Georgia Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Become a BBQ Master: Tips for Staying Safe This Grilling Season

Published on: July 19, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Nothing says summer quite like a barbecue, and July is the peak month for grilling! But before you fire up the charcoal and start inviting the whole neighborhood over, review these grill safety tips.

Keep it clean.

The urge to leave your mess until later is always strong when you have filled yourself with scrumptious grilled treats, but keeping your grill clean is necessary for both safety and taste. After your meal, wipe up any grease or gunk left by your food while the bars of the grill are still warm. After the grill has completely cooled, remove the bars and scrub the additional parts. Every few weeks, deep-clean the grill to ensure that caked-on food and oils don’t damage it or seep into your food. After all, no one wants to taste last week’s burgers on their salmon.

The Right Fit – Meet Our Dedicated Firm Administrator

Published on: July 12, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Ashley Sampson says she “fell” into her position at Don Turner Legal Team more than four years ago when she heard about the job from Don Turner’s former law partner. His previous law partner was a good friend of Ashley’s, which meant they understood just how dedicated Ashley would be.

Four years later, Ashley says she has surprised herself with how devoted she is to legal work. “I didn’t know anything about the legal field when I started working here,” Ashley recalls. “I was trained, and as I learned, I fell in love with the profession.” Serving as the Firm Administrator, Ashley primarily works with our personal injury cases and supports the criminal cases our team takes on. She manages our scheduling and bookkeeping, ensuring that our daily operations are properly handled.

It’s obvious that we would be lost without Ashley, and this past winter tested our ability to function without her support. On Feb. 22, Ashley and her husband, Nate, welcomed their first daughter, Emma. The couple has been married for four years this past May, and they are enjoying their new life as parents and watching Emma grow.

Get Ride Ready – Don Turner’s Book for Motorcyclists

Published on: July 8, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

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I can still remember my first motorcycle, the Triumph 650 Bonneville, complete with easy rider handlebars, short pipes, and a lot of noise. (That’s probably what I enjoyed about it the most.) Twenty-five years later, I can’t help but chuckle and smile when I think about all the fun I had on that bike.

But like most motorcyclists, I have a close-call story that left me shaken. I was nearly run over by a driver, causing my bike to stand up on its back tire. As my feet hit the ground, I pulled myself back into the bike, which made it look like I knew what I was doing. In reality, I was terrified and naive.

Unfortunately, stories like this aren’t uncommon for motorcyclists. Distracted drivers and motorists who forget to look for motorcyclists put riders in danger every day. In fact, my own perceptions on motorcyclists’ rights were shaped by another personal incident. A close friend of my father was killed in a motorcycle accident when a driver ran him off the road. Those close to this friend knew this accident was the motorist’s fault, but perceptions and small-town gossip placed the blame on my dad’s friend.

Heroic Dads Who Didn’t Back Down

Published on: June 14, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

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Being a parent isn’t always a walk in the park

Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences.

It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us.

June 2019 Motorcycle Newsletter

Published on: June 6, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Click to read or download our June 2019 Motorcycle Rider’s Newsletter

June 2019 Newsletter

Published on: June 6, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Click here to read our June 2019 Newsletter!

Fighting for You – Meet our Determined Attorney, Lisanne Edelman

Published on: May 16, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Lisanne Edelman has wanted to be a lawyer since she was 12 years old. Her growing interest in shows like “Law & Order” signaled that a career in prosecution may be in the cards, but her first criminal law class at John Marshall Law School shifted her focus.

Students were tasked with researching and presenting a particular case from the Innocence Project. To this day, Lisanne can remember the case she chose. In 1999, Clarence Elkins was convicted of the murder of his mother-in-law, Judith, and the assault of his 6-year-old niece. Clarence maintained his innocence, but his niece’s testimony that the intruder looked like her uncle sealed his fate. In 2002, his niece officially recanted her claim, and Clarence was ultimately freed in 2005 based on an alibi witness and a DNA hit off a cigarette butt Clarence collected from a fellow inmate — who was ultimately found guilty of the attacks.

“That triggered something in me,” Lisanne recalls about this case.

May 2019 Don Turner Legal Team Newsletter

Published on: May 9, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Don-Turner-Legal-Team-May-2019 — Click to Read our May 2019 Newsletter!

May 2019 Motorcycle Newsletter

Published on: April 25, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

Click here to read the newsletter!

Don’t Let a DUI Spoil Your Spring Break

Published on: April 2, 2019 | by Don Turner Legal Team

The weather’s good, you’re on holiday, and you’re in the mood for fun. That’s great, but don’t let a DUI spoil your spring break.

If you’re heading out to have a good time, there’s a good chance you and your friends will be doing some drinking. That alone isn’t a big deal, but if you’re planning on driving home the same day or night, or even early the next morning, it’s not a good idea. In Georgia, there is zero tolerance towards drunk driving, especially for those who are underage – and the penalties are severe regardless of whether it’s a first offense or not.

If you are not drinking – or a friend isn’t – the best thing to do is for one of you to be the designated driver to get you all home safely.