Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Personal Injury Law is an Evolving Area of Practice

Published on: October 16, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Personal injury law is a vibrant area of law throughout the United States, and new cases and rulings evolve the practice on a regular basis.

If you look up personal injury lawyer on Wikipedia, you’ll read that this is a lawyer who provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity. Thus, personal injury lawyers tend to be especially knowledgeable and have more experience in dealing with cases that involve civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s property, reputation, or rights.

A personal injury lawyer has numerous responsibilities in serving his or her clients. David Van Sant, a personal injury attorney in Alpharetta, says his responsibilities encompass both professional and ethical rules and codes of conduct set forth by the Georgia State Bar Association, which has oversight over lawyers in the state.

Depositions Critical in Tractor Trailer Accidents

Published on: October 13, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

When you have an accident with a tractor trailer, you are dealing with a different situation than when you have an accident with a non-professional driver. As a result, it’s important that you get an attorney involved right away and that depositions are taken as soon as possible from both the driver who was responsible for the accident and his or her safety director.

Over the road truckers have safety requirements, not only for how they drive, but for how their trucks are serviced. In the interest of getting in “one more load,” it is not uncommon for driver to skip a safety inspection or “minor” maintenance issue to get another load delivered. Since the maintenance on a big rig is critical to how it handles on the road, and since sleep deprivation is a major hazard affecting professional truck drivers, getting the facts of the case, under oath, from those involved is critical.

A deposition is a formal statement taken under oath. While it can feel like an informal process, it is anything but. The deposition provides the facts of the case from the responsible party’s point of view. The point is to get their side of the story for use by your attorney, either in court, or when proposing a settlement. It provides the “story” from each person’s perspective. Details are important, and your attorney may ask for your assistance in preparing questions related to the accident.

Injury on Private Property May Be Grounds for Suit

Published on: October 11, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

When you’re injured in a fall on someone else’s property, is it your fault, or is it the property owners? According to personal injury attorneys, that all depends.

If the accident was the result of a lack of maintenance in a public location, such as a crack in the concrete that catches your shoe and takes you down, you may have grounds for going after the property owner for medical expenses or other expenses related to your injury.

If you are on someone’s property and are injured due to no fault but your own — you took a wrong step, you weren’t watching where you were going and tripped, that probably is not going to be the property owner’s problem. But if you trip over your neighbor’s dog, you might have a case.

Understanding the Importance of Evidence Preservation After an Atlanta Truck Accident

Published on: October 10, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

At the Van Sant Law we often are consulted by clients who have been injured in an accident with a tractor trailer.

When you’re in an accident with a commercial truck driver or a transportation company, some new issues come into play. While an accident is an accident, professional truck drivers or large transportation companies may have more on the line than a “regular” driver. This can cause some new concerns to arise.

Why is Evidence Preservation Important?

Alpharetta Accident Attorney Discusses Accident Reconstruction

Published on: October 10, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Tractor trailer accidents happen every day in Georgia. Hopefully you’ll never encounter a big rig in a tight situation, but if it happens and you are in an accident with an over-the-road trucker, it’s important to get an attorney involved right away.

We Specialize In Accident Reconstruction

At Van Sant Law we’re experts at accident reconstruction. The service we provide includes a thorough analysis of an accident scenario. It involves working with police records and emergency personnel, the Department of Transportation, and legal teams representing the responsible party.

Protect Yourself on a Motorcycle with Protective Gear

Published on: October 4, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Motorcycle enthusiasts often find it ironic that states will mandate the wearing of a helmet, but they don’t do anything about requiring other types of protective gear. When it comes to motorcycle safety, sometimes the gear you are wearing makes all the difference.

Motorcycle Helmet Options

A top quality helmet is one of the smartest forms of protection. There are 3 main styles: flip-face, open-face and full-face. An open-face helmet will protect everything but the face. Full-face helmets protect the skull, plus providing protection for the lower jaw as well as the face itself. Full-face helmets offer much more protection than open-face helmets.

Passenger Safety Tips Can Reduce Motorcycle Accidents & Injuries

Published on: October 4, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

It’s a father’s worst nightmare and frequent movie scene: a young man pulls up in front of the house on a motorcycle to take the daughter on a date.

Sheer panic. Does she have a helmet?

Is she dressed appropriately?

Uninsured Motorist Coverage Important Feature for Georgia Motorists

Published on: October 3, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

In 2009, the Georgia legislature changed the laws regarding auto insurance, and today there are two types of Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage in the state. They are known as “excess” and “set off.”

The “Excess” policies allow you to select additional insurance that goes above the standard coverage for uninsured motorists with no deduction based on the other driver’s insurance policy. This sort of extra coverage is now not only available in the state, but it is the default coverage for every UM policy written in the state. If you don’t want “excess” coverage, you have to opt out. When you opt out, you might save a little money, but you end up with a “set-off” policy. You probably don’t want that.

Here’s why excess coverage is good: Say you are in an accident with someone who only has minimum liability. They are “underinsured.” Your car is totaled and you incur medical expenses for you and your spouse. Your expenses total $75,000. The underinsured motorist has $25,000, and your UM set-off policy is for $50,000. While it seems to make sense that you would have your $75,000 between the two policies to cover all expenses, the coverage for the underinsured driver is deducted from your coverage, so your $50,000 is reduced to $25,000, and when added to the other driver’s $25,000, you’re still $25,000 short of your expenses. That’s not good.

Should You Provide A Recorded Statement After Atlanta Accident?

Published on: October 2, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

When you are in an accident, chances are you may find it difficult to remember all the details, particularly as time goes on. This is why insurance companies are often the first to call once you’ve submitted an accident report.

While it would be nice to believe that the insurance companies are interested only in our health and well being after an injury accident, chances are they are calling as much to hear your side of the story as to find out if you are okay. This is particularly true when you have been injured as the result of another driver and his/her insurance company is on the line.

Contact An Attorney Before Giving Any Statement

Alpharetta Motorcycle Lawyer Says Knowing the Rules is the First Step

Published on: October 1, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

If you’ve ever thought of getting a motorcycle, here are a few things you should know: First of all, motorcycle drivers in the state of Georgia are required to be at least 17 years old. Drivers who start out with a driving permit can only drive during daylight hours, can’t drive with any passengers, and have to have all safety equipment required by law. Once you have passed the written and driving tests, restrictions on your license are lifted.

Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program covers two different courses. One for basic/beginner riders, and another for advanced or experienced motorcycle riders. When taking a class, you must have all the required gear. That includes: