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Bringing the Right Experience and Legal Insight to Georgia

blood-glucose-measure-diabetes-check-1195289-300x225My client was a known diabetic when she came to treat at an urgent care facility in Georgia. She clearly presented with symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea for 4 days, fatigued, lightheaded, weak, short of breath and reported unintentional weight loss, etc.) that could be the result of hyperglycemia and/or diabetic ketoacidosis. Unfortunately, the attending advanced practice registered nurse failed to perform a proper differential diagnosis.

In particular, the nurse failed to: 1) order glucose testing based on patient presentation, medical history and available urinalysis results; 2) recognize and diagnose symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening medical complication of diabetes mellitus; and 3) provide appropriate medical care including intravenous insulin and/or referral to higher level of care including emergency department or hospital admission.  If the nurse had followed proper diabetic protocol and differential diagnosis, then my client would be alive today.

The nurse presumed the patient was dehydrated due to her illness and provided intravenous fluid replacement.  She later released my client without further diagnostic work up, treatment or referral to a higher level of care. Therefore, the resulting breaches in the standard of care prevented our client from receiving appropriate assessment and care for her condition which would have included management of hyperglycemia in the clinic or referral to a higher level of care, such as emergency room or hospital admission via EMS.  Combined, the failure to diagnose diabetic ketoacidosis caused a critical delay of care resulting in the untimely death of my client. Unfortunately, this breach of the standard of care proximately caused the death of my client  – simply put, the nurse should have sent my client to the ICU for an insulin drip.

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I recently settled another dog bite attack against an owner of an aggressive dog.  The dog owner (and dog) resided in The Country Club of the South – an upscale country club gated community in Johns Creek, Georgia.  My client is a UPS driver who had delivered packages to defendant’s home approximately 3-4 times prior to the attack- on these occasions; he did not see any dog or notice any dog warning signs on the property.  As with other dog bite cases, I mailed out letters to defendant’s surrounding neighbors to solicit information and instances of prior aggressive behavior from defendant’s dog prior to filing a lawsuit.

The Attack:  My client brought several packages up the driveway to defendant’s front door.  The front door had a glass window and my client did not need to press the doorbell as he could see the owner coming to the door. The defendant opened her door and two unleashed (violation of leash law) dogs came out and ran circles around my client.  Without provocation, the big dog (a German shepherd mix) jumped on my client and bit him several times on the arm and ankle leaving bloody puncture marks.  At the time of settlement, there were several small permanent scars on my client’s ankle.

Fulton County Animal Control:  Personnel from the County investigated the attack and wrote up a report.  Among other citations, the owner was cited for allowing her dogs to run at large while not under constraint and control of a competent person; violations under Fulton County and Johns Creek ordinances.  Typically, the city has the same dog ordinances as the county.

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If you are reading this blog post, then it is probably because you received a letter from the Georgia Insolvency Pool regarding your bodily injury claim as a result of a car accident or workers’ compensation accident. This blog will focus on the car accident injury claim.  Basically, the insurance company for the at-fault driver which is responsible for handling your injury claim is in bankruptcy or receivership as it no longer has enough assets (money) to pay for your injury claim.  Covered claims under the Georgia Insolvency Pool generally requires that the insured (at-fault motorist) be a resident of Georgia at the time of the car wreck when either the insured or third-party claimant (injured innocent victim) was a resident of Georgia at the time of the automobile collision.

Typically, the Georgia Insolvency Pool (“Pool”) will request an affidavit from you that discloses contact and policy information regarding any other possible automobile insurance policy that could cover your injury claim (e.g. uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage on your own car policy) from the car crash besides the fault motorist’s insurer which is now insolvent.

The reason for that is that the Georgia Insolvency Pool is trying to limit its exposure (save money) to pay you for the claim.  If you have other coverage besides the at fault motorist’s insurer, then that other coverage becomes primary (pays first) and Georgia Insolvency coverage becomes secondary (pays second).   Under O.C.G.A. 33-36-14, your own insurance coverage (if applicable and existing – typically uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage under your own auto policy) must exhaust (pay out) its limits prior to any payment of your claim by the Georgia Insolvency Pool.  Moreover, the Pool gets credit for whatever the primary insurer pays to you.  And, your uninsured motorist bodily injury (“UMBI”) carrier may be able to recover (rare) what it paid to you from the assets of the insolvent insurance company.

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Recently, I settled a dog bite claim for $50,000.00 on behalf of a deserving client after filing suit in State Court of DeKalb County. The attack occurred in Waterford neighborhood which is located in Dunwoody – a suburb of Atlanta. The neighborhood was built back in the 1970s and has over several hundred homes. I consider it to be a large neighborhood. And, a lot of the neighbors own dogs – the majority of which are competent and responsible dog owners.

Our dog bite attack occurred back in the fall of 2018 and involved an unleashed grey/white male pit bull/Great Dane mix that had escaped through an open gate in the owner’s backyard. The dog immediately ran down toward the street and my client who at the time was walking her leashed two small dogs on the sidewalk. My client saw the pit bull and immediately picked up her smaller dog and attempted to walk away. However, the pit bull continued to circle her and my client was constantly moving in a circle to keep an eye on the pit. In the process of attempting to protect herself, she fell down upon the roadway. She was not sure if the pit had knocked her down or if she fell of her own accord onto her shoulder. When she attempted to get back on her feet off the ground, the pit started to bite her ankle when she was at her most vulnerable. The pit bit holes through her pant leg and socks and caused several dog puncture bite wounds to her ankle. My client was screaming from the pain but was able to get on her feet when the pit started to come back toward her to commence another attack.

My client was able pull out her pepper spray and sprayed the pit in the face which caused the pit to run back inside the fence of his owner. A fellow neighbor witnessed the attack and was able to close the fence door. Several drivers had stopped their cars in the roadway and witnessed the event – although, none got out to help. Allegedly, the owner of the pit was not home at the time of the attack and the pit had no previous history of attacks. DeKalb County Animal Services ordered that the pit be quarantined at home. Until there was confirmation of rabies vaccination for the pit, my client was on pins and needles.

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Governor Kemp’s order for all Georgia residents to stay at home went into effect on April 3, 2020 which effectively allows Georgia residents to get outside for exercise, shop for groceries, seek medical help and to keep going to work at jobs deemed “essential.”  Thus, the only motorists allowed on Georgia roads should be grocery shoppers, essential workers and persons seeking medical treatment.   As I look out my window from the office, I still see many motorists on Piedmont Road in Atlanta; however, daily normal traffic of approximately 35-40K+ cars on Piedmont Road has greatly reduced since enactment of the aforementioned order.

As there are motorists on the roads in Georgia, the possibly exists that some motorists may be involved in car collisions.  As a result of those car collision, drivers and passengers may be injured and require treatment.  But, where should persons as a result of car collisions treat in the Covid age?  I have heard that emergency rooms across Atlanta are accepting patients with life/death situations; whether or not injured motorists whose injuries do not rise to that level are being accepted at those hospitals is unknown.  Of course, the reality is that wait times at hospitals are increasing.

If a person injured as the result of a car wreck is unable to treat at the hospital, then there are other options for treatment including but not limited to, urgent care centers, pain management physicians, chiropractors, orthopedists and similar health care providers.  It is best to do your homework and Google or call different providers to see hours/times/availability to best care for your injuries.

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On February 4, 2020, a Gwinnett County jury of twelve, made a jury verdict award of $29,000.00 for my clients for injuries and bills sustained from a car collision in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The trial lasted one day in State Court of Gwinnett County.

On  January 15, 2018, Defendant was operating a Ford F250 truck owned by his employer in the course and scope of his employment and crashed into the rear of my client’s stopped vehicle.  The property damage to my client’s vehicle was minor to moderate. At the time of the collision, my client’s minor son was also in her vehicle.  My adult client complained of back and neck pain at the scene to the investigating police officer and her son complained of pain in his head and back.  Due to this pain, the clients went to Eastside Medical Center for examination and treatment.  Due to continuing pain, both clients sought treatment from an orthopedic clinic which housed chiropractors, physician assistants, physical therapists, pain management doctors and others.

My adult client underwent an MRI of her low back that reflected two disc herniations.  The treating doctor opined that the herniations were caused by the crash.  A herniated disc is similar to a jelly donut that has been squeezed so hard that the jelly has squirted out. It is a permanent injury with permanent pain.  My client testified at trial that she felt pain in her low back from the time of the collision until the present. By the time our case got to trial, my client had been suffering that pain for over two years!  The minor child had limited treatment.  The bills for my adult client were $9,809.26 and her son’s bills were $3,900.26.

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Recently, I settled an outstanding lawsuit against an owner of an alleged “service” dog that was brought into a national chain of steakhouses in Greater Atlanta.  Nowadays, it is not surprising to see service dogs in retail stores, restaurants and other public spaces.  For my earlier post regarding “service” dogs and dog bites,  click here.

The backstory on our case is that the owner of the dog was on a trip from West Coast and passing through Georgia on her way to the East Coast with her friend.  Along for the ride was a mixed breed large male dog that growled at the hostess on the way into the restaurant and again at the manager of the restaurant on the way out after the attack.  Several other employees were also ready and willing to testify as what occurred after the dog bite.  Upon deposition, it was clear that the owner of the dog was a difficult and angry person.  There was no evidence available to indicate that the dog was involved in prior attacks/bites at people/animals prior to our claim.

My client was a young server at the restaurant and did not ask the defendant whether or not her dog was an authentic  and genuine “service” dog at the time of service pursuant to a mix of restaurant policy and nebulous law from a county/state perspective.  What actually constitutes a “service” dog is still up for debate from a city/county/state/national analysis and there are no clearly enforced guidelines to steer individuals/businesses in this regard.  In fact, anyone can do a Google search for a service dog vest for sale, buy it, and upon receipt place it on their dog with no questions asked.  The defendant later admitted during discovery that the dog was not a trained “service” dog and only wore (and did not earn a service vest – most likely, to discourage prospective questions when she brought her dog into public places of accommodation/service.

50062_dog_bite-300x225Over a year ago, a young vibrant 12-year-old little girl was walking and skipping in the street with her friends in her DeKalb County neighborhood at night.  At or around the same time and unbeknownst to her, a neighbor’s pit bull mix dog either pushed open a side door or gate and charged down the driveway and into the street toward the children.

Unfortunately, my 12-year-old client did not hear or see the pit bull until it was too late.  And the cries and shouts of her friends beforehand were wasted.  She turned, tripped and fell down upon the ground where she attempted to kick at the dog to protect herself to no avail.  The strength of the pit bull’s jaw leveraged down upon the victim, bit her to the bone and ripped a chunk of flesh from her lower leg.

The  adult male owner of the dog contended that the little girl provoked the dog to attack by kicking it in the street.  For what cogent reason a young child would kick a pit bull at night, the owner could only speculate.  Of course, the owner’s contention was a lie.

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Attributed to Channel 2 News

A horrible news story came out today in Atlanta regarding a 5-month-old baby girl, Paige Bradley, who was killed in Forest Park, Georgia, by a German Shepherd dog. The back-story is that the dog had been around the baby for the baby’s entire short life.

The mother allowed the baby to go to a different home where a dog lived, ate, and slept. The male babysitter (and roommate to the mother) was asleep in a different room in the home at the time of the dog attack – the story does not indicate any details of barking, growling, noise or similar conduct at the time of the attack. The mother came to pick up the baby later that evening and noticed that the baby was not responsive – specific details of the particular attack were missing from the report.

I have represented numerous innocent victims statewide throughout Georgia who have been forced to file lawsuits against dog owners who have adopted dogs from the humane society, no kill shelters,dog-attack-1312618 and county adoption centers.  The adopted dogs in these cases have caused vicious attacks on children and adults alike; frequently, with permanent injuries and scarring that will last a lifetime and cause mental pain and suffering.

Without fail, the defendant owner(s) or possessor(s) of dogs in these dog bite cases highlight in their deposition and trial testimony that they graciously and selflessly adopted these dogs as puppies, young dogs, or adult dogs in an attempt to tug at the heart strings of the jury and garner sympathy for the plight that they owners find themselves in the suit.

While the adoption centers provide a great service to dogs of past owners that cannot or will not care for their own pets, the centers do not guarantee the temperament, personality or safety of these dogs to future owners.  In fact, when you review the adoption contract language that new owners are required to read and sign prior to taking possession of the dog, you see that the new owner affirms that the adoption center provides no representation or guarantee as to the temperament of their new pet and further understands that dogs are unpredictable animals that will behave in unknown circumstances and factual scenarios.

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