Dunwoody Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Unfortunately for residents in Dunwoody, Georgia ranks as one of the absolute worst states for pedestrian safety. In 2021 alone, more than 320 pedestrian deaths were recorded in the state, and hundreds of other pedestrians were also injured in pedestrian-related crashes.

If you or a loved one recently joined this statistic, then you’re likely struggling to cope with financial loss after financial loss. As if the accident wasn’t bad enough, you’ll still be dealing with the repercussions for weeks or even months.

The good news is that you could have legal recourse to help you cope with some of these financial losses. Since every accident situation is unique, your best bet is to consult with a Dunwoody pedestrian accident lawyer to learn more about whether your claim contains the necessary factors to seek out compensation from the responsible party. Learn more about pedestrian accidents and how the law in Dunwoody handles them below.

Pedestrian Accidents: An Overview

Accidents are always a bad situation to be in, but they’re usually significantly worse when a Dunwoody pedestrian is hit during the collision. Pedestrian accidents can happen for a number of reasons, but they’re almost always serious when a vehicle is involved. Since cars are heavier and faster, a person can get crushed, smash their head on the ground, or sustain road rash burns.

After this type of crash, the pedestrian might have to deal with medical bills and other losses. When those losses are adding up, it makes the most sense to consult with a Dunwoody pedestrian accident law firm about the situation. That’s because the pedestrian might be eligible to file a claim against the responsible party and receive compensation to cover their losses.

Not every pedestrian accident gives rise to a claim, though. For instance, if the pedestrian was intoxicated and walking across a highway at night, then they might be considered at fault for the incident. If the pedestrian is at fault, then they may not be able to seek out compensation.

Types of Pedestrian Accidents

When a pedestrian is hit, the situation is always serious. It’s necessary to get to the root of the issue and determine what caused it and how the accident happened. While doing so, it might help to classify the accident into one of the following types of categories:

• Parking lot backup accidents
• Multiple threat accidents
• Distracted driving crashes
• Turning vehicle accidents
• Bus-related pedestrian accidents
• “Trapped” pedestrian collisions

Regardless of the type of pedestrian accident you experience here in Georgia, you should always contact the police to come out to the scene. Not only with the police help the pedestrian secure medical attention, but they’ll also create an official police report regarding the situation.

From there, the pedestrian should seek out medical attention. Depending on how serious the injuries are, it might make the most sense to contact a Dunwoody pedestrian accident lawyer next.

Pedestrian Injury Claims in Dunwoody

Once you get in touch with a lawyer, you’ll want to schedule an initial consultation to talk about what happened. Since a pedestrian hit in Dunwoody usually causes serious injuries, your potential lawyer will likely want to know the extent of those losses, what happened during the collision, and how long it’s been since the crash occurred.

After discussing the circumstances of your accident and losses, your lawyer can help you make an informed choice on whether it’s worth your time and effort to seek out a claim.

A claim can help you recover financial compensation when the other party breached their legal duty to provide for your care, and you suffered losses as a result. In general, you need to prove the following elements to win your claim:

• The other party had a legal duty to provide for the pedestrian’s care
• The other party failed to uphold that duty
• This breach in a duty of care led to the accident
• The accident led to specific damages

While the first element is automatic under the law, the burden of providing the last three elements falls on the pedestrian’s shoulders. You’ll need to collect certain evidence like medical bills, police reports, and more to help prove your case before you submit your claim.

Quality Representation for Injury Victims

So, how should you go about collecting the right evidence and building your case? One of the best things you can do is consult with a Dunwoody pedestrian accident lawyer about what types of evidence apply in your case, but in general, you should consider compiling the following types of evidence:

• Medical bills
• The police report
• Dash cam footage of the accident
• Video surveillance footage of the accident
• Your doctor’s diagnosis
• Any income statements that show your average earnings
• A statement from your employer describing how much work you’ve missed

Quality representation in your case can be the difference between building a solid case that leads to a great settlement or failing to back up your claims and missing out on your chance at financial recovery.

Legal Process for a Pedestrian Injury Lawsuit

When a pedestrian is hit, the legal process for recovery begins immediately when the police get involved. Authorities will immediately create an accident report that outlines what happened, who was involved, and they’ll even make an initial determination of who was at fault. From there, it’s up to the pedestrian to seek out a legal claim for compensation. The pedestrian may opt to look to their insurance provider, the insurance provider of the driver, or seek out a lawsuit against the responsible party.

Medical Care, Expenses, and Quality of Life after an Accident

One reason why it’s best to consult with a Dunwoody pedestrian accident lawyer before getting in touch with your insurance company, the other party’s insurance provider, or filing a lawsuit is because you need to consider all your losses first. You should have a rough idea of how much you’ve lost overall when it comes to current and future medical care, your overall quality of life, and other expenses. If a pedestrian was killed, then you’ll need to consider how much you’ve lost in terms of a loss of spousal or parental support, pain and suffering, and burial costs.

Negligent Parties and Property Damage Claims

One important aspect of your claim that a pedestrian accident lawyer can help you with is identifying the negligent party in the accident. While some accidents are straightforward, other pedestrian collisions can be very complicated. For instance, if several cars and pedestrians were involved and the crash caused multiple injuries and property damage claims are filed, then a lawyer’s help can prove invaluable. Not only can your lawyer help you identify who primarily caused the crash, but they can also help you avoid any liability for your role in the crash, too, especially if you were not negligent.

Contacting a Dunwoody Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Before you contact a Dunwoody law firm, make sure to do your due diligence when finding the right attorney. This is especially necessary if a pedestrian in Dunwoody was killed. In this type of situation, you specifically need to look for a wrongful death attorney who has handled pedestrian fatality claims in the past. If your situation didn’t involve a fatality, then it’s still important to ensure the lawyer you work with has extensive experience working on pedestrian-related accident claims in the past.

You should also consider researching the firm or attorney’s reviews online, too. These reviews can give you a better idea of the level of service to expect from the lawyer.

Are You Ready to Get Started on Your Claim?

Pedestrian-related accidents usually result in substantial losses. One reason for this is because the pedestrian is often getting struck by a fast-moving and heavy vehicle. After the accident, the injured pedestrian will likely have to cope with losses in the form of medical bills, lost wages, and future medical care costs.

When this happens, the law in Dunwoody offers a solution. Legally, the party who was negligent will be held financially responsible for the losses associated with the accident. This holds true even if the accident was fatal for the pedestrian. In these cases, the surviving loved ones of the pedestrian can still seek out a claim.

Suppose you or a loved one got injured in a pedestrian accident in Georgia. In that case, it’s a good idea to contact a Dunwoody pedestrian accident lawyer so that you can make an informed decision on how to move forward. If you’re ready to get in touch with one, then we invite you to schedule a consultation with our firm now.

We have separated pages for Atlanta pedestrian accidents and Sandy Springs pedestrian accidents, so make sure to check them out as well.