Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

What is pain management?
Pain management is often required whenever injuries involve serious injuries such as herniated discs, ruptured discs, bulging discs, facet syndrome, and other serious neck and back injuries. Pain management normally is provided after conservative treatment such as physical therapy or chiropractic has failed. It is usually a last attempt to relieve the pain before a surgical evaluation is recommended. Pain management often includes prescription pain medications and injections such as trigger point injections, epidural injections, nerve blocks, etc. Experienced personal injury attorneys and worker's compensation attorneys can be excellent sources for knowing more about the medical providers that have good reputations for providing outstanding treatment to their patients.

Are there any dangers to long term narcotic pain medications?
1. Erectile dysfunction/reduced libido is common;
2. Sleep disorders requiring medication to fall asleep and then to remain awake are common;
3. Chronic constipation on some days followed by uncontrollable diarrhea on other days is common;
4. Many drug regiments are “off label” and not FDA approved for your diagnosis;
5. Long term use of narcotics can lead to an increase in pain due to “pain rebound”;
6. Indigestion and acid reflux issues are common;
7. Accelerated aging is common;
8. Depression is common;
9. You may never work again; and
10. A reduction in your life expectancy is likely.

Are there lower risks to pain management injections than long term use of narcotics?
Many doctors prefer the use of injections in the long term pain management since there is no risk of addition with injections. There are risks and complications with injections, but long term use of narcotics for pain can result in addictions and dependencies which can ruin lives and hurt the long term health of the patient. Injections when required often increase the value of personal injury and worker's compensation claims since it is evidence that the injuries are causing so much pain that the injured victim is seeking painful injections to help deal with the uncontrollable pain.

How do you know what treatment you should have?
It is normally a good idea to seek out second opinions before deciding on evasive medical treatments. Asking questions and research the known risks on your own is a good idea. You an also ask your worker's compensation attorney or personal injury attorney their opinion when deciding on which doctors to treat with.

How can you get the medical treatment when you have a personal injury case even if you do not have health insurance?
Experienced personal injury lawyers are able to recommend doctors who will treat on a doctor lien. A doctor lien is an agreement that the doctor will provide the treatment, but will not seek payment for the treatment received until the claim is settled or litigated. Doctor liens do not remove the patient's obligation to pay for the medical treatment regardless of the outcome of the personal injury claim, but it does delay when payment is due. Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin law Firm, P.C. has also been able to use medical funding companies when his personal injury claimants require extensive pain management, neurological evaluation and treatment, and even surgeries such as spinal fusion surgeries. The medical funding company pays the surgeon, the hospital, the anesthesiologists, and other charges at the time the surgery is provided. Then the medical funding company is assigned the right to be paid for the full medical procedure from the future settlement or verdict.

What is the procedure for getting the medical treatment you need in a worker's compensation claim:
In Georgia, worker's compensation claimants are usually allowed to select a doctor from their employer's Posted Panel Of Physicians. The worker's compensation claimant is also allowed one free change of authorized treating physicians to another panel doctor. Sometimes seasoned worker's compensation lawyers can invalidate the Posted Panel if it is not properly posted and explained or if it does not include the required medical doctors. Attorney Richard Griffin has been able to invalidate many Posted Panels for his worker's compensation clients which then allows them to go to a doctor of their choice. If the worker's compensation claimant has received income benefits in the last 120 days, then they are allowed to select any doctor of their choice for a one time independent medical examination (IME). As long as the medical treatment is authorized, then the worker's compensation insurers should be paying for the medical treatment, the prescriptions, and for the worker's compensation claimant's mileage to and from the doctors or pharmacy.

How can you get a free legal consultation for your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim?
You can call Attorney Richard Griffin at 866-847-6545 or use the following link to submit your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability case for a free evaluation: [FREE CASE EVALUATION]

Continue reading "Pain Management For Personal Injury Or Worker's Compensation Claimants" »

Attorney Richard Griffin is often asked by potential personal injury clients, "Do I have a case?". Georgia personal injury claims require the plaintiff to prove that the defendant caused his or her injuries due to negligence. The burden of proving negligence is required to establish that the defendant is liable for the plaintiff's injuries regardless of whether the personal injury is based on any of the following:
(1) auto accident personal injury claims;
(2) truck accident personal injury claims;
(3) motorcycle accident personal injury claims;
(4) bicycle accident personal injury claims;
(5) pedestrian accident personal injury claims;
(6) premise liability personal injury claims;
(7) slip and fall personal injury claims;
(8) trip and fall personal injury claims;
(9) dog bite personal injury claims; or
(10) negligent security claims.

In a recent auto accident lawsuit tried in Fulton County, Georgia, an out-of-town visitor sued for his injuries to his foot (Tony Cacciotti v. Margaret Roth, Case Number 2009EV008694H). In this personal injury claim the plaintiff suffered serious injuries to his foot when the car he was entering drove forward before he was able to get in the vehicle. The defendant's car ended up running over the plaintiff's foot causing a torn tendon in his right ankle. The plaintiff's foot required a cast and physical therapy. The jury deliberated for four hours before awarding a $156,000 jury verdict for this foot injury.

As this case and the jury verdict research used by Attorney Richard Griffin demonstrates, personal injury claims can be worth a great deal of money if handled by a seasoned and experienced personal injury lawyer. Without the representation of a good personal injury attorney, many personal injury claimants recover nothing or far less than their case is worth.

If you or someone you know has a personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim, then Attorney Richard Griffin strongly recommends that you contact a personal injury attorney for a free consultation.

Continue reading "$156,000 Personal Injury Verdict For Foot Injury" »

When are punitive damages usually allowed?
Punitive damages are the damages that are allowing in personal injury cases when the negligent driver is guilty of conduct that is beyond just negligence but constitutes a reckless disregard for human life. Traditionally punitive damages in personal injury claims and wrongful death claims have only been available for driving while intoxicated (DUI), hit and run, racing, and other similar conduct. The purpose of punitive damages is to make a defendant pay an additional damage above and beyond the actual damages (medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering) to deter the defendant from engaging in the bad conduct in the future.

Can a personal injury claimant recover punitive damages if the negligent driver is talking on a cell phone when the accident occurs?
This question was answered by the Georgia Court of Appeals in a recent Atlanta car accident case called Lindsey v. Clinch County Glass Inc. No A11A1313. This case is being appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, but it is unlikely that it will be overturned.

This Court of Appeals opinion for this case can be viewed at the bottom of this blog.

In this case (Lindsey v. Clinch County Glass Inc. No A11A1313), the court held that a personal injury defendant talking on cell phone when a car accident occurs does not create punitive damage exposure. Attorney Richard Griffin believes that the court's decision was in part due to the fact that talking on a cell phone while driving is not illegal even though there are many studies which show that driving while on a cell phone does create a driver who is far less aware of his or her environment. Some studies even suggest that driving while talking on a cell phone causes a driver to be as dangerous as a drunk driver. This is based on the fact that talking on a cell phone while driving causes a driver's reactions to be impaired or delayed. Examples would be delays in braking, stopping, steering, and other safety measures drivers need to be ready to make at a moment's notice.

Can a personal injury claimant recover for punitive damages if the negligent driver is texting while driving?
This issue was not ruled on by the Georgia Court of Appeals in the Lindsey v. Clinch County Glass Inc. No A11A1313 ruling. Attorney Richard Griffin believes that the argument for punitive damages being allowed for texting while driving is much stronger since texting while driving is currently against Georgia law. Arguably breaking the law by texting would show a reckless disregard for human life since it is common knowledge that texting and driving is very, very dangerous. Many studies have shown that texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving because texting requires the driver to take his or her eyes off the road. Since there have also been many public safety campaigns warning of the dangerous of texting and drive, it could be argued that the driver is making the conscious decision to put the lives of others at risk by breaking the on texting while driving law. There is no disputing the fact that texting while driving has caused many serious injuries and deaths in catastrophic car accidents, big truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.

Do you need to hire a personal injury attorney?
Attorney Richard Griffin has successfully represented thousands of personal injury and wrongful death clients since 1994. He truly believes that anyone who is hurt in an accident should seek out the representation of an experienced personal injury lawyer to make sure their rights are protected and that they are fully compensated for their damages. Free consultations are available to get answers to your legal questions, to know your rights, and to find out what your personal injury, wrongful death, or worker's compensation claim may be worth.

To read more about texting while driving being illegal in Georgia please use the following link:
Georgia Texting While Driving Could Impact Personal Injury Claims.

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LINDSEY v. CLINCH COUNTY GLASS INC

LINDSEY et al. v. CLINCH COUNTY GLASS, INC. et al.

No. A11A1313.

-- September 14, 2011

John Craig Cotton, Saleem David Dennis, for Lindsey.William H. Hedrick, for Clinch County Glass, Inc.

Appellants Rebecca Joyann Lindsey and Ted Lindsey brought suit against appellees William Holtzclaw and Clinch County Glass, Inc. after Holtzclaw's truck collided with Rebecca Lindsey's vehicle while she was stopped at a red light, causing her to strike the vehicle in front of her. In addition to seeking general and special damages for Rebecca Lindsey's alleged injuries and loss of consortium, the Lindseys also asserted a claim for punitive damages. The defendants filed a motion for partial summary judgment on the punitive damages claim, and the trial court granted the motion as to that claim only. The Lindseys appeal.

The pertinent facts are undisputed. At the time of the accident, Holtzclaw was the principal of Clinch County Glass, which is a glass installation company. Holtzclaw spent about eight to ten hours of his working day driving; he traveled approximately 100,000 miles a year. Holtzclaw often used his phone while driving and had installed a desk in his truck and mounted his phone on the desk, allowing him to talk hands free into a speakerphone.

At the time of the accident, Holtzclaw was driving his truck to meet a contractor and had started manually searching for a number to call after completing another call. Because he was being inattentive, he failed to notice that traffic was stopped at a red light in front of him until it was too late to avoid colliding with Rebecca's car. Holtzclaw admitted to the responding officer that he was looking for a number on his phone at the time of the collision and not paying attention; defendants admitted being at fault for the collision in the answer they filed to the complaint.

In Georgia, “[p]unitive damages may be awarded only in such tort actions in which it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's actions showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or that entire want of care which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences.” OCGA § 51–12–5.1(b). And it is well settled that “negligence, even gross negligence, is inadequate to support a punitive damages award․ Something more than the mere commission of a tort is always required for punitive damages. There must be circumstances of aggravation or outrage.” (Punctuation and citations omitted.) Brooks v. Gray, 262 Ga.App. 232, 232–233(1) (585 S.E.2d 188) (2003). In cases involving automobile collisions, punitive damages are authorized when the accident results from a pattern or policy of dangerous driving, such as excessive speeding or driving while intoxicated, but not when a driver simply violates a rule of the road. Id.; Miller v. Crumbley, 249 Ga.App. 403, 405 (548 S.E.2d 657) (2001); Carter v. Spells, 229 Ga.App. 441, 442 (494 S.E.2d 279) (1997).

The Lindseys argue that the evidence that Holtzclaw frequently used his mobile phone while driving although he knew it was dangerous, as demonstrated by the fact that he instructed company employees not to talk on their mobile phone while driving, coupled with the fact that he admitted that he was distracted by looking up a number on his phone at the time of the collision, would authorize a jury to find the requisite pattern or policy of driving dangerously. The Lindseys also argue that defendants conceded in their trial court brief that several studies have shown that talking on a mobile phone while driving is dangerous, perhaps as much or more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.

In Georgia, the proper use1 of a wireless communication device while driving does not constitute a violation of the duty to exercise due care while operating a motor vehicle. OCGA § 40–6–241. Although Holtzclaw admitted that he was not paying attention because he was distracted by looking up a number and thus was not exercising due care at the time of the accident, as stated above, mere negligence, even gross negligence, is not enough to support a claim of punitive damages; there must be clear and convincing evidence of a pattern or policy of dangerous driving. Brooks, 262 Ga.App. at 232. In this case, there is no evidence that Holtzclaw was speeding, driving while under the influence, or that he had a history of distraction-related accidents, traffic violations, or other evidence that would show a pattern of dangerous driving or other aggravating circumstances so as to authorize an award of punitive damages. Brooks v. Gray, 262 Ga.App. at 233–234 (crossing center line and operating vehicle without a proper license did not warrant imposition of punitive damages); Miller v. Crumbley, 249 Ga.App. 405 (no evidence of pattern or policy of dangerous driving where tortfeasor failed to keep a proper lookout and pled guilty to following too closely). Compare Langlois v. Wolford, 246 Ga.App. 209, 210(1) (539 S.E.2d 565) (2000) (punitive damages authorized where tortfeasor left the scene of an accident, was intoxicated, and had a history of prior DUI's and traffic violations). Although there was evidence that Holtzclaw had a pattern of regularly talking on his mobile phone while driving, as stated above, the proper use of a cell phone while driving is permissible in Georgia, and thus the evidence of mobile phone use did not, without more, establish a policy or pattern of dangerous driving. However, in so holding, we would stress that our opinion in this case should not be read for the proposition that punitive damages are never available in a case where a driver causes an accident because he or she was distracted while talking on a wireless communication device.But in this case, where there is no evidence of a policy or pattern of dangerous driving or other aggravating circumstances, the trial court correctly granted partial summary judgment to the defendants on plaintiffs' claim for punitive damages.

Judgment affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

1. Subject to certain exceptions, reading, sending or writing text based communications while driving is now prohibited in Georgia, OCGA § 40–6–241(2), and drivers under age 18 are prohibited from all forms of wireless communication while driving, except in certain specified situations. OCGA § 40–6–241.1

ADAMS, Judge.

BARNES, P.J., and BLACKWELL, J., concur.

Continue reading "Does Driving While Talking On The Cell Phone Create Punitive Damages For Car Accident Claims?" »

Attorney Richard Griffin is the featured Atlanta personal injury lawyer several episodes of Trust Dale TV. The Trustdale television show airs on Saturdays and Sundays on Fox Channel 5 in the Atlanta television market.

In the above episode Attorney Gary Martin Hays (the host of the legal segment on Trust Dale) and Dale Cardwell (the host of the Trust Dale television show) ask insightful questions about personal injury claims that arise from car accidents. In the engaging interview, Attorney Richard Griffin of the Griffin Law Firm explains the following:

(1) It is dangerous to represent yourself in a personal injury claim.
(2) Personal injury attorneys help you recover greater settlements because they know the value of your case and can litigate if needed to get it.
(3) Personal injury lawyers can help you get the medical treatment you need even if you do not have health insurance through the use of doctor liens and funding companies.

What types of cases does Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm handle?
(1) car accident personal injury claims;
(2) big truck accident personal injury claims;
(3) motorcycle accident personal injury claims;
(4) bicycle accident personal injury claims;
(5) pedestrian accident personal injury claims;
(6) wrongful death claims;
(7) worker's compensation claims;
(8) social security disability claims;
(9) slip and fall premise liability personal injury claims;
(10) dog bite cases;
(10) negligent security personal injury claims;
(11) diminished value property damage claims; and
(12) total loss property damage claims.

For a Free consultation, please call Attorney Richard Griffin at 866-847-6545 or submit your case for a free evaluation to [FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION].

Continue reading "Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Featured on Trust Dale TV" »

Not Knowing The Policy Limits Almost Cost A Personal Injury Claimant $70,000:
Recently a potential new personal injury client called me, Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin, about his personal injury case that arose from a motorcycle accident at University of Georgia. The Athens motorcycle accident occurred when a negligent driver pulled out in front of him causing him to crash his motorcycle. He suffered a fractured ankle that required extensive orthopedic surgery costing $20,000.

He had attempted to represent himself thinking that the insurance company would do the right thing and pay him what his case was worth. The insurance adjuster told him that the liability policy limits for his case was $30,000, and he offered to settle the case for the full $30,000.
The potential caller wanted to know if this was a fair offer? As an experienced personal injury lawyer I explained that there are two important factors when settling a personal injury claim. These factors include:

(1) What are the policy limits of all insurance policies that cover the claim?
(2) How much is the case worth based on the facts of the case (medical expenses,
lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages if applicable)?

I explained to the caller that his case was likely to be worth a great deal more than $30,000 in light of the ankle fracture that required surgery. I further recommended that we verify the correct liability policy limits to make sure we were exhausting the policy limits. I further explained that if he settled his personal injury case for a penny less than the full policy limits, then he would lose his under-insured motorist claim. An under-insured motorist claim allows you to stack the policies to provide additional settlement funds to pay whenever a personal injury claim was worth more than the liability policy limits.

How do you find out the true policy limits for a personal injury claim?
The caller with the motorcycle personal injury claim thought he could trust the adjuster to verbally convey the policy limits of the claim. I explained to him that this was risky and could result in a great deal of lost settlement dollars. The Griffin Law Firm (a Georgia personal injury law firm) always sends certified letters pursuant to O.C.G.A. Section 33-3-28(a) which require the insurance adjuster to provide a sworn affidavit of coverage (the policy limits) within 60 days.

How much money would the motorcycle accident personal injury claimant have lost if he had settled for $30,000?
We accepted the caller's Georgia motorcycle personal injury claim and requested the policy limits the appropriate way under O.C.G.A. Section 33-3-28(a). The liability policy limits turned out to be $50,000 and not the $30,000 that the adjuster had verbally stated was the policy limits. This meant that the motorcycle accident personal injury claimant would have settled for $20,000 less than the actual policy limits. However, if the client had settled for $30,000, then he would have not only lost the $20,000 of additional liability coverage, but also the additional $50,000 in add on (excess) under-insured motorist coverage. Trusting the adjuster at his word and attempting to represent himself would have resulted in a loss of up to $70,000.

Why should you hire a seasoned personal injury lawyer?
(1) Experienced personal injury attorneys will negotiate or litigate to make sure you are fully compensated for your personal injury or wrongful death claim.
(2) Seasoned personal injury lawyers can identify all of the insurance policies that cover your claim, they can verify the policy limits, and they can properly stack the policies so that you can recover the full available coverage for the large personal injury claims.

Call Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm today at 866-847-6545 for a free no pressure consultation or submit your case to FREE CONSULTATION:

The information is free, but the advice is priceless.

Continue reading "Not Knowing The Policy Limits Almost Cost A Personal Injury Claimant $70,000" »

Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. was the featured legal expert on the new legal talk show on CW Atlanta called, "Lawyer Talk". The 30 minute episode with Attorney Richard Griffin and host Adam Goldfein aired on 10/22/11.

The show focused on personal injury claims that arise from many different types of accidents:
(1) car accidents,
(2) big truck accidents,
(3) motorcycle accidents,
(4) bicycle accidents,
(5) pedestrian accidents,
(6) slip and fall accidents,
(7) dog bites,
(8) negligent security,
(9) punitive damage claims (DUI and hit and run), and
(10) other premise liability claims.

You can see this episode on YouTube.com at the following link:

YouTube Video: Richard Griffin on Lawyer Talk

How can I be better prepared should I have a future personal injury or worker's compensation claim?
Viewers were encouraged to save The Griffin Law Firm, P.C.'s telephone number 866-847-6545 in their cell phones so that they could call the personal injury lawyers for immediate assistance and for a free consultation if they are in a future motor vehicle accident.

Free Consultations: Attorney Richard Griffin will provide you with a free consultation is you have a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim through the following ways:
(1) Free Phone Consultation: 866-847-6545;
(2) Free Internet Consultation: Free Settlement Evaluation;

How can I hire The Griffin Law Firm for my personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim?
(1) Office Appointment: If we accept your case, then you can schedule a in office appointment for the intake sign up.
(2) Home or Office Appointment: If we accept your case, then we will send a representative to your home or doctor's office for the intake sign up if you would prefer.

Attorney Richard Griffin will be the featured personal injury lawyer on the new television show called "Lawyer Talk" on C.W. Atlanta (channel 69). The 30 minute legal talk show will air on 10/22/11 at 11:30am on channel 69. The host of the show is Adam Goldfein, who is also the host of Autoscoop and the Adam Goldfein radio show on WSB. Attorney Richard Griffin has recently been featured on many different television shows (Autoscoop, Trustdale, and Lawyer Talk) as an expert in personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security disability. This new show, "Legal Talk", appears to be a fresh approach to dealing with legal issues that affect people every day throughout Atlanta and the rest of the state of Georgia.

What topics will be covered by Attorney Richard Griffin during the upcoming "Lawyer Talk" show?
(1) Why is it important to hire a personal injury attorney?
(2) What damages can you recover in a personal injury claim?
(3) How can a personal injury attorney help their client get the medical treatment they need even if they do not have health insurance?
(4) Should you let the adjuster take your recorded statement about how the accident occurred and about your injuries?
(5) How can jury verdict research help get higher personal injury and wrongful death settlements?

What future practice areas will Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. address in upcoming "Lawyer Talk" shows?
(1) Personal Injury Claims (auto accidents, big truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bite cases, and negligent security claims).
(2) Wrongful Death Claims;
(3) Worker's Compensation Claims; and
(4) Social Security Disability Claims.

If you would like a free consultation from The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. regarding your personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim, then you can call 866-847-6545 or use the following link: [FREE CONSULTATION]

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. was interviewed again on the TrustDale Show. Gary Martin Hays and Dale Cardwell asked personal injury Attorney Richard Griffin about the following aspects of personal injury claims:

(1) How does it help to hire a personal injury attorney more shortly after the car wreck?
Attorney Richard Griffin explained that good personal injury lawyers will conduct a through investigation of the accident immediately as soon as possible. This generally includes taking the recorded statements of witnesses while the information is still fresh in their minds, as well as, taking photographs of the accident scene, property damage, and any visible injuries to the personal injury claimant.

(2) What does the insurance company do immediately after the accident is reported?
The adjusters are trained to take recorded statements of the injured party as soon as possible. During this recorded statement the adjuster is hoping to get information from the personal injury claimant that will hurt their case. This could include statements regarding how the accident occurred or how the accident may have been prevented. Even worse, the adjuster sometimes will offer very small personal injury settlements in exchange for a General Release of all claims. Quick settlements can be a disaster for the injured party who may settle for pennies on the dollar of what the claim is worth.

Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin further explained that if you settle before your injures are fully treated and diagnosed, then you will never be fully compensated for your personal injury claim. Nothing is sadder than hearing from a potential client that they have signed a general release and now are being told that they need an expensive injection or even surgery.

(3) How can a personal injury lawyer help their client get medical treatment even if they do not have health insurance?
Personal injury lawyer Richard Griffin explained that personal injury attorneys can often get their clients to doctors who will treat on a lien. This means that the doctor will wait for payment until the personal injury case is resolved. Personal injury attorney Richard Griffin further explained that he even has been able to get expensive pain management, diagnostic testing, and even surgeries funded through the use of medical funding companies that will wait to be paid until a personal injury recovery is obtained.

(4) Should someone who is injured in a car wreck ever represent themselves?
Personal Injury attorney Richard Griffin explained that this is always a bad idea. If you do not know your rights (the laws), how much your case is worth, and have the ability to litigate if needed, then it will be almost impossible to receive a fair settlement unless you have a good personal injury lawyer.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. has been the featured attorney for personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, and social security disability on the following shows:
(1) Autoscoop (Television Show on CW Atlanta, channel 69);
(2) TrustDale (television show on Fox, channel 5);
(3) Attorney Talk (Television Show on CW Atlanta, channel 69)
(4) Autoscoop Radio Show (formerly on V103)

Continue reading "Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin Regularly Featured On The TrustDale Show " »

What does it mean to stack insurance policies?
Stacking auto insurance policies means that you can recover the policy limits from more than one policy rather being limited the policy limits of only one policy. Usually Georgia law requires that you exhaust the liability auto policy limits by negotiating a policy limits recovery before you can seek additional recoveries against umbrella policies or uninsured motorist or under-insured motorist policies.

Personal injury lawyer Richard Griffin warns that if the policy limits are not stacked correctly, then an unrepresented personal injury claimant could mistakenly release or waive their rights to recover against additional insurance policies that also cover their claim.

Why is stacking the auto insurance policies vital in large personal injury claims?
Large personal injury claims are often worth more than available liability policy limits of the negligent driver. This creates a huge problem and a sad reality when there is not even enough money to cover the past medical expenses, lost wages, . Personal injury lawyer Richard Griffin explains that personal injury attorneys can make a huge impact on the net recovery for his clients be doing the following:
(1) Identifying all insurance policy (negligent driver, owner of vehicle, and employers).
(2) Obtain the policy limits of all liability policies, umbrella policies, uninsured motorist policies, and under-insured motorist policies.
(3) Negotiate or litigate to get the highest personal injury recovery possible.
(4) Use of proper limited releases rather than a general release.
(5) Stacking of all policies to get the maximum settlement or verdict recovery.

Why is it risky to represent yourself and attempt to stack insurance policies yourself?
(1) Without an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney it will be almost impossible to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement.
(2) If the adjuster negotiates unfairly, then a personal injury claimant does not have the ability to litigate the personal injury and wrongful death claim. Without the legitimate threat of litigation, the adjusters will attempt to save their employers (the insurance company) money at your expense.
(3) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants will normally not be able to identify all insurance policies that cover a claim and verify the policy limits for each.
(4) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants will not know what should and should not be in the limited release which could jeopardize their ability to obtain additional recoveries from the other insurance coverage that covers their claims.
(5) Personal injury claimants and wrongful death claimants do not have the experience of the seasoned personal injury lawyer to know the real value of their claims. They also do not have the resources needed to make certain the injuries, the treatment, the prognosis, the future treatment plans, and any permanent impairment is properly documented.
(6) Further, strong personal injury lawyers have the ability to conduct jury verdict research to better establish the actual value of each personal injury or wrongful death case based on the specific facts of each case. This is an expensive research that is normally not available to people who are not attorneys.

What types of accidents can personal injury, worker's compensation, and wrongful death claims arise from?
(1) Auto Accidents;
(2) Truck Accidents;
(3) Motorcycle Accidents;
(4) Bicycle Accidents;
(5) Pedestrian Accidents;
(6) Premise Liability Accidents;
(7) Slip and Fall Accidents;
(8) Dog Bit Incidents;
(9) Negligent Security Incidents; and
(10) Any on the job injuries (mainly for worker's compensation claims).

How can I get a free consultation regarding my personal injury, worker's compensation, wrongful death, or social security disability claim?
(1) Free phone consultation: Call The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545.
(2) Free email and internet consultation: Use this link: [FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION]
(4) Free office consultation: We will schedule this for any potential client that has a personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, or social security disability claim that we believe has merit.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. was the guest personal injury expert on the Trust Dale Show. The episode aired on October 2, 2011. The topic was "Why hire a personal injury attorney?". Attorney Richard Griffin explained that without a personal injury lawyer, personal injury claimants were at the mercy of the insurance adjusters and their attorneys. Attorney Richard Griffin went on to explain that

"Taking on the insurance companies alone is like trying to play chess against a world chess champion. The result is always the same, you loose every time."

The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. was founded by Attorney Richard Griffin to help injured victims and their families be fully and fairly compensated for their personal injury, wrongful death, worker's compensation, and social security disability claims. Our firm specializes in these areas of the law rather than dabbling in all areas of the law like some lawyers try to do. Different legal strategies are often needed for personal injury claims depending on whether they arose from a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian accident.

The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. consist of what type of attorneys?
(1) Personal injury lawyers;
(2) Wrongful Death Lawyers;
(3) Worker's Compensation Lawyers;
(4) Social Security Disability Lawyers;
(5) Property Damage Lawyers (Diminished Value and Total Loss)

If you or someone you know would like a free consultation from Attorney Richard Griffin and his personal injury law firm, call 866-847-6545 or use the following link:

[FREE CONSULTATION]

Personal injury claims can be settled in Georgia by signing a General Release:
Personal injury claims are not hard to settle in Georgia. In fact insurance adjusters will often attempt to get personal injury claims from auto accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents settled very quickly after the accident by offering small settlement offers of $500 or so. If the injured victim accepts their offer and signs a General Release of all claims, then the personal injury claim is normally settled. Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. has received many calls every year from injured victims that accepted very small offers and signed General Releases only to realize later that their injuries were more serious than they had originally thought. If the General Release is signed, then this usually bars the personal injury claimant from any additional recovery.

Why is it risky to accept a quick personal injury settlement?
The severity of the injury is sometimes hard to determine at the beginning of the personal injury case. Attorney Richard Griffin often sees personal injury clients that appear to have soft tissue injuries, but later after conservative treatment fails and after additional diagnostic testing such as a MRI or CT scan are done, the injuries are diagnosed as disc herniations or traumatic closed head injuries. Attorney Richard Griffin explains that the value of a personal injury claim involving a herniated disc, spinal injury, traumatic head injury, or other permanent and debilitating injury often be $25,000 to $1,000,000 based on the facts surrounding the case. This is, of course, a great deal more than the settlements for most soft tissue (neck and back) sprains or strains. Therefore, if you accept a quick settlement before your injuries have been fully diagnosed and treated, then you may be very, very disappointed that you have settled your case for pennies on the dollar of what it is actually worth. Anyone who has a personal injury claim from an auto accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, pedestrian accident, or slip and fall should always contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for a free consultation and free settlement evaluation.

How do I get a fair personal injury settlement?
Fair personal injury settlements do not usually happen by accident. Usually a fair personal injury settlement occurs when the personal injury victim is represented by an experienced and successful personal injury lawyer. One recent study found that personal injury claimants who were represented by an attorney recovered three times more than those who represented themselves.

An experienced and good personal injury attorney will do the following:
(1) Accident investigation.
(2) Witness recorded statements.
(3) Photograph property damage.
(4) Photograph injuries.
(5) Identify and notify all insurance carriers who cover the claim.
(6) Obtain the policy limits information and stack the insurance policies when possible.
(7) Assist the client in getting all of the medical treatment the client needs.
(8) Prepare a settlement demand package that fully documents all of the medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages if applicable.
(9) Negotiate a fair settlement that fully compensates the personal injury client.
(10) Litigate the claim whenever the adjuster is not negotiating in good faith by making unreasonable offers.

Why is it important to hire a personal injury attorney?
It is important for every personal injury victim to be represented by a personal injury lawyer because:
(1) The personal injury victim does not know the value of his or her case.
(2) The personal injury claimant does not know how to properly document the damages in a personal injury claim.
(3) The personal injury claimant does not know how to get the treatment they require even if they do not have health insurance. In this tough economy many people simply do not have health insurance.
(4) The personal injury victim does not know how to litigate so the adjuster will often convey low ball offers knowing there is not much the claimant can do on their own.

How can an experienced personal injury attorney help their client get the needed medical treatment?
A good personal injury lawyer is able to make sure their client gets the medical treatment that they need to recovery from their injuries and to document the injuries even if they do not have health insurance. This can be done in the following ways:
(1) Med Pay: Assist the personal injury client is using his or her Medical Pay Coverage (med pay).
(2) Doctor Lien: Assist the personal injury client in finding a doctor that will treat on a lien. The client can get the treatment needed without paying for the treatment has he or she is receiving it. These doctors agree to wait for payment until a personal injury recovery is reached. Doctors will only do this if they know and trust your personal injury attorney.
(3) Medical Funding Company: Assist the personal injury client in the use of a medical funding company that will pay for specialists such as pain management doctors, neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons, neuro-surgeons, etc. The doctor is paid by the medical funding company and then they are paid from the future personal injury settlement. Medical funding companies will only do this if they know and trust your personal injury attorney and if there is sufficient insurance coverage to insure they will be repaid.

How can I get a free consultation for an experienced personal injury lawyer?
You can call the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. at 866-847-6545 or submit your personal case for a free evaluation to the following link:
FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION:

A huge personal injury jury verdict of $3,294,456 (less 2% for comparative negligence) was returned for two Dekalb County personal injury victims on 11/18/2010. The case was Carolyn Loggins and Williamston Loggins v. Jonathan Coradin (Case Number 08A93987-5). This was an amazing recovery for these plaintiffs which means the personal injury lawsuit was tried very, very well.

How did the car accident occur?
Mr. Loggins was driving on a two lane road in Dekalb County. Ms. Loggins was a passenger in his car. The plaintiffs alleged that they crashed due to the negligence of another driver, Jonathan Coradin when he negligently entered their lane causing minimal-contact with their vehicle. They further allege that the impact was enough force to cause them to swerve off the road and flip their car. Mr. Loggins was ejected from the car and suffered cervical facet fractures, resulting in spinal cord deformity which required a laminectomy and fusion spinal surgery. Ms. Loggins suffered soft tissue injuries to her neck and back that required physical therapy. Mr. Loggins's medical bills totaled $100,000.00.

What was the alleged negligent act?
Mr. Loggins alleged that this car wreck was caused by the defendant's failure to maintain their lane.

What is Comparative Negligence?
The jury awarded $3,294,453 less 2% comparative negligence. This would result in a reduction of the amount received by the personal injury plaintiffs by $65,889.06. Comparative negligence is the negligence that the defendant alleges the plaintiff was guilty of in the car wreck In this case the defendants alleged that it was the plaintiffs who failed to maintain their lane causing this car crash. Another argument might be that the plaintiffs were negligent by overacting or yanking the steering wheel which could arguably be the cause or at least a contributing factor to the plaintiffs' car driving off the road and flipping. Lane change cases can be difficult for the plaintiff to prove liability unless there is an independent witness who can testify to what actually happened. In this Dekalb County personal injury lawsuit, it is clear that the jury thought that Mr. Loggins was slightly to blame for this accident (2%), but that the majority of the blame (98%) was due to the Defendant's negligence.

Could this 3 million dollar plus settlement have been achieved without a personal injury lawyer?
There is absolutely no way this $3,000,000 plus dollar personal injury recovery could have been obtained by a pro se plaintiff. A pro se plaintiff is a plaintiff that is not represented by an attorney. Clearly with the potential pit falls in proving liability in a lane changing case, a personal injury claimant without a seasoned and successful personal injury lawyer would have been offered little or nothing. Most adjusters would simply deny liability and refuse to pay anything. A three million dollar recovery for a Dekalb County personal injury claim that did not involve a wrongful death is a very, very good recovery indeed. For this to happen, Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. knows that this jury must have really liked and believed the clients and the litigating attorneys.

How can I get a free consultation or settlement evaluation from a seasoned and experienced personal injury attorney or wrongful death attorney?
Anyone who has a personal injury or wrongful death claim should call or submit there case for a free settlement evaluation to the following link:
FREE SETTLEMENT EVALUATION

Continue reading "Low Impact Auto Accident (Low Property Damage) Results in A jury Verdict of $3,294,456 In Dekalb County" »

Can a person injured in an accident in Georgia have both a worker's compensation claim and a personal injury claim? Yes. Georgia personal injury lawyers and Georgia worker's compensation lawyers should always evaluate the accident to see if both personal injury and worker's compensation claims exist. Atlanta worker's compensation attorney, Richard Griffin, stated, "if a worker is injured on the job and the accident was caused by the negligence of a third party, then you can have both a worker's compensation claim and a personal injury claim. The easiest example would be a truck driver that is involved in a truck accident due to the negligence of another driver who is not a co-worker. If the truck driver is an employee and is on the job when the motor vehicle accident occurs, then he or she has a worker's compensation claim against his or her employer and their worker's compensation insurance company. The truck driver would then also have a personal injury claim against the negligent driver for his or her medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages (examples DUI, hit and run, etc.). Under Georgia Worker's Compensation laws, the injured worker or worker's compensation claimant could seek treatment with worker's compensation doctors and have his or her worker's compensation related treatment paid for as the treatment is provided. Lost wages under worker's compensation are paid as you go in the form of temporary total income benefits and temporary partial disability benefits.

Georgia law provides for worker's compensation to be the "exclusive remedy" employees have against their employers. However, this "exclusive remedy" does not apply to people who are not co-workers or the injured victim's employer.

Attorney Richard Griffin of Firm, The Griffin Law, P.C. stated that it is very important that you seek the advice (free consultation) of an Atlanta worker's compensation lawyer and an Atlanta personal injury lawyers as soon as possible after you are injured. In this way you can learn about your rights and can understand what actions need to be taken to protect and process your Atlanta personal injury claims and Atlanta Worker's Compensation Claims.

Continue reading "Can you have Worker's Compensation Claims and Personal Injury Claims From the Same Accident?" »

If you have a personal injury case or wrongful death case, then selecting the right Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney is probably the most important decision you will make. Good personal injury lawyers take the pressure off of the injured victim and make sure that a fair and reasonable personal injury settlement is reached. However, not all personal injury lawyers or wrongful death lawyers have the same level of experience, resources, work ethic, and commitment to obtain the great results that you deserve.

So how can you make sure you are hiring the best possible injury lawyer for your case?
Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer, Richard Griffin, says that prior client reviews or client testimonials can be extremely helpful when you are deciding which personal injury attorney or wrongful death attorney to hire. Many client reviews or client testimonials can be found on the law firm’s website or at the firm’s listings on Google, Yahoo, and other directories. Atlanta personal injury attorney Richard Griffin "believes that the tremendous growth and success of his firm (The Griffin Law Firm, P.C.) has been his commitment to offering the best customer service possible". For examples of client testimonials that may help prove the law firm is qualified to provide you with great representation you can read real client testimonials at the following link [CLIENT TESTIMONIALS]. Clients should feel like the law firm cares about them and that they are being kept informed about their case. Another important factor in client satisfaction is was the recovery fair and reasonable. Happy clients will eagerly send everyone they know to you if you treat them right because they want the best for their friends and family that have personal injury or wrongful death claims. The opposite is also true. Unhappy clients will tell even more people about a firm that did not provide the representation that they needed and deserved.

Continue reading "Client Reviews Are Helpful In Finding Great Personal Injury Attorneys " »

There was a very interesting article in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution on September 3, 2010 that concluded Atlanta drivers are amount the "least safe" in America. This study found that the average driver in Atlanta will be involved in a car wreck every 8.2 years. The study was commissioned by Allstate Insurance and ranked Atlanta as number 146th on the safest driving cities. This means that there are 145 cities that are safer to drive in than Atlanta.

Attorney Richard Griffin of The Griffin Law Firm, P.C. is not surprised by this study. He stated, "As a personal injury law firm based in and around Atlanta, we receive calls on a daily bases from people who are injured in car wrecks, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other personal injury accidents." Clearly the roads and highways in Atlanta have heavy traffic. The commutes (driving to and from work) are often long since people who work in Atlanta may live an hour away from Atlanta.

This means that if you have not been involved in a car wreck lately, then you are likely to be involved in one over the next 8 years. If you are in a car wreck caused by a negligent driver and are injured, then speaking to an experienced personal injury attorney is not only wise it is really essential. Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers will be glad to provide you with a free consultation. In this free consultation, you can obtain important information about the following:

(1) Your Personal Injury Rights;
(2) What to do when you have a personal injury case;
(3) What your case is likely to be worth; and
(4) What is the Statute Of Limitations (deadline for pursuing your personal injury case.

Speaking to a personal injury attorney about your personal injury case is always a great first step. The phone call is free, but the advice is priceless.

Continue reading "Study Found That Atlanta Drivers Are Among The Most Dangerous" »

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue just signed Georgia Senate Bill 360 into law this week. This law bans drivers in Georgia from texting while driving. A recent report on Fox 5 news on June 26, 2010, reported that texting while driving has lead to approximately 6000 deaths in motor vehcile accidents in Georgia last year alone. There have been many studies which found that driving while talking on your cell phone causes a driver to be as dangerous and as impaired as a DUI driver. As you can imagine, a driver looking down and entering letters to text would be even more dangerous because they often travel distances on the road without having their eyes on the road. If drivers are not watching or are distracted, then they often are unable to react to the actions of other drivers around them. This clearly is a good law which is needed to discourage this dangerous practice of driving while texting.

The Georgia law banning texting while driving [Senate Bill 360] places the fine for this traffic offense at up to $150. Further, if any teenager is guilty of this offense twice in one year, then that teenage driver could have his or her driver's license suspended for one year per Fox 5 news.

Attorney Richard Griffin of the personal injury firm The Griffin Law Firm stated that personal injury victims of negligent drivers guilty of texting while driving may be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are allowed under Georgia law when a negligent driver's conduct is not merely negligent, but also, conduct that shows a reckless disregard for human life. These damages are intended to discourage this type of conduct by offering these additional punitive damages to punish this conduct. Personal injury claims have a much higher value when there are punitive damages in addition to the compensatory damages which include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Traditionally punitive damages in Georgia have involved DUI driving, racing, reckless driving, and hit and run (leaving the scene of an accident).

Car wreck victims should always consult with experienced personal injury attorneys and wrongful death attorneys whenever they are seriously injured in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian accident. The personal injury lawyers and wrongful death lawyers at www.injuryatlanta.com have had experience handling thousands of claims every year.

Continue reading "Georgia Texting While Driving Could Impact Personal Injury Claims" »

Attorney Richard Griffin specializes in personal injury and wrongful death claims. As a part of his practice, he routinely monitors Georgia jury verdicts in order to better serve his clients and to inform the public on the potential value of their personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security claims. Jury verdict research helps in two important ways. First, it allows the personal injury and wrongful death attorney to educate the client regarding the likely value of his or her claim. Second, it allows the experienced personal injury lawyer and wrongful death lawyer to negotiate higher settlements from the adjuster and defense attorneys by providing evidence of how much a jury verdict would likely be for a specific case.

One source of jury verdict research is The Georgia Trial Reporter. According to The Georgia Trial Reporter, Vol. 21, Issue(s) 8, 11, for June and September 2009, several civil juries returned high dollar verdicts in several Georgia counties for cases involving personal injury claims and wrongful death claims. Some of these cases involved truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and car-wrecks which involved head-on collisions, t-bone collisions, and rear-end collisions. Some of these cases also involved drivers who were distracted by cell phone use or even DUI (driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs).

Some of the recent large settlements published in The Georgia Trial Reporter include:

(1) In Bulloch County Superior Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff $1,160,000.00 for pain and suffering and $75,000.00 for loss of consortium damages in a trucking accident.

(2) In Chatham County State Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff $90,000.00 for damages suffered in an auto-accident when the Defendant rear-ended the Plaintiff’s vehicle, while picking up a cell phone.

(3) In Clayton County State Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff 17,716,401.00 in compensatory damages for an auto-accident involving a head-on collision and a design defect.

(4) In DeKalb County State Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff $6,100,000.00 for damages suffered when the Defendant negligently inserted a needle into the Plaintiff’s neck causing pain and limited paralysis.

(5) In DeKalb County State Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff $1,300,000.00 in wrongful death damages resulting from an interstate auto-accident.

(6) In Fulton County State Court, a jury awarded a Plaintiff $5,835,000.00 in wrongful death and pain and suffering damages in a auto-accident involving a drunk driver.

Great jury verdicts usually involve plaintiffs who are like-able and believable, as well as, injuries that are serious. The pain and suffering damages are determined by the jury and often include permanent restrictions on the injured victim's personal or work activities. Jurors are often extremely motivated by the testimony of before and after witnesses who describe how the plaintiff's life was disrupted by the injures. Before and after witnesses that can describe the negative impact on the plaintiff from different view points and with specific details work best. For example a neighbor who explains how they no longer can job or exercise with the plaintiff is much more effective than someone who just says the plaintiff was generally less active. Good before and after witnesses can include family members, friends, co-workers, and any one else that has had significant contact with the plaintiff.

Continue reading "Recent Big Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Verdicts In Georgia" »

In recent months, the public has watched Toyota’s seemingly innocent story about slipping floor mats unravel into a story about known mechanical defects that endangered the lives of millions of drivers. Attorney Richard Griffin has spent his entire professional legal career handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security claims, and Attorney Richard Griffin is closely monitoring Toyota’s major safety recall.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration(NHTSA) website, on February 09, 2010, the NHTSA released a Consumer Advisory for Toyota owners, for gas pedal entrapment by floor mats and sticky gas pedals for most of Toyota’s vehicle line-up for models ranging from 2005 to 2010. If you are an owner of an affected vehicle, Attorney Richard Griffin advises you to follow the NHTSA advisory.

On February 16, 2010, the NHTSA posted a news release announcing a probe into the timeliness of Toyota’s recent recalls. The probe involves three recalls for Toyota and Lexus vehicles, including the September 26, 2007 and October 6, 2009, recalls related to the entrapment of gas pedals by floor mats which were expanded on January 29, 2010, and the January 21, 2010, recall for sticking gas pedals. According to David Strickland, an administrator for the NHSTA, “our top priority is safety and we expect that all manufacturers address safety issues quickly and in a forthright manner.”

According to a USAToday.com report, Toyota is the first automaker to be involved in a major safety recall since stricter criminal penalties were enacted following the Ford Explorer rollover recalls over a decade ago. The above mentioned NHTSA press release also announced that if the NHTSA finds that Toyota has “violated its statutory obligations, the manufacturer could be liable for a maximum of $16.4 million in civil penalties.” However, Attorney Richard Griffin notes that it is sometimes difficult to uncover all of the evidence needed for civil penalties so it will be very interesting to see how this Toyota investigation pans out.

According to a USAToday.com report, the stricter criminal and civil penalties may have had the unintended consequence of automakers purposely limiting the number of test results or conclusions that are put into writing by company engineers. Attorney Richard Griffin believes such practices hamper the ability of a victim of an automaker’s negligence to recover damages in court.

Recently, Attorney Richard Griffin read a report that further strengthened his suspicions. According to a CNN.com report, a former Toyota in-house counsel quit in 2007, because of alleged “criminal acts” committed by the automotive giant. The CNN.com report further uncovered that, Toyota allegedly had a “pattern and practice of not producing memos, minutes, reports, and email’s,” during the course of discovery, according to former in-house counsel Dimitrios Biller. If true, Attorney Richard Griffin advises that such an abuse of the laws of discovery is criminal and highly unethical and cannot be tolerated.
Attorney Richard Griffin will continue to follow any new developments in the Toyota story. Attorney Richard Griffin advises that owner’s of the affected vehicles should contact their dealership and make sure that their vehicle is safe to operate, and owner’s should continue to follow Attorney Richard Griffin’s blog for any new developments. If you have been the victim of an accident involving a recalled vehicle or believe such, Attorney Richard Griffin advises you to seek legal counsel immediately to make sure your rights are protected.

Continue reading "Personal Injury News: Legal and Safety Issues Continue to Mass for Toyota " »

In recent months, the public has watched Toyota’s seemingly innocent story about slipping floor mats unravel into a story about known mechanical defects that endangered the lives of millions of drivers. Attorney Richard Griffin has spent his entire professional legal career handling personal injury, wrongful death, worker’s compensation, and social security claims, and Attorney Richard Griffin is closely monitoring Toyota’s major safety recall.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration(NHTSA) website, on February 09, 2010, the NHTSA released a Consumer Advisory for Toyota owners, for gas pedal entrapment by floor mats and sticky gas pedals for most of Toyota’s vehicle line-up for models ranging from 2005 to 2010. If you are an owner of an affected vehicle, Attorney Richard Griffin advises you to follow the NHTSA advisory.

On February 16, 2010, the NHTSA posted a news release announcing a probe into the timeliness of Toyota’s recent recalls. The probe involves three recalls for Toyota and Lexus vehicles, including the September 26, 2007 and October 6, 2009, recalls related to the entrapment of gas pedals by floor mats which were expanded on January 29, 2010, and the January 21, 2010, recall for sticking gas pedals. According to David Strickland, an administrator for the NHSTA, “our top priority is safety and we expect that all manufacturers address safety issues quickly and in a forthright manner.”

According to a USAToday.com report, Toyota is the first automaker to be involved in a major safety recall since stricter criminal penalties were enacted following the Ford Explorer rollover recalls over a decade ago. The above mentioned NHTSA press release also announced that if the NHTSA finds that Toyota has “violated its statutory obligations, the manufacturer could be liable for a maximum of $16.4 million in civil penalties.” However, Attorney Richard Griffin notes that it is sometimes difficult to uncover all of the evidence needed for civil penalties so it will be very interesting to see how this Toyota investigation pans out.

According to a USAToday.com report, the stricter criminal and civil penalties may have had the unintended consequence of automakers purposely limiting the number of test results or conclusions that are put into writing by company engineers. Attorney Richard Griffin believes such practices hamper the ability of a victim of an automaker’s negligence to recover damages in court.

Recently, Attorney Richard Griffin read a report that further strengthened his suspicions. According to a CNN.com report, a former Toyota in-house counsel quit in 2007, because of alleged “criminal acts” committed by the automotive giant. The CNN.com report further uncovered that, Toyota allegedly had a “pattern and practice of not producing memos, minutes, reports, and email’s,” during the course of discovery, according to former in-house counsel Dimitrios Biller. If true, Attorney Richard Griffin advises that such an abuse of the laws of discovery is criminal and highly unethical and cannot be tolerated.

Attorney Richard Griffin will continue to follow any new developments in the Toyota story. Attorney Richard Griffin advises that owner’s of the affected vehicles should contact their dealership and make sure that their vehicle is safe to operate, and owner’s should continue to follow Attorney Richard Griffin’s blog for any new developments. If you have been the victim of an accident involving a recalled vehicle or believe such, Attorney Richard Griffin advises you to seek legal counsel immediately to make sure your rights are protected.

Continue reading "Personal Injury News: Legal and Safety Issues Continue to Mass for Toyota " »

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 heartedly 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 invensible 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 seat belt
(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 the negligent driving of someone else 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."

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 road 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 inexorably 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.

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

(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.

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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.