Personal Injury

Published on: May 3, 2011

Possible Increase in Workers’ Compensation Claims Involving Older Georgia Workers

Atlanta Workers’ Compensation lawyers are likely to see a spike in the number of claims being filed by older American workers.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning in a new study that the number of senior workers being injured in workplace accidents, has increased substantially. As the CDC noted, the increase in work accidents for seniors is likely due to the fact that we have more senior in the workplace than in the past due to the recession. Therefore, more and more seniors will have workers comp claims to assert. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are likely to take advantage of the fact these seniors have more limited life expectancies to reduce the level of their settlement offers in worker comp cases beyond what is reasonable for that issue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of injured older workers in the workforce increased from 12 % in 2003 to 17% in the latest estimates.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that much of the reason for this increase has been the fact that there are more older workers in the workforce now than ever before.During these troubled economic times, many seniors who had been looking forward to retirement, have been forced to re-enter the workforce instead.In many cases, these older workers are entering a work environment that has simply not taken their specific safety issues into consideration.

For instance, older workers may be at a high risk of certain types of accidents, like slip and fall accidents.They may also be at a high risk of fall accidents from elevated surfaces, or from ladders and stairways.These falls can leave an older worker with serious injuries, like fractures, hip fractures, broken ribs and other injuries.A hip fracture, for instance, can mean the end of an older worker’s ability to earn a livelihood.In fact, studies show that older persons who suffer a hip fracture, have a much higher risk of dying within a year after suffering the injury, than those who have not suffered a hip injury.

Published on: May 2, 2011

Rotator Cuff Injuries Are a Frequent Result of Slip and Fall Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Rotator cuff injuries often occur as a result of slip and fall accidents, or because of repetitive stress or strain over a period of time.A severe rotator cuff injury can leave a person in constant pain and with difficulty in shoulder movement.Now, a new experimental surgery is offering a ray of hope for people who suffer from these debilitating injuries. Injury attorneys in Atlanta and elsewhere welcome any surgery that is helpful with this injury.

In the case of moderate rotator cuff tears, there are surgeries that can help.However, in the case of severe rotator cuff injuries, surgical options are fairly limited.Typically, physical therapy is used to treat such injuries.Besides, doctors may also prescribe steroid injections or minor surgery.However, these treatments may have a limited effect, and over a period of time, rotator cuff injuries may lead to arthritis.In fact, in severe cases, the person may need partial or total shoulder replacement.Now Dr. Spero Karas, who also happens to be the associate professor of orthopedics at Emory Healthcare Sports Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, is using a new procedure that can help fix serious injuries to the rotator cuff.

The surgery involves using a surgically placed cadaver tissue graft to replace and reattach the injured tendon.So far, studies have indicated that the experiment with this graft-to-bone technique is very effective in treating defective tendons and repairing the injury.Some patients who have had the surgery performed on them have been able to go back to their normal routine activities, including golf. However, this procedure will not work for all rotator cuff tears.

Published on: May 1, 2011

Study Finds Antidepressants Help Repair Brain Cells, Heal Brain Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Traumatic brain injuries are some of the most devastating injuries that Atlanta auto accident lawyers see.These serious injuries can also be seen as a result of a slip and fall accident when a person sustains impact to the head.What makes these injuries even more devastating is that there is no complete cure for traumatic brain injury.All doctors can do is administer emergency treatment as quickly as possible.A new study indicates that the use of antidepressants can help increase brain cells, thereby helping treat an injury.The researchers believe that if a patient is administered antidepressant therapy right after a traumatic brain injury, in addition to all other kinds of therapies, it could help foster the survival of healthy brain cells after an injury.

The use of antidepressants in the treatment of brain injury is not exactly new.In fact, most patients who suffer from TBI are susceptible to depression, and are often prescribed antidepressants.However, a new study conducted on mice found that injured mice that were given antidepressants had up to 70% more brain cells after four weeks on the antidepressant therapy, compared to those mice with brain injuries who had not been given antidepressants.The mice had been given the antidepressant, imipramine

That’s not all.Researchers also analyzed the performance of the mice during a novel object recognition test, to determine whether the thriving of brain cells in these mice, actually contributed to better cognition skills.Researchers analyzed how much time the mice under the antidepressant therapy spent looking at new or novel objects.Researchers found that the mice that had received the antidepressant therapy spent at least 15% more time looking at the novel objects.This indicates that these mice found the objects to be new, thereby indicating better memory capacity.

Published on: April 30, 2011

Students Injured in School Bus Accident in Gwinnett County, Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Several school students were injured in a bus accident involving two school buses in Gwinnett County earlier this week.The accident occurred at an intersection where two school buses were stopped.A third bus approached the scene, and rear-ended the second bus.The driver of the third school bus sustained minor injuries, and was taken to the Gwinnett Medical Center.Unfortunately, as an Atlanta injury attorney, I have seen too many bus accidents result in far more serious injures and wrongful death.

There were a total of 38 children on the third bus, and 10 of them suffered back injuries. The students on the other two buses did not suffer any injuries.The driver of the bus has been cited for following too close.The drivers of the other two buses have been suspended temporarily while an investigation into the accident continues.

Atlanta bus accident lawyers will have to wait until investigations are completed to learn why the third bus driver was not able to stop in time to avoid crashing into the other bus.However, it’ll probably be worthwhile to probe the role of distractions and inattention as a factor in this crash.School bus drivers have an additional responsibility to be cautious and completely attentive while driving.These buses carry some of our most precious cargo, which makes it all the more important for drivers to be attentive at all times.

Published on: April 25, 2011

Georgia Needs Work on Preventing Bicycle Accidents and Pedestrian Accidents this Summer

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia has some of the lowest rates of bicycling in the US.That probably has something to do with the fact that this is one of the most dangerous states for bicyclists in the country.In fact, Georgia ranks at number eight nationwide for the number of bicycle accident deaths and, of course, these means there are also a significant number of injuries.As any Atlanta injury attorney will tell you, the state is not much safer for pedestrians either.According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Metro Atlanta region is the 10th most dangerous metropolitan area for pedestrians in the country.This summer, the Georgia Department of Transportation needs to focus on how to reduce pedestrian accident and bicycle accident deaths.

There’s no doubt that a pedestrian in Atlanta is at serious risk of injuries in an accident.For example in Georgia, pedestrian accidents make up just 1% of all traffic accidents, but these deaths account for 10% of all traffic accident fatalities every year.

Few cities in the country have the kind of congested traffic that Atlanta has, and pedestrians and bicyclists have a big role to play in relieving some of this traffic.It’s the reason why Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers believe in the need to encourage bicycling and walking as sustainable, efficient, and most importantly, safe means of transportation.However, encouraging biking in Georgia has been an upward climb, because of the high risk of injuries to bicyclists here.

Published on: April 22, 2011

Atlanta Children Escape Injuries After Ferocious Dog Bite attack

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A young boy waiting at the bus stop in southwest Atlanta had a miraculous escape after a dog bite attack by a pair of Rottweilers.The boy, who was about eight or nine years old was standing at the bus stop waiting for his bus, when the two dogs turned up and the dog bite attack occurred.Another child was also waiting at the bus stop, but managed to escape.Fortunately for the boy, a neighbor was able to scare the dogs away. As an Atlanta injury attorney, I have often found that dog bite attacks often result in extremely serious personal injuries.

Both of the dogs belonged to separate dog owners.Both the dog owners have been cited by the Fulton County Animal Control and the dogs have been removed from the neighborhood.

Children are the biggest victims of dog bites in Atlanta.According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer dog bites every year.Of these, one in five bites result in injuries that are serious enough to require medical attention.Among child victims of dog bites, the rate of injuries is highest in children in the age group of 5 to 9.Besides, children are much more likely to require medical attention after a dog bite.

Published on: April 21, 2011

Atlanta Bicycle Accident Shows Need for Greater Motorist Awareness

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As an Atlanta injury lawyer, a recent bicycle accident in Cobb County is once again confirming that drivers in Atlanta need to be more vigilant about watching out for bicyclists over the spring and summer. Bicycle accidents often result in the most serious types of personal injury compared to most types of accidents.

The year’s peak cycling season is here, and many Atlantans are out on their bicycles.By law, Atlanta bicyclists must bike on the road, and not on a sidewalk.That means they share the roads with motorists who must, accommodate these bikers.

Last week, an elementary school teacher was left with injuries after her bicycle was struck by a car.The impact was serious enough to break the car’s side view mirror, but the driver drove off from the scene of the accident.Fortunately, the woman did not suffered life altering injuries.What makes this accident even more ironic was that the woman had recently been elected to the Board of Directors at Bike Cobb, a bicycle safety advocacy group that lobbies for better bicycling roads and safety.On the day of the accident, in fact, the victim was on her way to her first meeting as a board director.

Published on: March 31, 2011

First Full Face Transplant Offers Hope for Traumatic Injury Victims in Atlanta

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A team of doctors at a Massachusetts hospital announced that they had completed the country’s first full face transplant.The recipient of the transplant was a 25-year-old construction worker, who had been left horribly injured and disfigured after an electrocution accident in 2008.With the surgery being declared a success, and the military investing millions of dollars in facial transplant research, Atlanta personal injury attorneys believe that this transplant signifies even greater possibilities for the treatment of victims of traumatic injury.

The construction worker had had his nose, lips and much of his face destroyed after the accident.He had been left disfigured and unrecognizable.After the family of a brain-dead young man came forward to donate his face, doctors decided to perform a transplant on the worker.The surgery took a total of 15 hours, and doctors worked to attach a nose, lips, skin, muscles and nerves on his face.The new face hasn’t been revealed yet, but doctors have confirmed the success of the surgery.

The cost of the surgery was borne by the American military, which has pumped millions of dollars into face transplant research.The military is investing in possible treatment and rehabilitation options for soldiers who return from combat duty with horribly disfiguring injuries.

Published on: March 31, 2011

DOJ Report on Punitive Damages Awards in 2005

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In any trial involving intentional misconduct or in which a defendant has consciously disregarded the consequences of his or her conduct, Atlanta personal injury lawyers will ask juries to award compensatory damages and punitive damages to the plaintiff.Cases involving punitive damages include drunk driving car accidents, construction accidents in which the worker was using drugs, trucking accidents in which the truck company negligently hired or retained a clearly unqualified driver, dog bite cases in which the dog has repeatedly bitten other persons, or other injury cases in which the defendant’s conduct is more than just negligent. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, we thoroughly investigate all cases to determine if the case is appropriate for an award of punitive damages.

Compensatory damages are meant to do just that-compensate the plaintiff for all his economic and non-economic losses as a result of the defendant’s negligence.These losses could include medical expenses (hospitalization, medical bills, doctor fees, surgeries, physical therapy and rehabilitation), plus income and lost potential income in the future.Non-economic losses could include the plaintiff’s physical pain and mental suffering and loss of consortium/affection.However, punitive damages are awarded not to compensate the plaintiff, but to punish the defendant and to deter him from committing such conduct in the future.

A new report by the US Department of Justice Office of Justice titled Punitive Damage Awards in State Courts 2005 provides an interesting summary of punitive damages awards that year. In the year 2005, there were 22 tort and contract trials in Fulton County, Georgia, which resulted in plaintiff victories.Out of these, 9% resulted in punitive damages being awarded to the plaintiff.Across the country, that same year, punitive damages were awarded in 14,359 trials that ended with plaintiff victories.

Published on: March 27, 2011

Atlanta Boy Injured in SUV Car Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A six-year-old Atlanta boy who was injured in an SUV car accident in Cobb County is expected to recover from his injuries.The boy had been injured in the accident that occurred on Sunday at the intersection of Macland Road and John Ward Road.

The child was apparently traveling in an SUV that was T-boned by another vehicle at the intersection.The impact of the accident caused the SUV to flip over.The boy sustained a head injury, and had to be rushed to the hospital.Police are likely to charge the other driver with failure to yield.

Very often, Atlanta car accident attorneys notice that T-bone collisions which occur near an intersection, occur because one of the drivers ran a red light.T-bone accidents involve a car that crashes through traffic and into the side of another car.These side-impact accidents are some of the most injurious of all auto accidents.Side impact crashes can cause serious injuries and fatalities, because there is very little space protecting the occupants of the car from the full impact of the collision.This is unlike a frontal impact collision, where the front of the automobile absorbs much of the energy from the accident, cushioning the occupants from injuries.