wrongful death

Published on: January 11, 2024

Multiple Car Accident Deaths Reported Across Georgia over Thanksgiving

First responders attended to multiple victims of car accidents across Georgia over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Across Georgia and the country, law enforcement authorities were reporting record volumes of traffic. More than 55 million Americans are reported to have travelled over the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, as is often the case, large volumes of traffic make for greater numbers of auto accidents. In Georgia, the scene was no better as more than 23 accident fatalities were confirmed over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. This year, the holiday weekend stretched from 6:00 pm on Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

Apart from the 23 wrongful deaths, numerous other persons are reported to have suffered personal injuries in these car accidents. At least one busy interstate had to be shut down for 7 hours after a car accident involving an 18 -wheeler and an SUV. At least five out of the 23 fatalities occurred in a single car accident.

Published on: June 4, 2022

Feds Record 13% Increase in Trucking Accident Deaths in 2021

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

2021 was a deadly year for truckers and other persons involved in accidents with large commercial trucks and 18-wheelers. The latest data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reflected a 13% increase in the number of deaths in accidents involving large trucks last year, compared to 2020.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its latest traffic crash data for 2021, and the figures are bleak. Overall, traffic fatalities were up by as much as 10.5% from 2020. Interestingly, many of these fatal accidents occurred during the day time and on rural or artery roads. Overall, these were the highest traffic accident death numbers on record since 2005. Many in the industry and in the federal administration believe that these rates are at “crisis levels”.

The news on the trucking safety front was not much better. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considered any commercial truck weighing at or above 10,000 pounds as a large truck for the purposes of data collection. The figures included not just smaller trucks, but also non-commercial trucks. There were a total of 5,601 deaths involving truck accidents in 2021, compared to a total of 4,965 accident deaths the previous year, a significant 13 percent increase. Increases in deaths in crashes involving at least one truck were recorded in all months, except January, February and October of last year.

Published on: July 5, 2020

31 Boating Deaths Reported so far this Year

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

So far in the year 2020, Georgia law enforcement authorities believe that there have been as many as 31 boating accident related deaths in the local lakes and rivers.

We are in the middle of the year’s busiest boating season with several weeks of boating activity yet to go, so these numbers are very worrisome. According to Georgia law enforcement officers, there have been a total of 31 boating accident related deaths, including those caused by crashes or by drownings this year alone, across the state. And with the boating activity that typically takes place during the 4th of July holiday weekend, these numbers will undoubtedly rise.

The boating accident statistics were revealed during the launch of a joint campaign by the states of Georgia and Alabama, to crack down on intoxicated boating over the 4th of July weekend. Boating activity increases across Georgia during the summer months, and this is often accompanied with increased alcohol consumption as well. This deadly combination means an increased risk to boaters, who may be at risk of not just boating crashes, but also accidental drownings and other accidents that can result in serious injuries.

Published on: April 27, 2020

NTSB Calls on States to Act to Prevent Bicycle Accident Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on Georgia and other states to take stringent action to reduce the number of bicyclists killed in accidents every year.

The National Transportation Board recently released its first report on bicycle safety since 1972. The Board makes note of the fact that there has been a spike in bicycle accident deaths, specifically the 857 bicycle accident deaths that occurred in 2018. There was an increase in bicycle accident deaths in 2018, even as there was an overall drop in auto accidents that year. Those numbers were an increase of 6.3 percent from the previous year. In fact, the bicycle accident death toll in 2018 was the highest number on record since 1990.

The record fatality numbers in 2018 is likely the reason why the National Transportation Safety Board has decided to address the issue of bicycle safety for the first time since 1972. The Board makes note of the poor infrastructure that is often the cause of bicycle accidents. Too many cities in Georgia have seen an increase in their bicycle population, but oftentimes there is no safe infrastructure in place to support it. This situation has resulted in a staggering increase in bicycle accident deaths in urban areas. Since 2009, the number of bicycle accident deaths in urban areas has increased by a whopping 48 percent.

Published on: July 8, 2016

Medical Errors Third Leading Cause of Death in United States

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Medical errors rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer as a leading cause of death in the United States. Those findings come from a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

According to the study, patients who suffer injuries as the result of a medical error are much more likely to die, compared to persons who suffer from respiratory diseases like bronchitis and emphysema. The tragedy is that people may take precautions in order to prevent contracting bronchitis and emphysema, or any other diseases that could result in death, but may not realize that they have a much higher chance of dying from a medical error.

The study estimates that more than 250,000 U.S. deaths every year can be traced to medical errors. There are a number of medical errors that could injure or kill a patient. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, overmedication and other types of medical errors are often serious enough to cause a patient’s death.

Published on: November 26, 2015

Black Friday Injuries and Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

We call it “Black Friday” because it’s traditionally the day when retailers move their accounting ledgers from red ink (deficits) to black ink (profits).

Increasingly, though, America’s biggest shopping day is becoming “Black-and-Blue Friday,” as scores of innocent consumers find themselves seriously injured while out and about. Some have even died.

The Internet is catching on to the disturbing trend. BlackFridayDeathCount.com is as macabre as it is blunt, but the website, which tracks the number of injuries and deaths reported since 2006, has gained a lot of attention over the last few years.

Published on: June 23, 2015

Defective Takata Airbags Now Linked to 105 Injuries, Six Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A committee that is currently investigating car recalls linked to defective Takata airbags says that the Japanese auto parts supplier recently decided to update recall information. The updated toll from the airbags defect is now 105 injuries and 6 fatalities.

The earlier toll was 64 injuries and five fatalities linked to the malfunctioning airbag. However, since then, Takata has apparently identified at least 40 more incidents of malfunctioning airbags resulting in serious injuries, including one that resulted in at least one death.

The defect causes the airbags to shoot off potentially dangerous fragments that can seriously injure occupants in the vehicle. Occupants are at risk of serious injuries, including eye injuries, facial injuries and other injuries as a result of being hit in the face by these pieces of shrapnel.

Published on: May 20, 2013

More Effort Needed to Reduce Georgia Bicycle Accidents and Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Bicyclists in the metro Atlanta region continue to remain at high risk for injuries and fatalities.New data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that there were 14 “pedalcyclist” accident fatalities reported in Georgia in the year 2011.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration puts bicycles, unicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles in a single group called “pedalcycles.”

Those figures account for approximately 1.1% of the 1,223 traffic accident fatalities reported in 2011.Overall, Georgia had a bicyclist fatality rate of approximately 1.43 fatalities for every 1 million population.

Statistics were not much better across the rest of the country.In fact, there was actually an increase of 9% in the national bicycle accident fatality total for 2011.Overall, there were 677 pedalcyclist fatalities in the United States in 2011.These accidents also contributed to more than 48,000 injuries.

Published on: March 4, 2010

Killer Whale in SeaWorld Attack Killed Before

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Wildlife lovers have been citing last week’s fatal orca attack at SeaWorld in Orlando as a prime example of the fact that wild animals deserve to be free, and not forced to be performing monkeys. However, as Atlanta injury lawyers who represent victims of dog bites, we have been more concerned about the fact that the killer whale in the attack here had been cited in at least two previous deaths

If you’ve missed the story, here’s the background.Tilikum, a killer whale at Orlando’s SeaWorld, dragged its trainer Dawn Brancheau into the water, killing her. The 40- year-old trainer was rubbing the whale down after the show when it apparently grabbed her in its mouth, and thrashed her from side to side. Brancheau was dead before anyone else could get into the water. It’s not clear if she drowned or died from the thrashing.

Tilikum had been involved in at least two previous deaths at water parks.The first death occurred at a facility in British Columbia, when a trainer fell into the tank and was attacked by three whales, including Tilikum.The other tragedy involved a man who was found dead and draped around the whale’s back in the tank.He had either sneaked into the tank or fallen in.

Published on: January 1, 2010

Two Killed in a Ford Rollover Accident in Atlanta

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Ford Explorers are no strangers to controversy, and have been linked to hundreds of incidences of rollovers. In the most recent such rollover accident involving a Ford, two people died in Atlanta when their Ford Explorer suffered a tire blowout and flipped over. There were 6 occupants in the Explorer, and three of them were ejected. Four people were injured in the accident.

The Ford Explorer has been linked to more incidences of rollovers than other SUV’s. Earlier this decade, Ford found itself in the middle of a controversy related to defective Firestone tires that were prone to blowouts, causing the Explorers to roll over. The tire defect involved tread separation which caused the tire to disintegrate, leading to loss of control over the vehicle. While Firestone tires were blamed for these rollover accidents, Atlanta personal injury lawyers also pointed to the design of the Explorer which made it much more likely to flip over in case of a tire blowout at high speeds, compared to other SUV’s.

The Ford Explorer continues to be the center of lawsuits, ending in massive jury awards. This year, Ford was ordered to pay $55 million in punitive damages to a California woman who was left paralyzed when her Explorer rolled over and the roof collapsed on her neck. Her spine was severed from the impact, and she continues to remain paralyzed. Also this year, a woman in Georgia was awarded $40 million in damages by a jury in Lamar County. The woman Jessica Mundy claimed that a transmission defect in her Explorer caused it to suddenly go into reverse when placed in park mode. As a result, the SUV ran over her, causing spinal cord injuries, and leaving her paralyzed.