By Ken Shigley, Past President of the State Bar of Georgia | Johnson & Ward, Atlanta

Three days after a rear-end collision on I-285, a driver gets a phone call. The other driver’s insurance company offers a settlement that sounds reasonable — until the medical bills arrive weeks later and the total several times more than the offer. By then, the release has been signed and there is nothing left to do. This scenario plays out hundreds of times every year in Georgia.

A skilled car accident attorney maximizes your settlement by identifying every source of compensation, countering lowball tactics…

Injured in an Atlanta car accident? Learn the critical steps to take in the first 24 hours to protect your health, your rights, and your compensation claim.

The I-285 interchange at Spaghetti Junction is an iconic symbol of Atlanta traffic. That one exchange handles over 300,000 vehicles every day. On any given afternoon, a split-second distraction turns one of those commutes into a crash. In the chaotic moments after impact, most Atlanta drivers do not know that the decisions they make in the next 24 hours will have a direct and lasting effect on their ability to recover compensation. The…

In nearly a half-century as a Georgia lawyer, starting when we had spittoons in jury boxes, bailiffs called greenhorn lawyers “Colonel,” and computers were just huge mainframes in large institutions, I have seen a lot of change.

I have tried serious injury cases for over forty years. Years ago, I saw terribly low verdicts for catastrophic harm. More recently, we have seen eight-figure verdicts that would have shocked judges when I was a puppy lawyer. What changed?

Insurance defense folks in their seminars have used phrases like “nuclear verdicts.” That makes it sound reckless or irrational. But in my experience…

When choosing a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, the important factors are experience with serious injury cases, board-certified trial lawyers, professional leadership, and legal scholarship, not advertising. Firms with long-standing practices have institutional knowledge of Georgia tort law, insurance tactics, and jury behavior. Lawyers who hold national board certifications and who have written and taught on personal injury law demonstrate independently verified expertise. These factors are especially important in cases involving catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, trucking accidents, and wrongful death.

How do I choose the right personal injury law firm in Atlanta?

The most important factors are…

Car accidents can injure the vagus nerve through whiplash, chest trauma, or seatbelt compression, disrupting autonomic control of heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and swallowing. Symptoms may include fainting, dizziness, cardiac rhythm abnormalities, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and difficulty swallowing. Because vagus nerve injuries often involve delayed or multi-system symptoms, they are frequently overlooked without specialized medical evaluation and experienced legal analysis.

Vagus nerve injuries represent a medically recognized but frequently underdiagnosed consequence of motor vehicle collisions. High-velocity acceleration–deceleration forces, cervical hyperextension, and thoracic compression can stretch or impair vagal fibers as they traverse the neck and chest.

Damage to the vagus…

Time limits for personal injury and wrongful death claims in Georgia.

Georgia personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of injury under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Important exceptions may apply, including tolling for pending criminal charges, wrongful death claims measured from the date of death, extended deadlines for minors and legally incompetent persons, and strict pre-suit notice requirements for claims against cities, counties, and the State of Georgia. Medical malpractice claims follow separate statutory deadlines. Because missed deadlines permanently bar claims, early legal review is critical.

O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 states provides a two year time limit for filing personal injury lawsuits in general, a one year…

I don’t put a lot of stock in college rankings in US News and other publications. The formulas are too contrived, too subject to manipulation and present too great a temptation for institutions to misplace priorities in order to rank higher.

They can distort high education much as over emphasis on standardized testing has distorted elementary and secondary education, with school systems requiring teachers to teach for the test rather than teaching kids and inspiring creativity. But I am not running for public office and this is not a blog post about educational policy in America.

While I generally disdain…

How to be fairly paid for a spinal cord injury in Georgia.

In our law practice over several decades , we have represented numerous SCI survivors. Most had benefited from rehabilitation services at Shepherd Center or Emory Rehabilitation Hospital, both of which are near us in Atlanta. All of these clients were injured in motor vehicle crashes or falls. One client who had been a high-powered government executive before an accident made him  quadriplegic initially  wanted to just turn his face to the wall and die, but after rehab he used funds from his settlement to equip himself to write…

Post-concussion syndrome is a medically recognized aspect of brain injury in which symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, emotional changes, dizziness, or seizures persist after a concussion—even when CT or MRI scans are normal. Medical authorities including the CDC and NIH recognize that these injuries can significantly affect daily functioning, employment, and quality of life following car and truck accidents.

Why Post-Concussion Syndrome Matters in Injury Cases

Post-concussion syndrome presents unique challenges because its effects are often invisible on imaging but measurable in real-world function. Cognitive limitations, emotional regulation issues, seizure risk, and navigation difficulties can materially affect…

After a car or truck accident in Georgia, call 911, obtain a police report, photograph the scene, and seek medical care even if injuries seem minor. Exchange insurance and contact information without admitting fault. Notify your own insurance company promptly, preserve all records, and follow medical advice. Georgia law generally allows two years to file an injury claim, but deadlines can vary. Early legal guidance can help protect your rights and avoid common insurance pitfalls.

What should I do first after a car or truck accident in Georgia?

Call 911 immediately. Georgia law enforcement officers prepare an official crash report…