The robbery/shooting happened at approximately 7:30 p.m. on February 23, 2010 at an apartment complex in Newton County. The victim was taken by ambulance to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment of a bullet wound. Following the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in a black Nissan Maxima.

Later in the evening, the two men, while apparently on the run from authorities, struck Ms. Akin's vehicle after running a red light. Ms. Akin was taken to Rockdale Medical Center where she perished as a result of her injuries.

Wal-Mart employees have filed suit claiming that, in fighting workers' compensation claims, Wal-Mart has violated federal law. In particular, the injured workers contend that Wal-Mart conspires with its risk carriers and adjusters to undermine, control, and deny the medical care that they are entitled to. This argument has been supported by a number of reports and studies, and the Washington Department of Labor has gone so far as to state that Wal-Mart has "repeatedly and unreasonably delayed giving injured workers the benefits they were owed under workers' compensation laws, and, in some cases, Wal-Mart employees were not allowed to file workers' comp claims at all."

As Georgia workers compensation attorneys know well, employers can be conniving and cunning. The tactits purportedly enlisted by Wal-Mart are not unique, and we continue to fight against employers who fail to properly extend workers compensation benefits as required by law.

The young woman was shot in early February at the Atlanta Garden Apartments. She was transported form the scene and died a short time later a Grady Memorial Hospital. All accounts indicate that the woman an innocent bystander to a violent confrontation at the apartment complex.

It remains to be seen whether the owners of the apartment complex will be liable for failing to provide adequate security. An Atlanta premises liability attorney will need to establish that the owners or managers of the apartment complex were aware of criminal activity on the premise in the surrounding area and, despite knowledge of this prior crime, failed to take adequate measures to protect those on its premise.

In the negligence case, the estate's auto accident attorneys informed the jury that the decedent had been stopped at a red light when his vehicle was crushed by a truck driven by the Defendant. The lawyers argued that the Defendant was negligent in not keeping a proper lookout, in neglecting to keep his vehicle under control, and in travelling too fast for roadway conditions. The jury accepted these arguments and found that the Defendant acted reckless and with a complete disregard for the safety of others on the roadway.

Prior to presenting the case to the jury, the Defendant's insurance company was only willing to offer $1.5 million dollars to settle the case. The estate's lawyers rejected this offer, and instead trusted that the jury would dleiver a verdict that was just and fair.

A Cobb County jury recently awared $550,000.00 to a Plaintiff who was sexually assaulted while staying at a Super 8 Motel. A hotel employee entered her room with a master key and began to touch and lick her while she was asleep. The hotel was sued for failure to conduct a criminal background check on the employee and for entrusting the employee with a master key. The jury heard evidence that, if a criminal background check had been performed, the hotel would have learned that the employee was arrested on multiple occasions prior to and during his employment. The jury was convinced, and held Super 8 liable.

As premise liability attorneys, it is important that we become involved in a hotel/apartment/shopping mall rape, shooting, or attack as soon after the incident as possible. This is critical as premise owners tend to destroy evidence such as video tapes which would evidence liability.

Rapes, sexual assaults, and violent attacks regularly occur in shopping malls, hotels, apartments, and parking lots in Atlanta and other major cities in Georgia. In Georgia, a property owner may be responsible for protecting those legally on his or her property from such criminal acts under certain circumstances. For example, if the owner of a mall, hotel, apartment, or parking lot has reason to anticipate a criminal act based upon the occurrence of prior similar acts, there is then a duty to exercise ordinary care to guard against any further criminal acts. If the owner fails in this duty by failing to control access to his or her premise, by failing to have adequate security, or by failing to have proper lighting on the property, the property owner is liable to anyone suffers injuries as a consequence.

Premise liability cases are difficult and expensive to litigate. Individuals who have been the victim of a rape, shooting, or attack while at a hotel, shopping mall, or apartment complex should be certain that the attorney whom the elect to represent them is qualified and capable of doing so.

In a recent case, a teenager was seriously injured when she was chased by costumed characters at Six Flags Over Georgia. While trying to escape the chase of the character, the teenager ran into a railing and fractured her hip. Extensive surgery was required to repair the injury, and the teenage will have permanent scarring and discomfort as a result.

While Six Flags denied liability for the teenager's injuries, the case eventually settled for $125,000.00. As premise liability lawyers, we understand that sometime's it is better to settle a case that to take it to trial. In this circumstance, the Plaintiff was willing to accept the offer of settlement made by the amusement park.

The victim in this case was raped when her assailant entered through a window in the apartment. Lawyers for the apartment complex argued that the victim had created the circumstances that allowed her to be raped by giving extra apartment keys to friends and family. The victim's lawyers defeated these defenses, asserting that the lack of security in the apartment complex is what ultimately precipitated the rape. We are proud of our colleagues for obtaining justice for the victim, and we continue efforts at our firm to achieve justice for victims of similar crimes.

Under Georgia law, an apartment owner has a duty to keep the apartment complex safe. Where an apartment owner has reason to anticipate criminal activity on its property through prior crime at the apartment or in the surrounding area, the apartment owner must take reasonable steps to provide adequate security. If the apartment owner fails to undertake these steps, he or she is liable for any injuries that occur to its invitees as a consequence.

The wrongful death decedent was killed whole operating his motor scooter on a Georgia Highway in July of 2007. An individual in an automobile cut the decedent off causing a head on collision. The decedent died at the scene as a consequence of massive head trauma. The at fault party tested positive for cocaine shortly after the collision, as well as THC.

In addition to the personal liability of the at fault party, lawyers for the decedent argued that his employer was also liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior. Under this theory of the law, an individual's employer can be liable for the negligent acts of the employee if the negligent acts occur while the employee is acting in furtherance of the employers business at the time of the negligent act.

A recent Airtran Atlanta workers compensation case has recently garnered local headlines. In January of this year, an AirTran gate agent was attacked by an Army soldier at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport. The gate agent was assisting passengers with connecting flights when the soldier approached her and demanded that she assist him. When she suggested that she was unable to assist, the soldier spit at her and pushed her into another passenger. As a consequence, she suffered a shoulder injury. The soldier was charged with simple assault, but the charges may be elevated.

While the gate agents injury is certainly not a typical AirTran workers compensation claim, it is still, nonetheless and compensable work accident. Under Georgia workers compensation law, the gate agent would be entitled to medical care as long as it is needed, weekly compensation checks for as long as she is unable to return to work and a disability payment in the event her injuries are permanent.

The Department of Labor publication indicates that flight attendants experience a higher than average work injury rate as compared to all other occupations. The handbook notes that most injuries to flight attendants will occur while opening storage compartments or while navigating beverage carts. Additionally, however, the handbook suggests that many medical conditions will occur as a consequence of the irregular eating and sleeping schedules maintained by flight attendants. Also, the cabin pressurization and recycled air may contribute to certain pulmonary illnesses. Finally, we were somewhat surprising to learn that another major source of flight attendant injuries is unruly passengers whom flight attendants are compelled to restrain on occasion.

Premise liability lawyers in Atlanta and throughout Georgia are able to request that a jury award their Clients compensation for the financial damages (medical bills, lost wages, etc.) that they have incurred via a personal injury, as well as for the pain and suffering that they have incurred incidental to their injuries. In the Atlanta Home Depot personal injury premise liability case, the jury awarded the Plaintiff medical expenses in the amount of $120,000.00.

In addition to compensation for his pain and suffering and for his medical expenses, the Plaintiff was also awarded a sum for past and future lost wages. His wife was also awarded $30,000.00 for her loss of consortium.

Georgia workers compensation attorneys may be interested to learn that, of the 171 workers compensation deaths in Georgia in 2008, almost one-third (52) involved workers between the ages of 45-54. This statistical group was followed by 35 fatalities involving Georgia workers ages 35-44, and 30 deaths involving workers ages 25-34. Interestingly, older workers were just as susceptible to work related deaths in Georgia in 2008, as there were 35 deaths involving workers age 55 and older.

Another interesting data set released by the Department of Labor shows that of the 171 work deaths in Atlanta and throughout Georgia in 2008, 78 occurred in goods producing industries such as mining, construction, and manufacturing. Another 78 deaths occurred in service providing industries such as banking, leisure and hospitality, and the transportation. The remaining fatalities, 15, were related to government work activity, with 5 occurring at the federal level, and 10 at the local level.

In 2008, of the 171 work deaths reported to the State Board of Workers Compensation, more than one-third were caused by car and truck accidents occurring in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Specifically, 62 work accident fatalities were caused by car and truck accidents. As both an Atlanta car accident attorney and an Atlanta workers compensation attorney, this figure was unexpected.

Following car and truck accidents, the most common cause of work related deaths in Georgia was "contact with objects and equipment" and "falls," which each accounted for 28 work fatalities. "Assaults and violent acts" resulted in 26 occupational deaths in Georgia, with "fires or explosions" (16) and "exposure to harmful substances" (11) accounting for the remainder fatalities.

Atlanta injury lawyers, and workers compensation lawyers throughout Georgia, have suggested that they have seen a decline in the number of work-related injuries in the last year. Obviously, many relate this to the down turn in the economy. As the construction has slowed substantially, so to have the frequent work injuries associated with the industry. While it is certainly a blessing that we have seen less work accidents in Georgia over the last year, it is troubling that this phenomenon appears to be associated with a weak job market as opposed to safer occupational standards.

As the economy resuscitates and the construction industry begins to pick up steam, Atlanta's accident attorneys anticipate that work accident figures will similarly escalate. We hope that most of these injuries will be minor, however, and that fatal occupational injuries will continue to decline.