2011 September Archive

In Georgia, a medical malpractice claim is defined as any claim for damages that have resulted from the injury or death of any person caused by a healthcare professional’s or facility’s service, diagnosis, treatment, prescription or other care. A medical malpractice claim allows for a family to sue for losses and damages caused by the death of their loved one.

Knowing that it is possible to file a medical malpractice wrongful death claim is the first step, but knowing when to file a medical malpractice claim in Georgia is equally important. Generally, an action for medical malpractice must be brought no more than two years after the initial date of injury or death.

There are many different types of medical malpractice and most have the potential to cause death. Some potentially deadly forms of medical malpractice include:

• Failure to diagnose cancer;
• Misdiagnosis of cancer;
• Delayed cancer diagnosis;
• Medication errors;
• Surgical mishaps;
• Retaining of surgical equipment; and
• Continuation of ineffective treatment.

A patient is not the only person who puts their faith in his or her doctor. A patient’s family also places their trust in the doctor’s ability to effectively diagnose and treat their loved one; and, most importantly, get them home. Some physicians do not take this responsibility seriously, however.

If you have lost a loved one in Georgia due to substandard, negligent care or wrongdoing on the part of a healthcare professional or facility, you may be entitled to compensation. At The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., our dedicated Atlanta medical malpractice wrongful death attorneys can help you seek damages for funeral costs, loss of companionship, hospital bills, and loss of future income. Contact us today at 404-995-3955 for a consultation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2009 Traffic Safety Facts, there were 2,210,000 intersection and intersection-related accidents across the nation that year. This is an alarming number considering many intersections have some type of traffic control device, whether it is a traffic signal or stop sign. In fact, 1,158,000 of these accidents occurred in the presence of a traffic signal. Why, when there are laws and devices in place to facilitate an organized flow of traffic, are so many people involved in intersection accidents? The answer to this question is a simple, yet disheartening one: negligence and disregard for traffic laws and the safety of others.

Every state, including Georgia, experiences a large number of intersection accidents. Unfortunately, because intersections involve multiple lanes of traffic that are traveling in multiple directions as well as crosswalks for pedestrians, these crashes tend to be more severe. Even though you can’t control the actions of others on the road, there are a few safety tips that you can follow to help minimize the risk that you will be involved in a Georgia intersection accident:

• Adhere to posted speed limits and caution signs;
• Obey all traffic signals and stop signs;
• Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists;
• Keep an eye out for motorcycles, especially when turning;
• Complete a double-stop at a red light before turning right;
• Listen for potential dangers, such as oddly loud acceleration or screechy braking;
• Never rush through a turn;
• Yield the right-of-way when coming to a stop with other vehicles;
• Be aware of what is going on around you, check your mirrors; and
• Make sure all cross traffic has stopped before accelerating for a green light.

Following these guidelines will help keep you safe when traveling through intersections, but cannot prevent every accident. If you have been injured in an intersection accident in Georgia as the result of another driver’s negligence, contact the experienced Atlanta intersection accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. at 404-995-3955 or toll-free at 866-249-5513. We can help you pursue the compensation you need for the losses you have suffered.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a large truck weighs more than 10,000 pounds and may either be a single-unit vehicle or a combination vehicle of a single-unit pulling one or more trailers. Although any truck weighing more than 10,000 pounds may be categorized as a large truck, most large trucks on the road tend to weigh much more than that. A large truck’s size and weight limitations are governed by both federal and state laws as there are both interstate and intrastate highway systems in Georgia.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) limits commercial trucks to a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds on the interstate highway system. However, the gross vehicle weight is not the only limit. The weight distribution over the axles and wheels are also specified to prevent overloading and improper loading, which can cause the truck and trailer to rollover. Additional interstate size restrictions include a width of 102 inches and a maximum length of 780 inches (65 feet) or 900 inches (75 feet) as determined by the trailer connection. Although there is no federally imposed height restriction, most large trucks follow the 13.6 or 14.6 foot standard.

Georgia truck size and weight limitations generally coincide with the federal regulations. In Georgia, however, a large truck with a width of 102 inches may only travel on roads with 12 foot travel lanes. The standard trailer length in Georgia is 636 inches (53 feet) and the maximum vehicle length, if including an extendable trailer, may not exceed 100 feet. Absolutely no overhang is allowed beyond 65 feet. There are also state routes with designated semi truck length restrictions.

Big rigs and other large trucks have weight and size restrictions to ensure the safety of other motorists on the road, not to mention the truck driver and cargo. If you have been injured in a Georgia overloaded truck accident caused by a truck driver or trucking company negligence, contact the experienced overloaded truck accident attorneys in Atlanta at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. at 404-995-3955 for a consultation. We may be able to help.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the voluntary recall of 54,000 “Metoo” Clip-on Chairs by Colorado-based Phil & Teds USA Inc. due to reports of fall and amputation injuries. There have been 19 reports of the chair falling from a variety of table surfaces, including 5 reported injuries. An additional three reports documented bruising injuries and two more documented children’s fingers being severely pinched, crushed, lacerated, or amputated.

Injury Causes

These injury hazards are caused by missing or worn clamp pads which can cause the chairs to detach from the table inadvertently. Furthermore, children’s fingers can be caught between the clamping mechanism and cross bar, posing an amputation hazard. The user instructions are also considered inadequate.

Product Description

The recalled product is a metal-framed infant/toddler chair with a nylon fabric seat. It clamps onto the table edge using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of the clamp sits on the table surface. The underside has a rubber pad or a rubber boot covering the clamp. The affected table-top chairs were sold in black, red or navy and do NOT have black plastic spacers between the clamps and the cross bar. The chairs were sold through Buy Buy Baby, Target, Toys R Us, online sites including Amazon.com and philandteds.com, and other independent children’s stores from May 2006 to May 2011 for between $40 and $50.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled “Metoo” chairs and contact the company for a free repair kit and new user instructions. Consumers who received a repair kit with only rubber boots should do the same.

As experienced product liability attorneys in Georgia, we have seen firsthand what harm can be caused by negligent manufacturing. If you or a loved one has been injured by an unsafe product in Georgia, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your losses. Contact our lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., today to learn more about your legal rights and options at 404-995-3955, or toll-free at 866-249-5513.

Holiday weekends, like Labor Day, have traditionally been some of the most dangerous and deadly for motorists. There is not only an increase in the amount of traffic on the roads, but also an increased number of drunk drivers. This year, fortunately, did not live up to last year’s Labor Day reputation, however.

According to the Alpharetta-Milton Patch, the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) counted seven traffic fatalities, across all agencies, this last Labor Day weekend. This number is half of the number of fatalities in 2010. During the 78-hour Labor Day time period, there were 435 accidents and 225 injuries across the state of Georgia, based solely on data from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP). The Georgia State Patrol attributes the decrease in fatalities, in part, to tropical storm Lee, which seems to have kept people off Georgia roads during the holiday weekend.

Last year, there were 360 accidents and 211 injuries during the 78-hour Labor Day weekend. Although the number of Georgia crashes and injuries actually increased in 2011, the severity of those crashes and potentially injuries seems to have decreased, as evidenced by the fact that total fatalities dropped by half. If only GSP data is considered, the 4 fatalities in 2011 is three times less than the 13 fatalities in 2010.

Holiday weekends are perfect opportunities to get together with family and friends to celebrate, but it is essential to finish celebrating before getting on the road. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Georgia car crash caused by an impaired or otherwise negligent driver, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your losses. Contact the reputed traffic collision attorneys in Atlanta with The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., to discuss your potential accident injury claim at 404-995-3955.