Personal Injury

The number of traffic accident fatalities in the United States is at its lowest since 1949. According to a news report in The Associated Press, deaths of bicyclists and occupants of large trucks increased significantly despite the overall reduction in the rate of traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that traffic fatalities dropped 1.9 percent to 32,367 in the year 2011. That is the lowest fatality rate ever recorded with 1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. However, you wouldn’t know it from reviewing the number of fatal bicycle accident and truck occupant fatalities.

Bicycle fatalities jumped up 8.7 percent in the year 2011. The Associated Press report says that this increase may be a reflection of the increase in the number of bicyclists on the roadway. In cities such as Washington, D.C., which has recently added bike lanes, the number of bike riders has increased by 175 percent since 2004.

While it is easy to equate an increase in the number of bicyclists with more bicycle fatalities, it is more difficult to determine why there was such an increase in truck occupant fatalities. The number of fatally injured large truck occupants increased by 20 percent last year. Some experts say that the economy is improving and therefore there are more large trucks on the roadway. Others wonder if the recent increases in speed limits on major highways have led to more fatal truck accidents.

It is important to note that motorcycle deaths rose in the year 2011 as well. This is not a surprise, however, as motorcycle deaths have risen 13 of the last 14 years. The trend continued last year as motorcycle fatalities increased 2.1 percent.

If you have lost a loved one in a fatal crash, an experienced personal injury attorney in Atlanta at the Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (404) 995-3955 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

More than 20 people were injured and 42 buildings were damaged in a natural gas explosion that was initially blamed on a utility worker. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the worker was following the correct procedures when he damaged the underground pipe. A flood of gas built up in a Springfield building and a spark set off the blast. In the explosion, 42 buildings housing 115 residential units were damaged and three of the buildings were condemned. Many of the injured victims were gas company workers, firefighters, and police officers.

According to the American Gas Association (AGA), the leading cause of natural gas explosions is damage caused by digging near existing pipelines. Accidents are particularly common when unapproved excavating occurs near pipelines. Excavation damages accounted for nearly 60 percent of all pipeline incidents between 1995 and 2004. In the year 2004, 95 of the 288 total incidents along the natural gas system involved excavation damage. Many of these accidents resulted in serious injuries and damaged homes.

When a natural gas explosion occurs, the results can be devastating. Injured workers can pursue financial compensation for their losses through workers’ compensation benefits, but how else can injured victims seek financial support? It may be possible to hold the at-fault party accountable for the explosion. Companies that are violating the law by excavating without a permit can be held accountable for their wrongdoing. Natural gas companies that fail to properly maintain their equipment and gear may be held accountable for their actions as well.

The experienced Georgia personal injury attorneys at Wayne Grant, P.C. know how to determine liability for natural gas explosions. We provide no-cost consultations to anyone who has suffered a loss in a Georgia natural gas explosion at (404) 995-3955. Let us review your case and help you get the support you need.

Several people were injured in a Covington traffic accident involving a Newton County school bus that was transporting 34 students at the time of the collision. According to a news report in The Newton Citizen, the school bus accident occurred on Georgia Highway 212 near Oak hill Elementary School as the bus was traveling to Alcovy High School. Officials say a parent who had dropped off a student at the school pulled out in front of the school bus. The bus hit the vehicle before going into the other lane where it struck a second vehicle.

The 22-year-old female driver of the first vehicle has been charged with failing to yield while turning left. She was transported to the hospital after being ejected from her vehicle. A mother and child in the second vehicle, as well as three students on the bus, were hospitalized in with non-life-threatening injuries.

Failing to yield the right of way while turning left is a common cause of Georgia traffic accidents. Under Georgia law, all motorists who are turning left must yield the right of way to approaching vehicles. Drivers who fail to obey Georgia’s right-of-way laws can be held accountable for their actions.

Victims of multiple vehicle collisions often have it in their best interest to speak with a skilled personal injury lawyer. Determining liability for a crash can get complicated when multiple drivers and insurance companies get involved. A skilled lawyer will make sure that the rights and best interests of the injured victims are protected during every step of the process.

The skilled Georgia traffic accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., know how to determine liability for a crash. We help our clients receive fair compensation for the losses they have suffered. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Georgia traffic crash, please call our law offices at (404) 995-3955 for a free consultation.

Personal injury lawyer Wayne Grant and the legal team at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. know that there are a number of steps that you can take to help keep this Halloween a safe and fun experience for your family. It is critical that parents know where their children are at all times. Children 12 and under should be accompanied by a responsible adult while trick-or-treating, and teenagers should be given a cell phone so they can contact their parents in case of an emergency. All children should be repeatedly taught how to be safe while trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.

The best way to prevent a serious injury pedestrian accident in Georgia is to make sure that children are visible. Children and parents should carry flashlights. Additionally, it is a good idea to use reflective tape on costumes and treat bags to enhance visibility. It is also important to choose the right costume as well. Wearing makeup is much safer than wearing a mask that may restricts your child’s vision. You may also consider suggesting a costume that is bright and easier to see in the dark. A dark cloak or gown will be difficult to see from a distance, while something as simple as a glow stick or light-up jewelry can help make children more visible to drivers.

Take the time to discuss with your child how to safely cross the road. Even if your child knows about traffic safety, it is helpful to discuss using extra caution. They should only cross the road at crosswalks and intersections. When they have to cross traffic, they should look left, right, and left again. Under no circumstances should they dart into traffic. It may also be in your best interest to discuss the trick-or-treat route before your child leaves. Suggest well-lit areas where other trick-or-treaters will be, as there is certainly safety in numbers.

The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at Wayne Grant, P.C., hope your family has a safe Halloween this year. If an accident does occur and you or a loved one is hurt, please call our offices at (404) 995-3955 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Riding a bus is typically a safe way to travel in Georgia. The size and weight of buses, however, makes them more prone to causing serious damage to other vehicles and very often when a bus crash occurs, we find that many passengers are seriously injured or even killed as a result of the traumatic injuries they suffer. Buses do not have airbags for passengers, and they rarely even have seatbelts. Therefore, bus passengers can be thrown about in the event of a collision resulting in severe injuries.

Under Georgia law, an act of negligence is sufficient to establish liability. This means that a bus driver who negligently causes an accident, and the bus company that hired the driver, are legally responsible for the injuries suffered by bus passengers. In fact, common carriers in Georgia have a statutory duty to exercise extraordinary diligence in caring for and protecting the people they transport.

This means that injured passengers can pursue compensation for their medical bills and lost wages from the bus company. In some cases, compensation may also be available for pain and suffering, the cost of rehabilitation services, lost future wages, loss of earning potential, and other related damages. Unfortunately, it is all too common for bus companies to deny valid claims in an attempt to save money. In such cases, a skilled bus accident attorney may be able to help victims obtain fair compensation for their losses.

Anyone who has suffered an injury in a Georgia bus accident has the right to pursue compensation for his or her losses. The experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., offer free consultations at (404) 995-3955 on all potential claims. Let us review your case and help you get the compensation you need and rightfully deserve.

Several children aged 10 to 16 were injured in an Atlanta bus accident that may have resulted from debris on the roadway. According to a WSBTV news report, the bus accident occurred along Interstate 85 south of Steve Reynolds Boulevard in Gwinnett County. Officials say the church bus vehicles were traveling in a caravan when the pickup truck that was leading the caravan swerved to avoid hitting debris on the roadway. One of the buses hit the truck and the other swerved to avoid the collision. The Associated Press reports that the injuries suffered by 18 of the school children were not life threatening. Victims reportedly suffered scrapes and cuts along with injuries resulting in neck and back pain.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris is responsible for approximately 25,000 accidents and nearly 100 deaths each year. When an accident results from a dangerous roadway condition, it must be determined who caused the hazard.

When passengers on a bus are injured, it is important that the victim, or the victim’s family, contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away. Financial compensation should be available for the victim’s medical bills and other losses. Unfortunately, many common carriers fail to live up to their legal obligation to provide the utmost level of care to their passengers, leaving the victims wondering how they will pay for their financial losses.

The experienced personal injury lawyers in Georgia at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., have a proven track record of successfully handling bus accident cases in Georgia on behalf of injured victims and their families. Please contact us at (404) 995-3955 for a free, comprehensive, and confidential consultation.

Citations have been officially given out to four drivers following the Atlanta school bus accident that resulted in multiple injuries. According to a news report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the injury accident involving six school buses occurred on the I-20 in Atlanta on May 19. Officials say the first bus carrying students and chaperones from Burke County Middle School began braking for slowed traffic near a construction zone when the second bus rear-ended it. That started a chain-reaction collision involving all six buses and a 2011 Chevrolet HHR. One of the bus drivers suffered the most serious injuries, but 60 others were also injured. Three of the bus drivers and the driver of the passenger vehicle were charged with following too closely.

According to Georgia Code 40-6-49: “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.” Drivers who fail to leave enough space between vehicles will have difficulty avoiding a collision if traffic slows or if there is the need to take sudden evasive action. It is particularly important for drivers of large vehicles, such as buses and trucks, to leave enough space because heavy vehicles are a lot more difficult to stop.

When children are injured in a school bus accident, their parents can pursue financial compensation through civil litigation against the at-fault party. If the bus company fails to provide the utmost level of care to the young victim, then the victim’s family would be well advised to discuss their legal options with a skilled personal injury lawyer.

The knowledgeable Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., have a long history of handling bus accidents. We provide free consultations to anyone who has been injured in a Georgia bus accident, so call (404) 995-3955 to schedule your complimentary case evaluation.

Georgia’s laws against boating while under the influence of alcohol (BUI) are looser than the state’s laws against driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and also looser than the BUI laws of many other states, prompting some to call for a change.

Currently, Georgia law prohibits driving a boat if one’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is higher than 0.10 percent. However, Georgia law sets the cutoff BAC for legal driving at 0.08 percent. Many other states set their boating limit at 0.08 percent as well, but Georgia does not.

Supporters of a recent bill to lower the BAC limit for boaters to 0.08 percent note that many factors of boating can combine to make alcohol use while driving a boat more dangerous than driving a car. The glare of sunlight on the water, the presence of many passengers, the vibrations, and the presence of a lake or river that increases the risk of drowning all make boating while under the influence of alcohol dangerous.

The number of fatal boating accidents in Georgia has increased in recent years, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These have included accidents in which a boater who was under the influence of alcohol collided with another boat, causing deaths and serious injuries.

Boating accidents can cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a boating or water-related accident, please don’t hesitate to call an experienced personal injury lawyer in Atlanta at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. Our number (404) 995-3955; call us today for a free and confidential consultation.

Dog bite injuries are rarely fatal in the United States. The estimated number of deaths per year is between 4 and 16, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, dog bites do cause about 800,000 injuries each year, and of these, about 330,000 people need hospital emergency room care and about 6,000 people must be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Children under age 14 are the age group most often affected by dog bites, according to the CDC. About 42 percent of dog bite injuries each year are suffered by children under age 14, with children ages five- to nine suffering the most bites of any age group under 14.

Dog bites to the arms make up about 42 percent of all injuries, followed by bite damage to the legs (26 percent) and head or neck (22 percent). Smaller children are far more likely to suffer bites to the head and neck region in a child injury accident, perhaps because this is an area dogs can more easily reach if a child is very short. Head and neck bites frequently require hospital care, and may need additional reconstructive surgery to repair scars or other damage, depending on how severe the bite is.

The pain, fear, damage, and scarring caused by dog bites can be terrifying, especially for children. If you or someone you care for has been injured by a biting dog, a diligent Georgia personal injury attorney at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. can help. Call us today at (404) 995-3955 for a free, confidential consultation.

A boating accident on the Chattahoochee River in Stewart County recently cost two men their lives, according to a recent news report from WRBL.

The two men were riding in a fishing boat on the river, along with a third passenger. The driver of the boat lost control at a bend in the river and the boat rammed into a tree and into the bank. All three passengers were pitched into the river’s waters.

One of the passengers was able to swim to shore and call for help; he survived the accident and is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries. The bodies of the other two passengers, a 60-year-old and a 72-year-old, were pulled from the river by rescue workers a few hours after the accident. Both appeared to have suffered a combination of traumatic brain injuries and drowning, which proved fatal.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the accident. They suspect that speed was a factor, although they are not yet certain. The three men were all experienced boaters and fishermen, according to their family members.

Boating is a popular part of summer fun, but boating accidents can cause serious injury and even death. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a boating accident, a dedicated personal injury lawyer in Atlanta at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. can help. Call us today at (404) 995-3955 for a free telephone consultation about your boating accident case.