Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog

General Motors Co. Is recalling 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac compacts cars to repair or replace steering motors which can fail causing the vehicle to be difficult to steer at lower speeds. While this may not be an insurmountable problem for some drivers, the Georgia injury lawyers recognize that it may be a serious problem for older or elderly drivers who may surprised by the loss of the power steering and be physically unable to steer the vehicle. Under those circumstances a power steering failure could cause an automobile accident with devastating consequences.

According to an article published by the Associated Press today, General Motors told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the recall on Monday. NHTSA began an investigation into 905,000 of the models on January 27th after getting 1,100 complaints that the cars lost their power steering. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident involving a recalled vehicle, contact the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP .Our firm has been representing injured victims in products liability claims for over 45 years.

Today WSBTV reported on a tragic automobile accident that occurred on Interstate 285 near Bouldercrest Rd. A white van somehow lost a tire which bounced across the concrete median wall and struck a Hyundai Sonata automobile going westbound on the interstate. The impact of the tire caused the death of the driver of the Hyundai.

From the standpoint of a Georgia injury lawyer, this is a case that needs immediate and through investigation to determine why the tire came off of the van. From the photograph of the van on the internet, it appears like the van may be a commercial vehicle. Had the van recently been serviced? Had the tires recently been rotated? Was there a catastrophic mechanical defect? Is there a product liability case? In any event, this van needs to be immediately inspected by experts to determine what happened.

I remember years ago as a high school student when I was working in a friends garage. A woman drove her car into the shop complaining about a noise. As it turned out, she had recently had her tires rotated at another garage. Unfortunately, they had finger tightened the lug nuts on one tire but had failed to tighten them with an impact/air wrench. Over the course of the day, the lug nuts began to work themselves loose. Fortunately for her and others, she had some warning about what surely could have been a terrible accident.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have been representing victims of automobile accidents, truck accidents and defective product cases for over 45 years. If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of the negligence of someone, call us to discuss your rights. It is always in your best interest to get your lawyer involved in the case immediately.

Georgia injury lawyers are well aware that use of cell phones and other hand held devices cause a significant number of automobile accidents and truck accidents. Just this morning I witnesses a near collision because a woman changing lanes was too glued to her cell phone to turn her head to make sure the lane was clear. Worse yet are “gotta stay connected type A types” who are constantly checking emails or texting while driving. The Georgia Legislature needs to get their act together and pass legislation to try to remedy the problem.

The Associated Press reported this week that the Florida Legislature is expected to consider several bills during its upcoming session that would ban drivers from using their cell phones or texting while driving. According to the article, the National Safety Council released a report in January that claimed 28 percent of all traffic collisions (1.6 million crashes a year) are caused by drivers using cell phones or texting.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP routinely subpoena phone records from cell phone companies when we have reason to believe that our client’s have been injured in automobile accidents or trucking accidents by drivers using cell phones or other hand held devices.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of being in a Georgia motor vehicle collision caused by a driver who was using one of these devices, call us to learn about your rights. We have been representing people in serious injury cases and wrongful death cases for over 45 years.

Chrysler Group LLC announced on yesterday it will replace a front airbag crash sensor in more than 355,000 minivans. Careful not to call it a “recall”, Chrysler says it’s “safety improvement campaign” covers its 2005 -2006 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans sold in the United State and Canada.

Chrysler’s “safety improvement campaign” came about because they discovered that under certain environmental conditions one of the front airbag sensors could crack allowing water to enter the sensor potentially rendering it inoperable. In a carefully worded document Chrysler sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to notify them of the “safety improvement campaign”, Chrysler said inter alia, “Until the vehicle is repaired, the airbags may not provide the enhanced protection in the event of a crash.”

As Georgia injury lawyers, we have seen and litigated many product liability cases. It is clear that, at present, in the event of an automobile accident involving Chrysler’s 2005 -2006 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans potentially the front seat passengers of those vehicles would have no protection and might be subjected to serious injuries and possibly death in the event of a head-on collision.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured as a result of a defective and dangerous product of any kind, call the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP to discuss your legal rights.

When Georgia injury lawyers hear about single car automobile accidents or single vehicle truck accidents, we always wonder whether the cause of the accident may have been related to a product defect, such as a defective tire or front end part. Today for instance, the White County News today reported that a Cleveland, Georgia resident, Marcus Carl Chambers, age 30, was killed early Friday morning when his pickup truck veered off Ga. 115 west of Cleveland. According to the article the 1999 GMC Sonoma truck was traveling westbound on Ga. 115 when it ran off the road and overturned, ejecting the driver. Chambers, who had not been wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are reportedly continuing their investigation.

While the cause of this crash may have been something as simple as the driver falling asleep, it is always prudent to look for other causes when investigating automobile accidents and truck accidents. The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have represented many families in wrongful death cases which involved defective products. If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in an accident involving a potential products liability case, call us for a free consultation.

This week the Transportation Department served Toyota with legal documents demanding that they produce certain documents related to the recent massive Toyota product recall in the United States. The government wants to know when and how Toyota learned of the safety defects in millions of its vehicles involving the entrapment of gas pedals by floor mats and "sticky" gas pedals. Toyota has 30 -60 days to respond to the government's request for the production of the documents.

Although Toyota has denied any electronic defect which would cause sudden engine acceleration, many believe that neither the floor mat issue or "sticky" gas pedals would cause a vehicle to accelerate to high speeds. Many Toyota owners have testified that the gas pedal did not stick but rather that there was a sudden, sustained and unexplained acceleration of the vehicle. It has been estimated that since 2000, there have been in excess of 30 automobile accidents resulting in death as a result of this problem.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of being involved in an automobile accident or truck accident involving a Toyota product, call one of the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP.

Compared with automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents or pedestrian accidents, trucking accidents can be significantly more complicated. One of the biggest mistakes a lawyer can make is treating a trucking case like a typical automobile accident case. First, the number of parties involved is generally more than two in case of truck accident. These parties involved in the case of a truck accident may include the drivers, the owners of the truck, the truck manufacturing company, the brake maker, etc.

Second, commercial vehicles are heavily regulated by both federal and state governments and determining fault in a truck accident requires the parties to not only be aware of all the applicable regulations, but the ability to effectively determine if any were not followed. A competent Georgia injury lawyer will be familiar with the regulations imposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Many rules and states have differing statutes of limitations that only an expert attorney can deal with. It is very important to choose a lawyer who knows in and out of truck law.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of the leading causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue, coupled with alcohol and/or drug use. However, how can you determine if the trucker was speeding or fatigued? An experienced attorney will know who to question, how evidence needs to be immediately preserved and gathered, and have access to experts who can piece together what happened and why.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of being involved in a truck accident, call the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP. We have over 45 years experience representing people who have been seriously injured and families of those whose injuries have lead to the wrongful death of their loved ones.

As Georgia injury lawyers we see all types of automobile accidents and truck accidents but yesterday's collision in Palmetto, Georgia between a Ford Mustang and a Dodge four-wheel drive pickup truck came close to becoming a wrongful death case.

The collision between the two vehicles occurred on U.S. Highway 29 at about 7:15 a.m. According to Palmetto police, the driver of the Dodge truck, crossed over the centerline of the highway into the northbound lane and collided head-on with the Ford Mustang. Because the Dodge truck was jacked up so high, it literally rode over the Mustang and came to rest on top of it. Fortunately, neither driver had any life-threatening injuries.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have been representing the victims of serious injury accidents for over 45 years. We have also represented families of victims involved in motor vehicle collisions which have resulted in the death of their loved ones. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of the negligence of others, call us today to discuss your rights.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP commute into the City of Atlanta everyday. In doing so, it is astounding to see how many people are sending text messages on cell phones, Blackberries and other PDA’s while driving. Many of these drivers cause automobile accidents, truck accident, bus accidents and even motorcycle accidents which result in serious injuries and sometimes the wrongful death of innocent victims.

Texting while driving is a rising problem among teenagers and adults and is a leading cause of traffic accidents. When someone texts while driving, they are endangering their own lives as well as other drivers and pedestrians they may pass. Last week two members of the Georgia House of Representatives introduced Bills that would ban the practice of texting. If a Bill passes, Georgia would be the 20th state in the nation including North Carolina and Tennessee, to ban texting while driving. Just today I read that similar legislation is being proposed in South Carolina and it is expected to pass.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident as a result of the negligence of a driver who was texting or operating other communication devices, call the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP who have been representing injury victims for over 45 years.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have seen our share of dangerous products recalled for one reason or another; however, last week's recall of numerous Toyota models of automobiles and trucks probably sets a new record. In late 2009, Toyota issued a recall of 4.2 million vehicles because it was thought that they could interfere with the gas pedal and cause sudden acceleration. Now Toyota has issued a recall affecting 2.3 million vehicles and has suspended the sale of eight models, including their most popular model, the Camry, over faulty gas pedals that could stick and cause unexpected acceleration and result in an automobile accident.

Toyota is working with CTS Corp., which manufactures gas pedals for Toyota, to redesign the pedals and to find a remedy for what is believed to be a condensation problem which can cause the pedal to move slowly or in some cases get stuck.

In the meantime, there are thousands of potentially dangerous vehicles of the road which could suddenly accelerate and cause serious injuries to the occupants and others or even cause the wrongful death of innocent people.

If you or a loved one is injured as a result of the sudden acceleration of a Toyota product, call one of the Georgia injury lawyers immediately for a free consultation. In all of these cases, it is crucial that the automobile be preserved so that it can be inspected by experts.

Georgia injury lawyers that handle automobile accident and trucking accident cases know that a rear-end collision is no laughing matter. Although the term “whiplash” immediately evokes a negative reaction, it is a serious, painful and many times a permanent injury. Unfortunately, a rear-end crash can, and often does, result in disc herniation and other spinal injuries. In some cases such a collision can result in a brain injury if the head strikes a solid object such as a rear window in a pickup truck.

The experts will tell you that a rear-end crash can cause the occupants in the vehicle that is struck to propel their heads forward at a speed that is 10 times or greater than the force of gravity. Rear-end crashes can cause back injuries, neck injuries, shoulder injuries, whiplash, cervical spine injuries, disk injuries, nerve injuries, joint injuries, ligament injuries, and other serious injuries. Anyone who has had one of the injuries, knows that they are very painful and debilitating. A rear-end car crash victim may have to undergo surgery, take pain medication, and spend months in physical therapy.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of being rear-ended in a motor vehicle collision, call the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP who have been represent victims of these crashes for over 45 years.

Georgia injury lawyers know that when there is a motorcycle accident, the injuries are usually serious. Motorcycles are by their very nature far less crash worthy than closed vehicles and crashes frequently result in catastrophic injuries or death. In 2000, I spent two weeks in the trauma unit of the Orlando Regional Hospital (a fantastic hospital) where my daughter was a patient. Throughout the day and night, helicopters landed on the roof with critically injured motorist, most of which were involved in motorcycle crashes. Sadly, many died as a result of brain injuries and other serious injuries.

Recently, I went to the Georgia DOT website to locate some recent statistics on motorcycle crashes. For reasons unknown to me, the latest posted data was from 2003. According to their study:

. There were 2,851 total motorcycle crashes, 2123 involving injury crashes, and 101 fatal crashes.
. Motorcycle crashes accounted for 7% of traffic fatalities, but only about 1% of the crashes.
. Of all motorcycle riders in crashes, 56% had at least visible or more severe injuries compared to only 4% of passenger cars occupants involved in a crash.
. Males represented 87% of the injuries and fatalities in motorcycle crashes.
. Motorcycles made up 2% of all registered vehicles.
. Half of the motorcycle operators (50%) involved in fatal crashes did not have a valid Class M license or permit.
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Because of the seriousness of the injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents and because many of the motorist who cause these accident are under-insured, Georgia injury lawyers need to be creative when representing riders. It is imperative that the victim’s attorney examine all potential avenues of recovery so that the client can be fully compensated. Other areas to review include failure of the motorcycle’s mechanical systems, failure of other motorcyclists to observe the motorcyclist, failure maintain the roadway and debris on the roadway from trucks, including tire tread separation.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident, truck accident or motorcycle accident, consult the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP. Our firm has been representing personal injury victims for over 45 years.

The statistical evidence regarding automobile accidents continues to demonstrate that drivers who are distracted while driving are dangerous drivers likely to be involved in accidents. Texting while driving, using cell phones while driving and other distractive driving problems continue to cause more and more accidents on our highways and more and more injuries to innocent third parties endangered by such conduct.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2008, there were a total of 34,017 fatal crashes in which 37,261 individuals died. Sixteen percent (16%) of the total fatalities were due to driver distraction. The proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of the fatal crashes increased from eight percent (8%) in 2004 to eleven percent (11%) in 2008. This is hardly surprising because more and more drivers are using their cell phones and are texting while driving. Drivers under the age of 20 had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes according to NHTSA sixteen percent (16%). Again, this statistic is hardly surprising because those who seem to use their cell phones the most and/or text while driving are the younger drivers on the road.

Of the 1,630 injury crashes reported throughout the United States, NHTSA estimates that an astounding twenty-one percent (21%) involved distracted driving.

Many states have banned the use of handheld devices while driving. These include California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington and the Virgin Islands. A texting ban exists Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Guam. Notably, no such ban for either form of distracted driving exists in Georgia.

Based on the statistical evidence released by NHTSA, it is clear that the Georgia Legislature should enact laws to protect innocent members of the motoring public from distracted drivers. Until and unless such legislation is enacted, this problem will likely continue to mount and more and more innocent third parties will either be killed or seriously injured by such conduct. Stop if you are doing either!

Last fall Toyota announced the largest auto recall in U.S. history after numerous sudden unintended acceleration accidents were reported, many of which resulted in fatalities. Now, Toyota has announced an additional recall of 2.3 million vehicles to correct this same problem. Why the additional recall? It appears that Toyota is doing so because ABC News is soon to report an increase in sudden acceleration cases since the recall last year. According to news reports, there have been 60 new cases of sudden unintended acceleration cases involving Toyota vehicle.

In one tragic occurrence outside of Dallas, Texas, four people were killed when a Toyota sped off the road through a fence and landed upside down in a pond. Even though Toyota has long blamed maladjusted floormats for the unintended acceleration problem, however, in this particular accident, the floormats were found in the car’s trunk where the owners had been advised to put them as part of the earlier recall. Thus, the evidence continues to mount that this problem with Toyotas is not caused by floormats but rather by onboard computer glitches and other engineering issues.

While we are pleased that Toyota has finally recalled its dangerous products, obviously, it is disturbing that Toyota refused to do so earlier for all affected vehicles. From the reported news coverage, had it done so, it may be that an additional 60 cases involving injuries and/or fatalities may have been avoided.

This is a question that we are asked by virtually every client in every case we have. The answer is that if a settlement offer is made which is approximately equal to what one can expect to receive at a jury trial then the case should be settled. In other words, there would be no need for a jury trial because the settlement offer being made is approximately what one would likely receive in front of a fair and impartial jurors. If the offer is below what one is likely to receive from fair and impartial jurors then we recommend that clients not accept the settlement offer. Obviously, if the offer is above what we reasonably believe a fair and impartial jury would award in a particular case, we recommend that our client accept such an offer.

It is not always easy to predict what a fair and impartial jury would do with a particular case. The nuances and unique facts of any case obviously influence claim evaluation. If liability is strong and if damages are good and the client otherwise makes a favorable impression, such a case has a greater settlement value than does a case where there are liability issues, damage issues and/or client problems. As always, the facts are key but sometimes the law as it pertains to the unique facts involved will dictate as well the outcome of the case and/or the evaluation of a particular claim.

Sometimes the law is not favorable to a particular position that a party has in litigation. The less favorable the law to their position, the less valuable the claim from a claim evaluation standpoint. In those cases where a client has been victimized by the negligence of a third party, they are truly innocent in the premises and their damages are clear and easily proven, such a case has greater settlement value than does one where the damages may be attributable to acts other than the negligence, there is contested liability based on the facts and circumstances of the case and/or the client’s expectations are unreasonable or they do not make a very positive impression and thus a jury may not like them.

What we try to do in representing our clients is to make sure that their cases are presented in the best light possible so that we can get the best possible result for them. If an offer is made that is equal to what we believe a fair and impartial jury would award, we always recommend that such a client consider such a settlement proposal assuming it is made. Of course, it is the client’s ultimate decision whether they wish to settle or rely upon fair and impartial jurors to resolve their case. Going to trial can be a gamble because oftentimes one can get a lesser verdict than they would have obtained via settlement. If the client is fully informed of these risks and nonetheless wishes to go to trial, sometimes the award obtained is higher than one might otherwise obtain through settlement. As long as the client is fully informed of their options and counsel is fully prepared to present the strongest case possible to the jury, the client should be advised that a jury trial is an option that they should consider, however, in weighing their options, if the offer made is reasonable and is likely to approximate what a fair and impartial jury might award, then in that event, we always recommend that our clients consider such a settlement offer while deferring to their discretion whether they wish nonetheless to accept the risk of going forward to a jury trial.

An automobile accident in Dekalb County, Georgia has claimed the life of a young woman this week, Dekalb County police officials have reported that charges are pending against 17-year-old Shaeed Saunders stemming from the death of Tanesha Williams - age 14. Authorities have reported that on Wednesday, Saunders was attempting to pass another vehicle around a curb at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his vehicle, ran up on the sidewalk and struck Williams and 2 other students. The 2 students were injured but are expected to recover. The collision occurred near Stone Mountai High School where Saunders was a student.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have represented the families of victims of automobile accidents, trucking accidents , motorcycle and and bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents who have died as a result of the negligence of others for over 45 years. If you have lost a loved one as a result of the negligence or carelessness of someone, call us today for a free consultation.

Mediation can be employed at any stage of a civil dispute. It can occur before or after a lawsuit is filed. Our experience at this firm has typically been that mediation occurs after a lawsuit is filed and after the parties have become well acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the dispute. Once the parties have access to all the operative and materials facts via written discovery and depositions, it is not uncommon for one party to suggest a mediation of the dispute.

Once mediation is agreed upon, a third party neutral or mediator is selected to preside over the mediation session. The third party neutral is typically an experienced attorney or judge who has experience with the type of dispute at issue. Whether the case involves medical malpractice, products liability, wrongful death, a tractor-trailer accident or other personal injury claim, typically, one tries to select a mediator who has extensive experience in such a case. The parties then appear jointly at a prearranged mediation conference after which time the mediator takes over as a presiding third party neutral.

The role of the mediator at the mediation conference is to facilitate settlement negotiations. The mediator typically listens to both sides summarize their respective contentions and then the mediator meets privately with each side trying to get one side to make an offer and the other side to make a counteroffer thereto. During the negotiation process the mediator probes the weaknesses and strengths of each side and encourages both sides to be open minded always agreeing to compromise their respective positions. Any successful mediator or third party neutral tell both sides that in order for a settlement to occur both sides have to negotiate in good faith and have to agree to compromise, that is accept less than what they would ideally want but nonetheless try to reach a good faith compromise agreement to resolve the dispute.

Typically, at our firm, as long as the mediator is qualified, we allow the defense to select whom ever they wish. Our logic is that if the defense selects a mediator, by definition, they must have confidence in his or her abilities to evaluate a claim. We always agree to whomever the defense selects because we are confident that we can convince a neutral third party mediator of the strength of our case and thus, if they accept our position, they will be able to successfully advocate to the other side who selected them that they should reconsider their position and increase their settlement offer.

Some mediators are better than others either due to experience and/or personality. When an experienced mediator gets involved in the process, we have found that between 80 to 90 percent of the time a case does settle at mediation. This is a very good track record which indicates that when both sides have access to all of the material facts that are needed to evaluate a claim and when both sides are assisted by a third party neutral, the chances of a successful settlement are good.

Georgia injury lawyers close attention to dangerous product recalls. In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Chrysler Group LLC announced the recall of 24,177 vehicles due to a potential defect in a brake system that could result in automobile accidents from sudden brake failure.

The recall includes 2010 model Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Nitro, and Jeep Liberty, Commander and Grand Cherokee SUVs. The recall also applies to 2009-2010 model year Dodge Ram trucks.

According to Chrysler, the clip retention tab on the brake pedal pin on some of the vehicles was improperly formed, or not installed, during the manufacturing process. Although Chrysler is unaware of any automobile accidents related to the defective product, it could result in sudden brake failure.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have been representing injured victims of dangerous products for over 45 years. Many of these cases involved serious injury and some involved the wrongful death of the client. If you or a loved one have been injured by a dangerous and defective product of any kind, contact us for a free consultation at (800) 228-9159.

Cell phone use and texting while driving are major problems on the Georgia roads and nationwide. Our Atlanta automobile injury lawyers see far too many cases in which drivers distracted by cell phone use are causing serious injury and death.

Even though the police are too seldom required to determine whether cellphone use was involved in an accident, the data about texting or phoning while driving is alarming. Harvard researchers estimated that drivers on cellphones cause about 2,600 fatal crashes a year and 570,000 accidents. Hands-free devices do not eliminate that risk. Other studies show that someone legally drunk could outperform a person texting behind the wheel.

While a large measure of the responsibility for these accidents lies with drivers, consumer groups are now questioning the role of the wireless phone industry in the problem, and why the industry has fought against restrictions on the use of these devices.

Last week an article in the New York Times alleged that the industry was intentionally blinded by massive profits to the dangers. The article pointed out how the industry has continually promoted the use of phones while driving. It specifically cited one ad showing a businessman on the phone and asking, “Can your secretary take dictation at 55 m.p.h.?”

In California, the mobile industry fought off bans on talking while driving for years, at one point arguing that they were looking out for consumers.

Congress has slowly begun to focus on this issue and proposals for bans are now circulating in both houses. None seem to be a priority, and it appears that individual states will have to address this growing danger. The lawyers at Finch McCranie LLP urge you to contact your elected representatives in an attempt to move this issue to the front of the legislative agenda. The problem will only continue to grow worse and innocent people will be seriously injured and killed simply because a driver is distracted by cell device.

As Georgia injury lawyers we have represented many pedestrians who have been struck and seriously injured in automobiles accidents. Just this year we represented a young mother who was crossing a roadway with her two young children when they were struck by a motorist who admitted that she never saw them prior to impact. Unfortunately one of the children died and she sustained serious injuries.

Today it was reported that a car hit an 18-year old pregnant girl and her 4-year old brother as they crossed Roswell Rd. in Atlanta. Unfortunately the child suffered serious head injuries. Allegedly they were not in a crosswalk but were in the turn lane when they were struck by the car. Georgia law makes it difficult to recover damages for your injuries if you are hit by an automobile and you are not in a crosswalk; however, a motorist still has a duty to maintain a proper lookout and see what can plainly be seen but someone exercising ordinary care. You cannot just run over pedestrians who are in the roadway if you could have and should have discovered their presence and taken evasive action. In any pedestrian case, it is crucial that a thorough investigation be done immediately to document the weather and lighting conditions existing at the time of the accident.

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have over 40 years experience representing victims of automobile accidents in serious injury or wrongful death claims. If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to an automobile accident, call us to learn about your rights.