Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

GDOT Web Tool Allows Drivers to Monitor Traffic Conditions

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

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Crash Data statistics, the number of traffic accidents in a given area is often directly proportional to that area’s traffic load. Many Georgians don’t realize that GDOT provides a way for drivers to monitor and anticipate traffic, and in that way reduce their chance of having an accident..

Georgia’s Traffic Polling and Analysis System (TPAS) is a web-based monitoring program that provides 24-hour traffic data collected from permanent traffic collection devices that are scattered throughout the state. The data is collected and updated every day.

The data collected by these terminals can be used by drivers in a variety of ways to facilitate safe trip-planning:

Get Help for Car Accident with Uninsured Driver in Georgia

Published on: June 28, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

There’s no secret that the cost of everything seems to be outpacing increases in pay. Auto insurance costs continue to rise, but the risk of having a car accident without insurance in Georgia is not worth it. If you drive in the state of Georgia, you need to have car insurance.

When you are in a car or truck accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance, the issues get complicated really quick. As soon as you have received medical treatment for your injuries, you need to contact an accident attorney who can assist with all the paperwork and communications required to make sure your expenses and damages are covered.

There is a growing number of drivers on the roads today without car insurance. Car insurance premiums have continued to go up. Having insurance in Georgia is expensive, in fact it’s the 22nd most expensive state for car insurance. Rates have continued to climb as much as .7% per year, certainly outpacing income growth.

Accident Coverage Always a Concern with Auto Insurance

Published on: June 27, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

While insurance laws change all the time, at this writing, personal injury protection insurance is not required in the state of Georgia. It’s an optional coverage that many drivers elect to purchase.

What is Mandatory Coverage?

In Florida, where the coverage has been mandatory, this topic has been under a lot of scrutiny. Florida has required every driver to purchase PIP. The debate has centered on the resulting high insurance premiums, and it has created a fund that the medical costs for injured individuals were covered (up to $10,000). The idea sounds good, but the reality has not been good.

Applebees Settles Out of Court with Family of Drunk Driving Victim

Published on: June 5, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

A Texas Applebees has settled out of court with the family of a two-year-old child who was brain-injured when the car he was riding in was struck by a drunk driver who had just left the restaurant. The drunk driver himself has not yet gone to trial.

The case led to the passage of a new law in Texas. The Abdallah Khader Act, named for the innocent little boy, doubles the amount of time that an alleged drunk driver can spend in prison for intoxication assault cases to 20 years.

Under the Dram Shop Act, a vast majority of states allow victims of drunk driving accidents (or their families) to hold restaurants and bars accountable for serious injuries or death caused by an intoxicated patron if the establishment knew, or should have known, the customer was intoxicated.

Preparation is Key When Traveling At Home or Abroad

Published on: May 25, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend signals the start of summer vacation season. While travel is fun and entertaining, taking a few precautions to ensure your personal safety while away from home can help prevent accidents and make them easier to deal with if they do happen.

One of the most important steps in preparing for a vacation is taking time to double-check and make sure you have current auto insurance cards in y our car. You also should take along your medical insurance information, in case you or members of your family need medical attention while you’re on vacation. This is especially critical if you’re traveling abroad. Be sure you know your insurance coverage rules. Some policies will not cover injuries you sustain when in certain foreign countries.

Regardless of your destination, always take your insurance information with you when you travel, and like a copy of your passport, store copies of your policy in your bag. If you are injured while away from home, make sure you receive copies of all of the paperwork from your hospital visit in case you need it to facilitate the processing of your claim.

Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Attorney in Georgia

Published on: May 25, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, there are more than 27,000 attorneys actively practicing in the state. Trial lawyers, attorneys who specialize in representing individuals who have been harmed by the negligence of others, make up a significant portion of that number.

Asking the right questions before you choose an attorney to represent you in a personal injury suit can help you find the right firm to handle your case. ExpertLaw.com has identified a list of 14 questions to ask attorneys as you decide who should represent your interests. While each question is important, the answers to a few of them are particularly critical in selecting the right attorney for your case.

What are your areas of specialization and have you handled cases like mine in the past?

Legal Tips for Party Hosts to Reduce Liability

Published on: May 18, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Graduation parties are often the first get-togethers in a season filled with celebrations and gatherings. Whether you’re hosting friends and family to celebrate milestones or just throwing an impromptu backyard barbeque, it’s important to make choices that will guarantee the safety of your guests and protect you from liability should an accident happen.

If you’re hosting a party, here are some things to keep in mind:

Never serve alcoholic beverages to minors. If a minor consumes alcohol at your home, with or without your permission, you can be held liable for criminal prosecution and for civil damages due to negligence in claims pursued by the minor and the minor’s parents.

Seatbelt Safety is a Key to Reducing Injuries for Children

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

The end of the school year means the beginning of summer activity season. Parents trying to maximize time and save gas often work together to get kids where they’re going. Even if you’re in a hurry, making sure the kids who are riding in your vehicle are safe is a key to reducing the potential for auto accident inuries.

According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, booster seats are required for most elementary school children until they are at least 4’9″ tall. This means that some children need safety seats even after they reach eight years of age.

Even with the aid of a booster seat, seat belts are designed to fit adult males. So it is very important to make sure the driver of any vehicle your child is riding in takes the time to adjust the seat belts for children.

Tips for Boating Safety from GA Department of Natural Resources

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

Peak boating season in Georgia runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and this year the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has partnered with TEAM Georgia, an organization devoted to sober driving initiatives, to encourage boating safety on the waterways this summer.

The State of Georgia has established a variety of regulations for its boaters in The Handbook of Georgia Boating Laws and Responsibilities, but raising awareness specifically about three key guidelines has become a goal of the DNR this season.

Boating Safety Rules

At Ski Resorts, Injuries are Your Responsibility

Published on: May 7, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

With spring break ski trips on many people’s minds this month, it’s important to remember that, when you go skiing, it’s “at your own risk.”

The purchase of a lift ticket at ski resorts throughout North America includes your agreement that you are skiing at your own risk and that any accident you have on the mountain is your responsibility. Ski resorts assume no liability for injuries by skiers on their mountains. If you are hurt while skiing, mountain patrol will help you off the mountain and transport you to medical care, but after that, you are on your own.

A personal injury case in Nevada is making its way to the courts. On Feb. 22 of this year, a woman who was a beginning level skier was on the slow run at the bottom of a hill at Heavenly when she was wiped out by an off-duty Heavenly employee. The crash knocked the woman unconscious and has left her with memory loss and the need to see a neurologist.