Website Intro

Columbus Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Families Throughout West Georgia and East Alabama
If you've been injured by the negligence of another person, you are suddenly faced with many unexpected problems. These problems can include payment for medical bills, lost wages, ongoing medical needs, lost employment or educational opportunities and even difficulties in family relationships. If your life has been changed by an accident, put one of "the good guys" on your side.

We have been serving Columbus, Ft. Benning and the valley area for over 20 years. We hope our blog can help shed some light on issues we see in our practice on a daily basis. If you have any questions, want to discuss your personal situation or just need information, please do not hesitate to contact us - via email, phone or by an in person appointment.

We hope you never need our services, but if you do, we promise to do all we can to help resolve the matter in the most effective manner possible for your family.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Tough New Stance on Cell Phones in Cars


One of the primary focus areas of the Law Offices of Gary Bruce is motor vehicle collisions, wrecks, and accidents.  However you call them, millions of Americans are in wrecks every year.  While some are minor and lead to only physical therapy to rehabilitate sore body parts, others cause dramatic injuries resulting in costly surgeries or tragic deaths.  There is no question that many of these wrecks could have been prevented by a driver simply paying more attention to the road. 

In today's busy society there are numerous distractions for drivers.  Old habits of eating on the go, putting on makeup as you drive to work, or even just talking to the person riding with you are being taken over by technology's focus on GPS devices, satellite radio, and of course cell phones.  Our phones do amazing things these days including texting, web surfing, or even video conferencing.  But with all that power, one must have restraint in using it.  Now though, it appears that the National Transportation Safety Board has determined that people shouldn’t have that discretion.  See the article here.

According to the recent announcement, the NTSB has made the bold recommendation that ALL cell phone use be banned.  Many states have rules on phone usage while driving ranging from no texting, to limitations on age usage, and even allowing only hands free devices.  In particular, Georgia has passed its own variations of the law which prohibit texting/surfing and restrict minors from making calls.  More locally here in Columbus, Ft. Benning bans cell phone usage to protect drivers while on post.  Still, the recommendation of the NTSB is a huge step in attempting to make roads safer by halting all cell phone usage, even with hands free devices.  There is no doubt that its stance is one aimed at protecting people.  The poignant statement that no text or call is worth a loss of life rings true.  But the feel good call to protect driver's has its opposition.

For example, many point out that cell phones are being unfairly targeted while countless other distractions that are equally dangerous go unhindered. Others point to enforcement issues (which the NTSB interprets in its own way) citing that officers have difficulty observing and pursuing drivers texting vs using a GPS device or other activity.  Perhaps a ray of light is that while the debate is set to begin over a complete ban of cell phones in the wake of higher usage, traffic related deaths are actually dropping to their lowest levels since 1949.  See article here.

Ultimately, all drivers must be cautious and responsible not just for their own vehicle but in watching for other drivers as well.  As the holiday season is upon us, we hope that everyone tries to slow down and drive safely in this busy time of year.  Whatever the statistics and debate, there is little reason to risk injury to others for the sake of entertainment or saving time.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Safe Kids Honors Local Hero

Time and again, the attorneys at Gary O. Bruce, P.C. hear from doctors that a biking, skating, or skateboarding injury could have been prevented or substantially lessened had the child simply been wearing a helmet.

Thus, it is truly outstanding when an individual undertakes a mission to ensure that more children do not suffer catastrophic head injuries simply due to not having a helmet. Christy Hubbard with Safe Kids Columbus was recently honored by the Safe Kids Coalition as an Outstanding Local Coordinator for her work in child safety. Among other things, Christy has expanded the Safe Kids Columbus helmet distribution to children by providing over 2,000 helmets to children in the greater Columbus area.

Gary O. Bruce, P.C. is proud to support Christy Hubbard and Safe Kids Columbus. She truly is making a difference in the lives of children in this area. Keep up the good work, Christy!