that is doing construction and/or repair work. With our region’s boom in construction, scaffolding is a near ever-present site in Atlanta. Defective, poorly installed, or otherwise problematic scaffolding poses a serious safety risk. In this article, our Atlanta construction accident injury lawyer provides an overview of scaffolding safety laws in Georgia and explains what you should know about your legal options if you are involved in an accident.  Thousands of People of are Injured Each Year in Scaffolding Accidents According to data cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are approximately 4,500 scaffolding accident injuries and 60 scaffolding accident fatalities reported each year. Most of these accidents occur on construction sites—with falls being the primary cause.  Georgia Requirements for Scaffolding and Staging Design There are federal and state regulations t..

Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents

Your Guide to Motorcycle Laws in Georgia

Motorcycle accidents have been on the rise in recent years. According to data from the Georgia Department of Driver Services, “motorcyclists are consistently overrepresented in traffic fatalities.” In fact, motorcyclists are ten times more likely to be killed in a crash than other drivers. As a motorcyclist, it is crucial that you know your rights and responsibilities. In this blog post, our Atlanta motorcycle accident attorney explains the key things that riders need to know about motorcycle safety laws in Georgia.  Know Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Motorcyclist in Georgia Georgia has laws in place to help keep the roads as safe as possible for motorcycle riders. Here is an overview of the most important things that all motorcyclists should know about our state’s motorcycle laws:  You Have the Responsibility to Obtain a License: To lawfully operate a motorcycle in Georgia, a rider should obtain a Class M licens..

Car Accident, Motor Vehicle Accidents

Public Safety Crisis: Motor Vehicle Accidents Continue to Surge

Motor vehicle wrecks have long been a leading cause of accidental injuries and accidental deaths in our country. Sadly, there is now strong evidence that indicates that the rate of serious car crashes is rising. As reported by The New York Times, traffic collisions in the United States started surging shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak—and they are showing no signs of slowing down. In this article, our Atlanta auto accident lawyer discusses the worrying surge in motor vehicle collisions over the past 24 months.  NHTSA: 15-Year High in Traffic Fatalities in 2021 (Record Rate of Increase)  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Georgia in March of 2020, there was an immediate decrease in driving. In Atlanta, there was a nearly 50 percent decrease in traffic volume during the slowest days of the pandemic. As traffic volume gradually returned to normal, there was a noticeable increase in the rate of car accidents. The..

Personal Injury, Slip and Fall

What to Know About Hospital Slip and Fall Accidents in Georgia

A hospital should be a safe place. Sadly, that is not always the reality—and slip and fall accidents are one of the top safety hazards in hospitals. According to a study published by the United States National Library of Medicine, approximately 100,000 people are injured nationwide in fall accidents each year. Here, our Atlanta slip and fall lawyer explains the key things to know about hospital slip and fall accidents in Georgia.  Common Causes of Hospital Slip and Fall Accidents Hospital slip and fall accidents can happen for a wide range of different reasons. For the most part, these accidents could and should have been prevented with property safety measures. Some of the leading causes of slip and fall accidents in hospitals and other medical settings include:  Wet/slippery floors;Damaged rugs or carpets;Loose or broken floor boards;Damaged stairs; Lack of lighting in hallways or stairwells; andLack of proper oversight of patients by hospital..

Articles

What Steps Should I Take After an Injury at an Airport?

Nobody travels to an airport with expectations of suffering a serious injury there. However, airports, just like other public places that are frequented by large numbers of people, can have a wide variety of hazards that can result in debilitating injuries. Indeed, airport injuries may be more common than you think. Common examples of injuries that happen at airports include slips and falls in the terminals or waiting areas, escalator and elevator injuries, pedestrian accidents involving airport vehicles or oncoming traffic in the pick-up or drop-off areas, train or tram accidents when a passenger is moving between terminals, and injuries involving luggage conveyor belts.  If you were recently injured at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, or at another airport in Georgia, one of our experienced Atlanta airport injury attorneys can help you to file a claim. In the meantime, we want to provide you with more information about the steps you should take after an airport injury in order to seek financial compensation for your losses. Document the Injury and the Area Where It Happened..

Construction Accidents

When Can I File a Lawsuit for a Construction Accident Injury?

Construction accidents in the Atlanta area can be devastating, and construction workers can sustain severe and life-threatening injuries. Indeed, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the construction industry is responsible for the highest rate of fatal job accidents, and the “fatal four” most commonly are the cause of a deadly construction accident injury. Those categories include falls, struck-by accidents, caught-in or between accidents, and electrocutions. Of course, many other types of injuries can also occur on construction sites.  When can a construction worker file a lawsuit in order to seek compensation? For many construction accidents that result in injuries, the injured construction worker can only seek compensation by filing a workers’ compensation claim, according to the exclusive remedy provision under Georgia law. The exclusive remedy provision says that injured workers cannot sue an employer for negligence when an injury happens at work. However, it is critical to know that there are some key exceptions to the exclusive remedy provision, and those exceptions may be applicable to a construction injury claim. Our Atl..

Negligence, Negligent Security

When Can I Hold a Property Owner Accountable for Negligent Security Due to an Assault on the Premises?

When you stay at a hotel or motel in the Atlanta area, or you visit a retail establishment or nightclub, you should be able to expect that the property or business owner has taken reasonable care of the property so that you will not sustain injuries. In many circumstances, the idea of the property owner being liable for injuries caused by hazards on particular premises often involves issues like slip and fall accidents, swimming pool accidents, or even animal attacks on the property. Yet in some cases, a property owner may be responsible for injuries that occur in an assault on their premises. Although the perpetrator of an assault may be directly responsible for your injuries, you should know that the owner of the premises where the assault occurred may also be responsible if the assault ultimately was able to occur because of negligent security on the premises. While different states have specific laws concerning negligent security claims, Georgia typically requires a plaintiff to be able to show that the assault was foreseeable. Our Atlanta negligent security attorneys can say more about when you may be able to hold a property owner accountable for negligent security due to an assault on the premises...

Car Accident

5 Things to Know About Road Rage Car Accidents in Atlanta

Car accidents can happen for many different reasons in the Atlanta area, and most of them involve negligent motorists. To be sure, when the driver of a car, truck, or motorcycle does not drive in a reasonably safe manner, vehicle occupants and other motorists on the road can sustain serious and life-threatening injuries. One cause of car accidents that does not get discussed as often as it should is road rage. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road rage often grows out of aggressive driving, and it can result in intentional harm to other motorists on the road. The following are five things our Atlanta car accident lawyers want you to know about road rage accidents and claims in Georgia. 1. Aggressive Driving and Road Rage Are Connected According to AAA, aggressive driving and road rage are related, with some aggressive driving behaviors escalating to road rage. Indeed, as AAA explains, aggressive driving behaviors that include “tailgating erratic lane changing or illegal passing” can “escalate to road rage, which is a violen..

Personal Injury

How Does Comparative Fault Affect Personal Injury Claims?

When a person has sustained serious personal injuries in an accident, it may be possible to seek multiple forms of compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Yet in some personal injury cases, the issue of comparative fault, which is also sometimes known as comparative negligence, may arise. What is comparative fault, and how can it impact your personal injury lawsuit? Our Atlanta personal injury attorneys can tell you more about Georgia’s comparative fault law and how it could come into play when you file a lawsuit against a negligent party who caused your injuries. What is Comparative Fault? To understand how comparative fault could affect your personal injury case, it is important to understand first how comparative fault works. Comparative fault, or comparative negligence, is an affirmative defense that the defendant may raise in order to reduce his or her liability. When a defendant raises the defense of comparative fault, that defendant is saying that the plaintiff also bears some responsibility for the accident that resulted in injuries, or..

Articles

Atlanta Head-on Collisions

Vehicle accidents can cause serious harm and even death.  Head-on collisions are exceptionally dangerous to drivers and passengers because the impact is concentrated directly into the car.  Catastrophic harm can be created when vehicles moving at high speeds come into contact. The Devastating Impact of Head-on Collisions Head-on collisions are one of the most serious types of vehicle accidents.  A head-on collision can lead to severe permanent injuries or even death.  Serious injuries include: Spinal injuriesLoss of limbsBrain damageSerious blood loss Are There Ways to Limit the Damage Caused by a Vehicle Accident? Accidents are extremely scary and confusing.  There are several steps that can be taken before, during, and after an accident that may help to lessen the damage done. Before an accident: Slow down: Increased speed lessens..