Holiday weekend leaves 18 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents

Holiday weekend leaves 18 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents

The record-books were not quite closed on Monday evening, Sept. 3, but it was already apparent that Georgia had a bad weekend on the roadways. Authorities like to say that they have a goal of no injuries and no fatalities from motor vehicle accidents on a holiday weekend. With one million reported persons coming into the state for the holiday, that was a tough order to fill this year.

In fact, the Georgia Highway Patrol reported 18 traffic fatalities throughout the state by 6 p.m. on Monday, leaving another six hours for those figures to increase. There were scores more of injuries not involving death from vehicular accidents. All in all, it was not a good statistic for this year’s law enforcement efforts. Of course, law enforcement can only do so much.

They repeatedly advised holiday drivers to not drive and use cell phones, refrain from speeding, wear seat belts and don’t drink and drive. This year the warnings were not taken as seriously as in some prior years. This is unfortunate because the death of a family breadwinner can be devastating to that family’s security and survival as a unit. When the victim is struck down by a careless or drunk driver, there is a potential remedy under Georgia tort law to collect monetary compensation from the negligent driver or drivers who caused the accident.

In many of the deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, the estate of the deceased person may have a potential claim for wrongful death damages against any negligent parties who caused or contributed to causing the accident. Injured persons can make a personal injury claim for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, loss of consortium and lost earning capacity in the case of permanent disability. Such recoveries can be extraordinarily high in some instances, depending on the background and special circumstances of each case. The recovery can be maximized by consulting as soon as possible with a personal injury attorney in Georgia who will assure that all insurance resources that may be available will be identified and pursued.

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