Articles Posted in Drunk Driving Liability

No matter how many years a lawyer has practiced, there is no end to the need for exposure to bright new ideas from the best lawyers around the United States. Over the past year, I had the opportunity to serve as chair of the Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway and Premises Liability Section of the American…

Every summer thousands of metro Atlanta residents take to the surrounding lakes in boats. And every summer we see fresh cases of boating accidents, often collisions between watercraft in which someone is drinking alcohol, often at night, killing or injuring people involved. Boating under the influence is a major hazard on Georgia lakes. Last July…

In the past 10 days this plaintiffs’ trial lawyer, in the capacity of State Bar of Georgia president, has co-presided over a joint meeting of the State Bar Executive Committee and the Georgia Supreme Court, had a joint press conference with the Attorney General of Georgia and spoke at a lunch meeting that included general…

As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I often have occasion to speak at events that extend beyond my own personal injury, wrongful death and commercial trucking law practice. The following is excerpted from my presentation — “Trial Preparation: 30 tips in 30 Minutes” – at the Georgia Law of Torts seminar at Mercer…

The Georgia Supreme Court issued a landmark decision today, in FLORES et al. v. EXPREZIT! STORES, holding that a convenience store that sold a 12 pack of beer to a visibly intoxicated customer could be accountable for the injuries and deaths that resulted. The Georgia dram shop statute, OCGA § 51-1-40, provides: (a) The General…

Should all convicted drunk drivers be required to use an ignition interlock device at their expense as a condition of probation? Ignition interlocks, or in-car breathalyzers, are devices that can be installed in vehicles to prevent people who have consumed alcohol from driving. They are most often installed after a driver has been convicted of…

On September 4th in Atlanta, Angel Rivers, 21, was ejected and killed in a fiery crash when the Chrysler in which she was an occupant was rear-ended by a drunk driver.  Witnesses saw Donis Hodges recklessly driving a 2006 BMW M6 just before he crashed into the Chrysler near Hamilton E. Holmes Drive. Charges  against…

In Georgia in 2008, out of all traffic fatalities, 28% involved a driver who was legally drunk, with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. While the incidence of drunk driving has decreased somewhat over the past couple of decades with stiffer enforcement, it is still too high. A single instance of drunk driving…

This news story brings out the old prosecutor in me. Sunday evening in Gwinnett County, a young mom walked out to the street to tell a driver who had repeatedly sped through her neighborhood to slow down. But the allegedly drunk driver ran off the road and hit her, crushing her between the front of…

As an Atlanta personal injury trial lawyer, I have been pleased to sponsor the Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Georgia web site.  (See the extremely small print with no hyperlink at the very bottom of the home page.) Now MADD is proposing legislation to require DUI offenders to have ignition interlock devices — an electronic…