Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Drivers—Not GPS Manufacturers—Are Responsible When Bad Directions Lead to Accidents and Injuries

Published on: May 15, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As more people rely on GPS navigation while driving, accidents and injuries involving this technology are becoming common.

Though GPS often helps drivers successfully find their way from Point A to Point B, these popular devices and apps are dangerous distractions—especially when the driver disables navigational voice commands or attempts to input information without pulling over.

In some cases, outdated maps may cause GPS programs to direct drivers to unsafe or otherwise unsuitable roads and terrain. Motorists who place their trust entirely in a GPS device or app—regardless of what common sense or current road and weather conditions dictate—can cause serious car accidents and injuries.

A Recorded Statement to an Insurance Adjuster Can Hurt Your Car Accident Case

Published on: May 14, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

After a car crash, it’s standard practice for an adjuster from the

at-fault party’s insurance company to contact victims to ask for a recorded statement.

Insurance adjusters often request these question-and-answer sessions just days after the accident, usually under the guise of expediting the victim’s claim or giving them an opportunity to tell their side of the story.

Seeking Compensation for Restaurant Slip and Fall Injuries

Published on: April 15, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

liability after slip and fall in restaurant Van Sant Law

Restaurants are bustling, high-trafficked areas that require regular cleaning and other maintenance to ensure the safety of patrons. When restaurant owners, management, and staff fail to take proper precautions, serious slip and fall accidents and injuries can occur.

If you were hurt in a slip and fall incident at a Georgia restaurant, you may be entitled to compensation if you can prove your injuries were the direct result of a business’s negligence.

Many hazardous conditions can lead to restaurant slips and falls, including:

Store Owners May Be Liable When Negligent Security Leads to Injuries

Published on: April 15, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Georgia’s premises liability laws require store owners and operators to take reasonable precautions to maintain the safety of their property. These include implementing security measures to deter the commission of third-party criminal activities onsite, such as robberies, assaults, rapes, murders, and other violent crimes.

Property owners who fail to uphold their duties to provide adequate security may be held responsible if shoppers are injured as a result of this negligence.

While property owners aren’t legally liable for any harm resulting from a third-party crime that occurs on the premises, victims may be entitled to compensation if they can prove that sufficient security practices would have prevented the criminal activity and ensuing injuries.

Seeking Workers' Comp for an On-the-Job Fall Injury

Published on: April 8, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Falls—whether on the same level or from a height—are leading causes of workplace injuries, disabilities, and deaths in the United States. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), on-the-job slips, trips, and falls resulted in 227,760 injuries and 887 fatalities in 2017 alone.

Serious slips, trips, and falls cause wide ranges of debilitating, disabling, or deadly health issues, such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), neck or back trauma, and spinal cord damage resulting in varying degrees of paralysis.

Some of the most common causes of workplace falls include:

Understanding Truck Crashes on Rural Roads

Published on: April 8, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Large commercial trucks transport goods to and from points all across the country. In doing so, drivers of these massive vehicles spend much of their time on rural roads.

Though one might assume that it’s crowded urban areas where big rigs and 18-wheelers are at the greatest risk of being involved in an accident, research shows the exact opposite is true.

Not only do most accidents involving large trucks occur in rural areas, but 61 percent of rural road truck crashes result in fatalities, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Tips for Using Social Media After a Motorcycle Wreck

Published on: March 25, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

social media posting after a motorcycle crash Social media is a part of a daily routine for many people. Though these sites make it possible to connect with people all over the world, they’re also potentially damaging to someone trying to resolve a personal injury case.

After a motorcycle wreck, riders who decide to seek compensation for their injuries and other losses might face bias from many people. Members of law enforcement, insurance adjusters, and people in the civil court system might suspect the victim was either responsible for their own injuries—or not as injured as they claim.

When attempting to undermine an injured motorcyclist’s narrative, his or her social media accounts will be one of the first things to face scrutiny. This inspection can be both intense and unfair.

Another Dangerous DUI during Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Our Atlanta car accident attorneys are glad Georgia has a new campaign to stop drunk driving. Too many people, especially young people, are seriously injured or killed by DUIs on our roads. Last Friday, Georgia started the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Overcampaign statewide. The campaign runs through Labor Day. It will include a high-visibility enforcement campaign to curb alcohol-impairment as the summer ends. In 2010, more than 10,000 people died in the US in crashes involving an impaired driver, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety said in a statement. That year, Georgia had 298 alcohol-related highway fatalities, one-quarter of all traffic deaths.

Reducing Drunk Driving Crashes

“We know campaigns like this help reduce drunk driving crashes by as much as 20 percent, so we’re using Labor Day to reinforce the zero tolerance policy that exists in Georgia 365 days a year,said the Highway Safety office’s director, Harris Blackwood. The office said Georgians should expect to see a lot more law enforcement on the roads in the lead up to Labor Day weekend.

ADHD Medicine on College Campuses

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Georgia has an excellent university system, which Georgians are rightly proud of. But there has been a medical issue in recent years that is worrying, especially to parents of college age (or soon to be college age) children. Our Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers have seen recent stories in the news about the problems with abuse of ADHD medicine on campuses.

The root of the problem is that students today are abusing ADHD medicine, such as Adderall, because the stimulant increases focus and concentration for getting school-work done. In a competitive environment, the drug is seen as a way to have an edge over other students and a recent study showed that as many as one third of US college students are abusing medicines like Adderall. Of course, abusing drugs meant to treat conditions a person does not have always has a dark side. In this case, abusing these stimulant medications has been linked to anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

Mixed with students' desire for these drugs are overburdened campus health care centers. In our own state, Georgia Tech said their student health center was so overwhelmed by requests of students for ADHD medications that they can no longer handle the requests.

Injuries That Are Common From Georgia Car Accidents

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Car accidents are a leading cause of injuries and a leading cause of injury-related fatalities. When a motorist is involved in a car accident, it is important for the driver to understand what his rights are so he can pursue a claim for compensation. Many injuries sustained in a car accident are very costly to treat and can interfere with the ability of the accident victim to earn a living after the crash. When negligence was the cause of the Georgia car accident, the negligent or careless driver should be held responsible for causing the collision to occur and for all damages that happen as a result.

An Atlanta car accident injury lawyer can help victims to prove the extent of their losses and to demonstrate the cause of the collision. It is important to talk with an accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident so your lawyer can advise you on how to get the full extent of your injury losses covered.

Common Atlanta Car Accident Injuries