If you were struck by a car while legally crossing a roadway, the vehicle’s driver could be held liable for any injuries you may have suffered in the accident. This means you or an injured loved one may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses.
An East Point pedestrian accident lawyer from Bader Law Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal rights if you were a victim of a pedestrian accident. Contact us today at (404) 888-8888 to speak with a member of our team and learn how we can help.
Understanding Pedestrian Injury Claims
Pedestrian accidents involve people who were hit by a car or other motor vehicle while walking. Unfortunately, pedestrian incidents remain high in the United States and increased by 3% in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
If you are a pedestrian accident victim, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. This type of legal claim allows you to pursue compensation for medical expenses and other costs related to your accident.
A pedestrian accident lawyer can help you understand whether your incident and resulting injuries give you cause to file a claim. First, it may help you understand the pedestrian laws in Georgia and how they may affect your injury claim.
For a free legal consultation with a pedestrian accidents lawyer serving East Point, call (404) 888-8888
Pedestrian Laws in Georgia
The law for encountering pedestrians while driving in Georgia is very clear. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety states that yielding to pedestrians is not enough—drivers must “stop and stay stopped” for all pedestrians.
Pedestrians in Crosswalks
According to Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §40-6-91, cars must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks who are within one lane of the vehicle. This means motor vehicle drivers must stop for pedestrians who are nearing a crosswalk or already in a crosswalk.
Vehicles cannot pass a pedestrian in the lane next to the vehicle, try to edge around a pedestrian, or continue moving while a pedestrian is walking into or on the roadway.
Pedestrians in Other Areas of the Roadway
There are many more Georgia codes for pedestrian safety. Some of these include:
- Crossing roadways other than crosswalks: Pedestrians must yield to traffic when crossing the road outside crosswalks. However, “jaywalking,” as it is commonly known, is not illegal in most areas in the state of Georgia, per OCGA §40-6-92.
- “Walk/Don’t Walk” control signals: Pedestrians must obey the control signals in crosswalks, but drivers must still yield to pedestrians crossing in a crosswalk—even if the driver has a green light, per OCGA §40-6-22.
- Pedestrians walking on sidewalks: Vehicle drivers must yield to all pedestrians walking on a sidewalk, per OCGA §40-6-144.
An East Point pedestrian accident lawyer can help explain these codes to you and how they may affect your claim. Contact Bader Law Injury Lawyers now at (404) 888-8888 to learn more.
Driver vs. Pedestrian Liability
Drivers in Georgia must exercise a duty of care toward pedestrians when driving. When they fail to exercise this care, they may be considered negligent. The presence of negligence in pedestrian accidents often means the injured party may be able to file a claim for compensation.
If you were hit by a car while crossing a roadway, the driver of the vehicle may be held liable for your injuries. However, if the driver could not avoid hitting you with their car, they may not be held liable.
A pedestrian accident lawyer can review the details of your accident and help you understand if you have cause to pursue a claim.
East Point Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help
Drivers in Georgia are expected to yield to pedestrians. However, pedestrian laws may seem complex to the average person. For this reason, consider calling a pedestrian accident lawyer for help with your claim.
A lawyer can handle all the legal aspects from beginning to end, helping you pursue compensation for any injuries, pain and suffering, or other accident-related costs you may have suffered.
Investigating the Incident
Lawyers begin personal injury claims by reviewing the accident. Some elements they may consider include:
- Who may be held liable for injuries, the pedestrian or the driver of the vehicle
- Whether the driver may be found negligent
- Whether the driver’s negligence directly led to your injuries
- How the injuries affected your health and finances
Working to Prove Negligence
Negligence in a pedestrian accident means the driver of the car that struck you failed to show proper caution (duty of care) toward you. This duty of care is determined as the amount of care an ordinary person in the same setting would be expected to exercise.
There are different considerations for negligence in personal injury claims, and Georgia operates on a contributory negligence principle. This generally means that if you were responsible for the accident, the driver of the vehicle that struck you might not be held liable for your injuries.
Offering Support and Legal Advice
In addition to investigating the accident and helping you understand the claims process, a lawyer can offer legal advice and support while you file your claim. If you are unable to reach a settlement with the liable party’s insurance company, a lawyer can help you file a lawsuit, and represent you in court.
After the accident, you may be healing from injuries, concerned over missing time at work, or strained from the effort of filing a legal claim. A lawyer can ease some of this burden by fighting for compensation on your behalf, alleviating many of your legal concerns.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Call Bader Law Injury Lawyers for Help After a Pedestrian Accident
If you or a loved one were hit by a car while walking, you may be able to pursue the driver for compensation to cover injuries or other expenses from the accident.
Contact Bader Law Injury Lawyers today at (404) 888-8888 to learn how an East Point pedestrian accident lawyer can help with your accident claim.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
