Atlanta Injury Attorney Blog

Hulk Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, has been sentenced to 8 months in jail after pleading nolo contendere for the alcohol related car accident that resulted in severe brain injuries to his passenger and friend, John Graziano, a former Marine and Iraq War Veteran. The car crash occurred last August when Nick Hogan was racing another car in his father's Toyota Supra, lost control and hit a tree. This resulted in serious injuries to John Graziano, including a broken skull. He will now lead lifetime medical care.

In addition to the jail sentence, Nick Hogan was placed on probation for five years, was forced to surrender his driving license for three years and is required to take a DUI class. Nick Hogan has a history of reckless driving, which no doubt factored into the Judge's sentencing.

John Graziano's family has a pending personal injury lawsuit against the Hogan Family. The no contest plea entered by Nick Hogan is tantamount to a guilty plea and even though Hogan did not technically enter a guilty plea, his no contest plea and the resulting jail sentence, nonetheless, will aid the Graziano in their pursuit of damages for John Graziano's injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a reckless or drunk driver, I would invite you to visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Brain Injuries

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A student was killed in a traffic accident in Northern Kentucky Thursday when the school bus he was riding in lost control when a dump truck traveling the opposite direction lost part of its load.

A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the survivors against the Company who owns the dump truck is certain to follow and it is expected that all damages available under the law will be sought, including punitive, if there is a basis.

If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in a bus accident or any other type of car accident, I would invite you to visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A man from Detroit has filed a personal injury lawsuit against a local leader, Brett Harris, and his employer, New Haven Community Schools in the wake of a car accident involving a school van. The Plaintiff, Daniel Jackson, maintains that he sustained serious back injuries in the February 28, 2007 collision when the school van crashed into his pick-up truck.

The Plaintiff, 52 years old, claims he herniated two discs in his low back, which necessitated two surgeries. According to his attorney, his client will need additional surgical intervention.

The lawsuit names State Farm as a co-defendant and details the Plaintiff's claims of physical and emotional pain and suffering and diminished quality of life. If the case goes to trial, the Plaintiff is expected to testify that the Defendant was distracted when he was reaching for some mints at the time of the car crash and there was a smell of alcohol on his breath as well.

If you or a loved one has been injured by in a car, truck or any other type of transportation accident as a result of the negligence of a government employee or private citizen, I would invite you to please visit by website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Trucking Accidents

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Hulkamania is now on the back burner in the wake of an injury lawsuit filed by their son's friend stemming from a serous car accident last August. Nick Hogan was driving his father's Toyota Supra with his friend John Graziano as a passenger when the car accident happened. It is suspected that Nick Hogan was speeding at the time of the collision when he lost control of his Supra and struck a median causing the car to spin out of control and hit a tree.

The Attorneys for Graziano filed a rather lengthy personal injury lawsuit, which among other things, includes three counts of negligence. The car accident complaint names Hulk Hogan, his estranged wife, Linda Hogan and of course 17 year old Nick Hogan. Graziano spent a long time in the hospital in the ICU in a medically-induced coma. He also broke his skull and is expected to need indefinite care, most likely at some type of assisted care facility. Graziano's medical bills already exceed more than $1 million.

The basis and the thinking behind naming Nick's parents as party defendants in the personal injury lawsuit can best be explained by a Florida statute that imposes liability on the owners and insured for accidents and resulting injuries caused by the negligence of one of the authorized drivers under the insurance policy. Some jurisdictions have assigned the label "family purpose doctrine" and what it will ultimately mean is that Nick Hogan's parents will be on the hook individually and jointly should this matter go to trial and a verdict is returned.

Once defense that will most certainly be asserted by the Hogan's lawyers is that Graziano is suspected of not wearing his seat belt, which will spur speculation of what injuries could have been avoided had he in fact been wearing his seat belt in the car crash.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident or any other type of transportation accident, I would invite you to please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Brain Injuries

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The Family of a Paulding County, Georgia Commissioner recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a pilot following a plane crash in Mount Airy, North Carolina on February 1st that took the lives of Frank Ruggiero and several other local businessmen and leaders from Georgia.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Polk County Superior Court, seeks unspecified damages and maintains that pilot error was the cause of the accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a plane accident or any other type of transportation accident and wishes to discuss the possible filing of a wrongful death lawsuit, I would invite you to visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Aviation Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A woman from rural Missouri has been charged with and has plead guilty to DUI in connection with a tragic car accident on June 15, 2007 that resulted in the wrongful death of Donnie Davis of Du Quoin, Missouri. The Defendant, Julie Comte, originally wanted a plea deal, but ultimately plead guilty. It is not yet known whether this is her first DUI.

The victim, Donnie Davis was headed north out of Carbondale just before 9 p.m. when Ms. Comte struck him head on. Witnesses stated that Comte was driving recklessly and then crossed over into the oncoming traffic lane leading to the car accident and wrongful death of Davis.

If you are a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident or any other type of accident by a drunk or sober driver, I would invite you please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my law office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The family of a teenager has filed a wrongful lawsuit against a female driver who ran into the young man while he was running with friends in the Chicago land area. Following the pedestrian accident, the driver, Desiree Britt, was cited for, among other things, possession of drug material and marijuana. Ms. Britt, according to records, has a criminal history that includes convictions for other traffic related offenses and battery.

The wrongful death lawsuit is expected to wind its way through the civil justice system and the family of the killed runner will, in all likelihood, take the case to trial, if the matter cannot be settled. It is unknown what type of insurance coverage the at fault party has and what kind of assets she has to pay towards any judgment.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in this or any other type of pedestrian/car accident, I would invite you to please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A California woman has been awarded 1.6 million in damages in a lawsuit related to a 2006 car accident. The Plaintiff, Lane Estrada, sustained serious injuries, including a fractured ankle and is permanently disabled.

The car wreck occurred when a teenage driver turned in front of Estrada. The teenage driver was killed in the car crash. Part of the money damages that Estrada received in the lawsuit will go for medical treatment that she will need in the future.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, I would invite you to please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents

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A widower, Mark Kinstle, recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mark Lusher alleging that Mr. Kinstle rear-ended his wife, Michelle Kinstle, while drunk. To make matters worse, it is also alleged that in the complaint that Mr. Lusher transferred over a $100,000 to his wife to keep the Kinstle family from putting their hands on the money. Mr. Lusher already faces criminal charges related to the car accident, including vehicular homicide and DUI.

At the time of the accident in rural Ohio, Mark Lusher was driving a Chevy Silverado truck and if he is convicted on all the charges, he faces substantial jail time. Lusher's attorney chimed in by stating that "it is premature for Kinstle to seek Lusher's assets." Do not be surprised if Kinstle's attorney files some papers with the court to prevent Lusher from transferring or disposing of his various assets in order to insulate himself personally from a judgment.

Based upon the complaint, Lusher was triple that of the legal blood alcohol level limit and after the crash, he kept going thereby failing to come to the aid of Michelle Kinstle. Punitive damages are sought in this wrongful death case.

If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in any type of car or truck accident, I would invite you to please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact me, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Trucking Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A Missouri woman sued her pharmacy, Walgreens, after getting what she thought was a prenatal vitamin that would benefit her unborn child. What Chandra Givens actually got was quite different. She received a chemotherapy drug that adversely affected cell growth. As a result, she filed a federal lawsuit following protracted pain and suffering, which included nausea, vomiting and a host of other neurological symptoms. Worse of all, she miscarried in early April and blames Walgreen's Pharmacy.

In the lawsuit, the Plaintiff claims that Walgreens gave her the incorrect drug. She is seeking unspecified damages and argues that Walgreen's neglected to supervise its employees in, among other things, verifying the accurate filling of the prescription.

What later happened in this case and what appears to be a trend around the country is that these lawsuits are settled out of court. The plaintiff cannot talk about the settlement because of a confidentiality clause in the settlement agreement.

If you or a loved one has been affected by pharmacy error, I would invite you to visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Injuries To Minors and Children , Pharmaceutical Malpractice

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A tragic accident occurred recently in central Kentucky involving a truck driver, Richard Gussler, who is alleged to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and another car, which has led to a wrongful death lawsuit against the Trucker's company. The wrongful death lawsuit involving the 18 Wheeler was brought by the spouse of a man, Joey Kirk, who claims that the trucker was drunk or on drugs when he slammed into the rear of her husband's car, killing him instantly.

The deceased's wife is pushing for $10,000,000 in damages against the trucker's employer. Incidentally, the trucker was charged with manslaughter, a felony of course, which if convicted, should help boost the civil wrongful death claim, particularly in the eyes of the jury, if the case gets that far. The trucker's employer, Mountain City Ford, stands to get hit with a sizable jury verdict, especially if the Plaintiffs can prove the trucker was intoxicated in some way.

These folks who operate big rig 18 wheelers really do have a huge responsibility to drive with extreme caution. Failure to do so, particularly when compounded by intoxication can, as we see, lead to deadly consequences.

If you or a loved one has been affected or touched by this type or any other type of deadly accident, I would invite you to please visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

Posted by Sam Levine | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Trucking Accidents , Wrongful Death

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UnitedHealth Group Insurance Company may be forced to pay upwards of $1.3 billion by California authorities for systematically failing to pay medical claims in a timely manner. UnitedHealth is suspected of having committed some 130,000 violations and was in fact sanctioned last year.

UnitedHealth blames their failure to promptly pay medical claims on administrative issues and on corporate acquisitions. California regulators maintain that they have received more complaints from UnitedHealth than any other health insurance provider.

Unfortunately, failing to timely pay insurance claims or denial of insurance claims altogether is extremely common and such delay of payment or denial of claims can lead to major problems, including death, as was discussed in the latest Michael Moore movie, 'Sicko".

If you or a loved one is an insured and has experienced a denial of a claim by your health insurance provider, I would invite you to visit my website, www.samlevine.com or contact my office, Sam Levine, Attorney at Law.

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Posted In: Insurance Claim Problems

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