When trauma displaces or damages a disc, there is usually motor or sensory dysfunction and pain, especially when the damaged disc is pressing on nerves.  Ruptured or slipped discs (also sometimes referred to as herniated discs) often occur in the lower back but can occur in the neck or upper back as well.  They can be conservatively treated with spinal decompression in many cases. If decompression does not fix the problem, you usually need to have the disc removed, and the joint between the two vertebrae is fused with bone grafts, screws, rods, or pins (spinal fusion).  

Disc rupture symptoms usually correlate with the direction in which the disc is displaced. Those displaced towards the front of the body tend to cause paralysis, those to the back cause sensory deficit or abnormal sensation and those to the side may cause either or both.

If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc following a car wreck, it is critical that you follow the treatment plan recommended by your doctor.  Also, if your back injuries occurred as a result of another driver's negligence, be sure to contact an Alpharetta car wreck lawyer to discuss your situation.    

This is one of the most important questions when considering a medical malpractice claim. In fact, the first task of a trial attorney is to determine if the state codified statute of limitations or statute of repose allows sufficient time to prosecute a valid claim. In Georgia, you have a limited period of time after an injury to file a medical malpractice claim. The suit must be filed within two (2) years of the date an injury or death has occurred as a result of a negligent or wrongful act, or omission.

Realistically, it takes several months to perform the research, review medical records, find experts, produce an affidavit, and file suit. Frequently, during the process, we discover that someone other than the original defendant was negligent and the suit has to be amended. For this reason, we believe that the necessary research should be done before the suit is filed. Time is of the essence. If there is insufficient time left, it may not matter that your claim is valid.

Critical questions like this can only be answered after a thorough review of the facts of the case. We require that you be honest with us. Do not hide anything from your counsel. Just give us an honest statement of facts. Unless there are glaring faults in your case, we will obtain the pertinent medical records. Once received, we will review them thoroughly. If your case appears meritorious, we will consult with appropriate experts. 

Fractures of the nasal bones may involve the bones of the septum (the bones and cartilage separating the nostrils) as well as the bones surrounding the eyes.  These bones include the nasal, maxilla, lacrimal and frontal bones.  Direct trauma to the bridge of the nose may also result in damage to part of the base of the skull called the cribiform plate.  This type of injury may cause cerebrospinal fluid to leak through the nose.  Fractures may also damage the membranes that line the nasal passages leading to the formation of scar tissue, airway obstruction, and damage to the sense of smell. Unrepaired nasal injuries can lead to a permanently deformed nose, a deviated septum, acute blood loss, and airway obstruction.

If you have been involved in an Alpharetta car wreck and suffered a serious nasal injury, you should contact an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney to make sure your rights are protected.

The early signs of these injuries are not easily identified and may not be found with typical imaging studies such as x-rays, MRIs and CT scans. You may not experience symptoms from these injuries for days or weeks after the accident. All victims of auto and truck wrecks who sustain any head injury need to be seen in an emergency room as soon as possible.

If you are in a wreck, think you are uninjured, and then begin to feel worse after a period of time, it is best that you return to the emergency room. Symptoms to watch out for include:

• drowsiness
• confusion
• memory loss
• a weakness or numbness anywhere in your body
• difficulty speaking
• headaches
• irritability
• nausea
• dizziness
• restlessness
• visual changes
• problems with hearing
• difficulty with coordination
• an inability to concentrate.

It's a good idea to speak with an experienced Atlanta car wreck attorney if you've suffered a head injury as a result of an accident.

Tibia, fibula, talus or calcaneus fractures:  The tibia and fibula form a cup-shaped joint around the top of the talus, which provides most of the weight support at the ankle and foot.  The calcaneus is the heel bone and is found right under the talus.  Inability to bear weight on standing is a sign that the tibia, fibula, talus or calcaneus is fractured.  

It is important that foot injuries be evaluated immediately after an auto or truck wreck injury is sustained, and re-evaluated a week later, especially if no fracture was seen on original x-rays.  This is because hair-line fractures, which are small and subtle, can more easily be seen on x-rays days after an injury than immediately afterwards.

A calcaneal fracture or a fracture of the heel bone causes swelling and discrete pain at the base of the heel.  Recovery from a heel bone fracture is prolonged and the injury can often lead to permanent disability.  If multiple bones of the ankle and foot are fractured, you may need to have a fusion procedure, or arthrodesis, where the bones are sealed together.  Although this will allow weight bearing, the mobility of the ankle is permanently limited, both in side to side motion and up and down motion of the foot.

Lisfranc midfoot fractures of the metatarsals:  Metatarsal fractures are the most common fractures of the foot. The metatarsal bones are the long thin bones running between your toes and the ankle at the top of your foot.  They are very sensitive to injury when the foot is firmly planted and then undergoes a twisting force. They may require casting and surgery, including arthrodesis which will permanently reduce mobility.  Minor injuries may only require wearing a special type of shoe or boot for six to eight weeks.

Remember, it is vitally important that you get any heel, foot or ankle injuries immediately checked out after a car wreck and then re-evaluated a week later if no fracture was seen on the original x-rays.  If you have questions about injuries you sustained as a result of a car wreck, call our office to speak with one of our experienced Alpharetta accident lawyers.

Health care is now more technical, specific, complex, and sophisticated than ever before. There are two types of medical doctors licensed in the U.S.:

• allopathic doctors who obtain the degree of Medical Doctor (MD) and;
• osteopathic physicians who obtain the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy (DO).

These physicians can obtain specialty certification in 24 fields at the present time, and that number is expected to grow as more subspecialties are defined. Other doctorate level health care degrees include: Doctor of Dental Science (DDS), Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD), Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D), Doctor of Optometry (OD), and Doctor of Chiropractic (DC). Physician Assistants (PA) are not doctors, but they often operate in a semi-autonomous fashion (in clinics and sometimes in hospitals) however, they are directly supervised by a medical doctor.

Nurses can now obtain licenses as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN), and Advanced Practical Nurses (APN). Registered Nurses can obtain certification (RN-C) in emergency medicine, pediatric medicine, critical care, flight emergency nursing, and neonatal nursing (and that list is not exhaustive). Advanced Practical Nursing encompasses multiple subspecialties, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM), Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNP) and nearly countless Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) including, perfusionists, oncology nurses, geriatric nurses, psychiatry nurses, and women's health nurses (to name a few).

And last but not least, there are all the therapists, technicians, technologists, aides, and assistants (too numerous to mention) who provide health care in our country. The age of the orderly is forever gone.

If this is confusing to you, you are not alone. The overlapping territories and responsibilities of these specialties can be difficult for the average patient to discern. A critical piece of information, however, is that nearly everyone who provides for your care should be licensed by the state in which they practice, and if they are not doctorate level providers, they should be supervised by a physician. That means they carry insurance to cover negligence and malpractice, whether it is provided by a physician in charge, a clinic, a hospital, a nursing home, a rehabilitation facility, a pharmacy, a surgical center, a university, or individually. With privilege comes responsibility and accountability.

Nationally, it is estimated that on average there is a crash-related pedestrian death every two hours, and a pedestrian injury every eight minutes. Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.

Pedestrian accidents often are caused by driver inattention and low visibility (such as at night, in the glaring sun or as a result of victims wearing dark clothing that blends in with the environment). Many of the pedestrians involved in traffic accidents in Georgia are senior citizens and children are at greater risk, too.
 

Pedestrian Safety Guidelines

When walking, it's important to do what you can to reduce your chances of being involved in a pedestrian accident.  Some good guidelines to follow include:

1. Wear appropriate clothing. Many pedestrians who are struck by vehicles are walking at night in dark clothing. Bright colors that can be easily seen by drivers, especially when walking at night, are usually best.

2. Do not wear ear buds or earphones. Your chances of being hit by a car decrease when you can hear the traffic around you, so leave your phone or mp3 player in your pocket or your purse.

3. Avoid distractions. Texting or talking on the phone while you are walking can be distracting and can cause you to walk into traffic.

4. If sidewalks are available, use them. When walking where there are no sidewalks, stay as far off the road as possible, and always walk facing the traffic.

5. Avoid blind spots. Walking between parked cars to cross a street, for example, can prevent a driver from being able to see you. You want to make sure that you are always visible to oncoming traffic.

What to do if you have been hit by a car

If you have been injured in a Georgia pedestrian accident, you should see a doctor immediately and contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible

Elbow fractures are very painful and disabling. Direct trauma typically cause a fracture of the proximal ulna at the elbow joint, this is called an olecranon fracture. Fractures of the proximal radius at the elbow are commonly associated with elbow dislocation and may be subtle and not diagnosed with initial x-rays.  The ulnar nerve traverses the lateral elbow (your funny bone) and elbow injuries can impinge upon this nerve causing an ulnar nerve palsy or cubital tunnel syndrome which will cause sensory or motor deficit in the lateral aspect of the hand.  This may require nerve decompression surgery. Even with surgery, a full recovery can take 12 to 18 months. 

If you have suffered an elbow injury from a car wreck, you should consult with an experienced Alpharetta personal injury lawyer to make sure your rights are protected.

At the Dover Law Firm, we often represent clients who have suffered a broken ankle or foot (or damage to the tendons and ligaments in those areas) as a result of a car wreck.

Two bones, known as the tibia and the fibula, connect the ankle to the foot. The tibia is the shin bone and the fibula is the thinner outer bone of the lower leg. These bones are particularly vulnerable in a wreck, since most people will reflexively plant the foot firmly ahead of them in anticipation of a collision.  Either of these bones is easily injured in these circumstances.  At a minimum, they will require casting for prolonged periods of time, usually three to six months.

The worst fractures of the ankle are called trimalleolar fractures.  In this case, the lateral malleolus, medial malleolus and posterior malleolus of the lower tibia are all fractured.  This type of fracture is also called a Cotton fracture.  Recovery from a Cotton fracture is typically prolonged and difficult, and is often complicated by bone infection, nerve injury and chronic arthritis.  All fractures of the ankle can also involve damage to tendons and ligaments.

If you have suffered a serious foot or ankle injury as a result of an Alpharetta car wreck, please contact our office at 770-518-1133 to speak with one of our experienced accident attorneys.

At the Dover Law Firm, we receive calls from potential clients who have a laundry list of how they were mistreated by their doctors, nurses and hospitals. Frequently, the list of complaints is disturbing and reflects a genuine lack of concern for the patient. Just as frequently, however, the complaints about treatment have no bearing on the injuries that are alleged, or the connection between care and injury is very vague and unclear. 

For a Georgia medical malpractice case to prevail in court, the connection between the negligent act and the injury must be very clear, and more likely than not, the proximate cause of injury. A temporal relationship between events, for example, does not prove causation. If you came into a hospital for gall bladder surgery and had a heart attack while you were in the hospital, it may not be anyone's fault (or it may be).

In a wrongful death action, not performing an autopsy can make determining the cause of death extremely difficult. Only a good attorney can tell you if causation is clear.

Even if your doctor does something clearly wrong, a case is not worth pursuing for an award or settlement of tens of thousands of dollars. On the other hand, if the doctor's action or inaction leads to paralysis, permanent injury, disfigurement, disability, or a diminished life span, the injuries may represent sufficient damages to sustain a claim. With the average medical malpractice case presently pushing two to four years, and a potential investment of $60,000 to $100,000 required to see it through trial, only large cases can reasonably be pursued. A good attorney will be honest with you about this.

One of the common tactics is: "You don't need a lawyer...let's work this out together."

According to a study by the Insurance Research Council, statistics show that persons who are represented by a lawyer receive three-and-a-half times (3.5) more money for their injuries than they would have if their case was handled without an attorney. Yes, there may be instances where you do not need a lawyer. For instance, if you are involved in a car accident and aren't hurt and the only issue is getting your car fixed, you may not need to speak to a lawyer.

But if you have been injured, we at the Dover Law Firm believe that it is always in your best interest to be represented by a lawyer.

If you've suffered injuries in an Atlanta car accident, please call our office to make sure your rights are protected.

A common tactic that insurance companies use is offering to pay you a very small amount of money within days of the accident. Do not fall for this trick.  This tactic is part of a comprehensive strategy by the insurance companies to limit the amount of money they have to pay out for claims, which in turn leads to higher profits for them but little or no help for you.

At the Dover Law Firm we have seen so many instances where the true extent of someone's injury is not known until many months down the road. We have seen many cases, where initially, the client felt pretty good for the first couple days after the accident, but within a year they were having back surgery. Please do not fall for this insurance trick.

It frequently takes time to learn the true extent of an injury. It's not unusual for weeks and sometimes months to pass before the full medical picture comes into focus. Many times the insurance company is trying to get you to sign forms, or settle the injury case for a pittance, while you are still on medications from the hospital's emergency department.

If you've suffered injuries in a car wreck, it is in your best interests to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney to make sure that your rights are protected.

Unfortunately, this is something we see and hear all too frequently at the Dover Law Firm from insurance companies:

After a car wreck, the at-fault driver's insurance companies, whose representatives sound very friendly and helpful, may say to you, "Just sign here, and we will take care of everything."

Don't be fooled.

Never sign anything from the other party's insurance company, ever, without seeking legal counsel. Once you sign forms, such as medical authorizations, wage information releases, or full releases, you have given the insurance company access to everything that they want to use against you.

If you sign a medical release, they will attempt to get medical records from every doctor you have ever seen. I saw a case in which the client's back was injured and the insurance company was trying to get her OB/GYN records. What relevance could those records have to the case?

The insurance company might also want you to sign a wage/employer release giving them access to your employee file for every place you worked. Do not give them the chance. What they are doing is fishing for any information they might possibly use against you.

If you have suffered injuries in a Georgia car wreck, consult with an experienced auto accident attorney to make sure your rights are protected.

You have the option of purchasing uninsured and under insured motorist coverage at the time you purchase your own car insurance. In circumstances in which the driver at fault has no insurance or minimal coverage, any uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that you have purchased may be available to you.

Beyond your own policy, you need to look at all the insurance policies in your own household. If a spouse, a grandmother, or another family member who lives in your household has an automobile policy that covers uninsured motorists, you are able to add those monies to help pay for your injuries.

I have seen cases in which there have been as many as five different vehicles in a household and each of those vehicles had $50,000 in uninsured motorist insurance coverage. In that instance, stacking the $50,000 policies equaled $250,000 of insurance coverage that was available for the client's serious injuries.Furthermore, if your company has uninsured motorist coverage on the vehicle that you were traveling in, that policy would also offer coverage.

Remember: discovering all the insurance policies that have the potential to help you is critical when you are dealing with injury claims. In my experience, many insurance companies do not readily disclose all the potential policies available. To avoid this problem, one of the first steps the Dover Law Firm takes is to put the insurance carriers on formal notice to provide insurance policy information.

If you've been involved in a car wreck and are unsure about what potential insurance coverages you have available, please contact one of our experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers to schedule a no-charge consultation.

Failing to:

• provide nutrition and hydration

• assist residents with hydration and nutrition

• assist in personal hygiene when needed

• provide proper medications at proper dosage or frequency

• take reasonable precautions to prevent falls

• respond to call lights and alarms in a timely fashion

• turn immobilized residents in their beds to prevent bed sores

• assist residents to the toilet (leaving them in soiled beds and clothing)

Failing to:

• take precautions to prevent injury to the resident ( such as getting caught in bed rails or being assaulted by other residents)

• check resident's vital signs and weight on a scheduled basis

• exercise resident's limbs to prevent contracture deformities

• prevent or treat an infection in a timely manner

• assess and treat pain in demented residents

• medicate residents with psychiatric and sedating drugs appropriately, or overmedicating residents

If you have a loved one that you believe has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Georgia, please call our office to speak with one of our experienced attorneys.

You should also maintain a log of your medical bills and any correspondence with your insurance companies after an accident. Keep track of incidental expenses associated with doctor's appointments, hospital visits, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals as well.

The time immediately following an accident can be chaotic and confusing, and it's easy to forget or overlook things when trying to recall how you felt or what you were going through on a particular day.  Keeping a journal can be a big help.

If you've suffered injuries in a car wreck and have questions, please contact one of our experienced Alpharetta accident attorneys at 770-518-1133.  We'll set you up with a no-charge, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation. 

The bottom line is that you can destroy your case by not following your doctor's recommended treatment plan.   Granted, there may come a time when you need to see a new doctor or change physicians, but that is no excuse for not sticking to your treatment plan until you are told otherwise. 

At the Dover Law Firm, we have seen cases where injured people have stopped seeing their doctor for two or three months, and then they return. They don't realize they could be destroying their case.  Not following doctors' orders is something insurance companies can latch onto when it comes to paying for injuries: 

"Well, the injured party must not really be that injured if they did not follow their doctor's orders."  

During negotiations, depositions, and during the trial of an injury case an insurance company will continually point to gaps in treatment or failing to follow a doctor's recommendation.  They'll argue time and time again, that if the plaintiff did not follow his doctor's instructions, then he must not be hurt.  You must follow your doctor's instructions.

If you were injured in an Atlanta-area car wreck and have questions, please contact one of our experienced accident attorneys at 770-518-1133. 

Never give an insurance company a recorded statement without a lawyer. It is one of the fastest ways to ruin your case. Time and time again we have seen where clients have given a recorded statement before they were represented by an attorney and it has come back to cause them all sorts of problems.  

Shortly after an accident, the at-fault person's insurance company may call and ask you to give a recorded statement regarding the facts of the accident.  Though they may sound friendly and caring, they are searching for information that will hurt you in the long run. 

First, they will want to determine whether you could have avoided the accident.  In Georgia there is a legal doctrine called the last clear chance.  This doctrine states that if you have the opportunity to avoid an accident and you fail to take precautions to avoid the accident, then you are not entitled to recover for your injuries.  Also, in Georgia if you are equally at fault you collect nothing. 

Remember, it can take days or weeks for the full extent of your injuries to become clear. Initially you might think you feel fine, but after a few days or weeks your condition deteriorates.  It is not uncommon to take pain medication following an accident, and the medication can make it seem as if your injuries are less serious than they really are.  We've seen cases where people end up needing surgery after thinking they were fine. But, if the insurance company has a recording of you saying that, after the accident, you did not feel too bad, they will attempt to use that statement against you to deny your claim.  Never agree to provide a recorded statement without an attorney present.  

At the Dover Law Firm, we only provide recorded statements from our clients under very limited circumstances.  When we do allow our clients to give recorded statements, we are present and we limit the scope of the questioning to the details of the accident itself; we do not allow questions regarding previous accidents or injuries, and we do not allow questions regarding injuries from this accident.  

Many times after an Atlanta accident, the at-fault insurance company will send medical authorizations for your signature.  This is an attempt by the insurance company to access your medical records from the accident and for any other reason that they see fit.  We never allow this to occur.  No one is entitled to your medical records unless you provide written permission.  By signing an insurance company's medical authorization form you are giving them written permission to get medical records from any and all providers that you have ever seen.  You do not want to do this.  This will allow the insurance company to access medical records that have absolutely nothing to do with the accident in question.  

The insurance company may ask you to sign a wage/employer information form that will allow them to access information from your current employer or any previous employers.  By signing this form you are giving the insurance company access to your entire employment file at your current employer, as well as all previous employers.  Don't do it.  We at the Dover Law Firm never allow this.  

Sometimes the insurance company will attempt to see you right after an accident and settle your claim.  At the Dover Law Firm we have seen instances where an insurance company will send a representative to the injured victim's house and offer $500 or $1,000 to settle the claim.  Along with the offer of fast money, they ask the injured person to sign a full release.  If the injured person's condition worsens and he or she needs additional medical care, or even surgery down the road, signing that full release and accepting a small amount of money may end the claim entirely and deny the chance for fair compensation for the injuries.