Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
A pedestrian is killed every 72 minutes in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In busy areas like Five Points and Buckhead, Atlanta pedestrians face serious risks from distracted or reckless drivers. If you’ve been struck by a vehicle, you need an experienced Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer who will aggressively protect your rights and hold the insurance companies accountable.
At Hasner Law, our team brings over 80 years of combined experience advocating for injury victims across Georgia. We’ve helped recover more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts by pursuing accountability from negligent drivers and working to secure fair outcomes from insurance companies.
Your initial consultation is free, and you will not owe any attorney’s fees unless we obtain compensation on your behalf. To learn more, call us today at 678-888-HURT (4878).
Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Guide
- How Our Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Build Strong Injury Claims
- Understanding Your Rights as a Pedestrian in Georgia
- Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Atlanta
- Serious Injuries That Result from Pedestrian Accidents
- Calculating the Full Cost of a Pedestrian Injury Claim in Atlanta
- Building Strong Cases Against Negligent Drivers
- Dealing with Insurance Companies After Your Accident
- Speak with an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
How Our Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Build Strong Injury Claims
Pedestrian accidents often leave victims with serious injuries, growing medical bills, and insurance companies eager to avoid responsibility. At Hasner Law PC, we step in as your advocate from day one, challenging negligent drivers and insurers who try to minimize or deny your claim.
Our Atlanta pedestrian accident attorneys understand the unique challenges these cases present. We know how to investigate accidents thoroughly, work with medical professionals to document your injuries, and present compelling cases that force insurance companies to take your claim seriously.
Complete Accident Investigation and Evidence Preservation
We begin working on your case immediately, preserving evidence before it disappears forever. Our team collects traffic camera footage from intersections throughout Atlanta, interviews witnesses while their memories remain clear, analyzes skid marks and vehicle damage patterns, and works with accident reconstruction specialists to understand exactly what happened.
Atlanta’s busy intersections and complex traffic patterns create challenging accident scenes. We know which evidence matters most in pedestrian cases and how to present it effectively to insurance companies and juries. Our thorough investigations often reveal driver negligence that insurance companies try to hide or minimize.
Challenging Insurance Company Tactics in Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Cases
Insurance companies routinely blame pedestrians for their own accidents. They claim you were jaywalking, wearing dark clothing, or not paying attention.
These tactics aim to reduce or eliminate compensation for seriously injured victims. Our team fights back with compelling evidence and strong legal arguments.
We’ve learned how insurance companies operate through decades of practice. When they question your actions, we present clear evidence of driver negligence.
When they minimize your injuries, we work with medical professionals to show the full extent of your damages. Our willingness to take cases to trial often forces better settlement offers.
Understanding Your Rights as a Pedestrian in Georgia
Georgia law provides specific protections for pedestrians, but drivers often ignore these rules with devastating consequences. Understanding your rights helps establish who was at fault when accidents occur on Atlanta’s busy streets.
The Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 40-6-91 requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks. This includes both marked crosswalks at intersections and unmarked crosswalks at most street intersections throughout Atlanta’s grid system.
Driver Responsibilities at Crosswalks
Georgia law places primary responsibility on drivers to watch for and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Even when pedestrians cross against signals or outside crosswalks, drivers must use reasonable care to avoid accidents. This legal framework often protects pedestrians even when they contribute to the accident.
Drivers must slow down when approaching crosswalks where pedestrians are visible. They must stop completely when pedestrians are crossing their lane or approaching from the opposite direction. They must remain stopped until pedestrians clear their lane plus an additional lane for safety.
How Georgia’s Comparative Negligence Law Affects Your Case
While drivers bear primary responsibility for pedestrian safety, Georgia law does place some duties on pedestrians under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-92. Pedestrians must use crosswalks when available and obey traffic signals when present.
However, Georgia’s comparative negligence system under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 allows you to recover compensation even when you bear partial responsibility, as long as your fault stays below 50%. Insurance companies often exaggerate pedestrian fault to reduce compensation, making skilled legal representation important for protecting your interests.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Atlanta
Atlanta’s urban environment creates numerous hazards for pedestrians. Understanding common accident causes helps establish driver negligence and build stronger compensation claims for injured victims.
Distracted Driving Creates Deadly Situations
Distracted driving represents the leading cause of pedestrian accidents throughout Atlanta. Drivers texting, talking on phones, or adjusting GPS systems fail to see pedestrians in crosswalks and on sidewalks. These accidents often happen at low speeds but still cause serious injuries because pedestrians have no protection.
Atlanta’s busy business districts like Midtown and Downtown see frequent distracted driving accidents. Drivers handle business calls or texts while navigating traffic, creating dangerous situations for pedestrians crossing streets legally.
Failure to Yield at Intersections
Many pedestrian accidents in Atlanta occur when drivers fail to yield the right of way at intersections. Pedestrians are often hit during right turns on red, even when they have the walk signal. Left-turning drivers may focus solely on oncoming traffic, overlooking people crossing legally in the crosswalk.
Major Atlanta intersections along Peachtree Street and North Avenue see regular pedestrian accidents from drivers who prioritize vehicle traffic over pedestrian safety. These violations of basic traffic laws establish clear driver liability in most cases.
Speeding and Reckless Driving Behaviors
Speed dramatically increases both the likelihood and severity of pedestrian accidents. Drivers speeding through Atlanta neighborhoods, school zones, and business districts have less time to react when pedestrians appear and cause more severe injuries when crashes occur.
Most people survive being hit at 20 mph, but survival rates drop significantly at higher speeds. Atlanta’s aggressive driving culture unfortunately contributes to many high-speed pedestrian collisions that result in severe injuries or death.
Serious Injuries That Result from Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians have no protection when struck by vehicles, leading to severe injuries that often require extensive medical treatment and long-term care. Understanding common injury patterns helps establish appropriate compensation demands.
Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain damage from hitting windshields, hoods, or pavement
- Broken bones and fractures in legs, arms, ribs, and pelvis requiring surgery
- Spinal cord injuries that may cause partial or complete paralysis
- Internal organ damage from blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen
- Severe cuts and road rash requiring plastic surgery and skin grafts
Each of these injury types creates unique challenges for victims and their families, with recovery times ranging from months to permanent disability.
Calculating the Full Cost of a Pedestrian Injury Claim in Atlanta
Pedestrian accidents create immediate and long-term financial hardships that extend far beyond initial medical bills. Understanding the full economic impact helps establish appropriate compensation demands.
Medical Costs After a Pedestrian Accident in Atlanta
Emergency medical treatment for pedestrian accident victims typically begins with ambulance transport and emergency room care. This often leads to surgery, hospitalization, and intensive care. Atlanta’s trauma centers provide excellent care, but costs add up quickly.
Ongoing medical needs frequently include physical therapy and rehabilitation services, occupational therapy for daily living skills, mental health counseling for trauma recovery, prescription medications for pain and healing, and medical equipment like wheelchairs or mobility aids.
Many pedestrian accident victims need multiple surgeries over several years as doctors work to restore function and manage complications. Insurance companies often question expensive treatments, making legal advocacy important for securing proper medical care.
How Pedestrian Injuries Affect Income, Career, and Earning Capacity
Pedestrian accident injuries frequently prevent victims from returning to work for weeks, months, or permanently. Physical limitations may make previous job duties impossible, forcing career changes or early retirement. For Atlanta professionals in demanding careers, these disruptions prove financially devastating.
Beyond immediate lost wages, pedestrian accidents affect lifetime earning capacity. They impact promotion opportunities, retirement savings contributions, and employee benefits continuation. Calculating these future losses requires analysis considering age, education, work history, and injury limitations.
Some victims return to work with restrictions requiring job modifications or reduced hours. These accommodations often result in lower pay and fewer advancement opportunities throughout their remaining work years.
Building Strong Cases Against Negligent Drivers
Successful pedestrian accident claims require proving driver negligence caused your injuries. Our legal team knows how to build compelling cases that hold drivers accountable for their actions.
Traffic Law Violations Establish Liability
Most pedestrian accidents result from drivers violating basic traffic laws designed to protect pedestrians. Common violations include failure to yield right-of-way in crosswalks, speeding through pedestrian areas, running red lights or stop signs, and making illegal turns without checking for pedestrians.
Georgia traffic laws in Title 40 of the Official Code establish clear driver duties regarding pedestrian safety. Violations of these laws create legal presumptions of negligence that support compensation claims.
We work with accident reconstruction specialists who analyze physical evidence, review traffic camera footage, and examine vehicle damage. This scientific analysis often reveals driver negligence that insurance companies cannot dispute effectively.
Gathering Witness Testimony and Evidence
Witness statements are a crucial form of evidence in pedestrian accident cases. Individuals who observed the incident can often offer detailed and reliable accounts of both the driver’s conduct and the pedestrian’s actions leading up to the collision. Our team works quickly to identify and interview witnesses while their memories are still fresh.
Given the volume of foot traffic and vehicle congestion in Atlanta, many pedestrian accidents occur in the presence of multiple witnesses. Business owners, nearby pedestrians, and other drivers frequently see these events unfold and can provide testimony that supports the injured victim’s version of events.
In addition to eyewitness accounts, we secure valuable visual evidence by preserving footage from nearby business security cameras and city-operated traffic cameras. When available, we also examine cell phone records that may indicate whether a driver was distracted at the time of the crash.
Dealing with Insurance Companies After Your Accident
Insurance companies approach pedestrian accident claims with strategies designed to minimize compensation. Understanding these tactics helps protect your rights during claim negotiations.
Insurance adjusters often contact pedestrian accident victims quickly after accidents, sometimes while victims remain hospitalized. These early contacts aim to obtain recorded statements that may be used later to deny or reduce claims.
Common Tactics Used to Reduce Claims
Insurance companies routinely blame pedestrians for their own accidents. They claim victims were jaywalking, distracted, or wearing dark clothing. They question injury severity and argue that pedestrians had pre-existing conditions that contributed to their current problems.
Adjusters also minimize the impact of injuries on victims’ daily lives and work abilities. They may hire private investigators to conduct surveillance, hoping to find evidence that contradicts injury claims or activity limitations.
These tactics work because injured pedestrians often lack knowledge about their legal rights and the true value of their claims. Having experienced legal representation protects victims from insurance company manipulation.
Why You Need a Lawyer for Your Atlanta Pedestrian Injury Case
Our approach to insurance negotiations emphasizes thorough preparation and aggressive advocacy. We compile comprehensive medical documentation, economic loss calculations, and testimony that establishes the full value of pedestrian accident claims.
We also prepare every case for trial, knowing that insurance companies offer better settlements when they face the possibility of jury verdicts. Our reputation as trial personal injury attorneys who won’t accept inadequate offers often motivates reasonable settlement negotiations.
Speak with an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
Being hit by a vehicle is a traumatic experience with lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences. While you didn’t choose this situation, you can take control of what happens next.
Insurance companies often pressure victims into low settlements by causing delays, disputing injuries, or shifting blame. These tactics are most effective when victims face the process alone.
At Hasner Law, we have spent decades standing up for pedestrian accident victims across Atlanta and throughout Georgia. We understand the toll these incidents take and work to hold negligent drivers and insurance companies accountable.
Minimal insurance payouts often fall far short of what is needed. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and the long-term impact on your life.
Don’t let an insurance company decide what your recovery is worth. Contact the trusted Atlanta pedestrian accident attorneys at Hasner Law PC today at 678-888-HURT (4878) for your free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win compensation on your behalf.
Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Testimonial
