Sunday, December 11, 2011

Yaz News for Savannah and South Georgia for December 2011

English: Logo of the .Image via Wikipedia
After hours of circular debate about the safety of this family of oral contraceptives, 15 of the FDA's 26 expert advisors voted that the benefits of these birth control pills outweigh the risk of dangerous blood clots.
But that's no tub-thumping victory for Bayer. It created this family of contraceptives, which now includes Beyaz and Safyral. They contain a hormone called drospirenonethat's found in none of the other two dozen or so birth control pills available to American women.
And many who voted in favor of Bayer's drugs expressed serious reservations because of the risks. "I voted yes, but it was a difficult vote," said Sean Hennessy of the University of Pennsylvania. "I think the drug probably ought to be rarely used."

Underscoring those doubts, 21 of the 26 panelists voted for strengthening the warnings on labels of Bayer's contraceptives to reflect the findings of seven studies that the company's team had spent much of the day trying to discredit.
One of the seven was a 835,000-woman study commissioned by the FDA; it found about a two-fold increase in blood clots for Bayer's pills compared to competitors' products.
Nobody's completely satisfied with the quality of the evidence on the safety of Bayer's contraceptives containing drospirenone.
But many pointed out that the studies Bayer relies on most to argue for the drugs' safety were paid for by the company. Bayer makes a bundle on its contraceptives, although U.S. sales have fallen sharply since doubts began to be raised in 2009.

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Savannah Attorney makes his case to the City

SavannahImage by bjepson via Flickr
Attorney Howard Spiva was supposed to be speaking to City Council at a Thursday morning workshop about whether the city was failing to properly trim and maintain trees and whether that was putting the city at risk for increased injury claims.
Spiva represents Shanta Greene, 29, who filed a claim against the city after she lost her right leg and suffered other crushing injuries in July 2010. A massive tree branch fell and impaled her in the passenger side of a pickup as it headed along Bee Road at 42nd Street. Spiva began his presentation showing television coverage of the accident and her recovery.
“Once I saw the outline, I knew I had been bamboozled,” Johnson said. “What we got was a full-fledged court presentation ... designed to sensationalize the injury and invoke sympathy. I hope that I have not jeopardized the city’s position.”
Spiva says he told city officials from the beginning he wanted to talk about an injury claim. He asked council to direct its attorney and Risk Management staff to negotiate a settlement rather than risk losing a jury verdict that could cost the city substantially more.
Greene has had more than 40 surgeries. Spiva said she has incurred more than $760,000 in medical expenses and seeks at least $2 million more for future medical costs and loss of income. The city has denied her claim.
“Either meet to mediate,” Spiva said, “or we file suit and the war begins.”
When Greene later was wheeled into the room, council members were clearly uncertain about whether to acknowledge her. Alderwoman Mary Osborne shook Greene’s hand and spoke to her, and others eventually mumbled condolences. Johnson turned away in his chair, which, Greene said, offended her.
“I went in there as the victim” she said. “I felt like the enemy. (The mayor) just turned around like I was nothing. And I voted for him.”
With cameras trained on him while asked about it later, Johnson was dignified, but clearly angered by the implication he had no sympathy for Greene.
“Of course I feel sympathy for her,” he snapped. “She has suffered a catastrophic injury that has changed her life forever. The conflict I felt was how do I express sympathy for her while still maintaining responsibility for this city and its purse strings?”
Johnson tried to call a halt about halfway through Spiva’s presentation, saying he wanted to seek an opinion from City Attorney James Blackburn. The presentation was far different than he anticipated, he said.
On Blackburn’s advice, and with Spiva demanding the right to continue, Johnson allowed the last part of Spiva’s presentation. In it, Spiva showed city records that he says proves the city had prior knowledge of the rot and damage to the tree. City records also show, he said, the city had been called out previously to deal with rotting limbs from the tree.

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Friday, November 18, 2011

Cooper Lens and Avaira Lens Recall Georgia and Florida

Nearly 5 million contact lenses shipped to consumers are being recalled by CooperVision Inc. in an expanded action that includes a second Avaira brand that may be contaminated with silicone oil residue and linked to blurred vision, eye injuries and severe pain.
CooperVision Inc. officials on Tuesday added Avaira Sphere contact lenses to an August recall of Avaira Toric lenses because certain lots failed to meet quality standards because of the oil residue, according to a press release from the company’s Pleasanton, Calif., office. Denise Powell, a company spokeswoman, said the line produced 6.6 million Avaira Sphere lenses affected by the recall, but 4.9 million were actually shipped.
The move comes after the federal Food and Drug Administration issued a Class I warning about the products and pressured the company last month to increase public notice about the recall of nearly 780,000 Avaira Toric lenses. Class I recalls are the most serious kind and involve problems in which there is a reasonable chance of serious adverse health consequences or death.
As of late October, the FDA had received at least 40 reports of problems associated with various CooperVision contact lenses, agency records show. At least 15 mentioned Avaira Toric and at least two mentioned Avaira Sphere, according to data shared by Phyllis Entis, who maintains the eFoodAlert blog. An FDA official was not available to discuss the new recall Tuesday.
Dozens of Avaira Toric users reported problems ranging from hazy vision and pain to severe injuries, including torn corneas, which required emergency medical treatment. Company officials were accused of issuing a “stealth recall” in August that left many consumers unaware of the problem.
Company officials noted that no product lines other than Avaira Toric and Avaira Sphere use silicone oil to manufacture the products. The firm expects to set aside a reserve of $9 million for the costs of the expanded recall. All told, the company expects to spend $23.2 million on the Avaira recalls, according to the press release.
Consumers with problems or questions related to the recalls should contact the company at 1-855-526-6737. The firm says it has reached out to affected consumers to ensure their safety.
Defective Contact Lens Lawsuit
If you or a loved one have suffered or been injured by defective CooperVision Avaira Contact Lenses you may be entitled to compensation and justice. Call Us 404-451-7781

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Savannah TVM Mesh Information; Lawyer

Last week I  wrote about the recent FDA report regarding TVM failures. Here is the information that has been available in 2008:



Dear Healthcare Practitioner:
This is to alert you to complications associated with transvaginal placement of surgical mesh to treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). Although rare, these complications can have serious consequences. Following is information regarding the adverse events that have been reported to the FDA and recommendations to reduce the risks.


Nature of the Problem

Over the past three years, FDA has received over 1,000 reports from nine surgical mesh manufacturers of complications that were associated with surgical mesh devices used to repair POP and SUI. These mesh devices are usually placed transvaginally utilizing tools for minimally invasive placement.

The most frequent complications included erosion through vaginal epithelium, infection, pain, urinary problems, and recurrence of prolapse and/or incontinence. There were also reports of bowel, bladder, and blood vessel perforation during insertion. In some cases, vaginal scarring and mesh erosion led to a significant decrease in patient quality of life due to discomfort and pain, including dyspareunia.

Treatment of the various types of complications included additional surgical procedures (some of them to remove the mesh), IV therapy, blood transfusions, and drainage of hematomas or abscesses.

Specific characteristics of patients at increased risk for complications have not been determined. Contributing factors may include the overall health of the patient, the mesh material, the size and shape of the mesh, the surgical technique used, concomitant procedures undertaken (e.g. hysterectomy), and possibly estrogen status.


Recommendations
Physicians should:
  • Obtain specialized training for each mesh placement technique, and be aware of its risks.
  • Be vigilant for potential adverse events from the mesh, especially erosion and infection.
  • Watch for complications associated with the tools used in transvaginal placement, especially bowel, bladder and blood vessel perforations.
  • Inform patients that implantation of surgical mesh is permanent, and that some complications associated with the implanted mesh may require additional surgery that may or may not correct the complication.
  • Inform patients about the potential for serious complications and their effect on quality of life, including pain during sexual intercourse, scarring, and narrowing of the vaginal wall (in POP repair).
  • Provide patients with a written copy of the patient labeling from the surgical mesh manufacturer, if available.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Savannah: Transvaginal Mesh Patch Failure

Transvaginal Mesh Patch Failure

A July 2011 FDA alert warns of serious complications associated with transvaginal mesh patches when implanted to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The FDA has received more than 3,800 reports of adverse effects caused by the surgical mesh or during implantation of the patch.
According to the FDA, significant complications resulting from transvaginal mesh patches are not rare and commonly include serious issues such as:

  • Erosion of the vaginal tissue
  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Pain
  • Urinary problems such as incontinence
  • Pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
  • Organ perforation (puncturing) from surgical tools during mesh implantation
Less frequent problems included
  • Return of POP
  • Neuro-muscular problems
  • Vaginal scarring/shrinkage
  • Emotional problems

FDA Alerts and Research Find Transvaginal Patches Unsafe

2011 FDA Alert – Serious and painful complications are associated with the transvaginal placement of surgical mesh, and their occurrence is not rare. FDA also finds the risky surgical mesh treatment of POP to be no more effective than traditional treatment.

2011 Study Published – The New England Journal of Medicine published research showing an increased risk of complications associated with transvaginal mesh implants. Compared to colporrhaphy, a traditional treatment of POP, surgical mesh had a higher risk of defect including:
  • 7 times the risk of bladder perforation
  • Nearly twice the risk of urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control)
  • 3.2 percent of women required follow-up surgery to correct problems
2008 to 2010 – FDA received 2,874 more reports of adverse complications linked to transvaginal mesh repair of POP and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This brings the total adverse reports to over 3,800.

2010 Study Published – A study featured in the Obstetrics & Gynecology journal had to be terminated due to the extent of injuries to participants who received the transvaginal mesh patch. Of the women who were treated with the surgical mesh, 15 percent experienced erosions, and other complications included two cystotomies (bladder incision) and one blood transfusion.

2005 to 2008 – FDA received more than 1,000 reports from nine surgical mesh manufacturers about complications related to the device and its treatment of POP and SUI.
Over 200 Lawsuits Filed Already
More than 200 women across the United States have filed lawsuits against three of the makers of transvaginal mesh patches:
  • C.R. Bard
  • Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon
  • American Medical Systems
Complications have been reported for several other manufacturers of surgical mesh as well including:
  • Boston Scientific Scimmed
  • Sofradim
  • Caldera
  • Mentor Corporation
What Should You Do?

If you have suffered complications due to the implantation of a transvaginal patch to treat POP, you are not alone, and you have a right to compensation. By filing a claim against the surgical mesh manufacturer, you could receive compensation for medical costs, other financial burdens and the pain and suffering caused by this defective medical device. You will also send a clear message to the manufacturer that it is unacceptable to sell medical devices that harm innocent people.

Savannah Bicycle Accident News for July, 2011

Savannah’s bicycling faithful say they hope a new state law requiring motorists to be more careful will help curb accidents, but they acknowledge the driving habits of their fellow cyclists also pose a hurdle to minimizing the number of mishaps.

Reports of accidents between motorists and cyclists in 2009 and 2010 fault bicyclists about 48 percent of the time and motorists about 39 percent of the time. The rest of the time there’s either no fault assigned to either or both are blamed.

Those are numbers determined by outside groups that pore over police reports every year and often assign blame to a cyclist even after an officer faulted the motorist, said Sean Brandon, Savannah’s director of mobility and parking services.

Source: http://savannahnow.com/news/2011-07-18/savannahs-cyclists-motorists-both-take-accident-blame#.TihXkGFi_Lk 

One killed, one hurt in Savannah crash

Savannah-Chatham police are investigating the head-on collision of two SUVs on Shipyard Road Tuesday night that left one man dead and a second injured.

Charles Rockett, 31, of the 400 block of Hunt Drive, was pronounced dead at Memorial University Medical Center after the 2002 Acura MDX he was driving southbound on Shipyard Road crossed the centerline and collided with a 1999 Lexus LX470, said Julian Miller, police spokesman.

John Rathbun, 59, of the 400 block of Moon River Court, who was driving the Lexus, also was transported to Memorial for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2011-07-20/one-killed-one-hurt-savannah-crash#.TihXMmFi_Lk

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Do PI Lawyers Know something about Social Media (Twitter) that other Attorneys Don't?

Image representing Twitter as depicted in Crun...Image via CrunchBaseI'm a lawyer who works for injured consumers. 100% of my practice is devoted to work on the Plaintiff's side of the aisle.

Last week I attended the annual convention for the American Association for Justice, which was held in New York for a nearly one week period. The lineup? More than 2,000 lawyers. Bill Clinton speaking at one event. Quite literally a 100+ seminars, meetings, sessions, and networking events. A huge vendor area.

Now, if you are a social marketing "guru" touting twitter as the be-all, end-all for success for attorneys to gain clients, "leverage" yourself and all those other BS jargon terms, you'd guess that AAJ New York was fertile ground for tweets, tweet ups (almost impromptu meetings  between attorneys), and "twitpics" (pix taken around town with the ever present AAJ lanyard front and center on your chest).
 You'd be wrong.

No Twitter. Yes, you read that right. Go to Twitter.com and search for #AAJ. Not "AAJ" because that has a different meaning in the far off middle east.

What do you find? Zilch. A handful of tweets by a vendor or two, maybe a smattering of "just got to NYC" tweets.

The AAJ Convention had a multitude of events, not just seminars. Lawyers were spread across two massive hotels. To me it seemed like just about every hotel bar and restaurant was filled to capacity with attorneys during meal hours and after the CLE events ended. There were after hours events, invite only shindigs, and general meetings for candidates for office. Twitter as a means to convey information of meetups? MIA. 



Why? I know why. I've known "why" for some time. At least as to personal injury attorneys, they have seen first hand that not many of us drink the Kool-Aid when it comes to Twitter allegedly making the phone ring and the caseload increase. It doesn't. Is Twitter a waste of time then? For PI attorneys, the proof is there - if you base it on usage. Twitter simply does not work for PI Attorneys. And by work, I mean - making the phone ring, making a firm web page work, increasing a caseload.

So what has been realized perhaps by those attorneys who attended was simply this - in the arena of personal injury litigation, nothing beats in person, real life networking. Number one on the list at any AAJ convention is doing what comes naturally to many successful injury lawyers - shaking hands, listening to and telling stories, and connecting. In person. 

I know what some of you are thinking - PI attorneys must be Neanderthals! Nope. PI attorneys have long been on the cutting edge of technology in many areas. Attorneys like me have learned Google and adwords. I (and others) have learned that the quality of a good website or blog will work wonders on your practice. Private lists for groups of lawyers are fertile areas for connections, work sharing, and even gossip.

PI attorneys have been early adopters of products in the courtroom, for motion practice, depositions, site inspections, and client management. PI attorneys use voice recognition software, SMS texting systems for certain segments of their clientele, and have long ago mastered YouTube.com.

Twitter simply is not there yet for attorneys in personal injury practices, and the AAJ convention is Composite Exhibit A. Twitter added zero value to AAJ. Information was still shared mind you among the 2,000 attorneys.



If an attorney insists on jumping in to the very large and for the most part undefined "social media" arena, I suggest that you start at ground zero. Look at your website. Update it. Make it rise to at least page two on google.com for search results. Then, work on making a blog that is worthwhile. To me a blog is the best tool by far for your firm. We have three blogs and I'm very happy with each.  Next, if you must jump in to Facebook. LEARN GOOGLE ADWORDS. You don't trust your closing argument to your receptionist do you? I've gone through google's adwords certification.Then and only then do you try Twitter.  

So - you ask - what are you doing on it?  For me, the Twitter account I use allows me to publicize my blogs by simply using Twitter Feed. In my niches my firm follows FDA related news, so the near instant access to news helps me. Lawyers, industry professionals, and reporters who are in the area of unsafe pharma products and supplements are worth following.  I enjoy reading news information from my home state of Florida through another twitter account (my main account is @ageorgialawyer).

My unsolicited advice to personal injury attorneys and even the Plaintiffs' bar - those who think Twitter is an essential part of your tool kit for marketing is this: It's not. It may never be. Anyone who suggests it is, hey that is great. Just don't pay for someone to help you with Twitter.

Don't expect Twitter to even be on the radar screen at smaller TLA groups in some states. Because the most basic was to 'have a conversation' is to do just that - but in person.



 
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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Recall Round up for June 2011

Been a busy month for the CPSC. Here is what has been recalled this month:


Name of Product: Portable Generator Battery

Units: About 2,500

Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Co. of Torrance, Calif.

Hazard: The hazard labels attached to the batteries used on the generators are printed in Japanese instead of English. As a result, consumers handling the battery may not be able to adequately avoid risks associated with the batteries.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported
 
Description: Only portable generator model numbers EM4000SX, EM5000SXK3 and EM6500SXK2 with hazard labels printed in Japanese are affected. The word Honda and the model numbers are located on the side of the generator. The battery is located above the wheel. The model number and serial numbers are located on the generator frame.


Quality Bicycle Products Recalls Civia Bicycle Racks Due to Fall Hazard: Link


Britax Recalls B-Nimble Strollers Due to Risk of Brake Failure: Link

June 24, 2011: Napa Home & Garden (Based in GA) Fire Gel Recall News

Seal of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.Image via WikipediaOn June 14, the CPSC issued a warning about firepots following two burn accidents in New York.
Here is the statement from the website that day:


CPSC staff initiated an investigation last week into serious burn incidents apparently related to gel fuel used in firepots. While CPSC’s investigation is still open and active, consumers should be aware of the burn and poisoning hazards that can occur from using illuminating fuels in firepots, tiki torches, and other consumer products. CPSC staff recommends that consumers never refuel a hot product as this can create a serious situation of the fuel splattering and burning those nearby. Adding fuel to an open-flame is a potentially hazardous activity, with a risk of burns and uncontrolled fires. It is important to follow proper safety guidelines when refueling any open-flame device. CPSC staff recommends that consumers first look for flames, then cautiously feel the vicinity of the flame, as some flames are difficult to see. Only add fuel when the flames are extinguished and the container is cool to the touch. Never pour fuel over an open flame.

Consumers should keep the fuel out of the reach of young children and when not in use, store it away from children. Always securely replace the child resistant cap after use. Most illuminating fuels are sold in special child-resistant packaging because they generally consist of petroleum distillates, a specific class of hydrocarbon chemicals. This class of chemicals is particularly hazardous if ingested and aspirated into the lungs, where it can cause chemical pneumonia, pulmonary edema, or death. Illuminating fuels should never be transferred to other containers, as young children may mistake the new container with containers of common drink items.

From the CPSC site:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Pourable NAPAfire and FIREGEL Gel Fuel bottles and jugs
Units: About 460,000 bottles and jugs
Distributor: Napa Home & Garden, of Duluth, Ga.
Hazard: The pourable gel fuel can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when it is poured into a firepot that is still burning. This hazard can occur if the consumer does not see the flame or is not aware that the firepot is still ignited. Fuel gel that splatters and ignites can pose fire and burn risks to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Napa is aware of 37 reports of incidents, including 23 burn injuries to consumers.

Description: The product is a clear, pourable gel fuel packaged in clear one-quart plastic bottles and one-gallon plastic jugs and sold in non-scented and citronella scents. The fuel is poured into a stainless steel cup in the center of firepots or other decorative lighting devices and ignited.

Sold at: Bed Bath & Beyond, Shopko, Restoration Hardware, specialty and gift shops, furniture stores, and home and garden stores nationwide, as well as through Amazon.com, home and garden catalogs, and home decorators and landscape architects between December 2009 and June 2011 for between $5 and $78.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the pourable gel fuel in firepots and return all bottles or jugs to the retailer where the consumer purchased the fuel for a full refund. A retrofit for the Napa brand firepots is being evaluated and may be available in the near future.

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Monday, June 6, 2011

Southeast Georgia: Birth Defect Link to Antidepressants?

antidepressants. Several studies from 2005 show that antidepressant drugs like Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Lexapro, Pristiq and Prozac doubled the risk of cardiac birth defects. Mothers who have taken antidepressant drugs during pregnancy have reported these devastating medical problems:
  • Cardiac (heart) defects
  • PPHN (Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn)
  • Neural tube defects (brain and spinal cord)
  • Craniosynostosis (skull defect)
  • Infant omphalocele (abdominal wall defects)
  • Clubfoot (one or both feet turn downward and inward)
  • Anal atresia
  • Cleft lip and cleft palate
  • Limb Defects
Taking antidepressants such as Zoloft, in the early stages of pregnancy may alter development of the fetus, a new study indicates. This study will be published September 25 in the online British Medical Journal.
Many woman take antidepressants during pregnancy with no effect, but Zoloft, among others, may double the risk of a heart defect if taken early in the pregnancy, finds this study out of Aarhus University, Denmark, which looked at nearly half a million children born there between 1996 and 2003.
For the purposes of this study, early pregnancy was defined as 28 days before conception to 112 days after conception. The heart defect was very specific. It is in a piece of tissue that separates areas of the heart.
Zoloft increased the risk, as did Prozac and Celexa.  So did using more than one antidepressant at a time reports Reuters. Zoloft more than tripled the risk, while Celexa more than doubled the risk.
Translating that into births – for every 250 women who do not take antidepressants during pregnancy, expect one infant to be born with the defect. That number increases to two infants for every SSRI taken, and four infants for mothers taking more than one.
SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors taken during pregnancy have also been connected with birth defects and heart defects in other studies.
As far back as 2007 there have been studies on these types of medications:
One study of nearly 10,000 infants born with birth defects and nearly 6,000 healthy infants found that women who took sertraline (Zoloft) in the first few months of pregnancy had twice the risk of having a baby born with a heart defect, while those on paroxetine (Paxil) had more than three times the risk. Paxil also increased the risk of a rare hernia called an omphalocele. But this doesn’t mean antidepressants are unsafe: The heart defects seen in the study normally occur in 5 out of 10,000 babies, so a doubling of the risk means they occur in 10 in 10,000 and a tripling in 15 in 10,000—thus, a baby’s risk is still far less than 1 percent.
Talk to us if you’re worried that your child may have been harmed while you were taking any of these medications. We’re not just lawyers, we are parents – fathers, uncles, cousins. The call is free and confidential.
404-451-7781

Friday, February 4, 2011

Will the Power of Twitter find Atlanta Youth Soccer Teams a Sponsor?

Our firm is on Twitter and other sites. It's good to gather news, read about breaking litigation, and recent caselaw.

Now it's time to see if we have success with something else. I'm a volunteer overseeing youth soccer in metro Atlanta. A 2nd season group of teams for a school seeks a sponsor for the 12 + teams which the school will field. The teams will play eight games, four home and four away. The field locations are at other Atlanta private schools, where parents are upper end wage earners.

The color, and the shirt:


We are seeking sponsors, and hope to raise up to $5,000. So, what does sponsorship get your company or business?

$5000 - Company/business is the only logo or artwork on 120 youth jerseys. We list you as a Gold Level sponsor on all  emails, flyers, and communications. You also are prominently displayed on our website. At season end, we again send out information to the families with children enrolled at the school.

At this level, we also name our field after your company/business. You'd have exposure to more than 500 families each season, along with another 250 students/families at the school grounds.

For about $10 a family, your company gains almost 20 hours of exposure for each family.
 
$1,000 - If there isn't a $5K sole sponsor, sponsorship at this level puts you as our sponsors on the jersey above (sleeves or back of jersey). Your company also  gets a logo/sponsor graphic on our site, and we send out one promo piece to all parents of team members.

We seek up to 5 total at this level.

 At this level,  we prominently list your company/business on our field signage.

Your company has a chance to be in front of high end wage earning families for 10 weeks on the jerseys, and     you are in front of families on our web site and our field.

Interested? All of the sponsor monies go directly to jerseys and field maintenance. No monies go to administration.

Reach us at: galawyerblog(at)yahoo.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

When Roads Are Icy, Do "Accidents Happen" or is there Negligence?

A post on twitter asks that question - or more precisely - do juries find liability.

In the South where icy conditions are not as rare as you think, that depends. The first reaction here in my office is - a wreck in icy conditions with injuries is often attributable to conditions. Some questions come to mind:

1)Get details of the wreck in excruciating detail. GA is a 50%+ state on negligence. If a person calls b/c of a wreck with injuries we talk about how long the person knew of and drove on the icy road. If the person is from a warm weather state, new to the city, or if the person was speeding, or on the phone, or late to work, or you get that sense that something isn't right, you get to 50% negligence here in a hurry. And 50% means zero recovery,  and a denied claim. We work way too hard on cases with merit to get bogged down in cases with denials.

Second, we look to all circumstances.

Was the person driving a car or SUV with four wheel drive; was the road an interstate with patches of ice in the hammer lane, or a state road, or a county road. In that order you usually see a high degree of clearing., some clearing of ice, and no clearing of any.

What were the conditions. We had in Atlanta 3 days of sun while the roads were a total mess.  To be candid, anyone with any sense should have stayed home, and that is what a jury will think if the case gets that far.

For us, we'd consider talking to someone if perhaps the person was at a stop, and a vehicle barrelled into him/her, causing extensive property damage. Again, facts to consider - abrupt stop? other cars pulled over?

2)Gather information from various sites about the weather details the date of the incident. Did the wreck happen after sundown, black ice, with forecast of ice and snow? Was the wreck two days later after snow melt and refreeze? NOAA and other sites will explain the conditions.

Educate yourself on the road where the incident happened: I285 in Atlanta was for the most part problem free after day 3. When a wreck occurred, I can almost predict it was driver error (speeding, lane changes). One road was, however, nearly impassable and I'd want to investigate to make  sure the condition was as stated.

3)From a fault standpoint- My gut feeling is that if the incident happened on a road that most knew was tough to drive on, or nearly impassable we decide we can't help. If it's day 2 or 3, clear  skies, no obstructions, we talk a bit more.

All of this of course presumes some serious injury happens.

4)Next: The reality is that insurance companies have been dealing with risk like this for more than 50 years. If the claim is questionable, it either won't get paid at all, or a minimal offer is made. In my experience, a real case of wrong doing never sees a lawsuit filing, much less jury selection.

If you agree or disagree, let me know.