Pedestrian Accident Attorneys In Gwinnett County
People on foot in the road can be there for necessity, exercise or pleasure. However, even if they take safety precautions, pedestrians are at some of the greatest risk of serious injuries. If you get hit by a car while walking, you have every right to take action to get compensation for your injuries.
At Kenney & Medina, P.C., we are dedicated pedestrian accident attorneys serving people in Suwanee and throughout Gwinnett County. We have over 70 years of combined experience in car accidents and other personal injury representation. We’ve fought to get our clients the recovery and care they deserve after an accident that potentially robs them of their ability to work and make ends meet.
Where And When Pedestrian Accidents Happen Most
Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere that a person and a car or commercial truck share the same road. Any lapse in judgment or any distraction at the wrong time can lead to a serious injury. The most common factors in an accident include:
- Crosswalks: A person in a crosswalk is actively going across the road, and cars and vehicles are most likely to hit a person in this vulnerable moment
- Evening or night: When the sun goes down, crossing the street or walking along the side of the road gets more hazardous due to decreased visibility and increased likelihood of drunk driving
- Bad weather: In heavy rain, sleet or snow, people may still be walking, if they have no other option. But precipitation also makes the road slippery, leading to difficulty stopping and more out of control vehicles.
- Busy intersections: At high-traffic intersections, accidents are more common in all varieties. A pedestrian doesn’t have to even attempt to cross the road to suffer a bystander injury at some intersections.
The place and moment of an accident are, in the end, only contributing factors. The greatest influence on whether a pedestrian accident occurs is whether the driver was taking appropriate care. When they aren’t, we are there to hold them accountable.
Dangerous Intersections For Pedestrians In Gwinnett County
It bears repeating that even pedestrians who are not actively crossing the road can be hurt in a major accident at an intersection. This makes the confusing, high-traffic intersections, with limited crosswalks, a hazard for people on foot. Here are three of the most dangerous intersections in the county for pedestrians and everyone else:
- Interstate 85 and Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road
- Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
- Camp Creek Parkway and I-285
These intersections include several lanes, on and off ramps, and confusing traffic patterns. There are few fully marked crosswalks for pedestrians. The confusion and lack of choices will almost always lead to dangers for people on foot.
What You Should Do If You Are Hit By A Car As A Pedestrian
In Gwinnett County, your first step after getting hit by a car should be to go to the hospital for care. Getting struck by a car is a harrowing, painful experience, and immediate medical care, even if you feel fine, will help you avoid long-term pain and complications.
Once you address your safety and health concerns, it’s time to get to work pursuing the person who hurt you for compensation. If you were able to get their insurance information, then that is one place to start. If it was a hit-and-run, you will have to call on police to investigate the accident.
However, getting compensation and holding the person who hit you accountable is a major concern, and there are many different steps along that path. We can help you with all of them as your attorneys. We can conduct our own investigation into the accident, engaging our local resources to identify potential at-fault parties. We can negotiate with insurance companies to secure your care and treatment plans.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accidents
At Kenney & Medina, P.C., we take pride in being a resource for clients, and our first service is answering their questions about their pedestrian accident and case. To help you understand what’s ahead, here are the answers to the first questions our clients tend to ask.
Is Georgia an at-fault state for pedestrian accidents?
Yes, Georgia is an at-fault state for all motor vehicle accidents, because to recover compensation, you will have to prove fault with the other party. However, if you potentially share some fault in the accident, that does not mean you cannot pursue compensation. As long as your share of the fault is less than 50%, you can collect a reduced amount of compensation for your injuries.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Gwinnett County, Georgia?
The statute of limitations for car accidents is two years from the date of the accident. However, anyone who has ever had a serious accident and believes the insurance companies and hospitals are treating them fairly may see that timeline come and go, only to see that fair treatment abruptly ends. Filing a lawsuit early is the only way to guarantee you are getting your case and injuries fairly considered by the insurance company.
Are crosswalk accidents treated differently under Georgia law?
Yes, crosswalk accidents are treated differently under Georgia law. In fact, pedestrians are considered to have the right of way in Georgia if they are in the crosswalk. This means, if a driver strikes a pedestrian in the crosswalk, the pedestrian will have a great advantage in proving fault.
Additionally, not all crosswalks need to be marked in Georgia. Unmarked crosswalks exist and are considered to be anywhere at the edge of an intersection where the sidewalk would continue. So, even a busy intersection without marked crosswalks likely has a crosswalk, and any pedestrian in that space has the right to be there.
We Will Advocate For You. Call Today.
A pedestrian accident is painful and you deserve to have a firm ready to stand up for you and pursue your compensation. Call our office in Suwanee at 770-564-1600 or send an email to set up your free consultation. We will treat you with all the care and dedication you deserve.