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The Stoddard Firm Blog

Georgia’s Power Line Workers Need Better Safety Protections

Installing and servicing power lines is currently one of the 10 most dangerous civilian jobs in the U.S, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Approximately 30 powerline workers lose their lives on the job each year, and Georgia has already contributed more than its fair share to that statistic in 2023. Electricity may be dangerous, but it’s also predictable. That means with enough care and support, these jobs can be made safe. Another Lineman Is Dead Following an Electrocu...

MARTA’s Escalator Accidents Continue Under Schindler Maintenance

For decades, MARTA has relied upon Schindler Elevator Corporation for its escalator and elevator maintenance. As we’ve detailed elsewhere on this site, there have been a disturbing number of escalator accidents in MARTA stations during that time, including an incident where three escalators failed in a single day. To be fair to MARTA, Schindler is one of five extremely powerful international companies in the elevator/escalator industry. The European Commission, a trade regulatory organizat...

Exposed Ductwork Can Become a Safety Hazard if Not Properly Installed and Maintained

Whether openly visible or not, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are an integral part of modern architecture. As we’ve discussed before on this blog, faulty HVAC systems can cause serious injuries and even death, usually by releasing carbon monoxide, freon, or other contaminants into living spaces. Exposed metal ductwork can also pose another, more direct sort of hazard, however. If not adequately secured, pieces of ductwork can fall without warning and injure peopl...

Lawyer for Car Accidents Caused by Instacart Drivers

You’ve been in a serious car accident. You’re alive, and the at-fault driver hasn’t disappeared on you. You know that those are two big strokes of luck compared with what could have happened, what does happen to multiple people every day in Georgia. Even so, the situation you’re facing is far from easy. You’re still trying to figure out what the long-term effects for your body are going to be, and how much time and money it will take to get you to the fullest possible recovery. You’re prob...

Lawyer for Accidents Caused by Avis Rent-A-Car Drivers

When you’re facing the aftermath of a serious car accident, every detail can feel like an insurmountable complication. Your injuries might require more attention than you initially expected, and the task of repairing or replacing your vehicle might involve dozens of little decisions and risk-assessments. In the meantime, your career and family obligations might be stacking up or slipping through the cracks. If you’ve discovered that the driver who caused your accident was using a rental ca...

The High Death Rate for Sawmill Workers Is Driven by Preventable Accidents

Woodworking has come a long way since the days of waterwheels and flumes. Centuries of technological advancement have improved efficiency, sustainability, cleanliness, and at least in theory, safety. Yet the lumber industry remains one of the most dangerous in the U.S. Modern machines can cut about as many boards in an hour as an antique sawmill could in a day, without needing a worker to place their hands repeatedly near the sawblade, as they once would have. These machines are still q...

Atlanta Apartment Landlords May Be Liable for Gun Violence Against Teens

Everyone deserves to feel safe at home, especially children and teens, who depend on that feeling of security to develop a healthy sense of identity and normality. It makes no difference whether a family owns a house or rents an apartment — that feeling of coming home should be the same. Of course, Atlanta’s teens and pre-teens are not safe at home, statistically speaking. In fact, the danger of death by shooting is even higher in American residences than in schools. While many factors ...

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Can Be Hazardous for Workers as Well as Guests

As this blog has noted many a time before, the most dangerous part of flying in and out of Atlanta is what happens on the ground. Simply walking through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is far more likely to result in serious injury than the flight itself. From escalator accidents and shuttle bus crashes, to Plane Train brake issues, questionable COVID procedures, and children falling down luggage chutes, we’ve covered plenty of the hazards that travelers face in the largest airpor...

Every Company That Handles Natural Gas Is Responsible for Human Lives

For many people, using natural gas for cooking and heating is a routine part of life. For those who work with it professionally, a day at work is usually just a day at work, much like in any other industry. It’s easy for most of us to forget just how much danger this invisible, toxic, explosive substance can pose when handled incorrectly. Companies that profit off of natural gas and its accompanying infrastructure, however, do not have the right to forget. Just like airlines and hospita...

Modified and Makeshift Propane Grills Pose a Serious Threat to Users

Even under ideal circumstances, propane and natural gas grills are already more dangerous than their charcoal, wood, or electric counterparts. When you add amateur engineering into the equation, the risk of explosions, structure fires, burn injuries, and death rises dramatically. Storebought grills are, at least in theory, systematically tested for safety. Homemade and modified versions, on the other hand, may have design flaws that only become apparent once someone has been seriously h...