Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Attorney
An accident involving a motor vehicle and a pedestrian can be deadly. In addition to death, pedestrians involved in accidents with motor vehicles can sustain multiple or serious injuries. Because of the nature of these accidents, injuries suffered by pedestrians can be catastrophic, causing tremendous pain and suffering and life-long disabilities.
Unfortunately, every year thousands of pedestrians are injured in traffic accidents by inattentive drivers who failed to obey traffic laws. Drivers running stop lights, talking on cell phones, texting and driving, and speeding put pedestrians at risk.
The good news is that if you or someone you care about was injured in a pedestrian accident in Atlanta, the law is usually on your side. Call Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC to discuss your case with an experienced Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer, who can explain your rights and legal options.
Call us today at (404) 996-1296. We charge no fee unless we win compensation for you.
Why Choose Us For Your Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Atlanta?
Pedestrian accidents leave devastating injuries. In a collision with an average 4,000-pound vehicle, a vulnerable pedestrian has a serious disadvantage. Injured pedestrians often have a long road to recovery, with expensive medical bills at the same time they may be unable to return to work. The compassionate client advocates at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC are ready to provide legal counsel and represent your rights by doing the following:
- We offer a free case consultation, plus no fees until after we secure your compensation
- Use our investigation skills and resources to assess your case, document evidence of liability, and present a compelling argument for the most compensation available to you
- Represent your interests throughout all legal proceedings and diligently file paperwork and negotiate with the insurance adjuster assigned to your case
- Litigate for your full compensation in court in the event the insurance company wrongfully denies or undervalues your claim for compensation
Active-duty military member, and award-winning attorney, Edward A. Piasta is recognized among the top five percent of “Super Lawyers” in Georgia. Attorney Michael P. Walker is a “Top 40 under 40” trial lawyer recognized by National Trial Lawyers and has won record-breaking jury award amounts for injured clients.
Meet the Attorneys
Attorney Edward A. Piasta is a partner at Piasta Walker Hagenbush LLC and brings years of legal experience practicing personal injury law nationwide. Ed has been recognized by “Super Lawyers,” a selective list of less than 5% of attorneys in Georgia, and rated as “Top 100” by the National Trial Lawyers.
Michael P. Walker is a partner at Piasta Walker Hagenbush LLC and a dedicated personal injury attorney advocating for the rights of wrongly injured victims. Mike has successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients, and has been recognized as a “Top 40 under 40” trial lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers and a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine. Mike and his law partners have a proven track record securing top verdicts and settlements year after year.
Client Testimonials
“Edward Piasta is the most outstanding trial lawyer I have ever had the opportunity to work with, watch prepare a case for trial, and try a case. His arguments are innovative and creative, and most importantly, he is always prepared on both the facts and the law.”
– Harlan W.
“Edward is an experienced trial lawyer who has taken objectively difficult cases and turned them into multi-million dollar successes at trial. I fully endorse this TRUE Trial Lawyer.”
– Titus N.
Who Is At-Fault For a Pedestrian Accident in Atlanta?
Drivers on Georgia roadways have a legal duty to exercise a reasonable amount of care for other drivers and pedestrians. Strict traffic laws are in place to ensure the safety of all those who share Georgia’s roadways. As a result, if you are injured by a driver’s negligence, they may be held legally liable for your injuries and other losses.
Many people do not realize that a pedestrian always has the right of way under Georgia law. Even if you are not walking on a sidewalk or crossing the street in a crosswalk, a motor vehicle driver always has a duty to look out for pedestrians, yield the right of way, and take reasonable measures to avoid hitting them. Our experienced car accident lawyers in Atlanta know that drivers are nearly always found at fault in the a pedestrian accident claim.
Why Hire an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
After being injured in a pedestrian accident, you will need a qualified and experienced Atlanta pedestrian accident attorney on your side. You need a pedestrian accident lawyer in Atlanta that specializes in pedestrian accident cases to help you get the fair recovery that you deserve.
Your pedestrian accident attorney in Atlanta can investigate the circumstances of your pedestrian accident, negotiate with the liable insurance companies, and file a lawsuit, if necessary, to get you the compensation you deserve. Your attorney can also hire an accident reconstruction expert to reconstruct the accident in order to determine who was at fault.
Even if you are found to be partially at fault for the accident, your Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer may still be able to get you some compensation for your medical expenses, rehabilitation, long-term care, and lost wages under the state’s modified comparison negligence laws.
Understanding Modified Comparison Negligence In Pedestrian Accident Claims
Georgia is a fault-based insurance state that requires injury victim’s to prove the other party’s negligence caused the accident before they can recover damages. Legally, this becomes quite complex due to the laws of comparison negligence which reduce the victim’s compensation a percentage equal to their level of fault.
According to Georgia Code Title 51. Torts § 51-11-7: “Negligence on the part of the plaintiff doesn’t prevent recovery of damages provided the plaintiff’s fault is less than 50%. A plaintiff’s damages will be reduced by an amount in proportion to their fault.”
Under this law, even if you were partly at fault for the accident, such as by failing to press the signal button at a crosswalk, but the driver was mostly at fault for speeding through an intersection and failing to stop for you as a pedestrian in the crosswalk, you can still recover your damages minus your percentage of fault. If your damages total $100,000 and the insurer finds you 20 percent at fault, you’d recover $80,000.
Unfortunately, insurance companies often assign injury victims an undue percentage of fault for the accident so they can minimize the amount they have to pay out on a claim. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Atlanta can dispute attempts to over-assign blame to you for your injuries so you can recover the maximum amount available in your claim.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Pedestrian Accident Claim in Atlanta?
Pedestrian injuries are painful, debilitating, and expensive a successful claim recovers compensation for common pedestrian accident damages such as the following:
- Medical expenses and future medical costs associated with the injury
- Lost income and future income loss
- Diminished future earning capacity due to disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life or diminished life quality
- Any other non-economic damages that apply in your case like disfigurement, PTSD, or traumatic limb loss
Your lawyer from Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC will carefully calculate your damages and present a compelling case for recovering your losses.
Proving Liability in an Atlanta Pedestrian Accident Case
Drivers must behave as other, reasonable motorists would while behind the wheel in the same circumstances. Proving liability for a pedestrian accident requires demonstrating the following legal points:
- The driver owed a duty of care to take reasonable precautions to prevent causing injury to others on the road, including pedestrians
- They breached this duty through negligence or recklessness
- Their breach of duty directly caused the pedestrian’s injuries
- The injury victim suffered significant damages from the injury
It’s important to have clear evidence of liability to recover the full amount of compensation in a car accident claim.
Call Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Atlanta
If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident in Georgia, an aggressive Atlanta personal injury attorney from our law firm will be able to pursue compensation on your behalf and file the necessary lawsuits needed after your pedestrian accident.
Pedestrian accident injuries are often much more serious than those sustained in car accidents. Our pedestrian accident attorneys in Atlanta, GA understand the nuances that make pedestrian accident cases different from other personal injury cases, and we can assist you in determining the full value of your case and negotiating a fair settlement with the liable insurance company.
Contact Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC, today at (404) 996-1296, or contact us online for a free consultation and review of your case. We charge no legal fee unless we win compensation on your behalf.