Pedestrians in Warner Robins have a right to walk the sidewalks and use crosswalks without fear of being injured by a driver’s negligence. If you were injured by a car in a pedestrian accident, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries.
Our personal injury lawyers in Warner Robins have years of experience helping pedestrian victims recover the vital compensation they need to address their injuries. While pedestrian accident cases are treated much like a typical car accident claim, special circumstances that are particular to pedestrian accidents can make recovering compensation very difficult without legal help.
If you or someone you love was injured in a pedestrian accident, our Warner Robins pedestrian accident lawyers are here to fight to get justice for your injuries. Contact Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free evaluation of your case.
Common Ways Pedestrian Accidents Occur in Warner Robins, GA
Pedestrian accidents occur in many of the same negligent ways that cause typical car accidents. Like victims behind the wheel, pedestrians can be injured by drunk drivers, distracted drivers, or countless other traffic accidents. However, a few situations are particular to pedestrian accidents that can greatly impact how your case is handled. Our personal injury lawyers can help you recover compensation for these types of accidents and any other kind of pedestrian accident you might have suffered.
Injuries Suffered in a Hit and Run Accident
One of the worst things that can happen in a pedestrian accident is when a victim is left on the road with their injuries without the driver stopping to render aid. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a driver to panic after striking a pedestrian, especially if they violated a traffic law when they caused an accident, like driving drunk or texting.
In other hit and run accidents, a driver might stop after hitting a pedestrian but continue to avoid responsibility. Of course, it can be extremely difficult to identify the driver in a hit and run accident. However, any information you can remember after being injured could go a long way in helping law enforcement track down the driver that injured you. We can also work with the police and conduct our investigation to help bring the driver to justice.
It cannot be understated how severe the injuries a pedestrian can suffer in a hit and run accident in Warner Robins. In the worst-case scenario, a pedestrian accident could be fatal since the victim is left without help and might not get the medical treatment they need in time. Our personal injury lawyers can use our experience and resources to help locate the driver that left you to your fate so they can be held liable for the damages they have caused.
Injuries Suffered at a Crosswalk
While hit and run accidents are certainly the most heinous, pedestrian accidents caused at crosswalks are arguably the most common. When pedestrians are forced to trust oncoming traffic while crossing the street, devasting injuries are bound the occur. Fortunately, O.C.G.A.§ 40-6-91 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians crossing their half of the roadway. Simply put, vehicles on your side of the street or turning onto your side have a legal duty to let pedestrians cross, or at least cross outside their travel lane, before continuing.
However, the driver must have had time to yield in order to be held liable under this law. Pedestrians must also follow traffic signals. Otherwise, the compensation they recover could be less than what they are entitled to. In most cases, the negligent driver is responsible for your injuries.
More complex cases might involve multiple lanes of traffic going in the same direction. Drivers should yield until a pedestrian is out of the travel lane and may not pass another driver if they are stopped for a pedestrian. Drivers are forbidden from going around and through the crosswalk. Our personal injury attorneys can use their knowledge of Georgia law to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Damages You Can Recover After Suffering a Pedestrian Accident in Warner Robins, GA
Damages is a legal term of art that refers to the vast range of financial compensation you can pursue in a lawsuit in Warner Robins based on your injuries in your accident. The basis of almost every pedestrian accident case will be the economic damages the victim sustained. However, you can also pursue compensation for the non-economic damages your injuries have caused.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are what people tend to think of when they think of recovering damages in a lawsuit. An award for economic damages will typically include compensation for your medical expenses, accounting for any future medical costs you might incur. Proof of these damages can be established using your medical records and doctors’ reports.
In your lawsuit, you can also claim any lost wages associated with treating your injuries. If your injuries caused you to miss work or you needed to take days off to attend appointments during treatment, these losses can be included in your lawsuit. If you sustained serious injuries, you might also be entitled to compensation for loss of future earning potential.
The good news is that, unlike other states, Georgia does not limit how much damages a plaintiff can be awarded in court. Whatever the jury decides is a fair amount for a victim’s injuries under the circumstances is valid under current Georgia law.
Non-economic Damages
You can also claim damages that are less financial in nature and thus harder to establish in a lawsuit. Commonly referred to as pain and suffering damages, non-economic damages are intended to compensate you for the subjective impact your injuries have had on your life. For instance, you can claim losses for emotional distress, physical pain from your injuries, and any humiliation you have endured since the accident.
Like economic damages, the amount of non-economic damages you can recover in a successful lawsuit is not capped in Georgia. However, determining an accurate estimate can be challenging, and the court will use numerous factors to determine the final value of your pain and suffering. Our personal injury lawyers can review your case to help ensure you claim all the damages to which you are entitled.
Our Warner Robins, GA Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, seek counsel from our experienced Warner Robins pedestrian accident lawyers by calling Howe Law today at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review.
