Posted On: September 30, 2008

Ragland & Jones, LLP Receives “Top Fundraiser” Award at the MADD Georgia 2008 “Walk Like MADD” Event Held September 20, 2008 at Zoo Atlanta

MADD Georgia recognized Ragland & Jones, LLP as the “Top Fundraiser” at its “Walk Like MADD” campaign held on September 20, 2008 at Zoo Atlanta. This is the second year in a row that Ragland & Jones, LLP has received the “Top Fundraiser” award at MADD Georgia’s annual walk campaign. Last year, the event was called “Strides for Change” and was held at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. In 2007, Ragland & Jones, LLP sponsored the “Strides for Change” event with a corporate donation of $2,500. In addition, Ragland & Jones, LLP raised another $6,000 in contributions from other trial lawyers. This year, Ragland & Jones, LLP sponsored the “Walk Like MADD” campaign with a corporate contribution of $5,000. In connection with the 2008 "Walk Like MADD" campaign, the Ragland & Jones, LLP team exceeded its pre-walk goal and raised nearly $7,000 from other attorneys and law firms throughout Georgia. The firm was also a corporate sponsor of the “Strides for Change” walk in 2006.

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On behalf of Ragland & Jones, LLP, Daniel Ragland (right) accepts the "Top Fundraiser" Award from MADD National President, Laura Dean-Mooney (left)

During the three years (2006-2008) that Ragland & Jones, LLP has sponsored and participated in the annual fundraising walks held by MADD Georgia, the firm has contributed and raised over $22,000 in funds to support MADD Georgia. The stated mission of MADD is to “stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” Ragland & Jones, LLP is dedicated to safety advocacy, and is particularly dedicated to supporting MADD Georgia.

Ragland & Jones, LLP agrees with MADD that drunk driving is a serious criminal offense which imperils millions of innocent motorists and pedestrians every day. The devastating human consequences of drunk driving cannot be overstated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has indicated that in 2007, there were 12,998 people killed in “alcohol-impaired crashes.” There were 13,491 fatalities in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2006. NHTSA defines an “alcohol-impaired crash” to be one where at least one driver of the automobile or motorcycle had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. In 2007, there were 441 deaths due to alcohol impaired crashes in Georgia alone. NHTSA has estimated that in 2006, 35% of all traffic deaths occurred in crashes in which one driver had a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher, and that some alcohol was present in 41% of all fatal crashes.

Ragland & Jones, LLP recognizes the magnitude of the drunk driving problem and the untolled human devastation which impaired driving leaves in its path. That is why Ragland & Jones, LLP believes in the mission of MADD and is firmly committed to the continued support of that organization and its cause.

Ragland & Jones, LLP is an Atlanta law firm made up of trial attorneys focused on severe injury and wrongful death litigation. In particular, attorney Daniel Ragland has considerable experience representing victims of drunk driving, and has handled many civil claims and Georgia lawsuits against drunk drivers. He also has extensive experience with dram shop lawsuits against businesses which unlawfully sold alcohol to an underage driver or negligently continued to sell alcohol to "noticeably intoxicated" adults.

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Posted On: September 9, 2008

Ragland & Jones, LLP Announces That It Has Filed a Lawsuit in Gwinnett County, Georgia Against a Dentist Who Sexually Molested a Teenaged Female Patient While Providing Dental Care

Ragland & Jones, LLP, an Atlanta law firm dedicated to severe injury and wrongful death litigation, announces it has filed a lawsuit today in the State Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia against an Alpharetta dentist, Frederick C. Chuo, asserting that he sexually molested a 15 year old female patient during a visit to his dental offices located in Dacula, Georgia. According to the lawsuit, in October 2006, the teenaged patient sought dental treatment for two cavities at Dr. Chuo's former practice group where Dr. Chuo worked as a staff dentist. The lawsuit alleges that after administering a local anesthetic, Dr. Chuo was guilty of various sexual misconduct including touching the teen patient’s breasts in an inappropriate manner multiple times. Dr. Chuo, age 29, was arrested on October 10, 2007 by Gwinnett County police and charged with felony sexual battery. On May 6, 2008, after pleading guilty to one felony count of sexual battery and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, Dr. Chuo was sentenced to an 18-month prison term plus an additional three and one-half year period of probation. The sentence given by the Honorable H.M. Stark requires that Dr. Chuo register as a sex offender under O.C.G.A. § 42-01-12.

Medical malpractice attorney Evan W. Jones is representing the female patient and her parents. He prepared and filed the lawsuit on behalf of both the teen patient and her parents seeking unspecified compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages because of the Dr. Chuo’s intentional and grievous sexual misconduct. In separate counts, the lawsuit asserts multiple tort claims against Dr. Chuo including civil assault and battery, medical malpractice, breach of fiduciary duties, violations of the Georgia Dental Practice Act (negligence per se), and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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Posted On: September 3, 2008

The Georgia Supreme Court Has Granted Certiorari and Will Hear Oral Arguments Next Month in Lyon v. Schramm, a Case Involving the Application of Georgia’s Five Year Medical Malpractice Statute of Repose.

On July 8, 2008, the Georgia Supreme Court granted petitions for certiorari filed by three physician defendants in the case of Lyon v. Schramm, 291 Ga.App. 48, 661 S.E.2d 178 (2008). That medical malpractice case involves a 43-year woman who claims that her longtime primary care and OB-GYN physicians failed to give her certain vaccinations and other care recommended for persons who have no spleen. Because of her asplenia and her physicians’ failures to appropriately immunized her, the Plaintiff claims that she suffered an “overwhelming post-splenectomy infection” (OPSI) that led to the amputation of both of her legs and both of her arms. The Plaintiff is being represented in Atlanta by Daniel A. Ragland, a personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer at Ragland & Jones, LLP.

The defendant-physicians assert that the Plaintiff’s claims of professional negligence are barred by Georgia’s five year medical malpractice statute of repose because the patient first starting seeing them more than five years before the lawsuit was filed. For this reason, the trial court granted Motions to Dismiss on behalf of the Defendants in April 2007. Mr. Ragland appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals which reversed the trial court’s decision finding that the five year statute of repose had not expired. The Georgia Court of Appeals reasoned that the Defendants had failed to vaccinate and otherwise properly protect their asplenic patient from the risks of OPSI on many occasions, including visits which took place during the five year pre-suit period. As such, the Georgia Court of Appeals agreed that negligent acts which were committed within five years of the lawsuit could support timely malpractice claims by the Plaintiff.

Both sides have now filed their appellate briefs with the Georgia Supreme Court. Oral argument before the Georgia Supreme Court has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2008.