What are the first steps to take if you or someone you love is involved in a trucking accident in Georgia?
Immediately after an accident, call 9-1-1.
If you are a truck driver, contact your trucking company, call an attorney, contact the police at the scene, and get medical attention.
Georgia passed a “hands-free” law in July 2018. The law is clear about restricting almost all cellphone use while driving. Before 2018, the law banned only texting.
If you have not been up to date on this law or spoken with a personal injury lawyer, you may be unaware of the implications.
Most drivers are fully aware of the dangers of using a cell phone, texting, or searching on the web while driving. Just a moment of distracted driving can be enough to cause a collision, injury, or even death.
If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, you may be wondering if you need a personal injury lawyer to help you file a claim for your dog bite. Some people prefer to handle the legalities on their own and may not wish to engage legal counsel.
How Severe is the Dog Bite?
Dog bites can be a tiny nip or a major injury. If you have been injured in a dog bite, it is important to assess the severity of the injury.
A recent Fox News report detailed a serious injury of an unbelted passenger in a head-on collision in Cobb County. In the Peachtree State, “click it or ticket” signs are familiar sights. These signs are powerful reminders to wear seat belts to avoid tickets and help prevent serious injuries.
Buckle Up is the Law in Georgia
The Georgia seat belt law, O.C.G.A. § 40-8-76.1, requires every person in the front of a passenger vehicle to wear seat belts. In Georgia, the law distinguishes who must wear a seat belt in the back seat. Passengers over 18 years old are not required to wear a seat belt in the back seat. Children between the ages of 8 and 15 are required to wear a seat belt in the front or back seat of the vehicle.
According to a report by the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 85 million dogs are living in the United States. Each year, approximately 4.5 million people, mostly children, are bitten.
A Marietta Personal injury lawyer works to ensure victims can get compensation, pay medical bills, and reduce the stress of negotiating with insurance companies.
There are several key measures to take in the event of a dog bite.
Georgia uses a traditional “fault-based system” system for car insurance. What is this term? It means that the person at fault for the accident is financially responsible for injuries, vehicle damage, and other losses.
In approximately 12 other states, a “no-fault” system is followed. This means that the driver’s insurance covers certain losses after a crash.
In Georgia, a simple way to understand it is: the at-fault driver’s insurance covers other people’s losses up to the limits of the driver’s liability coverage.
According to a May 2023 post from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 4714 people died in large truck crashes in 2021. This number represents a 17% increase over the previous year.
In a longer timeframe, the number of deaths has risen dramatically. IIHS notes that the number of people who died in large truck crashes was 50% higher in 2021 than in 2009.
Who was killed in these crashes? IIHS reports that 16% of the deaths were occupants of the truck, 68% were occupants of cars and other vehicles, and 15% were bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
No one wakes up in the morning expecting to get into a car or truck accident. It makes sense to have a basic understanding of the laws that come into play in the event of an accident.
Two Georgia laws are particularly useful to understand: modified comparative negligence and the statute of limitations. A Marietta personal injury lawyer has the expertise to clarify the law and answer questions you may have about filing a claim for a car accident.
Comparative Fault in Georgia Car Accidents
Every year, dog bites seem to be filling the news. A Fox News report described that a Cobb County police officer was bitten and shot during a dog attack. The injured officer was taken to the hospital for treatment for both the dog bite and the gunshot wound and is expected to survive.
Dog bite incidents in Cobb County are increasingly common. A dog bite can injure people, regardless of age or occupation. If you have noticed an increase in dog bites, as a Marietta personal injury lawyer, the data supports this insight.
According to a report from the Insurance Information Institute (III), in 2022, insurance companies paid $853.7 million for dog bite and injury claims. The average claim amount reported was $64,555, up from $49,025 in 2021. The III reports that the average cost per claim increased by 31.7% from 2013 to 2022. The III notes that this increase may be due to the upward trends of jury awards, as well as increased medical costs.
Investigators believe that distracted driving may have caused a horrific crash that sent one person to a local hospital.
After the vehicle crashed through a barrier, sped up the tow truck’s ramp, crashed through the cab, and went airborne, it landed on its passenger side and flipped over, hitting another car in the other lane. The first car eventually came to a stop right side up as smoke rose from the wreck.
The driver, a 21-year-old woman from Tallahassee, Florida, survived the crash but suffered serious injuries.
