Located near the base of Stone Mountain and Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain is a suburb of Atlanta in eastern DeKalb County. The picturesque setting frequently shows up in movies and TV shows, including Footloose, The Vampire Diaries, MacGyver, and Stranger Things. Also home to a thriving arts community, the city hosts the ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theater Company and various festivals, as well as historical sites like the Wells-Brown House.
Unfortunately, car accidents happen throughout Atlanta and its suburbs, and when they do, you need the help of a dedicated Stone Mountain personal injury lawyer. Ali Awad, the founder and managing attorney at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, is willing to take on big insurance companies for his clients. The CEO Lawyer, Mr. Awad has taken a small startup to an 8-figure firm in just three short years. In 2021, his firm was voted the fastest-growing law firm in the United States, topping 499 others. Additionally, The CEO Lawyer has over a million followers on social media, where he delivers no-nonsense legal advice with humor and common sense.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, now is the time to call Ali Awad for a no-obligation consultation of your case. The CEO Lawyer and the injury and accident attorneys team work on a contingency basis, so they don’t get paid unless you do. You have nothing to lose by calling (470) 323-8779 to talk about your options.
Stone Mountain: A Cart Community
It’s important for drivers to note that Stone Mountain does allow people to drive golf carts on city streets so long as they get the appropriate permit from the city. This is uncommon in most other suburbs, so motorists from out of town should be prepared to share the road with golf carts. Driving slowly and keeping an eye out both for carts and pedestrians is a good way to help reduce the risk of accidents.
The most common cause of injury in golf cart accidents is someone jumping or falling off the cart. If you are driving, make sure everyone riding uses a seatbelt if the cart has them. If seat belts aren’t available, instruct riders to keep their limbs inside the cart and stay put in their seats. Never let anyone stand while riding the cart.
If it is your first time driving a golf cart, read the owner’s manual thoroughly. Drive only from the driver’s seat, and be sure to set the parking brake before getting out and leaving the cart.
Even if you are driving a golf cart, you’re still responsible for following traffic laws. Yield to people or vehicles who have the right-of-way, don’t text and drive and don’t operate a golf cart while under the influence. Avoid speeding, especially downhill, and always slow down before and during turns.
There are also rules under the Georgia Motorized Cart Law about what makes a cart “street legal.” Here are some guidelines to ensure your cart meets these standards:
- The cart’s braking system should be able to function with the combined weight of all the passengers on board.
- The cart needs a warning mechanism for when it backs up.
- Taillights, a horn, and lap belts are necessary for all riders.
- The cart shouldn’t weigh more than 1,300 pounds on its own, and shouldn’t go more than 20 MPH. The good news is that this prevents a lot of people from getting speeding tickets.
- The cart should also have a windshield, turning lights, and, for nighttime operation, brake lights and headlamps.
- The cart operator should have a valid driver’s license, and under local rules in Stone Mountain, a city permit to drive the vehicle.
FAQ: Can You Get a DUI On a Golf Cart or Other Motorized Cart?
Yes, it is possible to get a DUI on a golf cart. Although they are smaller, lighter, and slower than regular motor vehicles, people have still been hurt or killed in golf cart accidents. You can avoid getting a DUI by arranging for a designated driver or using a rideshare service when you’ve had a few.
Personal Injury Claims in Georgia
Whether you were hurt on a golf cart or in a car accident, trying to get the insurance company to pay your claim in full can be exhausting, especially if you are still trying to recover. You want to focus on getting better, not argue with insurance adjusters. But your medical bills need to be paid, and if the accident has left you out of work, you may not have other options.
Typically insurance companies will do one of two things:
- They refuse to pay the claim because they say it’s your fault. In some situations, they may give other reasons, but due to Georgia’s comparative negligence laws, blaming the victim is a popular excuse.
- They quickly make an offer.
The insurance company for the at-fault driver is supposed to pay claims after an accident. Under Georgia’s comparative negligence statutes, an insurer can get out of paying a claim entirely if they can convince the court that the other driver was more than 49 percent at fault. In other words, it doesn’t have to be entirely your fault, just mostly your fault, for you to lose the ability to collect damages.
How easy is it to prove fault? It really depends on the specific situation. In some cases, it may be a you said/they said situation. But frequently there are accident witnesses, traffic cam footage, or other evidence that a good Stone Mountain personal injury attorney can use to demonstrate you weren’t at fault.
Another problem with proving fault is that the insurance adjuster may call and start asking you questions about the accident. You might think that by answering them, you’re helping to get your claim approved. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Many times the insurance adjuster will seize on something you said as a sign you were at fault, and use that as an excuse to deny your claim. This is one reason we advise against talking to the insurance company before you speak with a personal injury lawyer in Stone Mountain.
The other common situation is where the insurer simply makes you an offer without trying to claim you were at fault. This probably sounds like the ideal outcome. On one hand, the insurer isn’t trying to put the blame on you and you won’t have to argue about who did what when the accident happened, and that is a good thing. On the other hand, a quick offer is usually a lowball offer. You should stop and ask yourself if this offer is enough to cover your current costs, including medical bills and car damage, plus future medical care if you’re still in treatment.
This can be difficult because it’s hard to know just how much your medical bills are going to be in the future. You could have unforeseen complications, your physical therapy might take longer than you expect, you could develop chronic pain, your health insurance may reach its limit and stop paying – these are just a few examples of unexpected medical costs that can arise after an accident. This is another reason to seek solid legal advice before responding to the insurance company or accepting an offer. Your attorney can look over the offer, consider the details of your case like your current medical bills and future care needs, and determine if you deserve more compensation.
What About Policy Limits?
It’s true that the insurance company won’t pay anything past the policy limits. Georgia law only requires drivers to carry $25,000 in liability coverage, so if your medical bills alone are substantial, the insurance settlement may only make a dent. Fortunately, an experienced personal injury lawyer may be able to find other avenues to pursue damages. Your own car insurance may be useful if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Suing the other driver directly may also be an option, depending on whether they have sufficient assets to make it worth the court costs. In some cases, you may also be able to make a claim against third parties:
- If you were harmed by the actions of a drunk driver, there are some situations where you may be able to sue a third party who served the driver alcohol. However, simply providing someone with alcohol isn’t enough for the third party to be liable. In these cases, it’s necessary to prove the person or entity knew the driver was drunk and had knowledge that they were planning to drive soon.
- Was the other driver working for someone at the time that they hit you? If so, you may have a claim against their employer. This is true even if the other driver was in their own personal car.
- Another challenging situation is when a teenage driver causes an accident. Insurance for teen drivers is expensive due to the higher risk of accidents with new drivers, so teenagers rarely have more than the minimum coverage. They also tend to not have a lot of personal assets, as most teenagers work part-time in lower-paying jobs, if they work at all. However, there is a Georgia law called “family purpose doctrine” that states parents may be liable in certain situations. If the parent provided the teen with a vehicle to use for “convenience, pleasure, and enjoyment,” and the parent technically owns the vehicle, they may be liable for accident damages.
- Occasionally a car manufacturer may have been negligent in producing a defective part or component for the car. If this defective part contributed to your accident, you may have a claim against the manufacturer.
The best way to determine if you have other options beyond the other driver’s insurance is to speak with a Stone Mountain personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Don’t wait, and don’t talk with the insurance company in the meantime.
Ali Awad, The CEO Lawyer, is the experienced negotiator you need to deal with an insurance company on your behalf. In three short years, Ali Awad grew a small local personal injury law firm to an eight-figure company. The CEO Lawyer has over a million followers on social media, where he delivers concise, entertaining legal advice daily. If you have questions about your car accident, call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm team now at (470) 323-8779 or contact us online for a no-obligation consultation.
