Atlanta Injury Attorneys Blog

Another cautionary tale, illustrating the now-classic adage that "friends don't let friends drive drunk," happened last week in a Gwinnett County DUI wreck. Soon Kwon, a Duluth man with a history of minor arrests by Gwinnett County police, was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, three counts of serious injury by vehicle, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Tragically, and somewhat ironically, one of the two who died in the wreck was a friend who had posted Kwon's bail for disorderly conduct last year.

The report of last week's Lawrenceville DUI car accidentsuggests that more disorderly behavior could have led to the crash--or, more accurately, two crashes. The first collision occurred when Kwon sideswiped the car that was driving next to him. The second happened when the sideswipe propelled Kwon's car across the road into oncoming traffic, where he collided head-on with a third car.

Icy roads brought a staggering number of Gwinnett County car accidents last night: 599, to be exact.

According to police reports, some 60 patrol officers handled an average of 39 crashes per hour. Nine of these trapped motorists and passengers in their vehicles, and two of those resulted in life-threatening injury. There also were 27 hit-and-run incidents, one 15-car pileup, and eight structure, vehicle and woodland fires. In all, Gwinnett County's 911 call center received 2,314 emergency calls--yet amazingly, no fatalities were reported.

Anyone who's driven on ice before knows just how lucky that fact is. It's somewhat true that on the ice, people are more likely to devote their full attention to the road. But even in inclement weather there still are plenty of folks who choose to drink and drive, and more still who will drive while distracted by mobile devices or other activities, simply out of habit. Add to those habits the hazard of skidding on ice, and the risk of collision and death goes up dramatically.

Sometimes a Georgia car accident is simply unavoidable--particularly when the weather is treacherous. Still, ice on the roads does not constitute a free pass for those who speed, flagrantly disobey traffic signs or stoplights, or drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It is incumbent upon each of us to put safety first when deciding whether to get behind the wheel and whether or not to heed traffic laws.

Late last night there was a Lawrenceville fire at an assisted living facility for seniors. Thankfully, no one was injured. However, they easily could have been. The fire allegedly broke out in one of the residents' rooms when an electric lamp was overturned. According to the report, the bulb broke when the lamp hit the bed, and the mattress and bedding burst into flames.

This immediately raises questions not only about how securely the lamp was anchored, but also about the suitability of the bedding and mattress for an assisted living facility. After all, residents of personal care homes commonly have issues with mobility and other physical impairments. In this case, an "alert staff member" was able to put out the fire and quickly escort the residents to a safe area. But what if the staff member had not been alert...or even nearby?

Facilities charged with caring for the mobility-impaired often make a point of using flame-retardant bedding and mattresses to prevent such hazards. Also, bulbs that generate limited heat, such as compact fluorescent bulbs, are much more fire-safe than their traditional incandescent counterparts. These are just two simple precautions a conscientious personal care home will take to ensure the safety of its residents.

Fire injury precautions are widely considered best practices for facilities dedicated to serving the elderly, and personal care homes are expected to have "fire resistant drapery and bedding," as outlined in Georgia's State Minimum Fire Safety Standards, according to the Rules and Regulations of the Fire Safety Commisioner.

A Georgia auto accident can cause extensive turmoil for an accident victim. Dealing with aggressive insurance adjusters while undergoing pain, lost income and numerous doctor visits can be very difficult for the victim and his or her family.

Unfortunately, these difficulties are aggravated and intensified when a Georgia trucking accident occurs. Truck accidents are big risks for motor common carriers, and they take them very seriously. Trucking companies and their insurers aggressively defend these cases and move within 24 hours to secure evidence and interview witnesses. If there are any questions pertaining to fault, they will do their best to make sure the other driver is blamed. As most Georgia car accident victims do not seek legal counsel for days, weeks or months after the accident, the trucking companies get a big head start. This should not make a difference, but it typically matters, and a victim's case can lose before it is even given a fair hearing.

The proper investigation, use of experts and methodology is needed to insure your case is not mishandled. Our firm can provide this experience no matter what type of Georgia truck accident was the cause. Whether the truck accident resulted from an improper left turn, an underride, a stopped truck, a rear end collision, a cargo shift, an improper lane change or some other improper truck maneuver you need an experienced attorney who has handled lot of truck accident cases.

Since 1995, Atlanta trucking attorney Charles Scholle has fought for justice for Georgia families.
We care about our clients. Even though our practice areas are situational and often do not require repeat representation once a matter is resolved, we remain in contact with most of our past clients. Legal matters can be very stressful. They often raise uncomfortable realities causing one to make important life decisions at vulnerable moments. It is important to us that our clients feel they we stand by them every step of the way as counselors of the law.
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