Defenses to a Lawsuit for Accidents and Injuries
This document describes the basic defenses to tort claims (harm caused by negligence or by intentional actions). The document is an excerpt from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Fast Facts on Consumer Rights
(Separate Website)
Quick tips on your rights in certain consumer issues
By: Barnes Law Group
Liability Insurance
(Separate Website)
The liability portion of your homeowner's policy is designed to cover unintentional injuries on the premises and unintentional damage to other people's property. In other words, injuries caused by your negligence are covered; those you inflict on purpose are not covered.
Here are a few tips on how to cover yourself adequately. Remember, it takes only one person who is seriously injured by your negligence to generate a huge liability award and deplete your financial nest egg, not to mention your psychological well being.
By: American Bar Association
Regulating Product Safety in Georgia
This document contains information on product safety laws in Georgia, and answers the following questions: What two types of laws relate to product safety? What is product liability? What are some examples of federal laws concerned with public safety? What are some of the agencies that work to protect consumer safety and what areas do these agencies cover? What is Georgia's "lemon law"? The document is excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
The Georgia Negligence Jury
(Separate Website)
This web page contains statistics about judges and juries that decide cases about accidental injuries to people or property (negligence cases). The information is based on surveys of judges and juries in Georgia over a period of three years.
Judges and juries frequently agree on who ought to win a case.
Citizens perform jury service in an un-distracted and highly conscientious fashion.
Juries hear only a small portion of the total number of negligence controversies.
The jury is not more likely than the judge to find for the plaintiff
The jury largely comprehends even complicated negligence cases.
The jury generally follows the judge's instructions on the law of the case.
Judges and attorneys adamantly oppose the abolition of the negligence jury.
By: Georgia Civil Justice Foundation
The Law and Your Home: Avoiding Liability for Accidents
(Separate Website)
You might be legally liable if someone has an accident in your home. Did your negligence or carelessness contribute to an accident or injury? Pitfalls include someone slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk, and accidents involving power lawn mowers, swimming pools, boats, and other recreational vehicles. The best way to avoid liability is to prevent injuries on your property in the first place and protect yourself with a solid insurance policy in the event the unavoidable and unexpected does occur. This web site contains more information on how you can keep your home safe and protect yourself from liability.
By: American Bar Association
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web Site
(Separate Website)
CPSC is an Independent Federal Regulatory Agency. CPSC works to save lives and keep families safe by reducing the risk of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products. We do this by: (1) developing voluntary standards with industry, (2) issuing and enforcing mandatory standards or banning consumer products if no feasible standard would adequately protect the public, (3) obtaining the recall of products or arranging for their repair, (4) conducting research on potential product hazards, (5) informing and educating consumers through the media, state and local governments, private organizations, and by responding to consumer inquiries.
By: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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Spanish / Español
When You Harm Others by Accident
This document describes legal claims that people may have when they are injured because of someone accidentally hurting or harming them. These claims are based on theories of "negligence". The document also contains information about defenses to those claims. The document is excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
LegalAid-GA is a project of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Georgia Legal Services Program and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. The project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation and the Georgia Access to Justice Project.