Brunswick Pedestrian Accident Attorney
During a vehicle-on-vehicle collision in Georgia, potential victims can count on steel cages and multiple restraint layers to protect them. But pedestrians are completely exposed to danger. So, vehicle occupants frequently walk away from low-speed fender bender wrecks. But these accidents usually seriously injure pedestrians. These injuries include broken bones, head injuries, and severe blood loss.
The dedicated Brunswick pedestrian accident attorneys at Gillette Law understand that time is of the essence in these cases. These victims must immediately see qualified doctors. Then, our professional team must diligently collect evidence that supports your claim for damages. Finally, we never take the easy way out or the first settlement offer. Instead, we are with you until the end of the line.
Speed and Pedestrian Accidents
Excessive velocity is a factor in many serious injury or fatal injury collisions. Speed is even a larger factor in pedestrian accidents.
Speed increases the risk of a collision. A car travelling 30mph goes about six car lengths in the time required for the driver to see a hazard, apply the brakes, and safely stop the vehicle. This stopping distance multiples to eighteen car lengths at 60mph.
Drivers can sometimes avoid other negligent drivers. Cars and trucks can change lanes or speeds quickly. But pedestrians cannot do these things. If a runaway or other fast-moving car approaches them, they can usually do nothing except brace for impact.
Speed also increases the force in a collision. In fact, Newton’s Second Law of Motion states that speed multiplies the force in these collisions. So, a low-speed “fender bender” is a high-speed serious injury collision.
The multiplication factors are even bigger in vehicle-on-pedestrian wrecks. At impact speeds under 20mph, the pedestrian fatality rate is under 10 percent. At 50mph, the fatality rate catapults to over 90 percent.
Most pedestrian accidents happen in non-intersections and outside marked crosswalks. Therefore, the tortfeasor (negligent driver) is usually travelling at or near top speed at the moment of impact.
Possible Insurance Company Defenses
During legal arguments, insurance company lawyers often assert that the victim “darted out into traffic.” This language sets up the sudden emergency defense. Drivers are not responsible for the injuries they cause if the driver:
- Reasonably reacted to
- A sudden emergency.
Usually, the focus is on this second element. The insurance company claims that the jaywalking pedestrian was a sudden emergency. But this phrase has a very narrow meaning in this context. A “sudden emergency” is a completely unexpected situation, like a hood fly-up or a lightning strike. A jaywalking pedestrian, like a large pothole or stalled car, is a predictable hazard.
Virtual crosswalk accidents are a special case. Pedestrians activate virtual crosswalks, which are flashing yellow lights that command approaching traffic to stop, by pushing buttons on sidewalks.
Many drivers are unaware of this responsibility, ignore this responsibility, or mistake the flashing lights for a school zone or other warning. At the same time, some pedestrians push buttons and walk into the street without stopping and looking both ways.
In these situations jurors must listen to the evidence and divide fault on a percentage basis between the parties. If the tortfeasor is at least 50 percent responsible for the wreck, the victim is entitled to a proportionate share of damages in Georgia.
Connect with a Dedicated Glynn County Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
All serious injury victims are entitled to fair compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Brunswick pedestrian accident attorney, contact Gillette Law, P.A. Attorneys can connect victims with doctors, even if they have no money or insurance.
