Personal Injury & Wrongful Death

Defective Dehumidifiers Recalled

http://www.serious-injury-litigation.com/lawyer-attorney-1259787.htmlGeorgia injury lawyers know that dangerous products can cause serious injury or death to innocent consumers. For example, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the voluntary recall of Gold Star and Comfort-Aire portable dehumidifiers due to a fire hazard. The Commission said the recall involved 98,000 dehumidifiers exported from China by LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co. Of China. According to the Commission, the dehumidifiers have power connectors that can short circuit, posing a fire risk. The company has received four reports of fires involving dehumidifiers including Gold Star model # GHD30Y7, which were sold at Home Depot outlets, model # DH305Y7, sold at Walmart stores, and Comfort-Aire model # BHD-301-C dehumidifiers, sold at Heat Controller.
Defective and dangerous products coming into the United States from China are increasing at an alarming rate. In 2008, 80% of all product recalls in the U.S. involved imported products from China. Other dangerous recalled products include dog food, toys with lead paint, drywall and even pharmaceuticals.

(more…)

Carbon Monoxide Leaks Often Result In Wrongful Death

Every year Georgia citizens die needlessly as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. According to Journal of the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, yet many people do not know when they are being affected by it since its symptoms appear flu-like. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can result in death.
Most of the time this poisoning occurs as a result of defectively installed or maintained gas furnaces or gas hot water heaters, although there are many sources of carbon monoxide which include house fires, faulty furnaces, heaters, wood-burning stoves, internal combustion vehicle exhaust, electrical generators, propane-fueled equipment such as portable stoves, and gasoline-powered tools such as leaf blowers, lawn mowers, high-pressure washers, concrete cutting saws, power trowels, and welders. Exposure typically occurs when equipment is used in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces. Poisoning may also occur following the use of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCUBA) due to faulty diving air compressors. Riding in the bed of pickup trucks has even led to poisoning in children. Idling automobiles with the exhaust pipe blocked by snow has led to the poisoning of car occupants. Generators and propulsion engines on boats, especially houseboats, has resulted in fatal carbon monoxide exposures.
Many of the deaths that occur as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning could have been avoided had the owner of the property, whether it be a hotel, apartment of single family dwelling, conducted reasonable maintenance inspections and installed carbon monoxide detectors. Many times local governments require such things when it comes to hotels and apartments. Failure to abide by building codes in the installation, replacement and servicing of furnaces and hot water heaters often results in carbon monoxide leaks and either chronic or acute poisoning.

(more…)

Medical Malpractice Realities

Medical malpractice lawsuits in Georgia have long been the target of doctors’ groups and big insurance companies. Using advertising, political contributions, and misinformation, they have been successful in fostering the notion that these lawsuits are frivolous. Many people have bought into this misconception, that is, until it happens to them or a loved one.
A recent story in the Miami newspaper illustrates this well. A Belle Glade, Florida judge plans to sue two radiologists and a surgeon after a foot long by foot wide
(more…)

Medical Error Costs Quantified

Preventable medical errors add extremely high costs to the healthcare provided in Georgia and across the United States. The Society of Actuaries, the largest professional organization dedicated to supporting 21,000 members in the United States and Canada, recently commissioned a study to assign a cost to these medical errors.
The study defined measureable costs of medical errors to include increased medical costs, costs related to an increased mortality rate, and costs related to lost productivity after the occurrence of an error. Most other costs of
(more…)

Hit-and-Run Crash Results In Death Of Georgia Motorcyclist

Inattentive drivers are responsible for many Georgia motorcycle accidents every year. Sadly the negligence of these inattentive drivers often results in the serious injury or wrongful death of the motorcyclist. Such may have been the case yesterday in Macon, Georgia when a woman driving a 1999 Chevrolet Impala ran a stop sign at the intersection of Peeble Street and Second Avenue and struck a motorcycle. According to witnesses, the woman struck 59-year old James Collins of Danville and then left the scene of the accident. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after the crash.
Hopefully authorities will be able to apprehend the driver and prosecute her for her callous, criminal conduct and hopefully for the family of the victim, there will be insurance coverage to compensate them for their loss.

(more…)

Dog Bites and Dog Attacks Are Serious Business – Georgia’s Homeowners Should Beware!

Georgia injury lawyers know that dog bites can result in serious and disfiguring injuries and sometimes the wrongful death. Because of the population of Atlanta area, it is not uncommon to hear about these cases on a weekly basis. It is estimated that almost 5 million Americans each year are dog bite victims. About 800,000 of these are serious enough to seek medical treatment for their injuries. Sadly, about half the victims are children and most of them are between the ages of 5 and 9 years old.
According to the law, dog owners are responsible for their dog’s actions and homeowner’s insurance will pay for the damages. Owning a dog know to have dangerous propensities or failing to abide by leash laws will subject the owner to liability if the dog bites someone. It is estimated that dog bites account for roughly one-third of homeowners’ insurance claims. For that reason, many insurance companies that sell homeowner’s insurance coverage will now inquire about the types of pets the prospective insured may have living in the home and factor that into the underwriting process when determining a fair premium.
Georgia law provides two ways that an animal owner or handler may be found liable for injuries inflicted by the animal. The first requires that the victim prove: (1) that the animal is dangerous or vicious; (2) that the owner or handler had knowledge of the dog’s viciousness or tendency to attack humans; and, (3) that the owner or handler either carelessly managed the animal or allowed it to go at liberty. The second basis upon which an owner or handler may be found liable for injuries inflicted by an animal requires that the victim prove that the animal; (1) was not at heel or on a leash as required by a local ordinance; and, (2) that the owner or handler either carelessly managed the animal or allowed it to go at liberty. The second ground does not require knowledge of dangerousness or viciousness of the animal. To successfully prove liability under the Georgia statute, the claim can be based on either a violation of a leash law or the owner’s or handler’s knowledge that the dog had the temperament or propensity to bite people.

(more…)

Reporting Reduces Medical Errors

Acts of medical malpractice are often hidden by the secrecy afforded hospitals and health care providers by various state laws which make these matters confidential and immune from discovery by the public.
In an effort to reduce these sometimes deadly errors, the state of Indiana initiated a method of publicly tracking preventable medical errors. In just the fourth year of reporting, Indiana hospitals and surgery centers reported more than a 10 percent decrease in errors between 2008 and 2009.
Indiana’s Medical Error Reporting System requires
(more…)

Depuy Orthopedics Hip Implant Product Recalled

On August 4, 2010, DePuy Orthopedics recalled its ASR XL Acetabular System (hip implant) and ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Recent data from the National Joint Registry of England and Wales indicated a higher than expected revision rate at five years. Specifically, the data showed that the five-year revision rate for ASR XL Acetabular System was approximately 12% and for ASR Hip Resurfacing System was approximately 13%.
The revision rate was highest with ASR head sizes below 50mm in diameter and among female patients.
DePuy is
(more…)

Road Debris Can Kill

Not a week goes by that we do not see a significant number of road debris items laying in the middle of Georgia highways. Whether it is an old mattress, furniture, tools, chain, truck tie-down straps or whatever, these items on the highway often result serious injury or death to innocent motorists who encounter and try to avoid them.
In October of 2008, a woman, trying to avoid road debris, died instantly in a single car crash. The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m.
(more…)

Traffic Fatalities Show Significant Decrease

Traffic fatalities in Georgia and across the United States have shown a significant decline between 2008 and 2009, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Georgia’s number of traffic fatalities in the period fell by 14 percent for a total of 1,495 in 2009. Florida led the nation with 422 fewer traffic fatalities in 2009, followed by Texas (405 fewer), California (353), Pennsylvania (212) and Georgia (211 fewer).
Increased seatbelt use and campaigns against drunk driving are being credited
(more…)

Wrongful Death Compensation: Who Gets What and How It’s Decided

Wrongful death compensation is intended to provide financial stability and legal accountability after a family loses a loved one due to another party’s negligence or misconduct. 

While no amount of money can replace a life, compensation plays a critical role in addressing lost income, emotional suffering, and the long-term impact on surviving family members.

Many families assume compensation is automatically divided equally or paid to a single person. 

In reality, wrongful death damages
(more…)

Common Types of Dental Malpractice: Trends, Risks, and When to Contact an Attorney

Common types of dental malpractice form the foundation of many professional negligence claims brought by patients who suffer preventable injuries during dental care. 

From a legal standpoint, these cases are not driven by dissatisfaction or discomfort alone. 

They arise when a dentist’s actions fall below accepted professional standards and cause harm that could have been avoided through proper care.

Modern dentistry has expanded rapidly, with increased reliance on implants, cosmetic procedures, sedation, and
(more…)

How Dental Malpractice Lawsuits Succeed in Court

Dental malpractice lawsuits are won in court when attorneys demonstrate that a dentist’s actions fell outside accepted professional standards and caused avoidable harm to a patient. 

From a legal standpoint, these cases are not about dissatisfaction or imperfect results; they are about proving negligence through evidence, expert interpretation, and clear causation.

Dentists are afforded professional discretion, and courts do not second-guess medical judgement lightly. 

For that reason, dental malpractice cases demand careful legal
(more…)

Automated Truck Accidents: Attorneys Explain the Risks of Public Road Testing

Automated truck accidents are becoming an increasing concern as self-driving and semi-autonomous commercial vehicles are tested on public highways alongside everyday drivers. 

As trucking and technology companies promote automation as the future of transportation, the reality is that these systems are still experimental and when they fail, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Unlike closed testing environments, public roads present unpredictable variables: human drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, construction zones, weather changes, and sudden traffic events. 

(more…)

Different Types of TBIs Caused by Truck Accidents and Your Legal Options

Traumatic brain injuries from truck accidents often leave victims and families overwhelmed, uncertain, and unsure where to turn next.

In our experience as attorneys, many clients come to us not because they immediately wanted to file a lawsuit, but because they needed answers, clarity, and protection while dealing with a life-altering injury.

Truck-related brain injuries are medically complex and legally challenging.

Victims may look fine on the outside while struggling with memory loss, emotional changes, or the inability to return to work. 
(more…)

Why Survivors Deserve More Than Silence: The Role of Dash Cam Evidence in Truck Accidents

Dash cam evidence in truck accidents has become one of the most powerful tools survivors have to protect the truth after a devastating collision. 

When commercial trucks are involved, victims and families are often forced to stand alone against trucking companies that control critical evidence, employ rapid-response legal teams, and shape the narrative within hours of a crash. Video footage changes that balance.

Unlike statements that can be challenged or rewritten, dash cam footage captures what actually
(more…)

What Are the Risks of Opioids and When Do They Qualify as Wrongful Death Cases?

Opioid wrongful death cases happen when the known risks of opioid medications are ignored, mismanaged, or improperly controlled, resulting in a fatal outcome that could have been prevented through appropriate medical care.

Opioids carry inherent dangers, but the law does not excuse healthcare providers from responsibility simply because a drug is high risk. 

From a legal perspective, these cases focus on whether physicians, pharmacists, or healthcare systems failed to follow established standards designed to protect patients from foreseeable harm.
(more…)

Can Prescription Errors Cause Wrongful Death? Drug Negligence Explained

Prescription errors in wrongful death cases arise when a preventable medication mistake directly contributes to a patient’s death. 

These errors create grounds for legal accountability under medical negligence and wrongful death law. 

Prescription medications are not harmless consumer products. They are tightly regulated medical treatments that require careful prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring. When that process breaks down, the consequences can be fatal.

From a legal standpoint, wrongful death caused by medication error is
(more…)

Why Insurance Claims Get Denied and How an Attorney Can Help

Insurance claim denied situations can be both confusing and financially overwhelming, especially when policyholders expect coverage only to face delays, disputes, or outright rejection.

Many people assume insurance exists to provide protection during difficult times, yet insurers frequently deny claims based on technicalities, exclusions, or contested interpretations of policy language.

In this blog, we discuss why insurance claims get denied and how legal representation can help. 

We also explain how policyholders can protect their rights, challenge unfair decisions, and
(more…)

From Injury to Recovery: Truck Accident Effects and Hiring a Lawyer

Truck accident injuries and recovery often involve far more than short-term medical treatment, as victims may face lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences that affect every part of daily life. 

Unlike standard vehicle crashes, trucking accidents frequently result in catastrophic harm due to the size, weight, and force of commercial trucks, leaving victims and their families overwhelmed by long-term challenges.

Beyond the immediate shock of the collision, many victims struggle with ongoing medical care, emotional trauma, and
(more…)