Countless car accidents occur in Atlanta because of drivers’ negligent actions. Drivers are expected to obey the rules of the road. However, our city’s roads are packed with more motorists each day. This increased congestion can lead some drivers to act carelessly or recklessly behind the wheel, causing harm to other motorists.
Our car accident lawyers can help car accident victims recover monetary damages. Financial compensation goes a long way toward healing the numerous injuries caused by negligent drivers. Our attorneys can offer support and direction when pursuing a claim.
If you were injured because of another driver’s negligent behavior, seek assistance from our experienced car accident lawyers by calling Howe Law at (888) 559-7940 for a free case review.
Highways in Atlanta
There are multiple highways and interstates in and around Atlanta. Since Atlanta is a large city, it is a hub of roads and highways, and accidents often happen on these roads, highways, and interstates. Our car accident attorneys can help you if you are injured on one of these highways.
Some of the highways in Atlanta include Buford Highway, Bankhead Highway, and Old Dixie Highway. These highways are often very busy areas and experience heavy traffic. Highways also allow a higher speed limit than local roads and streets, and accidents can be severe.
Since Atlanta is a sort of urban hub of roads and highways, it makes sense that multiple interstates run through the city. Some commonly traveled interstates in Atlanta include I-20, I-75, I-85, and I-285. People rely on these interstates to get in and out of the city or around the city during daily commutes.
A highway accident can be extremely dangerous, and accident victims often suffer devastating injuries. If another driver caused an accident on a highway or interstate around Atlanta, call our attorneys for help right away.
Car Accident Statistics in Atlanta
Car accidents are sadly very common in the United States, including Atlanta. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 119 fatal motor vehicle crashes in Fulton County in 2020. Remember, this number reflects only accidents involving a fatality. The number of total car accidents in Fulton County is likely even higher.
Considering how common road accidents can be, this number might seem small, but do not be fooled. In 2020 at least 119 people died in car accidents in Fulton County alone. It is possible that many more were badly injured. You should contact our car accident lawyers for help if you or someone close to you were injured in a car accident in Atlanta.
Causes of Car Accidents in Atlanta
Unfortunately, car accidents are somewhat common in Atlanta and the rest of the United States. Every accident is unique and might be caused by numerous factors. Some of the more common causes of car accidents in Atlanta include distracted drivers, speeding, alcohol or controlled substances, and general traffic violations. Talk to our car accident lawyers about your crash, and we will help you determine how it happened and who is responsible.
Distracted Driving
With the proliferation of technology and communication devices, it is now easier than ever before for drivers to become distracted. While cell phones are common culprits in many distracted driving cases, they are far from the only cause of accidents. A driver might become distracted by another passenger in their vehicle, GPS devices, or something outside their vehicle. A driver needs only to take their eyes off the road for a few moments before they cause an accident.
Speeding and Reckless Driving
Speeding is a huge problem on the road. It is also very common. Most people are guilty of speeding at some point, even by only a few miles per hour over the limit. Even so, just a few miles per hour might make a huge difference in your injuries.
Speeding on highways or interstates, like the ones mentioned above, is extremely dangerous as these major roadways’ speed limits are already high. Other forms of reckless driving often accompany speeding. A speeding driver might also be weaving in and out of lanes, making sharp turns, and driving erratically.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Alcohol and controlled substances are major contributing factors to many accidents. When drivers are under the influence, they often experience dulled reflexes and reaction times. This means that when a person or another vehicle gets in front of the intoxicated driver, the intoxicated driver might be unable to stop in time to avoid a collision.
Driving under the influence is dangerous and a serious criminal offense. The driver might be arrested and criminally charged. If they are, our car accident lawyers can use a guilty plea or verdict against them in your civil lawsuit for the accident.
Traffic Violations
Much like speeding, traffic violations are fairly common, and most people are guilty of at least one traffic violation in their lives. While sometimes these violations are met without incident, many drivers are not so lucky. Running red lights or stop signs, failing to signal or yield, and going the wrong way down the road are all dangerous traffic violations that cause numerous accidents each year.
Often drivers who commit traffic violations are ticketed by law enforcement after the accident. This ticket might be used as evidence in your case against the negligent driver.
Proving Fault in an Atlanta Car Accident Lawsuit
Georgia is an at-fault state. This means that an at-fault driver will be liable for damages related to a car accident. Accordingly, you must provide evidence to prove an accident was caused by another driver’s negligent behavior in order to recover compensation from their insurance company.
There are several forms of evidence that can help our car accident lawyers prove that another driver was at fault in your case. The following are examples of evidence that may be used to establish negligence on behalf of another motorist:
- Accident reports
- Eyewitness statements
- Surveillance footage
- Photos from the scene
- Diagrams of the crash
- Your personal recollection
Furthermore, defendants’ insurance companies may attempt to prove that their policyholder was not at fault for an accident. Insurance companies will hire lawyers, doctors, and other investigators to try and refute portions of a plaintiff’s claim. Therefore, the assistance and counsel of our experienced car accident lawyers can be very valuable when pursuing a claim.
Compensation You Can Receive for a Car Accident in Atlanta
The compensation available for a car accident depends on the unique damages you experienced. Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic damages the plaintiff endured, like medical bills or pain and suffering. Punitive damages might also be on the table, depending on the circumstances, and are meant to punish defendants for egregious behavior. Our car accident lawyers can help you calculate your damages and make the most of potential compensation.
Economic Damages
Economic damages after a car accident are often comprised of medical expenses, property damage, and lost income or wages. You might have very high medical bills depending on the extent of your injuries. In some cases, injured plaintiffs need ongoing care and can add reasonably anticipated future medical bills to their economic damages. You should also assess the damage t your vehicle and the cost to repair or replace it. Finally, many car accident victims cannot return to work, and they lose income as a result. That lost income should be added to your overall economic damages.
Non-economic Damages
Your non-economic damages are comprised of negative personal experiences rather than bills and financial costs. Although non-economic damages do not necessarily have a cost or real sum of money attached to them, they still deserve financial compensation. Physical pain, emotional anguish, humiliation, a loss of enjoyment of life, and other painful experiences might all be considered part of your non-economic damages. Our car accident attorneys can help you evaluate these damages by assessing their impact on your daily life.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are somewhat rare but still possible in many cases. These damages are not awarded to compensate for a loss of injury you experienced but rather to punish the defendant. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1(b), punitive damages might be awarded if we prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s behavior included willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or a lack of care as to create a presumption of conscious indifference to the consequences. Punitive damages are usually capped at $250,000, and 75% of these damages are paid to the state treasury.
Common Injuries Caused by Car Accidents in Atlanta
Several factors can affect the severity of injuries caused by car accidents. For example, crashes at high speeds on fast highways may cause more serious harm than accidents on slow city streets. Furthermore, accidents involving large SUVs or pickup trucks may result in more serious injuries than accidents involving regular-sized cars.
Accordingly, numerous injuries can result from car accidents in Atlanta. However, some accidents occur more frequently than others. If you have suffered any of the following accidents because of another driver’s careless or reckless conduct, our car accident lawyers can help you recover monetary damages.
Back or Neck Injuries
Back and neck injuries can come in many forms and involve serious physical pain. A common type of neck injury suffered by car accident victims is whiplash. Whiplash is a form of soft tissue injury that occurs in the neck because of sudden, jerking movements endured in a car crash. The pain from a whiplash injury may not present itself immediately after a crash but can be very intense when it does arise. Recovery from whiplash can involve physical therapy and/or prescription medication.
In some cases, car accident victims may suffer spinal cord injuries because of a crash. Such injuries can cause immobility and even complete paralysis. The effects of such injuries can go beyond physical pain and impact victims’ quality of life. Our car accident lawyers can help you recover the full extent of damages available to you after suffering a spinal cord injury.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries involve brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head. Such injuries frequently occur as a result of car accidents. If not treated properly, traumatic brain injuries can have life-altering symptoms. If you suffered a traumatic brain injury because of a negligent driver, you might be compensated for the cost of past, current, and future medical expenses related to the injury.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are another common injury caused by car accidents in Atlanta. Crashes that occur at high speeds are more likely to result in broken bones. Some car accident victims suffer simple fractures where bones break but do not penetrate the skin. Simple fractures are typically treated with a cast.
In more severe cases, car accident victims may suffer compound fractures. Compound fractures refer to injuries where a fractured bone penetrates the skin. Compound fractures may require surgery to correct. Further, surgery for compound fracture injuries must typically occur within a day of the injury’s occurrence. The longer the injury is unattended, the greater the risk of bacterial infection.
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding is another type of injury frequently suffered by car accident victims in Atlanta. It refers to any bleeding inside the body. Internal bleeding can be life-threatening. Any suspicion of organ damage sustained in a car accident should prompt emergency medical attention.
Cuts and Puncture Wounds
Car accident victims also frequently suffer cuts and puncture wounds. Pieces of glass, metal, and loose objects from inside of a car may all cause cuts and puncture wounds when they impact your skin during a car accident. Some cuts are minor and will heal quickly. However, more serious cuts and puncture wounds may require stitches and cause severe blood loss. Our car accident lawyers can help recover damages for the treatment of cuts and puncture wounds sustained in a car crash.
Soft Tissue Damage
Lastly, soft tissue damage is a common injury caused by car accidents in Atlanta. Soft tissue damage involves harm to the body’s muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the form of sprains and strains. Soft tissue damage can occur in nearly every part of the body and may involve intense pain. Accordingly, car accident victims deserve compensation for painful and debilitating soft tissue injuries sustained because of negligent drivers.
Gathering Evidence for an Atlanta Car Accident Lawsuit
Much evidence in your lawsuit might come from the accident scene. While physical evidence from the crash can be very useful, gathering it is not always feasible. Not only are vehicles too big to present to a jury, but much physical evidence is often lost when the police have the scene cleared away. Instead, you can take photos and videos of the accident scene to preserve these valuable details for court.
Another important piece of the evidentiary puzzle is witness testimony. Accidents on busy highways are usually witnessed by multiple other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians. Sometimes, the police speak to these people after the crash and include their information in the police report. We can use the police report to track down potential witnesses and ask them to provide testimony.
Should I Hire an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer?
You are not required by law to get a lawyer but doing so is probably in your best interest. A car accident lawyer in Atlanta should have the skills and experience to help you navigate the notoriously complex judicial system so you can be compensated for your damages.
Your attorney can help you file the initial complaint to begin your lawsuit. The complaint is very important as it is the foundation of your claims. Your complaint must contain very specific information about the case and your damages. The court could reject an insufficient complaint.
Your lawyer can also help you keep track of your damages and account for all your losses. Making sure all damages are accounted for is crucial, and forgetting to include certain losses or injuries might reduce your overall compensation.
If You Were Injured Because of a Car Accident in Atlanta, Our Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured because of another driver’s negligent conduct, get help recovering the compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced car accident lawyers by calling Howe Law at (888) 559-7940 for a free case review.
