If you were recently injured in a pedestrian accident, there’s a good chance that you’re suffering from some pretty serious injuries. Whenever a person is hit by a car or SUV, they usually end up in the hospital for at least a week or two. If you were lucky, then you only suffered minor injuries. However, if you’re like most of the people that our East Point accident lawyers represent, your injuries are quite serious. If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance that you may be entitled to compensation. The question is, how much compensation are you entitled to? You also have to determine who you’re going to pursue for damages. If there was only one vehicle involved in the accident, then that question wouldn’t be difficult to answer. However, you’re Georgia accident attorney may have to sue more than one person if there was more than one party involved.
What we suggest is that you contact our office at some point and schedule your free, initial consultation. Come into the office and sit down with one of our seasoned East Point accident lawyers so they can review your case. They will take a look at the police report as well as your medical records to determine how strong your case is. If they believe your case has merit, they will more than likely be willing to represent you. If they do not feel your case has value, they will let you know. We believe in being upfront and honest with all clients. We would never want to get your hopes up unfairly.
Pedestrian Accident Cases are Rare in East Point, Georgia
Believe it or not, pedestrian accidents are not all that common in East Point, Georgia. Between the crosswalks and the “Don’t Walk” signs, it’s not all that often that somebody is hit by a car, SUV, or bus. However, when this does happen, the results are typically disastrous. Some of the clients we’ve represented over the years have suffered life-threatening injuries. Some end up partially or totally paralyzed. Others end up on disability and are not able to work again.
Some of the injuries that we typically see in pedestrian accidents include the following:
- broken bones and lacerations
- neck and back injuries
- traumatic brain injuries
- internal bleeding or organ damage
- spinal cord injuries
Any one of these could put you out of commission for quite some time. If you suffered more than one of these injuries, then there’s a good chance you’re entitled to a significant amount of pain and suffering damages. The only way to know for sure is to meet with one of our Georgia accident attorneys and find out.
Your Georgia Accident Attorney Must First Prove Fault
Before you can think about damages, your Georgia accident attorney must first prove that the other driver was at fault. It may seem obvious that in a pedestrian accident the person driving the vehicle caused the accident. However, there are times when a pedestrian is found to be partially at fault for their injuries. Generally speaking, your East Point accident lawyer is going to have to demonstrate the following four things if you expect to collect damages:
- the defendant had a duty of care toward you
- the other driver breached this duty of care somehow
- you were injured
- your injuries were directly caused by the defendant’s breach
Essentially, your Georgia accident attorney needs to show that the other party behaved in a way that a normal person would not have. Perhaps they were speeding or driving while they were texting. Maybe they were drinking and driving we’re driving down the road the wrong way. Since every case is unique, your attorney will have to look at the facts of your case before they determine whether they can show the other party was at fault.
You May Need to Pursue More than One Defendant
As briefly mentioned above, there is a chance that your attorney may have to sue more than one person. There are two basic types of pedestrian accidents. The first type is when a car, SUV, or other vehicle strikes a pedestrian while they’re walking across the road. What our East Point accident lawyers have found is that these usually involve a distracted driver. Somebody’s not looking at the road in front of them and they don’t see the person walking.
The other type of pedestrian accident is when two cars are involved in a collision and a pedestrian happens to get hurt. Perhaps one of the cars knocked the other vehicle into you. You may be hit with debris from one of the two vehicles. Any number of things can happen that caused you to suffer injuries because two other cars got into an accident. If this is the case, your Georgia accident attorney will have to name both drivers in your lawsuit. It shouldn’t matter who pays your damages as long as you’re compensated fairly for your injuries.
Your East Point Accident Lawyer Can Only Demand Damages for Injuries You Actually Suffered
It is important to remember that your East Point accident lawyer can only sue for damages you suffered. Just because you were involved in a pedestrian accident doesn’t automatically entitle you to damages. Your lawyer must prove each type of damages you list on your initial complaint. For example, if you demand damages for lost wages, your attorney will have to prove that you missed more than a week or two from work. They can do this using your timesheets, payroll records, or an affidavit from your employer.
Some of our clients think that they’re entitled to damages just simply because of the trauma involved in the crash. That isn’t the case. Whether you’re in Georgia or any other state, the law requires you to prove that you suffered specific injuries in order to collect damages.
You Need to Focus on Recovering from Your Accident Injuries
Given the fact that the injuries involved in pedestrian accidents are great, it’s in your best interest to contact an East Point accident lawyer right away. We can schedule your free, initial consultation over the phone, or you can do so through our website. You already know that the driver is going to have a team of lawyers working for them. You need to have somebody in your corner too.
