Is It Worth Hiring a Lawyer for a Pedestrian Accident?

Pedestrians are especially vulnerable if involved in traffic accidents. The human frame cannot stand against the impact of a motor vehicle, and victims often suffer injuries bringing pain and physical limitations for a period of time, if not permanently. Medical bills, time missed at work, and other losses or expenses incurred by the accident warrant compensation. 

Most accident victims do not have a legal background or are simply overwhelmed by the effects of their injuries and have a hard time pursuing an injury claim. However, the pedestrian accident lawyers from John Foy & Associates have the skills and experience to fight for the best outcome possible. Partnership with our firm is the smartest and most promising way forward for pedestrian accident victims.  

Hiring a Lawyer for a Pedestrian Accident Is Worth It

You might wonder if hiring a lawyer is worth the trouble following a pedestrian accident. Will it just bring more phone calls, more aggravation, and more bills? 

Actually, partnering with our firm will reduce your phone calls and save you aggravation. After your free consultation with us, we handle most of the phone calls, build your case, navigate the legal system, and take on those often frustrating conversations with insurance adjusters or other at-fault party representatives. 

Plus, you will not face any lawyer fees until you receive a settlement. We are so confident in our ability to win the cases we take that we do not get paid until you do, and we look forward to adding each client’s case to our history of successful settlement decisions. 

Why You Need Representation

Georgia has specific traffic laws in place to protect pedestrians. You may know these laws and feel as though your accident case is pretty clear-cut. Insurance companies know those laws, too and will work their hardest to find ways around or through them to protect their own assets rather than pay you the settlement you need. 

A pedestrian accident attorney will protect you from false accusations of blame, hold the at-fault party responsible for their role in the accident, and keep insurance companies accountable for upholding their financial responsibility to you. 

John Foy & Associates has the resources to investigate your case thoroughly so the cause of the accident and the at-fault party’s culpability are properly identified. Victims rarely have these same resources or simply do not have the time, energy, or presence of mind to acquire the evidence they need to prove their cases. 

A Comprehensive Accident Investigation Is Critical

You only collect a settlement by proving the at-fault party’s negligence caused the accident that produced your injuries. Again, you might think there is a clear-cut at-fault party–usually, the driver who hit you. However, if you file against that driver only to later discover a car defect caused your accident, your chances of collecting a significant settlement from that driver are slim to none. 

A skilled pedestrian accident lawyer will file against the appropriate party and collect evidence to support that claim by:

• Consulting with accident reconstructionists
• Accessing traffic or security camera footage
• Interviewing witnesses
• Examining police reports
• Consulting with mechanics or other automotive experts 
• Speaking with your doctors or other medical experts 

If your case warrants additional search or interview actions, your lawyer will follow through.

A Pedestrian Accident Attorney Understands Comparative Fault Laws

Georgia traffic codes specify how drivers must respond to pedestrians. For example:

• Drivers must stop for pedestrians crossing a street in a crosswalk 
• If a car is stopped before a crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to cross, following vehicles cannot go around or overtake the stopped car
• When emerging from a driveway, alley, or private road, drivers must stop before entering the sidewalk area and yield to any pedestrians
• Drivers cannot otherwise drive or stop their vehicles on sidewalks, crosswalks, or other designated areas unless instructed to do so by law enforcement

There are also laws in place to direct pedestrian behavior. For example:

• Pedestrians cannot step into the path of a vehicle, even a crosswalk, when there is not enough time for the driver to yield
• If crossing a street at a point other than a designated crosswalk, pedestrians must yield to drivers and stay on the curb (or safe place) until they can safely cross
• Pedestrians cannot cross roadways diagonally
• When pedestrian-control signals are present, pedestrians must comply with the “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” symbols

Comparative Fault

Lack of compliance by either party can affect the outcome of the accident claim. Georgia follows a comparative fault system, which means 

• Victims can file against the at-fault party as long as the victims are less than 50% responsible for the accident
• If victims hold less than 50% of the fault by still carry some blame, the total amount they can collect is reduced by their percentage of fault

Insurance Companies Understand Comparative Fault Too

You can count on the at-fault party’s insurance representative to work hard to deflect blame from the defendant and put more blame on you. They may even manipulate accident details to claim you had stepped from a curb without proper caution to reduce the settlement payout. An experienced attorney will stand up to these manipulative tactics and protect your settlement.

Pedestrian Accidents Are Serious

Georgia is reportedly one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians. For a recent full year of data collection, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recorded 306 pedestrian fatalities, a number representing 27 more deaths than the year before. 

Common injuries sustained by pedestrians who survive accidents include traumatic brain injuries, damage to the spinal cord, back injuries, muscle or nerve damage, crushed bones, and even amputations. Such injuries will leave you out of work, at least for a time, in pain and disabled, possibly permanently. They will also leave you with emotional trauma.

We Will Help You Recover Your Losses and Stabilize Your Future

Your medical bills, loss of income, and other economic losses must be recouped, and your pain and suffering must be acknowledged. The negligent driver, car manufacturer, or other entity responsible for your accident and injuries must compensate you so you can face your future with the resources you need. 

This is where John Foy & Associates can help. Your pedestrian accident lawyer will focus on your financial recovery so you can put your energy into your physical and emotional well-being.