free consultation: 678-RESULTS 678-737-8587

The Stoddard Firm Blog

How much should I settle for with a back injury?

Back injuries suffered at work can lead to chronic pain, hospitalizations, and even disability. In a worst-case scenario, an employee can be paralyzed or experience catastrophic consequences. If this happens to you, you may be wondering, “How much should I settle for a back injury?” The amount of money you can expect in a lawsuit settlement depends on several factors. Some of these include: Severity of the injury Lost wages and time off work Amount of medical bills and reha...

Apartment Residents Shouldn’t Have to Become Heroes When a Fire Starts

It’s always encouraging to hear about people helping each other in times of crisis. Human courage and compassion are wonderful things, and it is most certainly not the purpose of this post to argue that people should stop acting on them. What so often gets lost, however, while we’re cheering for the heroes of a disaster, is objective scrutiny of the disaster itself. Obviously, when a fire is actively burning, it’s not a good time to worry about what caused it or whose fault it is. The i...

Law Enforcement Officials Who Take Part in Sex Trafficking Must Face Justice

Distrust of law enforcement is one of the toughest obstacles preventing countless victims from escaping forced sexual servitude. While some sex trafficking victims are kept guarded at all times, many others have frequent physical opportunities to escape and alert the police, but do not trust that this will improve their situation. Common reasons include: Uncertainty that what is happening to them qualifies as sex trafficking Fear of being returned to an abusive home Belief tha...

Construction Contractors Are Responsible for Safety Even After the Job Is Done

We’ve often discussed on this blog how dangerous construction sites can be, and the responsibility that construction companies have to keep their workers and bystanders safe. We’ve also talked about property owners’ duties to make sure that any spaces open to employees or guests are free of unnecessary hazards. A construction company’s role in safety doesn’t necessarily end when a property opens for business, however. Contractors that develop, repair, and upgrade properties are responsi...

Georgia’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit Is Showing Great Promise

There’s no question that Georgia has a serious human trafficking problem. The vast majority of human trafficking, here and all over the country, involves sexual exploitation, and underage girls are especially vulnerable to this kind of predation. The question of how to address the problem has, unfortunately, proven far more contentious and complex. Historically, the legal response has far too often been to arrest the most conveniently available targets — the victims — for prostitution, ...

It’s Past Time for MARTA to Take Action Against Train Station Accidents

You’re going about your day, trying to get to work, or back home, or wherever your current destination might be. Maybe you’re checking your email, or thinking through your to-do list. Your commute is so routine that it barely demands any attention. But then, every so often, you glance over the edge of the platform while waiting for your train, and you realize how easy it would be to slip and fall onto the tracks below. You might even have stopped to ask yourself, “Why on earth isn’t there ...

Factories of All Sizes Must Protect Workers from Falling Objects

Whenever a company hires people to work in a physical location, it is making a commitment to provide those people with as safe a workplace as reasonably possible. This means anticipating any foreseeable dangers, minimizing or eliminating them wherever possible, enforcing policies that prioritize safety over production speed, and equipping staff with the necessary gear and knowledge to navigate any remaining hazards effectively. The term “foreseeable” can be somewhat subjective, but there a...

Human Trafficking Victims Are Entitled to Compensation for Their Suffering and Unpaid Labor

Though it often goes unrecognized, human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor absolutely does happen in the U.S. In 2020 alone, the Department of Justice opened 663 investigations into suspected human trafficking activity, and for every confirmed case, there are likely many more yet to be discovered. Human trafficking is the use of lies, threats, violence, or other forms of coercion to force a person to work against their will or under unacceptable conditions. The coercion process o...

Can I sue for wrongful death in a construction site fall?

Being a construction site worker has its inherent dangers, whether that be falling from a roof, getting injured by a power tool, or being hit by falling debris. In the worst accidents, workers can die. If you’re asking, “can I sue for wrongful death in a construction site fall?”, the answer is almost always “yes.” Of the 5,333 employees in the U.S. who died on the job in 2019, roughly 1 in 5 were construction workers, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Healt...

Bizarre Accidental Deaths

Common or Uncommon: Freak Accidental Deaths? Strangely enough, bizarre accidental deaths happen quite frequently, and the victims' families are often entitled to significant wrongful death settlements. We all know that death is an unavoidable reality. And while some people are fortunate and live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives, others are struck by illness or fall victim to common yet unfortunate accidents. Still others still experience the weirdest accidental deaths, many caused by the...