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09/29/2026

Does a Dog Get “One Free Bite” in Georgia?

“The dog has never bitten anyone before.” Does that end an injury claim? Not necessarily.

In this video, Tyler Watkins explains why a dog’s history and local leash requirements can matter when assessing the owner’s responsibility.

Every case depends on its facts. A leash-law violation is not, by itself, a guarantee of liability or compensation.

If you were injured in a dog attack in Georgia, contact Gorinshteyn & Watkins: https://gwtrial.com

General information, not legal advice.

09/21/2026

How Uber uses a hidden loophole to avoid paying crash victims 🚗⚖️

Uber is actively lobbying the federal government to shield itself from liability when its drivers cause severe traffic crashes.

Their core argument? They claim rising insurance premiums are becoming "unaffordable."

However, a recent investigation revealed a shocking footnote: The vast majority of Uber’s insurance premiums are paid directly to Aleka Insurance — a captive insurance company created and owned by Uber itself.

In short: Uber dictates its own insurance prices, pays itself, and then uses those self-imposed costs to claim financial hardship so it doesn't have to compensate injured passengers and drivers.

When tech giants try to evade accountability, injured victims suffer.

If you or a loved one were injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Georgia, call Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC to protect your rights.
🔗 gwtrial.com

09/15/2026

Lake America Is Now Official. Here's What That Actually Means.

So the President just renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America. Can he actually do that? Sort of.

Tyler Watkins explains where the authority begins and ends. The executive order directed the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change the official federal name. For purposes of the United States federal government, that genuinely has effect. Federal agencies now have to use it, and the federal Geographic Names Information System has been updated.

Here's the jurisdictional problem. A majority of that lake sits in Canada, and the President of the United States does not have executive authority over Canada.

Canada still calls it Lake Ontario. New York's governor says New York is still calling it Lake Ontario. International organizations don't have to change it. Private companies don't have to change it. You don't have to change it.

The President has authority to tell the federal government what the federal government calls a geographic feature. He does not have the ability to rename part of another sovereign country by executive order.

So legally, Lake America is the official federal American name. And Lake Ontario is still Lake Ontario basically everywhere that doesn't care what the U.S. federal government calls it.

It's less like renaming your child and more like changing their name in your contacts.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC
7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd, Building 17, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 618-0808
gwtrial.com

09/10/2026

"I got a ticket for running a stop sign in a parking lot. I thought you couldn't get a ticket on private property?"

Well, that depends.

Tyler Watkins explains why private lots aren't the legal free zone most drivers assume. It's true that Georgia's uniform rules of the road apply to public roads. But that statute comes with a long list of exceptions.

The most common ones are drunk driving, reckless driving, and anything involving a death. Those apply no matter what property you're on in this state.

The lesser known exception covers private shopping centers and parking lots customarily used by the public as through streets or connectors. And who decides whether a lot qualifies? As recently as 2020, the Georgia Supreme Court said that's a question for the jury.

Which unfortunately means that officer probably had reasonable suspicion to pull you over. The better approach is to treat every parking lot as public property, because by the time you get to argue about it, you've already had to hire an attorney.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC
7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd, Building 17, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 618-0808
gwtrial.com

09/07/2026

Can a minor child sue their parent if the parent hurts them? Generally, no. But as with most rules in law, there are exceptions.

Tyler Watkins explains how this works in Georgia. If a child is emancipated, they can file suit against a parent just like any adult.

Otherwise, a parent can be held liable for a willful or malicious act, and the threshold for that is genuinely high. This is not about ordinary discipline. The conduct has to be severe enough to justify forfeiting parental authority altogether.

So the rule comes down to this: a minor child generally cannot sue their parent, unless the situation has deteriorated to a point that speaks for itself.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC

09/04/2026

Lending your car to a friend seems harmless… until they cause a crash. 😳
Are YOU legally on the hook if someone else wrecks your vehicle in Georgia?
The quick answer is: Usually, no.
Your name being on the title doesn’t automatically make you personally liable for a court judgment. BUT… Georgia law has 2 dangerous exceptions that could ruin your finances:
1️⃣ Negligent Entrustment: If you hand your keys to someone you KNOW is intoxicated, impaired, or shouldn't be driving.
2️⃣ Family Purpose Doctrine: If you provide a vehicle for your family’s general use and a family member causes a crash while driving it.
Insurance follows the car, but YOUR personal assets could be at risk if you hit one of these exceptions.
Think twice before handing over the keys! 🗝️
Have legal questions after a Georgia auto accident? Contact Gorinshteyn & Watkins!

09/03/2026

Can your landlord keep your security deposit because they say you damaged the apartment? Not if they don't follow procedure.

Tyler Watkins explains a process most renters, and plenty of landlords, don't know about. Most landlords know they have to return the deposit within 30 days or explain why they're keeping it. What many don't realize is that Georgia law is very specific about the steps.

Before you move in, the landlord is supposed to give you a list of existing damage to the property. After you move out, they generally have three business days to inspect and prepare an itemized list of any damage they're claiming. You have the right to inspect that list and disagree with it.

Here's where it gets interesting. If the landlord doesn't follow those requirements, they can lose the right to keep any portion of your deposit. And if they intentionally withhold money that should have been returned, they can be liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus your attorney's fees.

So the question isn't always whether the tenant damaged the apartment. Sometimes it's whether the landlord followed the rules.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC

08/30/2026

If a person's health insurance pays for their medical treatment after an injury, does that mean they recover less at trial? No. At least they're not supposed to.

Tyler Watkins explains Georgia's Collateral Source Rule. Just like the jury doesn't get to hear that the defendant has liability insurance, the jury doesn't get to hear that the plaintiff has health insurance.

The idea is fairness. If someone else caused your injuries, they don't get the benefit of your foresight in buying health insurance. We don't want people who have coverage treated differently from people who couldn't afford it. It's no different than if your family had paid your bills for you.

The legislature amended this in 2025, so evidence of health insurance is now admissible for certain reasons. But here's what most people don't realize: if your health insurance paid for your treatment, that insurer has a right to be reimbursed out of your verdict, which further reduces your compensation.

That's why even when a plaintiff has health insurance, a jury isn't supposed to discount what they award.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC

08/29/2026

If a husband un-alives his wife, does he inherit her property?

Good God, no. 🙅‍♂️

Georgia's Slayer Statute prevents anyone who intentionally un-alives someone from benefiting from their death. Will or no will—doesn't matter. Murder or voluntary manslaughter—doesn't matter.

The reasons are obvious. And honestly? This shouldn't be why you don't un-alive someone. So please—just don't.

Got questions? Drop 'em in the comments. 👇

08/24/2026

Tyler Watkins explains a mistake that happens far more often than people realize. Some of your biggest assets don't listen to your will at all. Life insurance, your 401k, retirement accounts. Those go to whoever is named on the beneficiary form. The will doesn't override it.

So picture this. You filled out that form years ago and named an ex. Then you moved on, got married, and wrote a will leaving everything to your spouse. You die, and the money goes to the ex, because the form never changed. Nobody finds out until it's too late to fix.

Pull up your policies and check who's actually named. It takes ten minutes now, or it becomes a fight your family never wanted.

Tyler Watkins | Atlanta Litigation Attorney
Gorinshteyn & Watkins, LLC

Address

7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Building 17, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA
30328

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm
Thursday 9:30am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+14046180808

Website

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