Macon, Georgia I-16/I-75 Interchange Construction Lawyer

I-16/I-75 Interchange Construction

Commerce is the cornerstone of the economy, and moving goods along quickly and efficiently is key. Here in the “The Heart of Georgia,” the original goal of I-16 was to link I-75 with the Port of Savannah to aid in transporting commodities. Officially named the James Gillis, Sr., Memorial Highway, in honor of a longtime Georgia Highway Department director, it now also serves as a hurricane evacuation route for coastal areas. Its importance allowed the I-16/I-75 interchange in the city of Macon to be constructed in the early 1960s through the middle of the Pleasant Hill community -- a move that many blame for the subsequent downfall of the neighborhood. In addition to the blight of the Pleasant Hill area, research by the Georgia Departme...

Macon, Georgia Georgia Highway Fatalities: An Epidemic? Lawyer

Georgia Highway Fatalities: An Epidemic?

We all do things we know we shouldn’t. Maybe you consume too much sugar or smoke cigarettes or don’t wear sunscreen in the summer. Many dangerous behaviors are tied to the way we drive -- too fast, after having “only a few” beers, while using our phones, without wearing our seatbelt. Chances taken behind the wheel are having a big effect on the Peach State’s population, resulting in a startling increase in fatalities and a new campaign launched by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). “DriveAlert ArriveAlive” aims to educate drivers about how a few fundamental changes in their driving behavior can improve safety while reducing both crashes and fatalities. Statistics released by the GDOT this fall show a 25 percent...

Macon, Georgia When Gallbladder Removal Goes Wrong Lawyer

When Gallbladder Removal Goes Wrong

Much like your tonsils, appendix and wisdom teeth, your gallbladder is not necessary for survival. This small, hollow organ assists the body in the digestive process by storing bile produced by the liver and pumping it to the small intestine when needed to break down fatty food. Bile flows out of the liver through the left and right hepatic ducts, which come together to form the common hepatic duct. This duct then joins with a duct connected to the gallbladder, called the cystic duct, to form the common bile duct. If there is an imbalance in the chemical substances that make up bile, hard stones can form and can cause great discomfort when they block normal bile flow. The first choice of treatment for surgically removing the gallbladder is...

Macon, Georgia Hercules Tires Grapples with Recall Hydra Lawyer

Hercules Tires Grapples with Recall Hydra

Since 1966 when the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was passed, more than 24 million tires have been recalled because of safety defects. Further, it is estimated that defective tires are responsible for nearly 8,000 motor vehicle accidents every year. Tires, like many products, are imprinted with alpha-numeric codes that detail a wealth of information. All tires sold in the U.S. are required to display a code that starts with DOT and is then followed by 10 to 12 characters that can be used to identify the manufacturing location, tire size, manufacturer's specifications, week of manufacture and year of manufacture. Deciphering this code can prove vital to your safety, particularly because tires that appear to be made by one ...

Macon, Georgia Fasten Your Belts (If Possible…?) Lawyer

Fasten Your Belts (If Possible…?)

Public service campaigns rely heavily on memorable phrases that are easy to remember and easy to repeat. We’ve all heard “seat belts save lives” and while that overall concept is true, the real sound bite should be “seat belts could save more lives.” Why? Because, like any other car part, seat belts fail, but when they do, lives are at stake. They are arguably the most important part of automotive safety. When you get in your car and buckle up, you expect that your seat belt will stay latched and restrain you in the event of an accident. In fact, that is the main concept behind the push for mandatory seat belt laws – to keep occupants from being ejected in a crash or impacting the car’s interior. Known as the “second collis...

Macon, Georgia The Perils of Foam (Yes, Really) Lawyer

The Perils of Foam (Yes, Really)

Of all the dangerous places to be, a room full of foam doesn't likely enter your mind. If someone were to say, “Little Tyler's birthday party is at the trampoline/foam pit park,” it's likely no one would RSVP with, “Sorry, Sarah's not allowed in foam pits or on trampolines. Too risky.” But, it looks like Mom's been right all along. It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. Made of polyurethane foam blocks, foam pits began in gymnastics to help young athletes make soft landings when learning new gymnastic skills. They have been gaining in popularity and are now used as cushioning at a wide variety of places such as BMX, motorcycle, FMX, skateboard and trampoline parks. Some indoor entertainment centers feature the foam block...

Macon, Georgia Backseat Passenger Lawyer

Backseat Passenger

Safety was not a primary concern for America’s first automobile designers. Seat belts for adults were not standard equipment in cars until the 1950s. Additionally, the initial intention for car seats was to keep children from moving around inside the vehicle rather than protecting them during collisions. Child restraint systems as we know them today didn’t become widespread until the 1970s. In 2002, a U.S. federal law went into effect, requiring automobile manufacturers to ensure that all cars have standard anchors, tethers and hooks present in passenger vehicles in order to secure baby car seats. Car crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under, according to the National SAFE KID...

Macon, Georgia Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Silicosis Lawyer

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Silicosis

It’s amazing how something as small as particles of dust can get into our lungs and cause big problems. While many of us have heard about asbestos, the similar phenomenon of silicosis hasn’t gotten quite as much attention. Yet, more than 250 U.S. workers die every year and hundreds more become disabled from silicosis. Silica, often referred to as quartz, is a very common mineral found in many materials, including soil, sand, concrete, masonry, rock and granite. When these materials are cut, ground, crushed, exploded, chipped, drilled or otherwise disturbed, they create dust made up of crystalline silica. These bits can be inhaled into a person’s lungs, which react by developing fibrotic nodules and scarring around the trapped silica ...

Macon, Georgia Beep. Beep. C’mon, Pal. Move it! Lawyer

Beep. Beep. C’mon, Pal. Move it!

Lane courtesy. Sounds quaint, doesn’t it? The practice of yielding to or moving over so that faster moving traffic may pass seems like a fairly innocuous concept, yet it’s a key factor in many vehicle accidents. When drivers choose to block the left lane, whether intentionally or not, they are making the roads less safe and efficient for everyone. To bring public awareness to this issue, June has been designated as Lane Courtesy Month. The history behind the left lane reveals that it was developed more than 50 years ago for the express purpose of allowing cars to pass another vehicle and then immediately return to the right lane. Now that there are so many more vehicles on the road, failure to keep right negatively impacts traffic safe...

Macon, Georgia Poison Prevention Awareness Lawyer

Poison Prevention Awareness

The mention of poisonous substances may bring to mind the skull and crossbones image found on old bottles. While such hazardous materials certainly exist, medications and many household products used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount or by the wrong person can be poisonous. It’s important to be aware of the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. According to the Centers for Disease Control, poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the United States. Most of these fatalities are due to drug and medicine misuse and abuse. More than 3.1 million calls were received by America’s 55 poison centers in 2013, with about 2.2 million of those calls dealing directly with poison exposures. The remaining calls were by people look...

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Holding Bars and Restaurants Accountable: Dram Shop Laws and Liability for Drug-Impaired Accidents

When a person leaves a bar after enjoying many cocktails, gets into his car, and hurts (or kills) another person in a drunk driving accident, who should be held liable?  In some s...