Augusta Georgia Real Estate And Personal Injury Law Blog

A 79-year-old Augusta woman is dead and 51-year-old Hephzibah woman has been arrested for her death after a fatal car crash that occurred in the Walmart parking lot on the Bobby Jones Expressway. The defendant has been charged with both vehicular homicide and a failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk after striking the woman Friday afternoon.

According to police, the elderly woman had been walking within the crosswalk either coming into or out of the store just before 4:30 p.m. when a pickup truck being driven by the defendant fast approached. The woman was reportedly struck in the head by the truck's bumper and then once again as her body crashed on the asphalt lot.

Whether you're looking to buy a home or a piece of property or you're looking to sell your own, you can benefit from finding out whether there are any liens against it before you move any further along in the sales or buying process.

If you or your buyer have a title search performed, it's likely likely that any liens will be uncovered. Depending on the contingencies listed in the purchase agreement, this can greatly impact whether a sale is made or, at the very least, cause it to be delayed.

When you purchase your home, you expect to own it free and clear. In order to make sure that happens, you will need a title search done to determine whether anyone else may have a right to the property. You may find it surprising how often this happens.

If the property is sold as part of an estate, it's possible that all of the heirs failed to receive notification of the previous owner's death. An old but paid off mortgage lien may still show as active. Even a typographical or recording error could prevent you from owning the property you think you purchased. You may need to address these and other deficiencies in the title through the courts.

When you take to the road, you'll do whatever it takes to avoid trouble. Unfortunately, you shouldn't assume that every other driver is being as cautious as you.

Understanding the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents can go a long way in improving your safety. Here are five circumstances that often lead to an accident:

• Distracted driving: From texting to talking on the phone to adjusting the radio, there are many forms of distracted driving.
• Drunk driving: When a person drinks and gets behind the wheel, there is a greater likelihood that he or she will be part of a motor vehicle accident.
• Speeding: Even though it is against the law, many people are in the habit of driving faster than the speed limit. This increases the risk of an accident.
• Reckless driving: There are many forms of reckless driving, such as changing lanes without signaling, failure to stop at a red light and changing lanes quickly.
• Inclement weather: Any type of bad weather increases the risk of an accident. From rain to strong winds, a change in weather should lead to a change in driving behavior.