Decatur Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
When you are out walking the sidewalks and streets in Decatur, you are very vulnerable. If you are hit by a car or other motor vehicle, you will suffer injuries that will stay with you for many weeks, and possibly even months, to come. The most serious injuries will change the rest of your life. When another person’s negligence, or carelessness, caused your injuries, you can hold them liable for paying the full damages you need with the help of our Decatur personal injury attorneys. Our Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer can advise you of your legal options and help you claim the full compensation that is justly yours.
Why Work with a Decatur Pedestrian Accident Lawyer for Your Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?
The time following your accident will be very difficult for you and your family. You will incur high medical bills, and at a time when you will likely be unable to return to work to pay for them or support your loved ones. You should not have to be responsible for covering all of your losses. Someone else was responsible, and they should be held legally liable with our personal injury lawyer. Unfortunately, holding negligent parties accountable for their actions is not easy.
Insurance companies are notorious for denying pedestrian accident victims the compensation they deserve. On the other hand, they are much more likely to negotiate in good faith with our Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer. Additionally, when you work with us, you can focus solely on your recovery and not handling the legal details of your case. While you get better, our personal injury attorney will take care of all tasks associated with your case, including:
- Investigate the accident to collect evidence and determine how the accident occurred
- Accurately value your damages
- Reach out to our network of experts who can corroborate your claim
- Defend against accusations that you partly caused the crash
- Negotiate effectively and efficiently on your behalf
- Take your case to trial, if necessary
It is important to note that the vast majority of pedestrian accident cases are settled outside of court with a Decatur personal injury lawyer. While it is important to have legal advice during these negotiations, it is even more critical that you have legal representation from our Decatur pedestrian accident lawyers or Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyers if your Atlanta pedestrian accident claim proceeds to trial.
Are Pedestrian Accidents Common in Georgia?
According to many reports, the number of pedestrians killed in accidents decreased for the first time in 2023 since the pandemic. Still, it is estimated that more than 7,300 pedestrians were killed in fatal crashes in 2023. Many of these fatalities occurred right here in Decatur. In the same year, over 2,200 pedestrians were hurt in accidents across the state and some of those injuries were also sustained in Decatur.
Factors that Contribute to Damages Awarded in Pedestrian Accident Cases With an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
After a pedestrian accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to damages for your medical expenses, lost income, and more. However, none of these damages are guaranteed and there are many factors that contribute to the amount of damages awarded. These include:
- Severity of injuries: Much of the compensation awarded in pedestrian accident claims is to cover your medical expenses from common pedestrian accident injuries. As such, the more severe your injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, the more compensation you are entitled to from the insurance company.
- Your ability to return to work: The injuries suffered in pedestrian accidents are some of the most severe and you may not be able to return to work right away. Within your claim you can pursue damages for your lost income, vacation pay, sick pay, and employment benefits. The greater the value of these losses, and the more you incurred, the more you can obtain in your personal injury claim and pedestrian accident case.
- Your ability to return to the same line of work: Injury victims may not even be able to return to the same line of work in the future. For example, if you worked in construction prior to the accident, you may not be able to perform this type of work if you had a limb amputated during the crash, or after due to medical treatment. If you have to accept a lower-earning job, you can pursue damages for the difference between your employment before and after the accident.
- The degree of pain and suffering you experienced: Pain and suffering damages are intended to compensate you for the amount of physical pain and mental anguish you experienced due to your crash. The greater your pain and suffering, the more compensation you can receive. A Decatur pedestrian accident attorney can accurately calculate these non-economic damages.
- The insurance policy limits: Insurance companies are only responsible for paying damages up to the limits of the policy. Considering how serious injuries are after a pedestrian accident, these policy limits may not be enough to fully cover the cost of your injuries. This is one reason it is so important to identify all liable parties, as you can file a claim with each liable party’s insurer.
Your own degree of negligence will also contribute to how much compensation you do or do not receive. The negligent driver who crashed into you may try to claim that you were partly at fault for the accident scene, even if it is not true. They may argue that you jumped into the street without looking to see if there was traffic, or that you did not follow traffic law, such as only crossing when there is a green light. If they are successful with their claims, you will be assigned a certain degree of fault and any damages you are awarded will be reduced by this same percentage of fault.
If you are found to be 50 percent or more at fault, you will be denied any compensation at all from any personal injury claims. A Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer and Atlanta pedestrian accident attorney can refute claims of fault so you obtain the full and fair damages you are entitled to from this type of personal injury case.
Call Our Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Decatur, GA for Legal Advice
At Ponton Law, our Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer has seen the devastation these crashes cause. It is why we are so committed to helping accident victims claim the full compensation they deserve for their severe injuries. We will put our expertise to work on your claim, too. Call our pedestrian accident lawyers today at (404) 671-4835 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how our Decatur pedestrian accident attorneys and Atlanta pedestrian accident attorneys can help.