Valdosta Georgia Personal Injury Blog

5 tips for driving safely around semi-trucks

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

Semi-trucks – also known as big rigs, tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers – are a vital part of our economic infrastructure. These giants can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, they move over 71 percent of the nation’s freight and they drive a combined 181.5 billion miles a year.

But semi-trucks can also be dangerous. Large-truck crashes account for 11 percent of all roadway fatalities, and 68 percent of the people killed in those fatal crashes were occupants of passenger vehicles, not truckers. Driving around large trucks isn't dangerous if you keep some safety tips in mind.

Liability for truck accidents and protections for victims

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in truck accidents on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

Legal protections are available to truck accident victims to help them receive the help they need when they have been harmed in a truck accident. Truck accidents can cause serious injuries and damages to victims which is why it is important for them to be familiar with the legal resources and remedies available.

When a negligent truck driver or trucking company has caused a truck accident, a legal claim for damages can help truck accident victims recover compensation for their physical, financial and emotional damages unexpectedly suffered in a truck accident. Liability for truck accidents is based on negligence and also on the relationship between the truck driver and the trucking company. Depending on the employment relationship, either or both may be liable to help victims with the damages suffered.

Help for victims of distracted drivers

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in distracted driving on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

Distracted driving can cause serious and deadly accidents in Georgia, which is why victims of distracted driving accidents should be familiar with the legal resources available to help them when they are harmed. Distracted driving is dangerous behavior that can be considered negligent behavior that distracted drivers may be liable for.

Distracted drivers may be liable to compensate victims for the physical, financial and emotional damages they have caused them in a distracted driving accident. The consequences of distracted driving accidents are real. In the United States, 9 victims are killed and 1,000 are injured each day in distracted driving-related car accidents. Victims of distracted drivers may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering damages from the driver responsible for their crash.

Protecting motorcycle riders on and off the road

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in car accidents on Friday, May 10, 2019.

This blog recently discussed the types of damages that may be available to victims of car accidents. These damages may also be available to motorcycle accident victims and their families to help them with the damages they suffered as a result of a motorcycle accident.

During May, which is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, drivers should consider how they can do their part to keep motorcycle riders safe on the roadways. Drivers can begin by paying extra close attention for motorcycle riders on the weekend when more of them are out and about on the roadways and especially as the weather is improving. It is also important to give motorcycle riders the space they need in their lane, to maneuver and to safely handle their motorcycle especially on uneven roadway surfaces.

What types of damages are available after a car accident?

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, April 25, 2019.

Following a car accident, victims injured in that car accident may wonder what resources are available to help them with the damages they have suffered. The answer is that there are a variety of different types of personal injury damages that may be available to victims injured in a car accident.

Car accidents can cause devastating injuries to victims that they may need help with. They may need medical treatment and time away from work to recover. This can lead to mounting medical bills while victims are unable to work to pay for the damages they have suffered. That's when personal injury legal protections can step in to help injured victims recover compensation for their damages from a negligent driver responsible for the damages they have suffered.

Protecting your child in event of a car accident

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

You would never knowingly put your child in harm’s way and never want to imagine them involved in a car accident. Yet, young children are involved in motor vehicle accidents every day. Car seats are a basic safety system to protect your child should an accident occur.

By now, you might think every parent has their child in a proper seat. That isn’t the case. Nearly 142,000 seatbelt and car seat violations in 2017.

Ways the legal process protects truck accident victims

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in truck accidents on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

An unexpected collision with a semi-truck in Georgia can be terrifying and overwhelming for victims and their families. Commercial trucks are so much larger than the vehicles that they share the road with that an accident with one of them can result in catastrophic injuries and consequences to truck accident victims.

There are several different types of problems that a commercial truck poses on the roadways, which can spell danger for other drivers of passenger vehicles and motorcycles. The consequences of a truck accident can include debilitating and devastating injuries including traumatic brain injuries; spinal cord injuries and potential paralysis; internal injuries; and broken bones.

Legal protections for accident victims with soft tissue injuries

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

Car accident victims left with soft tissue injuries may need help with their injuries and the impact of those injuries on their lives. Soft tissue injuries can be debilitating, worsen over time and require ongoing treatment and care which is costly.

Soft tissue injuries refer to injuries to the soft areas of the body including muscles, tendons and ligaments. The most common type of soft tissue injury is a whiplash injury but other types of soft tissue injuries include sprains, strains and bruising. Whiplash injuries occur when the victim's head is violently jolted back and forth which is not uncommon in car accidents. Car accident victims struggling with a soft tissue injury may be experiencing and trying to cope with soreness, swelling, bruising and stiffness.

Distracted driving convictions increase in Georgia

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in distracted driving on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

Distracted driving is a danger on Georgia's roadways. From 2017 to 2018 distracted driving convictions in Georgia greater than doubled. During that time period, distracted driving convictions increased by nearly 11,000 convictions. The hands-free driving law in Georgia that went into effect last year is not limited to texting while driving. The distracted driving law now extends to prohibit drivers from holding a cell phone in their hands while driving or having a cell phone touching any part of their body while driving.

Several Georgia counties in the northern part of the state and in the northeast account for the top number of distracted driving convictions in the state. The new distracted driving law is the result of a growing concern regarding distracted driving-related injuries, deaths and car accidents. Victims of distracted drivers have legal recourse to pursue a claim for damages against a negligent or distracted driver if they have been harmed in a car accident.

What timelines should I be aware of following my car accident?

On behalf of Sam Dennis Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Victims of car accidents usually have so many questions following an unexpected car accident. They may wonder what they will do about their injuries and what they will do while they are unable to work as they struggle to recover from their injuries.

One of the most important questions injured victims may have following an unexpected car accident includes those related to timelines that come up associated with a car accident. Timelines that car accident victims never thought of before may become important following a car accident. Car accident victims should be familiar with timelines associated with promptly reporting the car accident and ensuring that it is documented in a police report.