Pedestrian accidents are awful, and the results are usually catastrophic. Although there are road rules, laws, and police enforcement, it is not always enough.
Injuries caused by a pedestrian accident are brutal. Victims face medical trauma, organ damage, broken bones, traumatic brain injury, and possible injuries so severe they result in surgery and multiple months to recover.
In the worst cases, being hit by a car is fatal.
If a driver hits you while crossing the street or using the sidewalk, you may have the right to compensation for your injuries. Working with our pedestrian attorneys will give you access to decades of legal experience, the ability to negotiate with insurance companies, and representation of your case in court if that’s what it takes to secure the money you need to recover.
Let us show you how you can receive compensation for your damages. Call (470) 323-8779 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation with our team.
A Smyrna Pedestrian Accident Attorney Works for You
One of the most valuable things you can do after a pedestrian accident is to acquire legal representation. Working with a legal team by your side means you will have someone to guide you throughout the claims process, represent you before other parties, and negotiate on your behalf until a sufficient settlement is in sight.
Your Smyrna pedestrian accident lawyer will work diligently to identify the at-fault parties and find the proof needed to show the driver’s negligence. Once the driver is determined to be liable for your injuries, your legal team will work towards building your case with a full estimation of the damages you are owed.
You can expect that your legal services from a pedestrian accident lawyer will include the following:
- Legal guidance and assistance throughout every step of your case
- Calculation of all loss of wages because of time needed off work to address medical needs
- Calculation of medical costs due to injury or wrongful death related to the event of the accident
- Understanding, compassion, and experienced counsel throughout your case
- Calculation of pain and suffering costs that involve both physical and emotional suffering
- Extensive legal resources to investigate and strategize
Gathering Evidence
The road to recovery in these cases can be grueling, with dozens of doctor’s appointments, prescriptions for pain medication, surgeries, and physical therapy sessions.
Victims face a financial burden when attending to their injuries. Taking time off work to address medical needs means that they will lose working hours and may be unable to work their former schedule and duties until they heal.
This situation will quickly stress many families and compromise their financial stability.
The good news is that all medical bills can be included in your injury claim, including the costs of future projected medical needs and appointments. It may be difficult to discern the time it will take for a full recovery, but your pedestrian accident attorney will help track and calculate the damages that apply to your case.
An experienced pedestrian accident lawyer is familiar with similar cases and what it takes to secure the needed compensation. In addition, your attorney will help you collect documentation related to medical diagnoses, images, videos, witness statements, and the police report — all of which help detail the event that led to your injuries and the damages that resulted.
What Is a Pedestrian Accident
Even with laws that enforce safe driving, pedestrian accidents are common. In 2022, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported that Georgia has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the entire country, with an increase of 57.8% between 2019 and 2022.
Pedestrian accidents are extremely hazardous and can easily lead to fatalities. A person hit by a car moving at 40 mph will face life-threatening injuries and potentially death.
Even at lower speeds, serious injuries are likely, especially when the head or spine strikes the vehicle, pavement, or a nearby object.
A pedestrian accident occurs when a person is struck by a moving vehicle. These accidents commonly happen on the street, sidewalks, parking lots, parks, and anywhere a pedestrian will share a space with cars.
Three main types of pedestrian accidents can be of note in personal injury law cases:
- Crosswalk accidents
- Hit-and run accidents
- Parking lot accidents
Crosswalk Accidents
Pedestrians are encouraged to use crosswalks whenever possible, but even when they do, there is a risk that they may be struck by a moving car. Rolling stops, running red lights, and speeding are just a couple of ways a driver can fail to stop on time before colliding with a pedestrian.
Crosswalk accidents are also common when the driver intends to turn either left or right. They may be so focused on looking for oncoming traffic or a spot to squeeze into moving traffic that they do not see someone in the parallel crosswalk to their side.
In these cases, the driver may not have used the appropriate caution to see the pedestrian and accelerate as the victim stepped in their path.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
Often, turning on the news in the morning results in hearing a story about a hit-and-run accident that happened in the early hours of the morning or late the previous night. These reported accidents often conclude with serious or deadly results.
Sadly, hit-and-run accidents mean that the driver fled the scene, turning an accident into a criminal act.
By state law, all drivers involved in a car accident cannot leave the scene and should call the authorities immediately. Pedestrians who have been involved in a hit-and-run can work with an attorney to identify the at-fault driver, as well as other parties who may have contributed to the accident’s circumstances.
This strategy maximizes their chances of full damage recovery.
Parking Lot Accidents
People do not always realize how dangerous parking lots can be.
Pedestrians constantly walk on the walkways, crosswalks, and in the lot itself. Add to the mix parking cars, drivers pulling out in reverse, and traffic signs that are not always respected, and there is a high chance that someone will get hurt.
When drivers in parking lots are distracted or speeding, they are likely to make serious mistakes and create danger to pedestrians.
Are There Statutes of Limitation for Pedestrian Accidents in Georgia?
Like all states in the U.S., Georgia law enforces the statute of limitations for all personal injury cases. Victims have two years to file their cases before it is too late.
After a pedestrian accident, call your personal injury lawyer in Smyrna right away. The clock will usually be ticking right when the event happens.
If you miss the window to file a case, you will miss potential compensation you may have received otherwise.
Types of Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents That May Lead to a Claim
Injuries are unavoidable when you come face-to-face with a moving car. Although most pedestrian accidents are not at high speeds, a car moving at 40 mph is fast enough to have deadly results.
Pedestrian accident injuries lead to inability to work, brain damage, loss of limb function, nerve damage, possible permanent disabilities, and more.
Depending on the speed of the impact, victims will find their bodies smashing into the moving vehicle multiple times before the accident is over. Injuries can take months, if not years, to heal, and some injuries are so bad that they are life-altering for the victim.
In situations where the pedestrian survives the accident, their road to recovery is a long one. The medical costs associated with pedestrian accidents total over $500 billion in the United States.
Victims will need to attend multiple doctor appointments and therapy sessions to heal and work to what was once normal.
Common Damages Available in a Pedestrian Accident Case
While every pedestrian injury case is different, claimants can expect to file for one or more of the following types of damages:
- Medical bills — Includes the costs of all previous care as well as projected future expenses
- Lost wages — Compensates you for work missed because of the injury or a reduction in earnings as a result of an inability to return to your former schedule or duties
- Out-of-pocket expenses — Reimburses you for all costs made necessary by the accident, including the costs of transportation or parking at your medical appointments
- Property damage — Covers the costs of replacing items damaged in the accident, including devices, clothing, and personal effects
- Pain and suffering — Pays you for the negative experiences you endured, including your physical pain as well as mental suffering and loss of ability to enjoy former activities
- Funeral and burial costs — Provided in cases of wrongful death accidents.
- Punitive damages — Only awarded by juries, this category serves to make an example of the perpetrator of an accident in cases of reckless or intentional misconduct
Reach out to the CEO Lawyer: Your Smyrna Pedestrian Accident Law Firm
Pedestrians are most at risk in car accidents because nothing is there to protect them from other cars or objects. In addition, the injuries sustained from being hit by a car are often extensive and may require many months to recover fully.
Victims are often inundated with doctor’s appointments, therapy sessions, and additional responsibilities to get better, and they face more tasks when they decide to fight for compensation for damages.
Fortunately, you are not alone. With the help of the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, your case will be in the right hands.
Our legal team knows Georgia law and how to build a case designed to earn you the compensation your case is worth.
Ready to see how we can help? Call us today at (470) 323-8779 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation with an experienced pedestrian injury lawyer in Smyrna.
