Daylight Savings In Kennesaw Begins Sunday, March 8, 2020

Daylight Saving 2020 Clock

Prepare to “Spring Forward” because daylight savings time begins in Kennesaw at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2020. After a long, cold, and wet winter, most Georgia residents will gladly sacrifice an hour of sleep for the longer warm days of spring. But you may be asking, “Why in the world does a personal injury law firm care about daylight savings time?”

At Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, we are client centered and family orientated. This means we are always looking for helpful hints that may benefit our clients as well as our Kennesaw and Acworth friends and family. Lets start with a few ideas for fun outdoor activities in and around Kennesaw during the longer daylight hours and we will end with a few tips to keep you out of legal trouble.

5 Fun Daylight Activities in Kennesaw and Acworth

  1. Swift-Cantrell Park: Swift-Cantrell Park is a world class recreation park located in the heart of Kennesaw. It is spread over 42 acres and offers several outdoor activities for Cobb County residents and visitors including a dog park, two running trails, picnic pavilions, age appropriate playgrounds, a skate park, fitness station, and a splash pad for summer months.
  2. Acworth Beach: A beach in north Georgia? Yes!!! Acworth Beach is located on the north shore of Lake Acworth. It is the perfect place for a family to soak up some sunshine and for children to burn off energy on the playground. Other features include a walking trail, fishing, and a picnic area. After leaving the beach, visitors can grab a great evening meal at some local Acworth hotspots like Henry’s Louisiana Grill or Center Street Tavern.
  3. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park: Kennesaw Mountain is a national park in Kennesaw that spreads over 2,965 acres. In addition to the educational opportunities available at the park’s visitor center, there are several miles of hiking trails that will accommodate all fitness levels. A map of the parks hiking trails can be found here.
  4. Noonday Creek Trail: Noonday Creek Trail is 8.5 miles long beginning at Market & Elm Streets in Woodstock and ending at Kennesaw Mountain. Due to its asphalt surface and flat terrain, the trail is perfect for long distance running, interval running, biking, roller skating, and walking.
  5. Cobblestone Golf Course: Cobblestone is public golf course nestled along the banks of beautiful Lake Acworth. Golf enthusiasts will love its Bermuda greens, white sand bunkers, and views of Lake Acworth.

Dangers Associated with Daylight Savings Time

            Daylight savings time and longer days are great but losing an extra hour of sleep can cause problems associated with drowsiness. One of those dangerous problems is fatigued driving which can lead to serious injuries and death.

Have you ever been driving down the road when you began to yawn and your vision got cloudy only to be jolted into reality by the sound of rumble strips passing beneath your tires? If so, you are not alone. According to a National Sleep Foundation poll, 60% of adult drivers, or 168 million people, reported driving a vehicle while feeling drowsy. According to the study, 103 million of those people actually fell asleep at the wheel!

Most Georgia citizens lead stressful lives filled with work, community events, and family obligations. These factors combined with losing an extra hour of sleep can be a recipe for disaster. Prepare for daylight savings time by going to bed an hour early on March 7, 2020. It could save your or someone else’s life.

Fatigued Driving is Deadly

Kennesaw and Acworth are cities filled with outdoor enthusiasts ranging from runners, bikers, and casual walkers. Although these cities have gone to great lengths to provide crosswalks and sidewalks for their citizens, fatigued drivers still pose a hazard. It is time for all of us to consider whether we may be one of the fatigued drivers that are endangering our friends and neighbors.

The National Sleep Foundation has identified groups of people who may be at an increased risk for sleep related automobile crashes. These groups include shift workers, commercial drivers, males under the age of 26, and business travelers who spend many hours driving. Additionally, individuals who get less than 6 hours of sleep, suffer from insomnia, or work more than 60 hours per week may face an increased risk of causing a fatigued driving crash.

If we are honest, many of us are at an increased risk of causing a fatigued driving crash. When we combine other risk factors with the loss of an additional hour of sleep during the daylight savings time transition, we endanger ourselves as well as others.

Lawyers for Victims of Fatigued Driving Car Accidents 

Our lawyers encourage everyone to do everything possible to avoid sleepy or fatigued driving. As the Georgia Department of Transportation likes to say “Drive Alert Arrive Alive.”

Crashes caused by fatigued drivers often lead to serious personal injuries as well as civil lawsuits for monetary damages. The Williams Elleby Howard & Easter team has handled numerous personal injury cases involving car accidents caused by fatigued drivers. Some of these cases caused serious and catastrophic injuries to our clients and resulted in significant monetary settlements.

If you have been injured due to the negligence of a sleepy or fatigued driver, we may be able to help you obtain financial compensation from the at-fault driver and his or her insurance company. We offer free initial consultations. Simply call 833-LEGALGA or 833-534-2542 to speak with one of our Kennesaw based car accident lawyers.

Proving Foreseeability in Negligent Security & Third-Party Criminal Acts

Negligent Security Crime Personal Injury Attorneys Williams Elleby Howard & Easter

If you live in an apartment complex or hotel with a history of violent crime, the owner has a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent future criminal activity on the property. These steps can take a variety of forms, including hiring security, maintaining video surveillance, adding fences, adding lighting, or controlling who can access the property. Failing to take the appropriate security steps can have tragic consequences.

If you are a victim of a crime at an apartment complex or hotel, you may have a claim for damages against the property owner if they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the crime. A property owner isn’t liable for every injury that occurs after a crime is committed. The crime must be foreseeable.

Foreseeable Harm in Georgia Negligent Security Cases

What makes a specific harm foreseeable can vary depending on the circumstances. Ultimately, in a negligence case, it will be up to the jury to decide if the criminal act was foreseeable. Some examples in which Georgia courts have found criminal acts to be foreseeable include:

  • Substantial Similar Crimes– If you sustained an injury during the commission of a crime that was substantially similar to crimes that have previously occurred on the property, the landlord might have a duty to guard against that specific criminal activity.
  • High Crime Areas– In general, if the establishment is in an area known for its high levels of crime, the landlord may be expected to increase security regardless of the type of crime that may ultimately occur on the property.
  • Volatile Situations– A volatile situation is any circumstance that presents an obvious risk of escalating to a crime. For example, if the property owner is aware of someone loudly berating or threatening a resident on their property, it may be foreseeable that an assault takes place.

Unforeseeable Events

It is essential to understand the role unforeseeable events play in negligent security cases, as they can prevent you from recovering anything from your landlord.  In some cases, no amount of reasonable security measures would have prevented a specific type of crime. If you are relaxing in your living room and a stolen car smashes through your wall and injures you, it would be hard to argue the crime was foreseeable.

Negligent Security Attorneys in Georgia

Despite empirical data that shows security measures reduce crime, many Georgia landlords fail to deter criminals from their property. If you feel a lapse in security at a hotel or apartment complex caused you to be a victim of a violent crime, contact a Georgia negligent security attorney right away. To discuss your case with an attorney that has years of experience with Georgia negligent security cases contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter today for your free consultation by calling (833) LEGALGA.

Atlanta Lawyer Accused of Violating Client’s Trust

Atlanta Lawyer Accused

For several months between 2014 and 2016, Atlanta personal injury lawyer Chalmer Detling, II, allegedly accepted loan checks in his law office that were intended to pay for his clients living expenses, medical expenses, and litigation costs. But his clients never knew about these checks, which were often for tens of thousands of dollars. Detling allegedly  used his clients’ names and personal information to apply for the loans, having the checks sent to his law office, and then pocketing the money. According to the United States Justice Department:

Detling allegedly obtained 50 fraudulent litigation advances totaling more than $383,000 in the names of 36 clients. Detling applied for the fraudulent litigation advances using personal identifying information of his clients, including their names and Social Security numbers. He allegedly submitted applications that were purportedly signed and executed by his respective clients, but Detling knew when he submitted the agreement paperwork that the clients had not actually executed the agreements.

Detling’s scheme was eventually uncovered, and in October of 2016, the Supreme Court of Georgia accepted Detling’s petition to voluntarily surrender his law license in lieu of an extensive investigation. But the consequences didn’t end there for Detling. The ex-lawyer is now facing criminal charges as a result of his conduct. In August of 2018, the United States Justice Department announced that Detling has been arraigned on seven counts of wire fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft. The Georgia Bar Association is assisting with the Justice Department’s investigation.

If these allegations are true, we do not know why Detling behaved the way that he did. Perhaps there are mitigating circumstances and perhaps his (ex)-clients can and will forgive him. Regardless, Detling’s conduct, if true, was illegal and constituted a serious breach of the attorney-client relationship. It was proper for both the Georgia Bar Association and the Justice Department to take action.

The Importance of Trust in the Attorney-Client Relationship

Any fraudulent behavior by an attorney is made worse by the fact that it violates the mandate of trust that attorneys have with regards to clients. When people need legal help, they place an enormous amount of trust in their attorney. It is incumbent upon attorneys to always act in their clients’ best interests and to communicate honestly with their clients. These principles form the basis for many of the specific ethics rules found in the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct which all Georgia attorneys are bound by. Needless to say, Detling’s conduct, if true, violated many of these rules through his conduct.

Williams Elleby Howard & Easter

Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, knows that personal injury victims are often emotionally and financially vulnerable and come to their personal injury attorney to help them get much-needed compensation. The attorneys and staff at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, strive to maintain the trust of each client, to provide the best possible service, and to maximize compensation in every case. If you have been injured in an accident, contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, to schedule a free case evaluation today by calling (833) LEGALGA.

 

Burn Injury? Can I Recover Damages for Permanent Scars?

Permanent Scars Personal Injury Attorneys Williams Elleby Howard & Easter

Burn injuries are not only extremely painful, but all deeper burn injuries (second-degree burns or worse) heal by scarring. Although burn injuries are treatable, scarring from deeper burns will almost always be permanent. Burn scars can impact a person’s social life, self-esteem, and ability to enjoy activities. It is not uncommon for burn victims to suffer from psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Fortunately, under Georgia law, burn victims injured by negligence are entitled to compensation for the harm that scarring causes.

Victims of Burn Injuries Can Recover Damages for Permanent Scars

All successful personal injury plaintiffs are entitled to compensation for both past and future medical bills and lost wages. Burn injury plaintiffs can also be awarded damages that are specifically intended to compensate for the harm caused by the pain of a burn injury and the lasting harm caused by scarring. Typically, damages for burn injury scars fall under the umbrella of pain and suffering.

Pain and suffering damages are intended to compensate a victim for the physical and emotional pain that an injury caused them. Pain and suffering damages can vary widely from case to case but are usually very high in burn injury cases. Aside from pain and suffering, plaintiffs may also be able to collect damages for future lost wages if they can prove that scarring has negatively impacted their income potential.

Quantifying Pain and Suffering Damages for Burn Injury Scars

Pain and suffering damages are difficult to quantify, and this is particularly true in burn cases. The main factors that Georgia courts will consider in determining pain and suffering damages include:

  • The severity of the burn (i.e., what degree the burn was);
  • The level of physical pain that the victim endured;
  • The impact the injury has on daily life tasks;
  • The impact the injury has on quality of life generally;
  • The impact of the injury on a person’s professional and social life;
  • Mental and emotional trauma; and
  • The egregiousness of the defendant’s actions.

The Importance of Documenting Burn Injury Scarring

It is important for burn injury victims to get thorough medical documentation of the harm that they have suffered. Courts will rely on testimony from a plaintiff as well as expert medical testimony to understand how serious an injury is according to the factors listed above. Therefore, burn injury plaintiffs should take their own personal notes documenting the ways in which scarring has impacted their lives. They should also make sure that their medical records note scarring and reflect the ways in which scarring has impacted their life.

For More Information, Contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter

If you have suffered a burn injury due to the wrongful actions of someone else, it is crucial to be aware of your legal rights. Burn injuries can occur in auto accidents, premises liability, products liability, and other types of cases. Regardless of the type of case, the issue of damages in cases involving burn injuries can be especially contentious because it is so difficult to quantify the pain and suffering involved.

Located in Cobb County, Georgia, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, understand how to maximize compensation in burn injury cases and are dedicated to getting justice, offering free consultations, and fighting vigorously for each of their clients. If you would like to discuss your case, contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter, by calling 833-LEGALGA today.

Keeping Children Safe Around Dogs

Children Safe Around Dogs Personal Injury Attorneys Williams Elleby Howard & Easter

Kids can be quite frustrating. The pets in your home can definitely agree. A young child may make the mistake of hitting the dog or pulling its tail. Even the most patient dogs can get a little angry at the kid. In these moments, the dog may even be tempted to bite the child. Kids and dogs can be great together, but you need to put safety over everything. Here are some tips for keeping children safe around dogs.

  1. Supervise

Young kids and dogs should not be left alone together. As the adult, it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on everything. Do not leave them alone, even for a moment. If you notice the child doing something wrong, like agitating the dog by kissing it , you can stop things before something serious happens. If something happens while you are in charge, it is your responsibility.

  1. Teach Children How to Interact With Dogs

Knowledge is power. While you want to keep an eye on the child and dog yourself, it’s even better if the child knows how to handle a dog themselves. First and foremost, children should know not to just go up and pet a strange dog. Every child should learn from a young age that they should ask politely if they want to pet a dog. Explain that some dogs are mean and some are nice. You need to ask the owner to make sure it’s a nice dog. They should also learn to approach the dog calmly and let the dog sniff them. Then, they can continue petting the dog. Make sure they don’t jump on the dog or play too rough. You should also teach your child how to recognize when a dog is not happy. One big tell is if the dog is growling or barking. If the dog is backing away, that’s also a sign it wants to be left alone. Explain that no matter how cute the dog is, you shouldn’t pet it if it doesn’t want to be pet.

  1. Pick the Right Breed

Not all breeds of dog are created equal. If you have children in your life, you should get a breed of dog known for being good with kids. Some of the most popular kid-friendly dog breeds include the Golden Retriever, Collie, Beagle, and Newfoundland. This also shows you don’t have to stick to small dogs. In fact, some of the best breeds of dogs for kids are medium to large dogs. You should also take the children with you when picking up the dog to ensure that they get along. You may even want to include them in the dog buying process. Don’t forget to search your local humane society first. It’s better to adopt than buy a pure breed dog.

  1. Send the Dog to Training School

If you have children in the house and plan to have even more, you need your dog to learn how to interact with children properly. We all know that babies and toddlers are destructive. You need to teach your dog how to handle this. One of your best options is to send you dog to training school. It will help teach your dog patience and obedience. When your baby climb on the dog’s head even after you told him not to, the dog should be trained not to get aggressive or bite.

  1. Use Reward and Punishment

Dogs and children can be trained in a similar fashion using classical conditioning. The premise of this method is to encourage proper behavior with reward and punishment. When the child or the dog does something wrong, you need to punish the guilty party to prevent that behavior from happening again. If they do the right thing, you should reward them with more play time or treats. Before long, the desired behavior will continue and any negative behavior will cease.

  1. Start Slow

Some kids take to dogs immediately. Others take a little more time. Do not feel the need to force it. Let them interact slowly until they both become fully comfortable.

Your dog is a part of your family. You want all members of your family to get along. If you follow these steps, both your child and dog will be safe. Soon, they will likely become the best of friends.

 

About the Author:

Olivia Harper is the co-founder of the blog Daily Dog Stuff. She is a reserved and passionate pet parent who loves to spend time with her Sibe, who keeps her active and social. Read more of her guides and tips by visiting the blog or following their page @dailydogstuff.