Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

Because of a recent landmark case, Atlanta car accident lawyers can now seek injury and wrongful death damages against retailers who sell closed or packaged alcoholic beverages to drunk drivers who hurt or kill on Georgia roads. The Georgia Supreme Court held in Flores v. Exprezit! Stores 98 - Gerogia, L.L.C., No. S10G1652, that the Georgia Dram Shop Act allows those hurt or killed by drunk drivers to recover damages against convenience stores, grocery stores, mom and pop roadside stores, and other retailers who sell alcohol to those noticeably intoxicated who cause accidents.

Before the Supreme Court ruling, the Dram Shop Act, the law that allows claims against those who sell alcoholic beverages to drunk drivers, only applied to restaurants and bars, or others who actually poured alcohol to drunk drivers. Now Atlanta and Georgia car accident lawyers can pursue retailers, in addition to restaurants and bars, to recover damages for those seriously injured and the families of those killed by drunk drivers. This is extremely important because DUI drivers often have very little or no insurance to satisfy judgments in favor of the injured or killed.

Continue reading "Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Can Now Pursue Retailers Who Sell Alcohol to Drunk Drivers Who Hurt or Killed on Georgia Roads" »

While all auto accident cases that cause serious personal injury or death are tragic, the most senseless and avoidable of these are those involving drunk drivers. As an Atlanta car accident lawyer, and more importantly as a long time Georgia resident with two school age children, I was saddened to read in the AJC on line about the untimely death of Jordan Griner who was apparently killed by a drunk driver with a blood alcohol level of .229 (nearly three times the legally allowed limit in Georgia). This death was tragic, senseless, and entirely avoidable.

From a legal perspective, claims involving drunk drivers are far more complex than they may seem. In addition to money damages for medical bills, pain and suffering and (as in this case) wrongful death, persons injured by drunk drivers are often entitled to an award of punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded in addition to all other damages, and are designed to punish and deter these dangerous drivers so that they will not engage in such reckless behavior in the future.

Continue reading "Georgia Drunk Driving Accidents are Far Too Common, Serious, and Entirely Avoidable" »