Columbus
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

If you were walking and got hit by a car in Columbus, you have rights. Pedestrian accidents are all too common in Georgia, and they can cause devastating injuries, including fatalities. If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be hospitalized and facing a long recovery – with no clue how you are going to pay for it.  But you are entitled to recover money to pay for an accident that wasn’t your fault. A Columbus pedestrian accident lawyer can help.  

At John Foy & Associates, our lawyers have just one goal: to get you the money you need to make as complete a recovery as possible. We have been pursuing that goal for more than 20 years, and in that time we have become known as one of the toughest and best law firms in the entire state. Let us give you a FREE consultation and explain what we can do to help you. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.

Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way?

Pedestrians in the City of Columbus do have rights, but that doesn’t mean they can dart across the roadway anytime and expect traffic to stop. Pedestrians, like drivers operating cars and trucks, have responsibilities too. Some of the Georgia traffic laws that apply to pedestrians include:

• If you are walking along the side of the road and there is a sidewalk, use it. If there’s no sidewalk, keep to the shoulder and stay as far away from the roadway itself as you can. If you must walk or run on the road, stay on the left-hand side of the road, facing traffic, and keep to the edge of the roadway. If you are walking on the road, cars have the right of way and you should yield to them.
• If you are at a crosswalk with an electronic crossing signal, you have the right of way and cars must stop for you if the “walk” signal is on.
• If you are at a crosswalk and there is no crossing signal, make sure there is no oncoming traffic before you step into the street. Once you are in the crosswalk, drivers on the side of the road you’re walking on must stop and allow you to cross.  
• If you are crossing a street without a crosswalk, look both ways and make sure traffic is clear before you cross the street.
• Drivers must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks should avoid accidents with pedestrians if possible, even at non-crosswalks.

Are Pedestrian Accidents Different than Other Types of Vehicle Accidents?

Pedestrian accidents are different in two ways. First, pedestrian accidents tend to be serious, for the obvious reason that pedestrians are much smaller and lighter than cars and do not have anything to protect them from the sudden impact of a collision with an automobile. As a general rule, the more serious the injuries are, the more complicated and drawn-out the healing process will be. This makes any claim to recover money for injuries more complicated as well.

Second, pedestrian accidents can be difficult to investigate and determine who was “negligent” and therefore legally at fault. Pedestrians who have been seriously injured frequently have little recollection of the accident, or may have never seen the car that hit them approaching. And the driver of the car may deny responsibility. Even the police may try to pin the blame on the pedestrian.  

At our law firm, we have resources and connections to top-notch investigators and experts that can help us unravel just what happened and whose fault it was. We aren’t daunted by serious injuries, missing information or complicated chains of events. We know how to build a case and get the responsible insurance company to pay you everything you deserve.

What Are Some Typical Injuries from Pedestrian Accidents?

Pedestrian accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, many of them serious. They include:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries, concussions and other head injuries
• Herniated discs
• Spinal cord injuries
• Damage to internal organs
• Muscle and tendon injuries
• Neck injuries

If you are hit by a car, ANY injury is potentially serious. Many car accident injuries seem minor in the beginning, but they grow worse and can even become life threatening in the hours or days following the accident. Play it smart and get to the doctor right away. Not only does this help you heal, it can pave the way for a much stronger claim for your injuries.

How Much Money Can I Recover?

The amount you can recover will depend on how badly you were hurt. You may be entitled to money for medical bills, wages if the accident put you out of work, pain, emotional suffering, and “wrongful death” if you lost a close family member. Many victims of serious pedestrian accidents recover tens of thousands of dollars, and sometimes even more.

It’s important to understand the insurance company’s role in the process. The driver who is liable for your injuries probably has insurance to cover situations like this, and the insurance company is supposed to pay you. But insurance companies don’t want to sacrifice their own profits to pay more money to injured people. So the insurance company will actually work against you, trying to find ways to pay you the smallest amount possible.

This is why we urge you to talk to a lawyer as soon as you can after your accident. A lawyer balances out the insurance claims process, putting someone on your team who is just as experienced and skilled at negotiations as the lawyers and adjusters on the insurance company side. A lawyer will relieve you of having to deal with insurance representatives and will handle a lawsuit in the local courts if necessary, enabling you to concentrate on taking care of your own health and recovery.  

Talk to a Columbus Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

At John Foy & Associates, our lawyers have the kind of experience you need if you have been injured in a pedestrian accident. And we make sure our services are accessible for everyone: we don’t charge any kind of fee unless we get you money. Let us give you a free consultation to help you plan what to do next.

Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.