Georgia News

From the Plaintiffs’ View: Unintended Consequences of Commercial Auto Law on Georgia Insurance

For decades, Georgia’s insurance industry has sought to eliminate the long-standing provision allowing trucking-accident plaintiffs to sue insurance companies directly. This was the single most important issue the industry wanted to see addressed by lawmakers. Now, with the passage of …

Georgia’s Latest Effort on Plaintiff Demands Aims to Deter Bad-Faith Claims

Georgia lawmakers have approved two bills that could have a significant impact on windstorm and bad-faith claim losses for property insurers. First, the bad-faith reform legislation. Auto insurers have for years fought for changes to Georgia’s auto claims-handling statutes, after …

Neighborhoods Evacuated near Burning Georgia Chemical Plant

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A large fire burned Monday inside a chemical plant on the coast of Georgia, where authorities ordered nearby neighborhoods to evacuate because of threats from toxic smoke and potential explosions. Emergency responders safely evacuated a small …

Water Supply Problem Continues After Flooding in Georgia

SUMMERVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Officials continued to scramble Tuesday to restore water service in parts of a northwest Georgia county after flash flooding Sunday submerged pumps and flooded buildings. Chattooga County officials said water for 8,000 customers in Summerville, Menlo …

Residents Clear Trees, Assess Damage from Southern Storms

PEMBROKE, Ga. (AP) — Southerners were clearing trees from roads and buildings as weather forecasters planned to survey damage from several possible tornadoes in Georgia and South Carolina, but said that effort could be interrupted by the potential for more …

Ethics Panel Says it Will Pursue Ex-Insurance Commissioner

ATLANTA (AP)–Georgia ethics officials say they will pursue allegations of wrongdoing against former state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, overriding an administrative law judge’s ruling that they waited too long. Oxendine is accused of illegally using campaign funds from his failed …

Insurers For High Crime Areas on Notice After Georgia Court Affirms $43M Verdict

A Georgia appeals court has upheld a $43 million premises liability verdict against the CVS Pharmacy chain, ruling that the company failed to take security measures to prevent the shooting of a patron in 2012. The case is the latest …

4 Injured After Apartment Building Explosion Near Atlanta

DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) — An explosion rocked an apartment building in suburban Atlanta on Sunday, causing the three-story structure to partially collapse and leaving four people with minor injuries, authorities said. The cause of the explosion was unknown, but a …

Storms Spawn Twisters in Mississippi, Kill 2 in Georgia

YAZOO CITY, Miss. (AP) — Much of the South is at risk of more severe weather Tuesday, forecasters said, after tornadoes struck parts of the region Sunday night and Monday, causing heavy damage in some parts of Mississippi and flipping …

Police: Vehicle Changed Lanes Ahead of Van in Deadly Crash

SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) — A vehicle on a Georgia interstate unexpectedly changed lanes ahead of a van that went out of control, rolled onto its side and slid across two lanes, bursting into flames and killing six women inside, authorities …