Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Pedestrians have no protection from the force of a collision, so even a low-speed impact from a motor vehicle or bicycle can cause serious injuries. The results of a pedestrian accident are often devastating, drastically changing a person's life on physical, emotional, and financial levels. Although the road to recovery is a challenging one, help and resources are available for accident survivors and their families.
Georgia law requires drivers of motor vehicles to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and to pay attention at all times in order to avoid an accident. When a driver fails to live up to this duty, serious injuries can result. If you've been hurt in an accident caused by another's recklessness, please don't hesitate to contact an experienced Atlanta pedestrian accident attorney like the team at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. We can protect your rights and help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Call (404) 995-3955 for a no-cost consultation.
When a pedestrian is hit by a motor vehicle, it's easy to see how catastrophic injuries result. The average passenger vehicle weighs about 3,000 pounds; a fully-loaded box truck may weigh 10,000 pounds; and a fully-loaded tractor-trailer may weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. But when a pedestrian is hit by a smaller vehicle, like a motorcycle or bicycle, serious injuries may also result.
Some of the catastrophic injuries a pedestrian might suffer in a collision include:
- traumatic brain injuries;
- spinal cord injuries;
- broken or fractured bones;
- amputations or crush injuries; and
- "road burn" injuries to skin and soft tissues.
When a pedestrian is hit by a motor vehicle in Georgia, some or all of the medical bills related to the injury may be covered by the driver's auto insurance policy. If the driver doesn't have coverage or has only a minimum amount of coverage, however, this amount might not cover all the bills the accident forces on an injured person.
Time Limits for Injury Claims
If you've been injured in a pedestrian crash, Georgia law limits the time you have to file a lawsuit in court to two years. The deadline often falls two years after the date of the accident, but since a variety of factors can change that deadline, it's important to speak to an attorney about your specific pedestrian accident case.
The two-year deadline applies to civil personal injury cases filed in a court. It doesn't apply to a claim you might file with an insurance company, which has its own deadlines. However, if your insurance claim is made well within the two-year window for filing a lawsuit, you'll still have the option of going to court if insurance settlement negotiations fall through. Consequently, it's best to speak to an attorney as soon as you can after a pedestrian crash.