Walking in close proximity to traffic in Atlanta means you have to trust drivers to take reasonable care. Unfortunately, drivers sometimes fail to adhere to traffic laws and don’t take the necessary precautions to prevent accidents involving vulnerable pedestrians. If you’re dealing with the pain and trauma of serious injuries, call or contact an Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer from Marc Brown Law Firm to provide legal counsel and the representation you deserve.
Why Choose us as Your Pedestrian Accident Law Firm in Atlanta?
Suffering from pedestrian accident injuries can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately, you don’t have to add the stress of a legal process. Instead, choosing the Atlanta pedestrian accident attorneys at Marc Brown Law brings your case the following:
- A personalized strategy based on your unique circumstances, rather than a formulaic approach that might not achieve an outcome that aligns with your goals
- An assertive legal advocate fighting tirelessly for your best interests throughout the process of your claim
- A lead Atlanta personal injury attorney with experience representing corporate defendants and their powerful insurance companies, providing key insight into what makes a compelling claim
Our policy of open communication and availability means we come to you if you are too injured to come to our office.
Common Injuries in Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Cases
Pedestrians must carefully follow the state’s pedestrian safety laws and pay attention to their surroundings. Still, over 17,000 pedestrian-vehicle collisions occurred in Georgia in a recent four-year study period. Common injuries in Atlanta pedestrian accidents include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Single or multiple fractures, including those of the limbs, ribs, hips, pelvis, and vertebrae
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and tendon injuries
- Lacerations, contusions, and severe abrasions (road rash)
- Internal organ injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic amputations
According to the study data, over 80% of pedestrian accidents in Georgia occur at night, and 52% occur when a pedestrian is crossing a roadway or waiting to cross.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Standard family vehicles weigh an average of 4,000 pounds, putting an exposed pedestrian at a tremendous disadvantage in a collision. Common causes of Atlanta pedestrian accidents include the following:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right of way in a crosswalk
- Passing another vehicle in a crosswalk
- Reversing accidents
- Parking lot accidents
- Left-turn accidents, which occur when a driver focuses on the right while turning left and hits a pedestrian approaching from the left
- Impaired driving
- Failing to leave enough space when passing a pedestrian on the roadway
- Right-hooking, or passing a pedestrian while approaching an intersection and then making a right turn into the pedestrian’s pathway
A collision with a pedestrian can leave the injury victim facing a long road to recovery or potential permanent disability. These are the “damages” in a pedestrian accident claim. Speak with a skilled accident attorney in Atlanta for more information.
Steps to Take After an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident
As an exposed pedestrian, you could have suffered severe injuries that leave you incapacitated and unable to take any purposeful action. Still, if you or an uninjured companion can use a cell phone, you can take the following steps to protect yourself:
- First, apply first aid, call 911 to report the injury, and ask for emergency services
- Then, use the phone’s camera to take photos of the accident scene
- Photograph any visible injuries
- Add the contact information of the driver to your phone
- Add the contact information of eyewitnesses to the accident
- Go directly to the hospital from the accident scene
At the hospital, patients undergo a complete medical evaluation and then obtain a detailed accident report. Then, carefully follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations.
Damages Available in a Pedestrian Accident In Atlanta
After a pedestrian accident, the damages add up quickly when you have to endure painful and expensive medical treatment at the same time that you cannot return to work. While a successful pedestrian accident claim doesn’t erase the injury, it recovers compensation for economic and non-economic damages, such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket injury costs
- Lost wages
- Future income loss
- Diminished future earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Catastrophic injury compensation for permanent harm, such as loss of limb, permanent scarring, loss of vision, hearing loss, organ loss, or diminished quality of life.
If you lost a close family member in an Atlanta pedestrian accident, an Atlanta wrongful death lawyer can help your family recover compensation for your economic losses and a sense of justice for your lost loved one.
Why You Need a Georgia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Most pedestrian accident claims are filed against the responsible driver’s insurance. Unfortunately, insurance companies are not on your side, especially if you have a substantial claim. The insurance adjuster may try to assign a percentage of fault to you to protect the company’s profits. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, Georgia’s modified comparative negligence system allows the insurance company to deduct your assigned percentage of fault from the amount they pay on your claim. This incentivizes the insurance company to assign an undue percentage of fault to the injury victim.
An Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer protects against this and other common insurance company tactics used to undervalue or deny claims.
Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Claim Process
After suffering a serious pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver, you don’t have to leave your case in the hands of the insurance company whose goals conflict with yours. Instead, after hiring an attorney, the following process occurs:
- Your Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer from Marc Brown Law Firm launches an independent investigation by examining the police report and evidence, and consulting with accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts
- We carefully calculate your damages to seek the maximum compensation available to you
- Our firm sends an evidence-backed demand package to the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Your lawyer negotiates for the highest possible settlement from the insurance company
Most pedestrian accident cases end with a settlement, but if the insurance company fails to offer a full and fair settlement for your damages, your trial-ready attorney assertively represents your best interests in court, seeking the maximum compensation for your damages.
Call or Connect With an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Online
Instead of leaving your case in the hands of the insurance company, you deserve experienced representation working tirelessly on your behalf. Call or contact Marc Brown Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case.