Hall County Legal Blog

As a parent of a Georgia teenager, you may have to adjust to sharing your car or truck with your son or daughter during the summer months. Even if you do not have kids of your own, though, you may notice the influx of teenage drivers who take to the state’s roadways once school lets out. At Fox, Chandler, Homans, Hicks & McKinnon, LLP, we recognize that, as the number of teen drivers on the roads increases, so, too, does your chance of involvement in a fatal crash.

According to AAA, the number of fatal car wrecks involving teen drivers increases significantly during the summer months. In 2016, for example, the number of fatal teenager-involved car wrecks rose 14% in comparison with the remainder of the year, with an average of 10 people dying every day on the nation’s roads during the span between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This stretch of time has become such a dangerous time to be on the road, in fact, that it has become known as summer’s “100 Deadliest Days.”

Even first-time drunk drivers in Georgia face considerable repercussions for their crimes, and if you are among those charged and ultimately convicted of driving under the influence, you can count on it costing you a pretty substantial sum. In addition to possibly having to spend time behind bars in the wake of your crime, you can also expect to have to pay hefty fines, and you will also typically have to surrender your license for a period which can make it more difficult to come up with the money you owe.

While fines and other expenses relating to your DUI charge can cost you a significant amount of money, so, too, can financing auto insurance once you have a DUI conviction on your record. According to Insure.com, virtually all Americans will see their auto insurance rates skyrocket following a DUI conviction, with the average American watching their rates climb about 80%.

When you are injured in an accident in Georgia, you may be facing a long road to recovery as you spend time regaining your strength and ability. When your recovery requires you to be immobilized for a period of time and to slowly reintroduce activity into your routine, it can be difficult to be patient. However, your commitment to allowing your body adequate time to heal is imperative to your ability to make a full recovery. 

Staying active is helpful in keeping you motivated and allowing your body to retain muscle memory. However, before you increase your physical activity, work with your health care provider to assess your progress and verify that what you would like to do will not compromise your body's recovery. According to Runner's World, as you recover from your injury, maintain your daily routine the best you can. Sticking with your daily patterns including socializing, exercising and relaxing will help your body continue to experience needed mood boosts even though you are not going at full capacity. 

On May 10 a Whitefield County, Georgia, jury awarded Donald Monroe $20 million and his wife, Rhonda Monroe, $1.6 million after Monroe lost his leg and suffered leg and hip injuries in an accident caused by a tractor-trailer.

The February 3, 2016 accident occurred when a tractor-trailer owned by Lane’s Equipment Rental and driven by Daniel McGuffee improperly pulled onto the highway, ignoring the assistance of Monroe who was acting as a spotter. A pickup truck driving on the highway swerved to avoid hitting the tractor-trailer and struck Monroe who was standing off the roadway.