Decatur Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Experienced Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Serving Decatur, Georgia
Much of Decatur’s charm comes from its status as a slower-paced alternative to Atlanta’s busy streets. From The Square to Oakhurst and other corners of Decatur, walking is an affordable, safe way to enjoy the city. That is, until a motorist acts recklessly, putting pedestrians at risk of serious injury or even death.
Have you or a loved one suffered a pedestrian accident in Decatur? You may deserve a financial recovery for your damages. Call Scholle Law today or contact us online for a FREE consultation.
How Our Lawyers from Scholle Law Can Help You
The typical pedestrian in Decatur stays busy with work, family, and visiting the city’s trendiest attractions. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents happen. With so much on your plate, you may never even consider this question: What should I do after a pedestrian accident?
This is where Scholle Law comes in. Our team of Decatur pedestrian accident lawyers will:
- Help you get the medical care you need: We can help you arrange all necessary treatment for your injuries. We’ll also gather documentation of your medical care, which will serve as proof of your losses.
- Gather all relevant evidence: We’ll seek video footage, witness accounts, and all other accident-related evidence. Our team will preserve this evidence to use during settlement negotiations or at trial.
- Evaluate your damages: From healthcare expenses to lost wages and pain and suffering, we’ll seek proof of all the damages you’ve suffered.
- Hire experts who can help your case: Your pedestrian accident lawyer will hire any experts who are a credit to your case. These experts may testify, reconstruct your accident, or help us prepare your case. Our firm handles the cost of hiring all experts.
- Start and finish the legal process: We’ll draft your lawsuit, file it, and see it through to a settlement or judgment.
The Scholle Law team have much experience working with pedestrian accident victims in Decatur. We’ll rely on this experience as we seek a fair financial outcome for you in your pedestrian accident claim.
Recoverable Damages in a Pedestrian Accident Case
All cases involving pedestrian accidents in Decatur involve unique details. Your pedestrian accident attorney must understand your case before providing a calculation of damages, but your pedestrian accident claim may include:
- Pain and suffering: We expect that you’ll be suffering after your pedestrian accident in Decatur. You may have injury-related pain, emotional distress, and other forms of pain and suffering. These losses may entitle you to compensation.
- Professional damages: Your accident may cause you to miss time from work. Lost productivity may mean lost wages, bonuses, benefits, and other job-provided perks. We’ll seek fair compensation for such losses.
- Medical expenses: The force of a motor vehicle striking a vulnerable pedestrian can be devastating. Regardless of your specific injuries, we’ll seek coverage for all of your accident-related medical care in Decatur.
- Property damage: Cellphones, sunglasses, watches, and other personal property can suffer damage during a pedestrian accident. We’ll pursue fair coverage to repair or replace your damaged property.
We’ll speak with you to identify any other recoverable damages you’ve suffered. If you’re likely to experience certain losses in the future, we’ll include those projected losses in your lawsuit.
Common Causes for Auto-Pedestrian Accidents
Accidents between pedestrians and motorists are all too common in Decatur. In many cases, these accidents are caused by:
- Reckless driving: Speeding, racing, aggressive driving, and other reckless behaviors increase the risk of an accident.
- Distracted driving: Motorists who take their eyes off the road – even for a few seconds – can an accident. Distractions include talking on the phone, eating, and programming a GPS system.
- Intoxicated driving: Drunk or drugged drivers have slowed reflexes and poor judgment. They’re more likely to cause an accident than sober motorists.
- Failure to yield right of way: Motorists must yield right of way to pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
- Bad weather: Inclement weather can make it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. This increases the risk of an accident.
Recovering Your Medical Expenses After a Pedestrian Accident
If you’ve been hit by a car while walking in Decatur, you have the right to recover your medical expenses. This includes all hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, and other necessary care. To recover these damages, you must take specific legal action.
First, you must seek medical attention immediately after your accident. This will create a record of your injuries and the treatment they required. Be sure to keep all receipts, paperwork, and other records related to your medical care. These records will be essential as you seek compensation for your losses.
Next, you should speak with a Decatur lawyer who has experience with pedestrian accidents. Your lawyer will help you understand your rights and options under the law. They can also help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver who caused your pedestrian accident.
Proving Liability in Your Pedestrian Accident Case
To recover compensation in a pedestrian accident case, you must first prove that the other driver was at fault. This can be difficult, as insurance companies will often try to blame the victim in pedestrian accidents.
If an insurance company can prove the pedestrian the pedestrian was not obeying traffic control devices, not using an available sidewalk, or if the pedestrian did not yield to vehicles while crossing the street outside of a crosswalk or jaywalking, then the pedestrian would not be able to recover compensation from the driver who hit him. However, these are the types of cases where the expertise of a pedestrian accident lawyer can be invaluable. While insurance arguments may make it seem like the pedestrian is at fault for the accident, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-93 requires that every driver exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians. The skilled pedestrian accident lawyers at Scholle Law know how to argue that the driver did not exercise the proper care in avoiding the pedestrian as required by the law.
There are many ways to prove liability in a pedestrian involved accident case. Your lawyer may use police reports, witness statements, photos of the scene, and other evidence to establish that the other driver was at fault. In some cases, accident reconstruction experts may be used to help prove liability.
If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident, it’s important to speak with an experienced Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible. Your lawyer will help you investigate the accident and build a strong case for compensation.
Can I Still Win Compensation if I am Partially at Fault for My Pedestrian Accident?
Yes, you may still be able to recover damages even if you are partly to blame for your accident. Georgia uses a comparative negligence standard when determining how to apportion damages in personal injury cases. This means that your damage award will be reduced by an amount equal to your percentage of fault.
For example, let’s say you are hit by a car while crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk. The driver is determined to be 80% at fault for the accident, and you are determined to be 20% at fault. If you are awarded $10,000 in damages, $2,000 will be deducted from your award because of your comparative negligence. You would then recover $8,000 from the driver.
Pedestrian Accident Investigation
If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident, it’s important to speak with an experienced Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible. Your lawyer will help you investigate the accident and build a strong case for compensation.
Your pedestrian accident attorney will begin by reviewing all of the evidence in your case. This may include police reports, witness statements, photos of the scene, and your medical records. Your lawyer will also speak with any experts who may be able to help prove liability in your case.
Decatur Pedestrians Injured in Hit-and-Runs
If you’ve been hit by a car in Decatur, Georgia and the driver has fled the scene, you may be wondering what to do next. Hit-and-run pedestrian accidents can be especially frustrating because it can be difficult to track down the responsible party. However, there are steps you can take to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
- Call the police – The first step with all pedestrian accidents is to call the police. This is especially important in a hit-and-run because the police will help to find the responsible driver. Be sure to give them as much information about the driver and the car as possible.
- Collect evidence – If you can, try to collect evidence at the scene of the accident. This may include photos of the damage to your property, your injuries, and the scene of the accident. You should also get the contact information for any witnesses who saw what happened.
- Seek medical attention – It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a hit-and-run accident. Even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. Keep all records related to your medical care, as these will be important in proving your damages.
- Speak with an accident lawyer – An experienced Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Your attorney will help you collect evidence, deal with the insurance company, and file a personal injury lawsuit if necessary.
Decatur Pedestrians Injured by Uninsured Motorists
If you’ve been pedestrian accident in Decatur, Georgia and the driver has no insurance, you may be wondering what to do next. Uninsured motorist accidents can be especially frustrating because it can be difficult to get the compensation you deserve. However, there are steps you can take to ensure that you get the money you need to cover your damages.
As with all accidents, it’s important to seek medical attention and collect evidence at the scene, here are some additional tips for Decatur pedestrians who have been hit by uninsured motorists:
- Contact an experienced Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer – An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Your attorney will help you collect evidence, deal with the insurance companies, and file a personal injury lawsuit if necessary.
- File a personal injury lawsuit – If the driver who hit you has no insurance, you may need to file a personal injury lawsuit to get the compensation you deserve. Your attorney can help you file a lawsuit and negotiate with the driver’s insurance company to get the money you need to cover your damages.
- Get creative – There are other ways to get the money you need to cover your damages after a pedestrian accident. You may be able to get compensated through your own insurance company or the driver’s employer. You may also be able to get a personal injury loan to help you pay for your damages.
Of All the Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Decatur, Why Choose Us?
As you walk, ride, or drive the streets of Decatur, you’ll see many advertisements for personal injury law firms. We believe that Scholle Law could be the right fit for your case.
With an office located on Clairmont Avenue, Scholle Law has a significant investment in Decatur. We truly care about the city’s well-being, including its pedestrian citizens who are in need of a local, experienced pedestrian accident lawyer.
With Scholle Law, you can expect:
- Attorneys who fight for the entire financial recovery you deserve
- Active communication
- Compassionate legal representation
- Financial support
- A tireless fight for justice
You will pay no upfront fees or costs to hire Scholle Law. We only receive an attorney’s fee if we achieve a positive result for your pedestrian accident case in Decatur.
Decatur Hospitals
Decatur, GA has some of the best hospitals in the state. Some of them include:
- Emory Decatur Hospital
- St Joseph Hospital Decatur Georgia
- Emory Long-Term Acute Care
- Emory Hospital at North Dekalb
- Dekalb Medical Comprehensive Wound Care
- Emory University Hospital
Contact Our Decatur Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today for Your Free Consultation
You should not wait to contact Scholle Law about your case. A Decatur pedestrian accident lawyer from our firm may have a limited window for filing your case.
Call Scholle Law today or contact us through our website for your free consultation.