Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Personal Injury News: "MyKey" Is New Technology Designed To Protect Teenage Drivers

2009-09-08T14:33:44Z

Ford will put a safety feature on many of their new cars called "MyKey". Since Attorney Richard Griffin has spent his entire professional legal career handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security disability claims, he is always interested in any new safety features on automobiles. Since Attorney Richard Griffin is proud father of four daughters, he understands that there is nothing more important than protecting your loved ones from being injured or killed.

It is astonishing to think about how many car wrecks occur each year in Georgia and throughout the U.S. Some of the mind boggling statistics about car accidents are:

(1) In 2006 there were 500,000 DUI related car wrecks in the U.S.
(2) In 2006, 17,000 innocent drivers died in those 500,000 DUI related car wrecks.
(3) In 2006 there were 392 deaths caused by DUI related car wrecks in Georgia.
(4) In 2007 there were 2,575,000 car wrecks that occurred in the U.S.
(5) In 2007 42,000 people lost their lives in those 2,575,000 car wrecks.
(6) Over 55% of the fatalities involved drivers or passengers not wearing seat belts.
(7) Tragicly, DUI related accidents increased in 2007 to 17,600 throughout the U.S.

Clearing driving in Atlanta, Georgia or throughout Georgia, can be dangerous even for drivers who are alert and safety minded. However, when you think about inexperienced teenage drivers behind the wheel, the risk of car wrecks increases even more. This is why Attorney Richard Griffin is very excited about the new “MyKey” feature that Ford will feature on many of Ford's new cars being released. “MyKey” is a new technology designed to help parents control some of their teen drivers’ behaviors in an attempt to keep them safe.

Andrew Sarkisian, the safety manager at Ford, was recently quoted in a USA Today article as saying, “We wanted to find a way for parents to virtually be in the car with their teens, like they’re sitting in the passenger seat coaching them along.” Attorney Richard Griffin whole hearedly agrees that parents need more tools to help them make sure their teenage drivers are driving safely. Attorney Richard Griffin stated that “teenagers often do not fully appreciate the risk of dangerous behavior which can sometimes lead to tragedies when they are behind the wheel of an automobile. Teenagers often feel invinsible which can result in driving too fast or driving while distracted by cell phones, Ipods, GPS systems, or even just their radios.” The worst worst nightmare for parents would be being informed that their daughter or son involved in a serious car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident. Attorney Richard Griffin knows that no amount of money from a personal injury or wrongful death claims can replace the value of having your loved ones safe and healthy.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a recent study which concluded that
(1) 4,497 young drivers ages 16 to 20 died in car accidents” in 2008.
(2) The leading cause of death for drivers who are ages 16 to 20 is car wrecks.
(3) Teenagers make up 10% of the total drivers, but they account for 12% of car fatalities.

So what does MyKey do to help parents protect their teenage drivers?

(1) Parents can limit the maximum speed their teenage drivers can drive to 80 mph.
(2) Parents can set chimes to warn their teenagers when the speed increases to 45 mph, 55 mph and 65 mph.
(3) Parents can set a chime if their teenage driver has not buckled their seatbelt
(4) Parents can have the audio system disabled until the teenage driver buckles their seat belt.
(5) Parents can limit the maximum volume on the radio.
(6) Parents can keep track of their teen driver's mileage
(7) Parents can set the low fuel warnings to warn at an earlier fuel level.

The driving statistics clearly show that teenage drivers are at the greatest risk of having a car wreck the first year of they are driving. Since nothing is more important than keeping our children safe, Attorney Richard Griffin believes that many parents may choose Ford cars with MyKey over other cars just for this safety feature alone.

The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. (Attorney Richard Griffin's law firm) has handled thousands of personal injury and wrongful death claims with incredible results. To read more about how happy our personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security clients have been with our legal representation click on the following link: [Client Testimonials].

If someone else's negligent driving has caused you to be injured in a car wreck, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrial accident, then call our experienced attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. today for a free consultation.

Call our personal injury lawyers and wrongful death lawyers for for a free settlement evaluation at 866-847-6545.

You can also click the following link to submit your personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, or social security disability questions to our experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney’s at the following link: FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION.

Our firm's mission statement is "To protect the rights of injured victims and to maximize the personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security disability recoveries for all of our clients."

Returning Troops Bring Back Dangerous Driving Habits

2009-09-03T16:51:45Z

Anyone who serves in the armed forces to protect our country is a hero in my book. I am thankful for their sacrifice which allows all of us to live in this great country in the land of the free. However, I was amazed by an article I read written by Gregg Zoroya in the USA Today on September 1, 2009. The article pointed out that soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have to drive very aggressively to aoid "ambushes or roadside bombs". The aggressive driving includes "driving fast or , or down the middle of the roadssing through intersections regardless of the signals". Clearly the aggressive driving which is required to protect their lives in a war setting translate in to potential disaster if used in the public roads in Georgia and throughout the United States. Aggressive driving on our public roads is one of the leading causes of car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents. These accidents often cause serious injury or death to the innocent victims of negligent driving. Serious injury or death, in turn, result in personal injury and wrongful death claims. The personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. specialize in handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security claims and use our experience and hard work to maximize our client's recovery so that they recover all that they deserve.

A 2007 University of Minnesota study by Todd Rockwood (a sociologist) and ERica Stern (occupational therapist) concluded that aggressive driving habits by returning soldiers was "automatic and inexcorably linked to a sense of control and safety." The study found that dangerous driving habits often continue even after the soldiers return home and that this "endangers soldiers, their families, and their communities".

Some of the interesting statistics from this study:
(1) 25% of the returning soldiers admitted to driving down the center of the road or running stop signs.
(2) 10% of the returning soldiers admitted that they "drove erratically through an underpass or tunnel".
(3) Much of the dangerous driving diminished or got better after they were driving back at home for more than 90 days.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. concludes that everyone needs to practice safe driving to avoid causing car wrecks. It is my belief that car wrecks, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents are the leading cause of serious injury or death for people under 40. Personal injury claims and wrongful death claims are serious matters that shatter innocent people's lives and the lives of the ones that the victims love the most.

If you or someone you know has a personal injury claim, wrongful death claim, worker's compensation claim, or social security disability claim, you need to call the experience lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. We handle personal injury, wrongful death, social security disability, and worker's compensation claims in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout the state of Georgia.

Call us today at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.injuryatlanta.com.

To find out what your case is worth click this link and submit your case for a free case evaluation. We use the latest jury verdict research along with our experience as seasoned trial lawyers to explain to you exactly what we think your case is worth. This advice is not only useful, but I think it is invaluable to anyone with a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security claim.

Atlanta Personal Injury Law Firm Gets High Praise From Their Clients

2009-08-26T15:48:38Z

When you are looking for a lawyer for your personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim you need someone you can trust. You need a law firm that will work hard for you, that will keep you informed, that are honest, and that will get you great results. You need a law firm that will treat you like family while fighting to make sure you recover all that you deserve.

I have good news for you! The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. is the law firm that you are looking for and need. Our firm can get the full settlement that you are entitled to while providing the customer service deserve. We can prove that our client's love our representation by the client testimonials that they provide. I have listed some of our client's testimonials below:

(1) "The Griffin Law Firm was honest, hard working, and treated me like a trusted friend. We had our day in court and justice was done. I was very pleased with the outcome."
-Leon King, former client 08/21/08

(2) "The Griffin Law Firm handled by claim very professionally. I loved the fact that the staff kept me informed on every aspect of my claim without me having to call multiple times. Hands down, The Griffin Law Firm has the most friendliest staff in Atlanta. I will recommend The Griffin Law Firm to a friend who needs an attorney." Client: N. Walker, 08/30/07

(3) "Amy was very pleasant and resourceful when addressing my case. She always returned my calls promptly. I could not ask for a better case manager. Mr. Griffin provided a one on one session explainging all paperwork and procedures. They're fantastic!" * Would you recommend The Griffin Law Firm to a friend who needed an attorney?
Yes indeed!" Client: T. Jones, 09/14/07

(4) "Mr. Griffin and his staff are great. They helped me in every situation that came up. Everything was handled with care and accurancy. His staff returned all calls and I got calls whenever it was necessary from them. I got what was needed and what was deserved. I would recommend this firm to anyone because Mr. Griffin is great and so is his staff. You could not ask for a better group than Griffin Law Firm. Their great. Thanks for everything."
V. Lewis, 03/06/08

(5) The way they handled every detail in the case and never once did I have to do any foot work myself. All details were taken care of by the Firm."
* Would you recommend The Griffin Law Firm to a friend who needed an attorney?
"Yes". C. Dunlap, 08/31/07

The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. has Atlanta personal injury lawyers, Atlanta worker's compensation lawyers, Atlanta social security disability lawyers, and Atlanta wrongful death lawyers.

For even more Client Testimonials visit our website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com.

We also encourage you to utilize our legal videos that can be found at our Media Center on our website.

Call us today at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.injuryatlanta.com to have your legal questions answered and to have a free settlement evaluation. We are honest, reliable, hard working, and the law firm that will treat you like you are family.

Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Regularly Featured On Autoscoop

2009-07-28T20:55:00Z

Adam Goldfein hosts the T.V. show Autoscoop which is a very popular show on CW Atlanta. Autoscoop has been incredibly helpful by educating their viewers on all aspects of cars. This has traditionally included buying and selling cars, car maintenance, diminished value claims, safety features on cars, and other importan car related issues.

The Autoscoop show has expanded the topics they cover by regularly featuring Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin. Attorney Richard Griffin and his law firm, The Griffin Law firm, P.C. have focused exclusively on helping injured victims be fully compensated for their personal injury claims, wrongful death claims, worker's compensation claims, and social security disability claims.
As the featured "Injury Expert", Atlanta Persoanl Injury Lawyer Richard Griffin has tackled all aspects of personal injury, wrongful death, and worker's compensation claims. As Autoscoop's Injury Expert, Attorney Richard Griffin has been able to explain what it takes to have a great injury claim and how his firm, The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. can be invaluable in making sure that justice is served with fair settlements and verdicts that fully compensate the injured victim.

Another great topic that Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin has covered has been the things to do or not do immediately after an accident. The do's are to call the police, get the witness information, get the insurance information, take photographs (position of the cars, injuries, and property damage), and seek any and all medical treatment you need as soon as possible. Adjusters and their defense attorneys will often argue that any delay in seeking medical treatment or any gaps in care are evidence that you are not really hurt. These arguments are later used to explain the adjuster's low ball offers or to try to convince a jury to return a low verdict.

Atlanta Personal Injury Attorneys At The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have had great success in negotiating or trying injury cases. Our attorneys utilize two different jury verict research services to make sure that we can properly evaluate the value of your claim. A case is worth what a jury awards at the end of a jury trial. The verdict can vary based on the current trends at the time. The particular jurors for each specific case can vary greatly as well. This can make evaluating the actual value of any injury case much harder. Our attorneys have found that Jury verdicts and settlements research helps us best project what the actual value of the case would be if it were tried.

Other important topics that Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Richard Griffin covered has been what damages are provided in personal injury claims and worker's compensation claims. When accidents happend on the job but are caused by the negligence of a third party, then you may even have a personal injury and a worker's compensation claim arising from the same accident. Since there are Statute Of Limitations which can limit the time you have to pursue your personal injury claim, wrongful death claim, or worker's compensation claim, Attorney Richard Griffin warned that you should call us sooner rather than later. Our mission is to maximize your recovery to make sure every one of our clients receives everything they deserve.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. has dedicated his entire professional career of more than 15 years making sure that his clients receive the settlements and verdicts that they deserve. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed due to the negligence of another, then you should call our firm at or visit our website. It costs nothing for us to answer all of your legal questions, and to fully evaluate your claim.

If you or someone you know has been injured, please call The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com. We will be glad to provide you a free case evaluation so that you can know your rights and can even know the projected value of your personal injury claim, wrongful death claim, worker's compensation claim, or social security disability claim.

Innovative Atlanta Persoanl Injury Attorney Uses Jury Verdict Research To Get Higher Settlements

2009-07-28T16:36:21Z

The innovative Atlanta personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have had great success with the use of Jury Verdict Research. The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. uses two separate software programs to conduct these extensive jury verdict and settlement value research. The Jury Verdict research allows our personal injury lawyers to know the settlement and verdict amounts for similar personal injury cases. Cases are ultimately worth what the jury awards at the end of a trial. Jury Verdict research helps us better project what the jury verdict might be for our specific case. Settlement values differ based on the amount of the damages (medical bills and lost wages), the type of injuries involved, the type of treatment required, and the future prognosis. The Future prognosis involves the medical evidence from the doctors which documents if the injuries and the limitations they cause are permanent, and if future medical treatment will be required.

Attorney Richard Griffin stated that "I have found the use of jury verdict research has greatly enhanced the recoveries for my clients. Use of the jury verdict research helps us educate our client's as to the real value of their case. Jury Verdict research also helps our experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorneys to better persuade the adjusters to offer more money. It appears that taking the time and investing the money into jury verdict research has helped increase settlements of many of my cases by as much as 20% or more." This information allows The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. to provide incredibly useful information to our clients so that our clients can make an educated decision as to whether they should settle or litigate their case.

The personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C>. are always striving to provide better and better representation so that our clients will be fully compensated for their personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim. If you would like to know the value of your case, then you should call us or visit our website for a free case evaluation.

Our Personal Injury Attorneys, Wrongful Death Attorneys, Worker's Compensation Attorneys, and Social Security Disability Attorneys encourage you to visit our website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com or call us at 866-847-6545 for a free consultation. Let us tell you what your case is worth and how we can help you get the settlement you deserve.

Cell Phone Drivers May Be More Dangerous Than DUI Drivers

2009-04-28T19:54:13Z

The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have succesfully handled thousands of car wreck injury claims since 1994. A growing trend that our injury attorneys have seen is that drivers using their cell phones are distracted drivers who often cause car wrecks throughout Atlanta, Georgia and throughout our country.

The University Of Utah did a survey in 2006 which compared drivers who were talking on their cell phones to drivers who were driving while consuming alochol to see which was the more dangersou driver. Surprisingly, the cell phone drivers showed a greater impairment in their driving than the DUI drivers in their driving course. The study further found that hands-free cell phone drivers were no better at driving than drivers who held the cell phone to their ears. The DUI drivers were found to drive slower and brake harder than the cell phone drivers. DUI drivers followed closer to the pace car than the cell phone drivers. The most surprising finding was that cell phone drivers were more likley to crash than the DUI drivers. When comparing cell phone drivers to undistracted drivers (drivers not DUI and not on their cell phones), the cell phone drivers were 5.36 times more likely to get into an accident.

Since cell phone drivers create a significantly higher risk of causing car wrecks, it is especially troubling that cell use while driving is so common. In October of 2007 Nationwide Insurance company did a survey which found that 73% of the 1200 drivers surveyed said that they did drive while using their cell phones. Cell phone use amoung the young drivers was the highest. 19% of the drivers surveyed admitted that they even text messaged while driving.

Car wrecks happen every day. In the blink of an eye your life can be turned upside down due to the negligence of another. If you have been injured, we strongly recommend that you contact our personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security disability attorneys as soon as possible. We will answer your legal questions with a free consultation. We also can explain to you what the possible settlement value is of your claim and explain how we can help you obtain the best possible recovery.

Call us today at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. so we can discuss and evaluate your case today.

Uninsured Drivers Are On the Rise Due To Bad Economy

2009-04-28T19:39:50Z

The bad economy appears to have greatly increased the number of drivers who are driving without the required automobile insurance. A study from the Insurance Research Council released on January 21, 2009 predicts that "approximately one in six drivers across the U.S. may be driving uninsured by 2010. When car owners lose their jobs or have their hours cut back, many choose to reduce their car insurance coverage to lower limits or may even drop their coverage all together. The study further noted that 12% of Georgia drivers are breaking the law by not having the required car insurance.

If you have the misfortune of being injured by an uninsured negligent driver, then you may find it very hard to be compensated for your personal injury claim and your property damage claim. Drivers in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout our country should protect themselves and their passengers by purchasing Uninsured Motorist Coverage. This coverage makes all the difference if the negligent driver has no insurance or is under insured for your claim.

The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm specialize in helping injured victims fully recovery for their personal injury and wrongful death claims. Attorney Richard Griffin founded The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. in 1994 to help as many injured victims as possible. Attorney Richard Griffin is committed to making sure that injured personal injury victims are fully compensated for their car wreck claims. The Atlanta personal injury lawyers of The Griffin Law Firm will guide you through the process and will represent you in your personal injury claim, diminished value property damage claim, and total loss property damage claim. If the car wreck occurred while you were on the job and was due to the negligence of another driver, then the injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. can also help you with your worker's compensation claim as well.

Do no guess at what your case is worth, and do not allow an adjuster to dictate to you what the insurance company is willing to pay you. Rather, level the playing field by hiring the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. so that you will be fully compensated for your injury and property damage claims.

You can call us at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.injuryatlanta.com for a free consultation or to find out what your case is worth.

Atlanta Injury Lawyers Amazed At The Number Of Car Wrecks

2009-04-28T16:45:34Z

The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. are amazed at the enormous number of car wrecks that occur every year. Even with improvements in the roads and the improvements in the safety features on cars, car wrecks occur every single day in Atlanta, Georgia and around the country.

An Allstate study found that 60% of car wrecks occur within 5 miles of your house. This may show that drivers may zone out or become less attentive when they are on the familar roads near their house.

Allstate's study also found that the national average is that everyone will have at least one car wreck every ten years. This means that we all need to make sure we have adequate auto insurance with high liability coverages, high uninsured motorist cvoerages with the new Add On or Excess UM coverage, and even high med pay coverages. You can not afford to hope that others have properly insured themselves because studies show that drivers often reduce or even drop their auto insurance when the economy gets bad.

In 2006 there were 500,000 DUI related car wrecks in the U.S. in 2006 alone. Tragicly 17,000 innocent drivers died in those 500,000 DUI related car wrecks. In Georgia, 392 deaths occurred due to DUI related car wrecks in 2006.

In 2007 there were 2,575,000 car wrecks that occurred in the U.S. Sadly, 42,000 people died in those 2,575,000 car wrecks in 2007. Over 55% of the fatalities involved drivers or passengers that were not wearing their seat belts. The number of car wrecks that were DUI related increased in 2007 to 17,600 throughout the U.S.

As you can see car wrecks occur every day in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout our country. If you or someone you know has been injured in a car wreck, you can call the Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm for a free consultation. Call us at 866-847-6545 or visit our website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com to have your legal questions answered and to find out what your case is worth.

Attorney Richard Griffin
The Griffin Law Firm, P.C.

Atlanta Injury Lawyer, Richard Griffin, Is A Repeat Guest On Autoscoop TV and Radio Shows

2009-04-11T19:50:48Z

Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm has been a repeat guest on the Autoscoop TV and Radio Shows.
The Autoscoop TV show is shown on CW Atlanta Channel 69 on Friday's 10am to 11am with a replay on Saturday at noon to 1pm
.

On 04/10/09, Adam Goldfein is the host of the show. He engaged Attorney Richard Griffin with questions regarding all aspects of personal injury claims. Personal injury damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For negligent drivers who are DUI (driving under the influence) of alcohol or drugs or racing, there are also punitive damages. Punitive damages are the damages the law allows to punish bad behavior which amounts to a reckless disregard for human life. There is also a loss of consortium claim that spouses of injured victims have. A loss of consortium claim allows the spouse of the injured personal injury victim to recover for the loss of companionship, loss of support, and loss of physical intimacy which injuries can cause.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident or truck accident, you should call Atlanta personal injury attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm for a free consultation. You can also visit our website at www.griffinlawfirm.net to submit legal questions or to find out what your case is worth for free.

Do not challenge the adjusters and their attorneys without an attorney of your own. Even the playing field by hiring the attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm to make sure your rights are protected and your recovery all you deserve.

Personal Injury Lawyers Fight Health Insurance Subrogation Claims

2009-03-21T06:32:49Z

Health insurance companies often pursue reimbursement for the medical bills when the injures arose from a personal injury claim. The insurance companies claim for reimbursement is called a subrogation claim. Georgia limits the rights of the health insurance companies to be reimbursed. The personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have been very successful in negotiate large reductions or even fight off these claims completely for our clients. This allows the personal injury victim to keep much more of the money received from their personal injury settlements. Attorney Richard Griffin takes the position that it is very unfair for health insurance companies to seek reimbursement for medical bills that are rightfully paid under the health insurance coverage that is purchased by personal injury victims.

What Do You Do If You Are In A Car Wreck In Atlanta or Throught Georgia

2009-02-10T06:42:34Z

What do you do it you are in a car wreck in Atlanta or anywhere in Georgia? As an Atlanta personal injury attorney for The Griffin Law Firm, P.C., Richard Griffin is asked this question almost every daily. How you conduct yourself at the accident scene can play a vital role in the outcome of your case.

First Step - Get Contact Information From All Witnesses: Immediately get all of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any witnesses at the car accident scene. Since witnesses are often busy or in a hurry, they often do not want to wait for the police to come. Therefore, your only opportunity to get the witness information is immediately after the car wreck. If you do not have a witness than many accidents become a swearing contest where each driver claims the other driver was at fault. This is especially true for lane changing cases or for car wrecks at intersections. Witnesses for these type of cases can mean the difference between all of your property damage and personal injury damages being paid by the negligent driver's car insurance, or you being stuck without an insurance company paying for your damages. Without a witness the insurance companies that represent the negligent driver will often take there insured’s word for it and deny the claim. The burden of proof is on the injured party so getting the witness contact information may make all of the difference.

Second Step - Write Down the Tag Number Of The Negligent Driver: If you are involved in a car wreck that was caused by another driver's negligence, you should immediately write down the tag number for the negligent driver, a description of the negligent driver's car, and a description of the negligent driver. This information could be very important in allowing the police to locate the owner of the negligent driver in their investigation of the accident if the negligent driver leaves the scene of the accident. Unfortunately hit and run car accidents occur quite often in Atlanta and throughout Georgia, so having this information is critical. Our personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. are even able to use the tag information to find out which insurance company insures the vehicle that caused the accident.

Third Step - Call The Police: No matter how trust worthy or apologetic the negligent driver is always call the police. The police report will document the accident occurred and will have the officer’s opinion of who was at fault. Without it you are very vulnerable. A dishonest negligent driver could deny the collision even occurred or deny that he or she was at fault in the accident unless there is a police report. If the negligent driver denies the car wreck occurred or states he or she was not to blame for the accident, then insurance adjusters will often deny liability. Without a police report or witnesses it may be difficult to prove that you are entitled to recover for your personal injury medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage.

Fourth Step - Take Photographs At the Scene: I strongly recommend that you take photographs of all cars involved immediately after the collision. This can be done by using your cell phone's camera or by carrying a camera in your car at all times. These photographs preserve the evidence that could be needed to prove you were not at fault. Many times the vehicles are moved to clear the roadway so these photographs could help with officer know what happened and our firm help prove your case. These photographs also are very valuable in showing the position of the vehicles when the wreck occurred, documenting the property damage to all vehicles involved, and can be a way to capture a picture of the negligent driver and tag number. Photographs which show substantial property damage can greatly increase the value of your claim. Jurors are very motivated when they see wrecked cars which show a lot of damage. Their nature thought when they see a demolished car is “how could anyone have survived that!” This is a great weapon for our firm to use in settlement negotiations and / or if the case is tried.

Fifth Step - Calmly Tell The Policy What Happened: Make sure you keep your cool when speaking to the police officer. If you are injured, then let the police officer know it. He will typically note if you were injured in the police report. If ask for an ambulance, then the police will usually note that your were injured. If you do not want an ambulance, then unless you make it clear to the police that you were injured, but would drive yourself to the doctor, the police will usually note "no injuries" on the police report. Adjusters will often use "no injury" notes from the police report against you by arguing you must not have been injured in the car wreck since you did not tell the police officer you were injured at the scene.

If you had to move your car, then show the police officer your photographs so he can see where the cars were. If you have witness information of witnesses that did not stay, give it to the police officer.

Seveth Step - Get Medical Treatment you Need: If you are injured, then you should get medical treatment as soon as possible. Delays in seeking medical treatment are often used by adjusters to argue you were not really hurt do to a gap in treatment. The longer the gap in treatment the stronger the adjuster will argue this. If you have serious injures, then you should seek treatment at the emergency room. If you do not wish to go to the emergency room, then seek treatment from your family doctor or a medical doctor or chiropractor. If our clients need help finding a doctor, then our firm can help you find a good doctor in your area. If you have health insurance or med pay coverage, then use it. This usually means that you will net more money in your settlement. If our clients need a doctor to treat you on a lien (no payment needed until the case settles), then our firm can help arrange this as well.

SEVENTH STEP - CALL THE GRIFFIN LAW FIRM ASAP SO WE CAN ADVISE YOU AND PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS IMMEDIATELY: The most important step is to call our firm [866-847-6545 or http://www.griffinlawfirmpc.com/] as soon as possible. We can make sure your property damage issues are resolved. We can help you get the treatment you need. We can do everything possible to maximize your recovery to make sure you are fairly compensated for your past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, and past and future pain and suffering.

Written by Richard S. Griffin, Attorney at Law. http://www.griffinlawfirmpc.com/ or call us at 866-847-6545.

How Can You Get A Huge Worker's Compensation Settlement?

2009-02-04T19:52:49Z

What does it take to have a worker's compensation claim that is worth more than $100,000? Typically these injured worker's have injures that are of a permanent nature that prevent them from performing any type of work that they are trained to do. These injured workers often have undergone surgeries on their necks, backs, hips, shoulders, and knees. Often these claimants never fully recover from their injuries and often require on going treatment for the foreseeable future. Some of these injuries unfortunately result in permanent injuries which negatively impact the injured worker for the rest of his life.

For non-catastrophic cases the injured claimant is only entitled to weekly income benefits for 400 weeks from the date of accident. For Catastrophic cases the injured worker is entitled to weekly income benefits for the rest of their working life.

Our firm, The Griffin Law Firm, has had the privilege of representing thousands and thousands of worker's compensation claimants over the years. This has resulted in our developing a real expertise in the field of worker's compensation. The worker's compensation attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have successfully negotiated many huge lump sum settlements. These worker's compensation settlements include hundreds of settlements of more than $100,000. Our worker's compensation attorneys have even recovered worker's compensation settlements of $638,000.00, $575,000.00, and $425,000.00. The settlement value of any case is always very fact specific. Therefore, injured worker's should always consult with an experienced worker's compensation attorney who specializes in worker's compensation. The factors that determine the value include how much exposure the Employer and their worker's compensation insurance company have to medical expenses, income benefits, and permanent partial disability benefits. Huge settlements do not happen by accident and usually result from the efforts of hard working and experienced attorneys.

Worker's compensation claims are time sensitive so I strongly encourage you to call us for a free worker's compensation claim evaluation as soon after your on the job accident as possible. There are deadlines for filing your WC-14 Notice of Claim with the State Board of Workers' Compensation. There are also deadlines for getting mileage reimbursed, medical bills paid of one year from the date the mileage or bill was incurred. You also must continue to treat with worker's compensation doctors or after one year your claim may be barred.

Every case is different, but our firm's commitment to providing you the best legal representation never changes. Call The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545 for a free consultation or for a free settlement evaluation. Do not go it alone. Call us for help today.

What Does It Take To Have a Worker's Compensation Claim in Georgia?

2009-02-04T19:15:13Z

I receive calls every day from people who have been seriously injured while working on the job. It is important to understand that not every on the job accident in Georgia results in a compensable worker's compensation claim.

To have a valid worker's compensation claim in Georgia the injured worker must have an "injury by accident which arises out of and in the course of his or her employment" per the Worker's Compensation Act of Georgia. The "injury by accident" requirement requires that the injury be due to an accident and not due to the horse play of the employee or due to a personal assault that is due to personal reasons.

The on the job accident must also be "arising out of" the employment which means that the accident occurred while the client was performing his job duties or doing something which benefits the employer.

The on the job accident must also be "in the course of" which usually means that the accident occurred during the work day or while the employee was on the clock. There are many exceptions to this which include accidents which occur while an employee is entering or leaving the work place, traveling salesman, etc.

There is also a requirement that the injured worker be an employee and not an independent contractor. A worker is usually an employee if:
(1) the worker receives a W-2 (payroll taxes are withheld);
(2) the worker has set hours;
(3) there is an contract of employment;
(4) the worker has worked for the same employer for a long time;
(5) the worker does not work for anyone else;
(6) the worker is usually paid by the hour and not by the job;
(7) the employer controls the time, means, and manner of the employment.

The worker is usually an independent contractor when:
(1) the worker receives a 1099 tax for where payroll taxes were not withheld;
(2) the worker uses his own equipment or tools;
(3) the worker has a specific trade or skill;
(4) the worker works for many different companies;
(5) the worker has employees or assistants of his own;
(6) the worker is paid per project rather than by the hour.
(7) the worker sets their own schedule and controls when, where and how the job is performed.

There is also a requirement that the employer have at least three employees for worker's compensation to cover the claim.

The only way to know for sure if you have a compensable worker's compensation claim is to call an attorney who specializes in worker's compensation. We strongly recommend that you contact our firm, The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545 for a free consultation. If we accept your case, then we will fight to make sure your rights are protected. Having our representation can make all of the difference in making sure you get all of the medical treatment you need. We will also make sure you are paid the income benefits you are entitled to for your lost wages and your permanent partial disability benefits for any permanent loss of use of your body. The most important benefit in hiring us is that we will fight for a worker's compensation settlement that will fully compensate you for your worker's compensation injuries.

Richard Griffin, Attorney [866-847-6545]
The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. [http://griffinlawfirmpc.com]

Medical Bill Reductions Can Increase Client’s Personal Injury Recoveries

2009-01-21T19:00:20Z

The Atlanta personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm, have been very successful in negotiating reductions on the medical expenses for our clients when appropriate. These reductions are often appropriate and much more likely if there is a small personal injury settlement due to weaknesses in the case. On cases where litigation is not a good option, we negotiate reductions in medical bills and negotiate reductions in subrogation claims to maximize our client’s recovery. Litigation is sometimes not a good option when there are weaknesses in the case such as pre-existing conditions, multiple prior personal injury claims, low property damage, gaps in medical treatment, disputes in liability (who is at fault), etc. The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm do our best to maximize our client’s net recoveries whenever possible. Many times this is accomplished by negotiate reductions in the medical bills for our client.

One of Attorney Richard Griffin's favorite examples involved a personal injury client who had medical expenses of approximately $400,000. The client was injured when a stolen car collided with her head on causing a fractured pelvis, broken hip, and other serious and permanent injuries. Unfortunately the criminal who stole the car did not have any automobile insurance and the liability automobile insurance for the car that was stolen did not cover the negligent driving of a criminal. The only insurance which covered the claim was a $25,000 Uninsured Motorist policy the client had. Atlanta personal injury attorney Richard Griffin was able to recover the $25000 policy limits and was able to negotiate a reduction on the $400,000 hospital lien down to $17,000. This was truly making the best out of a terrible situation. Attorney Richard Griffin's personal injury client was able to net thousands of dollars and have the $400,000 medical bill pain in full for only $17000. The Griffin Law Firm therefore able to save their client from having to go bankrupt which would have ruined their credit in addition to the $25,000 personal injury settlement.

Every case is different, but every case deserves to have trained and experienced personal injury attorneys fight hard. Attorney Richard Griffin and all of the personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm would be happy to provide you with a free consultation regarding your personal injury case. If you or someone you know has a personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim, contact us at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com or call us at 866-847-6545 for a free settlement evaluation.

MILLIONS OF CAR WRECKS OCCUR WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE DRIVER’S HOME

2008-11-12T06:34:12Z

I recently heard an Allstate Insurance Company commercial that stated 60% of car wrecks occur within 5 miles of the driver’s home. This shows you that it is important not to go into mental “cruise control” just because you are near your home. Staying alert and ready to respond to a sudden emergency situation is critical to staying safe even as you approach your home.

There have also been many, many studies which show that most car wrecks are caused by drivers who are distracted or not paying attention. Distractions can include driving while using your cell phone, changing the station on your radio or IPOD, or operating your GPS system. Protect the ones you love and keep other drivers safe by limiting you use of these type of devices while driving.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car wreck, truck wreck, motorcycle wreck, call the Atlanta personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm for a free consultation. We will answer your legal questions about your personal injury claim and explain the personal injury claims process. Let the personal injury attorneys at The Griffin Law Firm be your settlement solution to maximize your personal injury recovery. Call us at 866-847-6545 or visit or website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com.