My law practice is focused on commercial trucking accidents, personal injury and wrongful death cases for plaintiffs. As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I have many occasions to speak to groups, both in and out of my practice area. The following is excerpted from my presentation — “Trial Preparation: 30 tips in 30 Minutes” – at the Georgia Law of Torts seminar at Mercer University Law School in Macon on September 23, 2011.

12. Video recording of defendant depositions.

A party may videotape any deposition upon notice that it will be so recorded. OCGA 9-11-30 (b)(4); FRCP 30

My law practice is focused on personal injury, wrongful death and commercial trucking law practice. As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I have many occasions to speak to groups, both in and out of my practice area. The following is excerpted from my presentation — “Trial Preparation: 30 tips in 30 Minutes” – at the Georgia Law of Torts seminar at Mercer University Law School in Macon on September 23, 2011.

11. Propose a stipulation that attorneys issue deposition subpoenas.

While federal law authorizes attorneys as officers of the court to issue subpoenas on standard forms, current Georgia

As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I often have occasion to speak at events that extend beyond my own personal injury, wrongful death and commercial trucking law practice. The following is excerpted from my presentation — “Trial Preparation: 30 tips in 30 Minutes” – at the Georgia Law of Torts seminar at Mercer University Law School in Macon on September 23, 2011.

7. Draft jury instructions early.

Judges are understandably most comfortable using pattern jury instructions. Prior to drafting the complaint and discovery, compile all the applicable pattern jury instructions and prepare a preliminary draft of additional charges

As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I often have occasion to speak at events that extend beyond my own personal injury, wrongful death and commercial trucking law practice. The following is excerpted from my presentation — “Trial Preparation: 30 tips in 30 Minutes” – at the Georgia Law of Torts seminar at Mercer University Law School in Macon on September 23, 2011.

6. Investigate the case yourself.

Use Open Records Act requests to obtain all police photos and dashcam video,  and 911 logs and recordings. As soon as practicable, visit the scene of the incident in person and

As president of the State Bar of Georgia, I have occasion to work on a number of issues and controversies beyond the scope of my own personal injury, wrongful death and commercial trucking accident trial practice.  The following is excerpted from an article by Kathleen Joyner in the Fulton County Daily Report on September 23, 2011.

———————-

Bar committee OKs rule change
Public defenders in same circuit would be allowed to represent co-defendants under proposed amendment

The State Bar of Georgia’s Disciplinary Rules and Procedures Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a rule change that would allow public defenders in the

On March 2, 2007, at 5:38 AM, a charter bus from Ohio carrying the Bluffton University baseball team to a tournament in Florida went off a confusingly marked HOV exit from I-75 at Northside Drive in Atlanta. When I traveled to Columbus, Ohio in July 2011,  I participated in the mediation that produced the final settlement of all claims arising from that crash.

A total of $25 million was paid to resolve the claims of all occupants of thes, settled in three stages:

  • First,  the insurer for Executive Coach, the bus company, tendered the $5 million policy limit

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported  the following statistics on school transportation accidents between 1996 and 2006.

* 1,536 people  died in school transportation-related crashes. Compare that with 41,059 traffic fatalities in the United States in 2007 alone.

* An average of 40 people per year died in school bus accidents.

* 72 percent of school bus accident fatalities were occupants of other vehicles.

*  20 percent were non-occupants such as pedestrians or bicyclists.

*  7 percent were school bus occupants.

* About 57 percent of crashes involving a school bus involved another vehicle.

* In 53 percent of all crashes involving fatalities to occupants of a school bus, the principle point of impact was the front of the bus. The least common point of impact was the rear.

* Of 41 fatal school bus crashes between 1996 and 2006, 17 involved the front of the bus, 6 involved the right side, 3 involved the left side, and 3 involved the rear.

* Each year, 23.5 million children ride 450,000 school buses to school.

* Those 450,000 school buses travel about 4.3 billion miles annually.

A Florida truck driver admitted that he was on his cell phone yesterday when he slammed into a school bus, killing a 13-year-old student. According to a report by Austin Miller of the Ocala Star-Banner, the school bus, which had stopped to let children off , had its warning lights on and stop signs out. The truck driver said he never saw the bus. He  failed to stop for it and rammed the school bus forward 294 feet. The bus was fully engulfed in flames. 

See our recent posts on cell phone distractions and the absence of seat belts on busses.