Marietta Injury Lawyer Blog

Feds Continue Watering Down Truck Driver Safety Rules

March 31, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Truck drivers hauling certain consumer products are exempt from some HOS (Hours of Service) rules, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration.

The latest exemption does not expire until May 2022 at the earliest. In a statement, the FMCSA stated the extension was necessary, even though COVID-19 cases are dropping, since “persistent issues arising out of COVID-19 continue to affect the U.S. including impacts on supply chains and the need to ensure capacity to respond to variants and potential rises in infections. Therefore, a continued exemption is needed to support direct emergency assistance for some supply chains.”

The HOS waiver applies to drivers carrying livestock, feed for livestock, fuel, most medical supplies, and most food and paper products.

What to Do if You are Involved in a Ride-Sharing Accident in Georgia

March 25, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Gone are the days where taxi cabs reigned supreme as the preferred way to get from point A to point B. An increasing percentage of Americans are using ridesharing services like Uber or Lyft. The ease and notoriety of ridesharing services has increased over the years, and it is safe to say that the percentage of Americans who use ridesharing services will continue to grow. The fact that so many Americans are turning to ridesharing services will likely lead to an increase in car accidents involving Uber and Lyft drivers. What happens if you are the driver or the passenger in a ridesharing service car accident in Atlanta?

Insurance Issues in Atlanta Ridesharing Car Accidents

The legal insurance requirements for typical Georgia drivers and ridesharing service drivers are quite different. Regular drivers must carry $25,000 per person and $50,000 per car accident of bodily injury liability insurance. They must carry at least $25,000 of property damage liability insurance per accident.

Georgia Auto Accident Lawyers Use Expert Witnesses

March 18, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Sometimes, the causes and results of a vehicle collision are easy to understand. Take this example:

Driver YZ failed to stop at the red light
YZ’s car crashed into the victim BC’s car in the intersection

Liability Issues in Substance-Related Collisions

March 11, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Before the coronavirus pandemic, drug and/or alcohol impairment was a factor in almost half of vehicle collisions in Georgia. This proportion increased during 2020. Drug use, particularly antidepressant use, went up during the lockdowns. At the same time, DUI enforcement dropped off significantly. Bad habits, such as driving while impaired, have persisted even as lockdowns ended.

Compensation is often rather high in substance impairment wrecks. Arguably, these individuals know they should not get behind the wheel. Instead, they knowingly endanger lives and property by driving. Additionally, these wrecks have high catastrophic injury and fatality rates. Moreover, in addition to high compensatory damages, a Marietta personal injury attorney can often obtain punitive damages in these cases as well.

First Party Liability

Deadly Fireball Wreck in Atlanta

March 4, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Police are unsure what caused a serious injury collision on Interstate 20, but they are certain that the crash killed two people and seriously injured several others, including an infant and a teenager.

Investigators believe that a Chevrolet pickup swerved to avoid a Dodge Charger and slammed into a retaining wall. The Charger’s driver and a pickup’s passenger died at the scene. All injured victims, including the two children, were rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

A dog in one of the vehicles was also seriously injured.

Tadpole Nerve Regeneration Could Give a Clue for Treating Spinal Cord Injuries

February 28, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Researchers at Nagoya University recently identified a gene that plays a vital role in regenerating the neurons of tadpoles. They conducted experiments on African clawed frog tadpoles and discovered that the gene helps aid recovery for spinal cord injuries. Medical experts hope that this discovery will help them develop better medical treatment options for spinal cord injuries. As of right now, there are minimal treatment options outside of physical and occupational therapy for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Injecting the Gene Led to a Partial Recovery

The researchers injected mice with the gene. Specifically, they injected the gene into the mice’s spinal cords and found that the mice who received the injection had partial recovery of their lost motor functions. First, the researchers analyzed the gene expression profiles for tadpoles regarding spinal cord injuries. They discovered that a gene called Neurod4 was expressed during the nerve regeneration process in tadpoles. They hypothesize that using this gene in mice could help aid neural tissue regeneration after an injury.

Does the HELPERR Mnemonic Really Help Prevent Birth Injuries?

February 25, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Shoulder dystocia (SD) is one of the most dangerous possible birth complications. When babies are too large to quickly drift down their mothers’ narrow birth canals, permanent brain damage is about five minutes away. The umbilical cord almost literally strangles the baby, cutting off oxygen to the brain. The brain responds by shutting down various parts of the body, usually starting with the baby’s extremities and then moving to more vital areas.

Medical teams have a set way to deal with SD emergencies. But the steps in the HELPERR mnemonic are often not very helpful. In fact, they often do more harm than good. If your child was injured due to medical negligence, a Marietta personal injury attorney can usually obtain substantial victims for these victims in court.

Call for Help

Commercial Truck Involved in Deadly Hit-and-Run Crash on the Interstate

February 18, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Some months ago, State Police and local highway authorities were searching for a large commercial truck that they believed was involved in a deadly hit-and-run collision. The truck accident occurred in the early morning hours on a stretch of road in Marietta.

Georgia State Police believe that a yellow Volvo tractor trailer was traveling westbound and attempted to make an unlawful U-turn on the highway. An oncoming car struck and drove under the truck’s trailer. Tragically, the driver and the passenger of that vehicle were killed in the wreck. Witnesses say the truck pulled into a nearby parking lot before fleeing the scene of the accident.

Georgia Law: Drivers Must Stop and Remain at the Scene of a Crash

Obtaining Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries in Georgia

February 11, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

The number of animal attacks has increased significantly over the years. Today, dogs bite millions of Americans every year. A significant number of these attacks cause serious injuries. Some of these serious injuries are outlined below. Much like the number of attacks, the medical bills associated with these bites have increased, as well. That is partly due to high medical bill inflation and mostly due to a better understanding of dog bite injuries.

These victims can work with a Marietta personal injury attorney and obtain the compensation they need and deserve in these situations. Dog bite victims have several options in Georgia, and each option has some pros and cons. However, a number of insurance company defenses are available as well. Common ones include provocation, which is a form of comparative fault, and assumption of the risk, which usually involves a “Beware of Dog” warning sign. So, only the most aggressive and experienced lawyers should handle these cases.

Direct Physical Injuries

Electronic Evidence in Truck Wreck Claims

February 4, 2022 | Benjamin S. Persons, IV

Since 2009, the number of large truck accidents in Georgia has increased by 47%. These wrecks often cause catastrophic injuries, like serious burns and head injuries. Diesel fuel burns at a different temperature from ordinary gasoline, and a fully loaded large truck weighs more than 80,000 pounds. So, these wrecks often involve fires and almost always involve an unbelievable amount of force.

Electronic evidence is often very compelling in these cases. This kind of proof resonates well with tech-savvy Cobb County jurors. Additionally, most courtrooms have large, HD monitors. When jurors see these screens, they expect to see pictures on these screens. So, a Marietta personal injury attorney usually tries to present as much electronic evidence as possible. This proof increases the chances jurors will award maximum compensation for your serious injuries.

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