Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer - Motor Vehicle Accidents

Two Car Georgia Automobile Accident May Lead To Criminal Charges

M. Brandon Smith — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:04:17 GMT

A suspected DUI driver may soon be facing criminal charges stemming from her actions that lead to a two car accident on I-85 Friday. According to the Georgia State Patrol, Kerri Jean Hynes of Suwanee reportedly crossed the median and struck another vehicle occupied by 3 college students from Bob Jones University. It is believed that Hynes was using her cell phone at the time of the impact and that its use was also a contributing factor in the car accident. Although the impact was a head on collision, everyone thankfully survived the accident and sought medical treatment at local area hospitals.

TFC Crawford said Ms. Hynes suffered minor injuries after becoming disoriented while using a cellular phone at the time of the accident. She is facing charges of driving under the influence, driving on the wrong side of the highway, causing serious injuries, driving while inattentive, having no seatbelt and driving in the median, he said.

None of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening, he said. But Mr. Hemming is being treated for a serious leg injury at AnMed Health Medical Center in Anderson, TFC Crawford said.

For more information on car accidents and how to ensure your rights are adequately protected please visit our section on automobile accidents. If you have additional questions, please contact one of our Georgia personal injury lawyers here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Drunk Driver Causes Deadly Car Accident

M. Brandon Smith — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 22:40:54 GMT

A drunk driver by the name of Gregory Lee Wills may soon be facing felony vehicular homicide charges after causing a deadly car wreck on December 11, 2007 in Forsyth County. According to officials, one of the passengers involved in the dui accident, a 10-year-old minor, recently passed away due to the injuries she sustained. The young girl bravely battled for her life for more than a week at Scottish Rite prior to her passing according to the corner Lauren McDonald. The young girl's mother, who was also the driver of the mini van, was airlifted to a local Atlanta area hospital and is still recovering from her injuries at this time. Gregory Wills, of Buford Georgia, was initially charged with driving under the influence at the time of the car accident.

In situations like this, the elevated charge of felony vehicular homicide is needed to deter similar acts in the future and to hold the responsible drunk driver accountable. There is nothing more important than life and now because of Willis' careless, wanton and willful acts, the lives of this family will never be the same. No jail sentence or civil penalty will ever make things right, but it will certainly help this family move forward and make our society as a whole a safer place for having done so.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Yamaha Rhino 660 ATV Causes Serious Risk Of Injury And Death For Riders

M. Brandon Smith — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:59:26 GMT

Yamaha's Rhino 660 has been the object of much criticism and debate over the last few months due to its alleged design defects that cause the popular ATV to unnecessarily rollover without warning. The Rhino 660 has been cited as the cause of hundreds of injuries across the U.S. to its consumers since its introduction by Yamaha in 2003. The typical injuries sustained involve broken legs, ankles, feet and arms. There have even been a number of reported amputations and deaths related to the Rhino's use and operation.

The main alleged defect relates to the high center of gravity the Rhino encompasses which according to reports promotes a higher incident rate of rollovers. The shortened wheel base and powerful engine of the Rhino make it much more prone to tipping and rollovers. When a rollover occurs many passengers accidentally and/or instinctively use their leg to try and prevent the Rhino from flipping over. When this occurs, the sheer weight and force of the ATV usually crushes the occupant's limbs as they catch outside the ATV.

Critics of the Rhino 660, such as our clients, say the ATV should have encompassed a better design and a footwell door that would help prevent these events from occurring and thereby reduce the number of injuries related to the Rhino's use.

In November of 2007, Yamaha decided to try and rectify this problem by adding a safety door to the Rhino 660. It also issued a recall notice and safety alert to have previous versions of the Rhino 660 add the safety door free of charge.

According to the Yamaha website:

Special Offer to Rhino Owners
Yamaha has developed new doors and additional passenger handholds for the Rhino. These new features, as shown in the pictures below, are designed to help keep occupants from sticking arms or legs out of the vehicle in response to a side rollover. They may also enhance passenger stability and comfort. Yamaha recommends that Rhino owners have these doors and handholds installed on their Rhino vehicles.

The sad thing is this safety alert and recall was not issued years ago when the manufacturer learned of this critical design defect. The serious issues and injuries outlined above have been known for years now by Yamaha but for some unknown reason they choose not to take any real corrective action until this safety alert and notice.

As a result of this inaction and unresponsiveness to its unreasonably dangerous product, our firm is currently investigating and litigating viable personal injury claims against Yamaha as the manufacturer of the unreasonably dangerous Rhino 660. If you or a loved on have sustained injuries as a result of its use or some other ATV, please contact one of our personal injury attorney's immediately to ensure your rights are protected. We are happy to answer your questions and address your concerns free of charge.

The alert as stated applies to owners of the Yamaha Rhino 660 manufactured from 2004 to 2007.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Beloved Oconee County Teacher Involved In Fatal Auto Accident

M. Brandon Smith — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 09:33:57 GMT

The students and citizens of Oconee County are now morning the tragic death of a beloved middle school teacher who was tragically killed in an auto accident earlier this week. The forty-three year old teacher of Malcolm Bridge Middle School was reportedly running an after school errand when her vehicle was struck by another unidentified motorist near Bogart, Georgia. According to the Georgia State Patrol she was flown via helicopter to Atlanta Medical Center but she later passed as a result of her injuries from the car accident. An investigation into the motor vehicle accident is still pending by the Georgia State Patrol. There has been no word yet as to whether any charges will be filed as a result of the accident.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Pedestrian Accident May Lead To Criminal Charges

M. Brandon Smith — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 20:31:21 GMT

In a tragic turn of events, a pregnant mother who was struck by an 18 year-old driver recently succumbed to her injuries stemming from a pedestrian accident the occurred on August 24, 2007. According to authorities, Djuana Thomas, 22 weeks pregnant at the time, was crossing Mobile Street pushing her daughter Samiya Jordan in a stroller when the 18 year old driver struck both her and her 1 year-old daughter.

All were rushed to University of South Alabama Medical Center for immediate medical treatment. The daughter required hip surgery and the mother was placed in the critical care unit until her passing late Saturday night. According to the authorities, the pedestrian accident occurred as a result of a pedestrian violation. No charges have been filed at this time but the investigation is still pending.

Pedestrian accidents are occurring with more and more frequency these days. As you might imagine the injuries that are sustained in pedestrian accidents almost always result in very serious if not fatal injuries for the pedestrians involved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given some guidelines and tips to prevent pedestrian incidents such as the one noted above. With a little more awareness and attentiveness by both drivers and pedestrians alike maybe such tragedies could be prevented and avoided in the future.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Motorcycle Accident Ends In Death For One Georgia Resident

M. Brandon Smith — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:42:18 GMT

A fatal motorcycle accident shut down all lanes of traffic on Georgia's I-85 In Gwinnett County today. The Georgia motorcycle accident reportedly occurred around 3:00 a.m. Numerous emergency personnel arrived on the scene just south of Hamilton Mill Road moments after the motorcycle crash occurred but the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The facts of the accident are still being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol but no additional information has been released pending family notification.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Four Fatal Car Accidents Occur In Cherokee County Georgia

M. Brandon Smith — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:11:55 GMT

The last two weeks have been deadly on the roadways of Cherokee County, Georgia. The Georgia State Patrol is currently investigating 4 fatal car accidents that occurred with the last week there. On August 4 one Hispanic male was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on I-75 shortly after striking the median in his own vehicle. The hit and run driver has not been identified at this point but the Georgia State Patrol are still investigating the accident.

Less than an hour later another fatal accident involving three vehicles occurred on I-75 after a dump truck ran into a sedan carrying five occupants. One of the passengers was killed instantly while the others including a infant were rushed to various hospitals in the area. The infant reportedly suffered a skull fracture but is thankfully expected to survive the accident.

A third motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver will result in criminal charges after his reckless actions lead to the death of his friend and passenger.

Cherokee County jail records show James Robert Harper, 61, of Acworth, was arrested and charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, driving an auto in unsafe conditions, DUI and failure to report an accident.

After the accident, as the quote above notes, Harper left the scene of the accident and failed to call the police before doing so. Given the fact that his passenger was fatally injured as a result of his decision to drive drunk, Harper now faces felony charges stemming from his wanton and willful behavior.

The fourth accident involved a one car accident that left the driver of the vehicle fatally wounded. The Georgia State Patrol is still investigating the facts and circumstances of this accident that occurred on August 5, 2007.

All of these travesties illustrate how dangerous vehicles and their drivers can be at any given point and time on Georgia's roadways. Our thoughts and prayers go out to these families during this tragic and unfortunate time period.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Fatal Accident Leaves 4 Dead On Georgia's Highway 316

M. Brandon Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 01:46:55 GMT

In a tragic end to the fourth of July weekend, four Georgians were killed on Sunday after their vehicle collided with a tractor trailer and a tour bus. The fatal car crash took place on Georgia's Highway 316 and Highway 29 in Lawrenceville. Emergency personnel arrived to the site of the car accident promptly but none of the occupants of the vehicle survived the event. The names of those involved have not yet been released as the authorities involved continue to investigate the root cause of the fatal car accident.

Fire crews said they found the car underneath the tractor-trailer.
Gwinnett Fire Department officials said although rescue workers pulled the car out, its occupants were found dead at the scene.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was treated at Gwinnett Medical Center with minor injuries, officials said.
They said there were no injuries reported on the tour bus.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Tractor-Trailer Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Georgia Car Wreck Ends In Serious Injuries For Two Drivers

M. Brandon Smith — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:50:32 GMT

Questions still remain unanswered about a Georgia car wreck that has left one man critically injured over the past weekend. The 81-year-old man recently identified as Clelmer Powell by the Georgia State Patrol is in critical condition after being involved in an accident in Habersham County. Troopers say the accident occurred on Camp Creek Road near Hazel Creek when Powell and another unidentified driver collided into one another Saturday evening. The other driver was taken to Habersham County Medical Center for treatment. The GSP has launched a full investigation to determine what all happened in the auto accident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Deputy Strikes And Kills Pedestrian After Passing Another Vehicle

M. Brandon Smith — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:35:17 GMT

No charges will be filed against a Berkeley County deputy who recently struck and killed a 21 year old pedestrian according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The deputy was reportedly passing another vehicle when he struck the man who was walking in the middle of the roadway facing on coming traffic near Macedonia. The pedestrian was flown to the hospital shortly after the pedestrian accident but later died from his injuries.

In unfortunate situations like this it is important to remember that although criminal charges may not be filed, the family members of the decedent may still have a form of recourse against the deputy and the county he works for if he is determined to have committed one or more negligent acts in passing the other vehicle. At the very least this is the type of situation that should be examined by a trained professional to ensure no viable claim is overlooked.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith