To make matters worse, the records of the 24-year-old truck driver indicate that he is no stranger to violations of traffic rules. In the past few years, he has had approximately twelve citations or custodial arrests for reckless driving, speeding and similar infractions.
]]> The accident took place in Carroll County along State Route 101. Investigators stated he was not intoxicated at the time of the accidents, and they have not yet found any evidence of recklessness prior to the accident. Still, they indicated he may be charged with a vehicular homicide misdemeanor. The dead woman's family is still pushing for felony charges.The woman's family ultimately has no control at all over what charges are filed against the truck driver who they believe was responsible for the tragic loss of their loved one's life. Criminal charges are determined by a prosecutor. They do, however, have it within their control to file a civil lawsuit against the responsible truck driver for financial compensation for wrongful death and other damages.
A lawsuit for wrongful death can seek to recover damages for medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering prior to death, lost earnings and loss of services. Such a lawsuit is filed for the benefit of the decedent's surviving heirs, including any spouse or children. There is a time limit within which to file a claim, and it is important to preserve physical evidence and gather witness statements as soon after an accident as possible. Accordingly, it is very important after such an accident to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney as quickly as possible.
Source: Myfoxatlanta.com, "Family of victim in fatal car crash upset no arrest made" Chris Shaw, May. 13, 2013
]]>Emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the accident but were unable to save the life of the driver of the first truck. He was certified as dead right at the location of the collision. The second driver survived, but suffered injuries serious enough to require that he be transported to a local hospital in an ambulance, after first aid was furnished at the scene.
]]> An investigation by the Georgia State Police is ongoing, and they say that the causes of the accident have not yet been definitively determined. They are definitely pursuing, however, the question of whether the first truck was speeding too fast or whether, in the alternative, the second truck was going too slow for that stretch of road, or some combination. They are working in close cooperation with a specialized team engaged in collision reconstruction assigned to the investigation by the Georgia Department of Public Safety.The injured driver or the family of the deceased driver may have viable claims for personal injury or wrongful death against the other driver and/or their employer, depending on the cause of the accident. With some truck accidents, if it can be shown that a truck was negligently inspected, maintained or repaired, and that this contributed to causing the accident, there may be claims against a third party such as a mechanic or vehicle body shop. It is vital, following a serious truck accident, to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer soon to sort out what claims may be viable.
Source: The Valdosta Daily Times, "Semi collision leaves on dead" Jason Achaefer, May. 09, 2013
]]>The injured woman is suing the city for personal injuries based on the negligence of the officer, who drove right through a red light at an intersection. His vehicle then rammed with great force into the other woman's car, resulting in injuries that killed her. The second car, in turn, was forced into the front end of the plaintiff's vehicle, inflicting her terrible injuries.
]]> In addition to the pending civil lawsuit for money damages against the city, the officer is facing serious criminal charges of vehicular homicide in the second degree. The city police chief also fired him shortly after the charges were filed.The plaintiff and her attorneys report that the city that hired the officer has been uncooperative. It has allegedly gone so far as to ignore even simple basic requests for information. In this way, the city has added insult to injury quite literally by treating the badly injured woman with callous disrespect.
Victims of reckless drivers, however, have a remedy in the courts, where those who inflict such mayhem on our streets and highways can be brought to justice and be made to pay. Those injured in a car accident, as well as the families of those wrongfully killed in car crashes, need to consult with an experienced and passionate personal injury attorney who will fight to see that they receive the compensation they deserve.
Source: AJC.com, "Woman sues city over accident with police officer" Marcus K. Garner, May. 03, 2013
]]>Area police believed that the man got behind the wheel of the vehicle after a party held at a location on Toomer Road. A 26-year-old man was in the backseat of the 2010 Ford Mustang GT while a 17-year-old boy was seated in the front seat.
]]> Police indicated that the driver started to race a fellow motorist along Duke Road. Reaching what police believed to be high rates of speed, the driver eventually lost control of the vehicle. He drove the car along the shoulder of the road, but eventually left the roadway and collided with a fence and then a tree.The accident sent the driver and the 26-year-old passenger to the hospital with injuries. The passenger was airlifted to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The 17-year-old passenger was not as fortunate as he perished in the crash.
Not only might the driver suffer consequences in a civil court, police have charged him criminally. Law enforcement said they believed alcohol might have played a role in the deadly crash. The man was charged with a number of felonies in addition to numerous traffic charges.
As the investigation continues, area police have asked members of the community that have information about the crash to phone authorities.
If the driver was drunk and acting reckless on the roads, he could be deemed negligent in criminal and civil courts. The injured victim and the family of the deceased victim could pursue civil litigation to receive compensation for their resulting pain and suffering.
Source: 13WMAZ.com, "Sheriff: 1 dead, 2 injured in Houston County car accident" Cody Rhodes, Apr. 21, 2013
]]>The most recent accident claimed the life of a 25-year-old man. The accident appears to be at the hands of a drunk driver. The victim was struck at around 5 a.m. one morning when he was riding his bike to the fast food restaurant where he worked. He was hit as he biked along Marietta Parkway.
]]> The accident was classified as a hit-and-run, but fortunately, law enforcement authorities were able to track down the individual they believe is responsible and have charged him with the appropriate crimes. Police used debris left behind at the accident scene to connect the suspected individual to the crime. The 27-year-old man was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and DUI.A media source interviewed one of the victim's co-workers at the fast food restaurant. She commended the man for being a reliable employee that had worked there for roughly four years. She also pointed out that the victim was deaf, but despite the physical setback, he pursued a career in music, performing rap music through sign language.
Additional fatal bike accidents struck on March 31 and in early February. On March 31, a 55-year-old man was struck by an SUV. The driver was questioned in the case but never charged. The other accident involved a bicyclist who lost control of his bike and accidentally guided himself into oncoming traffic. No criminal charges were filed in that case, either.
The family of the recent victim is no doubt suffering from their loss. Their decision to file a civil lawsuit against the driver does not have to hinge on the results of the criminal trial. The two cases are treated separately.
Source: The Marietta Daily Journal, "Deaf rapper killed in hit-and-run," Lindsay Field, April 11, 2013
]]>The chain-reaction accident began when a 61-year-old woman was driving along Fulton Mill Road. The woman veered into the westbound lane of traffic where she collided her Toyota Camry with a Nissan Ultima. After colliding the Nissan, the woman's vehicle was T-boned by a pickup truck.
]]> The woman was transported to the Medical Central of Central Georgia where she was pronounced dead. The woman behind the wheel of the Nissan was treated at a hospital for nonlife threatening injuries while the pick-up driver received treatment at the scene of the accident.Coincidentally, following the accident, a Bibb County Commissioner drove through the area and encountered the accident scene. The man was an acquaintance of the departed woman. He has also been an advocate for making changes to that particular intersection in order to make it safer.
In total, the intersection has witnessed 52 accidents since 2010 alone. In those accidents, 18 individuals have been injured.
The man was in favor of installing traffic signals at the intersection, but it was met with resistance from the Georgia Department of Transportation. Instead of installing a traffic signal at the intersection, the department wants to install a roundabout.
The man had told his fellow commissioners that if something were not done at the intersection, they would witness a fatal accident -- an unfortunate reality now.
Blame could be spread around in this instance. The surviving motorists could pursue civil litigation against the woman's estate, because she prompted the accident. Otherwise, the victims and the family of the deceased woman could try to hold the state accountable for failing to address the dangerous intersection.
Source: FOX 24, "Commissioner seeks change after fatal accident," March 22, 2013
]]>The legal proceedings stemmed from an incident where police pulled the man over one night. Authorities had searched a hotel where the man was staying and they found cocaine. Instead of complying with authorities, the man rammed a police car with his vehicle and got away.
]]> Police did not engage the man in any sort of chase, but the man's unprovoked reckless behavior was enough to spark a crash.When police caught up with the man again, it was after he had crashed his vehicle into a red sedan that was carrying six people, including a 17-year-old female driver. The crash claimed the lives of a 57-year-old woman and a 3-year-old girl. A family member of the victims said that the adults in the vehicle had just picked up the children from daycare when the accident struck.
Witness accounts attest to the man's reckless behavior. A person that saw the crash said the man was traveling at a high rate of speed.
The man was appropriately rung up on a number of charges, which included felony hit-and-run, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road and aggressive driving.
The man is facing stiff punishment under the law, but the surviving victims in the case and their families can always pursue civil litigation against the man. These efforts could give them a shot at receiving compensation for all the pain and suffering they have endured, in addition to money to cover what are no doubt hefty medical bills.
Source: CBSAtlanta.com, "Driver accused of killing 2, including a child, issues apology," Tony McNary, March 20, 2013
]]>The group was clearing a piece of property of debris. They were burning much of what they found. A tank was thrown into the fire, one that potentially contained propane. The tank exploded, causing the carnage.
]]> The two teens suffered the most severe injuries with first-, second- and third-degree burns all over their bodies. Some of those burns were located on their face, and medical personnel were concerned that the damage could affect their breathing.They were given breathing tubes to help with their breathing. First responders also called in helicopters to the site. The boys were loaded into the helicopters and airlifted to the Still Burn Center in Augusta. Their status after receiving medical care was unknown.
They were not the only ones to sustain serious injuries. A 17-year-old and 18-year-old were both transported to the trauma unit of a local hospital to be treated. The 17-year-old suffered from a large cut on his leg caused by flying shrapnel from the exploding tank. The 18-year-old also suffered from burns.
A fifth victim, a 20-year-old man, suffered a small cut on his leg but did not have to visit a medical facility to be treated.
Media reports did not state if the individuals were related or who owned the property that the group was clearing. The property owner could be held liable for the serious burn injuries by failing to clear away flammable materials like the propane tank.
Burn injuries can cause devastating effects that last a lifetime. They often require hours and hours of painful rehabilitation sessions and can severely disfigure its victims. An astronomical amount in medical bills can also result.
Source: ColletonToday.com, "Five injured in propane tank explosion," George Salsberry, March 12, 2013
]]>The man will await his upcoming court appearances outside of jail as he was offered a $50,000 bond. However, as a part of the man's release terms, he must give up his driver's license and refrain from consuming alcohol. He also must remain at home between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The man, however, lives out of town. To make it easier for his probation officer to monitor him, he is being forced to find a place to live in Clark or Oconee counties.
]]> After authorities issued warrants against the man for a number of charges, including DUI and leaving the scene of an accident, the man turned himself in to police. This came after two weeks of investigation stemming from the incident where the 19-year-old Woodstock girl suffered serious injuries as she was hit in the early morning hours.The pickup truck that struck her swerved off the road where she was walking. Police said the accused man ditched the truck at an apartment complex. Officers found a half-empty liquor bottle and empty beer cans in the vehicle.
During the investigation, authorities reviewed surveillance videos from around town, none of which showed the pedestrian accident. However, police found what they believe was footage both before and after the incident as well as video of the man visiting a number of bars.
The female victim is still in a coma.
Authorities positively identifying the driver of the pickup truck will give the victim's family a lot to work with in a civil suit. They are likely racking up an astronomical amount in medical bills and have suffered seemingly endless misery. The negligent driver can be held accountable both in criminal and civil courts.
Source: Athens Banner-Herald, $50K bond set for alleged Athens hit-and-run driver," Joe Johnson, March 7, 2013
]]>The state trooper, who lost his decade-long job with the Georgia State Patrol following the fatal car accident, was indicted recently on reckless driving, first-degree homicide by vehicle and violation of oath by a public officer. Accident analysts said the state trooper caused the deadly collision by failing to follow protocol while responding to a police pursuit.
]]> The trooper was called to assist in a motorcycle chase on an Atlanta interstate. An investigation found the patrol vehicle's emergency siren and lights were engaged on the trooper's Dodge Charger.The four occupants in the trainer's Ford Expedition were on the way to the Georgia Dome. The SUV was passing through the intersection legally under a green light at the time of the crash. Accident investigators determined the trooper was negligent for speeding into the Atlanta crossroads without checking to make sure Porter yielded the right of way.
A Fulton County Superior Court will hear the homicide case. A date for the trial has not been fixed.
The surviving victims of the accident have the right to file personal injury lawsuits against the defendant in civil court. The estate of the trainer's wife - Porter and the couple's children - may also seek damages for wrongful death.
An attorney can explain the statute of limitations and the way civil juries consider evidence of negligence and concrete and intangible costs related to a wrongful death. Final medical costs, burial expenses, the value of the decedent's life had she lived and the victim's pain and suffering may all translate to economic awards.
Source: ajc.com, "Ex-trooper indicted in crash that killed Braves trainer's wife," Christopher Seward, Feb. 27, 2013
]]>In the first accident, a teenage driver ran through a yellow light and struck a vehicle carrying several children, who were injured in the incident. Three of the four children were eventually released from the hospital while the other remains in the intensive care unit.
]]> The other incident, which happened just days later, involved a defenseless female pedestrian. A pick-up truck ran down the pedestrian as she walked in the grass, returning from a friend's birthday celebration. So far in 2013, local law enforcement in Athens-Clarke has witnessed three DUI accidents accounting for six injuries. Two of those were near fatal.This bad start comes on the heels of last year, which saw reduced traffic accidents, including those that were spurred by alcohol. That year did see an increase in DUI arrests, proving that the area is far from immune from drinking and driving.
Police admitted that there really is no definite trend in these statistics and that drunk driving accidents can rise and fall at random. Over the last few years, though, fatalities as a result of DUI have receded throughout the state. In 2011, Mothers Against Drunk Driving stated that there were 277 alcohol-related highway deaths in Georgia. That was down from 2010, when there was 299.
Police in Athens have their work cut out for them as it is a college town with a bustling nightlife.
Driving drunk is a clear, negligent act. Anyone who suffers injury at the hands of a drunk driver can seek financial compensation through a civil court. These charges would be separate from any criminal charges the state would pose against that driver.
Source: Athens Banner-Herald, "Athens-Clarke police concerned over DUI crashes with serious injuries," Joe Johnson, Feb. 23, 2013
]]>The accident victim was walking along Oak Street at 3 a.m. one night with a friend after attending a birthday celebration. The driver of a red Mazda truck, who struck the girl, was believed to be under the influence of alcohol at the time. The girl was not even in the roadway when she was hit from behind -- she was walking in the grass.
The girl's injuries were critical. Doctors conducted brain surgery following the devastating accident and she was then placed on a ventilator. A family member told the media that her brain was bleeding and swelled up.
]]> Witnesses offered police a description of the vehicle, which they located at a nearby apartment complex, but without any occupants. The truck sported damage that matched accounts of the accident. Police also found empty beer cans in the back of the truck.Before police announce who they think the suspect is, they have continued their investigation. They received recordings from surveillance cameras at area businesses and have tracked down more witnesses to interview. Meanwhile, the family of the victim are eager to find out who did this to their loved one.
Determining who may have been at fault in the accident is pertinent for success in a civil case. The victim's family can pursue civil charges against the driver who inflicted such devastating injuries. This would all be in addition to any criminal charges that driver could potentially face.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "College student still critical after Athens hit-and-run," Alexis Stevens, Feb. 18, 2013
]]>Members of the Georgia State Patrol believe a 28-year-old man from LaGrange, Georgia - which is where the accident took place - sparked the needless accident by attempting to pass another vehicle on a two-lane highway. Signs along the road indicated that the man was operating in a no-passing zone, but he did not heed the warnings.
]]> When the man made the passing maneuver, he put himself into the path of a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am. The two vehicles collided head-on. A witness to the accident said that the driver had plenty of time to return to his side of the road, but remained in the lane before colliding with Grand Am full of innocent victims.The Grand Am was loaded down with passengers, which contributed to the high number of casualties. The 23-year-old female driver was killed in the wreck. A 37-year-old mother, her 16-year-old son and 1-year-old grandson all died as a result of the accident as well. Two females, ages 18 and 15, survived the crash, but were transported to medical facilities in critical condition.
The alleged negligent driver also perished in the wreck.
Police said that they took a blood sample from the male driver and determined that alcohol was a possible factor in the accident. However, blood alcohol content readings were not made available through media reports.
Because the driver that was blamed for this heart-wrenching accident also did not survive, pursuing litigation could be difficult. Survivors and victims' families could seek compensation from the man's estate for what was undoubtedly a life-changing event.
Source: Huffington Post, "Georgia Car Crash Kills 5: Police Suspect Willie Hooks Drank Alcohol Before Accident In LaGrange," Feb. 9, 2013
]]>Georgia State Patrol troopers determined that the 18-year-old woman suddenly crossed over the centerline in her truck, striking the other vehicle head on. The victim in the accident was partially ejected from her vehicle, sustaining life-ending injuries.
]]> Some reports from the witnesses in court recalled the 18-year-old woman's breath smelling of alcohol when they arrived. They also recall the woman acting very emotional.One of the first responders found the woman trapped inside her own truck when they arrived on the scene. The woman was crying and instructed the EMS worker to help the other victims in the crash and let her die. Emergency crews had to use the Jaws of Life in order to get the woman out of her truck, but she did not sustain any serious injuries.
The woman was unsure of what had happened and could not even recall if she was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. She did admit to police that she was at a party drinking a strong form of malt liquor leading up to the crash. A blood alcohol test administered to the woman revealed that she had a blood alcohol content of .102.
Media reports did not provide a clear picture on the status of any pending criminal trial concerning the woman, but the family of the victim would be within their rights to file civil charges. They could seek compensation for the loss of their loved one from the negligent driver.
Source: CovNews.com, "Details emerge in Crowe fatality wreck," Amber Pittman, Feb. 2, 2013
]]>Police believe the man, who is a resident of DeKalb County, drove 15 miles while drunk. During this reckless journey, the man struck many cars before sparking a fatal accident and then crashing his Ford F-250 pick-up truck into a restaurant. As often happens in drunk driving accidents, there were multiple victims. The man does not have a criminal history, but now faces a long list of charges for his behavior that fateful night. He is being held in a county jail without bond until his preliminary hearing.
]]> Police received 911 calls from numerous motorists as the man embarked on his destructive drive, which spanned throughout DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Reports of the incident stated that the man hit over 12 cars along the way.Dispatchers received their first call from a Decatur man who was waiting at a red light at I-285 and Covington Highway in his Nissan 350Z. The alleged drunk driver struck him from behind and tried to take off. However, traffic blocked the man in, so he got out of his vehicle and tried to give the Decatur man money, presumably for the damage he caused.
Police were unable to stop the man before it was too late. He crashed into the back of a car at U.S. 78 and Walton Court. The impact of the crash pushed the car underneath a truck. A 69-year-old woman from Loganville died as a result of her injuries. She was a passenger in the vehicle. The 51-year-old behind the wheel was also brought to the hospital with serious injuries.
The man's journey came to an end when he collided with a restaurant, causing some damage to the structure. The suspected drunk driver was brought in for medical treatment, but did not suffer serious injuries.
Many individuals were unfortunate victims of this man's bad decisions. One family even lost a loved one. Anyone negatively affected by the accident can pursue damages through a civil lawsuit. Money earned in civil court can go toward medical bills or be considered punitive damages for pain and suffering.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "'I do whatever I want,' alleged drunk driver told a victim, police say," Alexis Stevens, Jan. 24, 2013
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