Our Athens pedestrian accident attorneys help pedestrian accident victims secure full and fair compensation for their injuries. We’ve won millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured clients and will put our experience and expertise to work for you. There is no fee unless we win your case. Call us or fill out our online form for a free consultation.
Pedestrian Accident Settlements
Read about pedestrian accident cases we’ve won:
- $225,000 for rotator cuff surgery from pedestrian accident;
- $200,000 for shoulder surgery from pedestrian accident;
- $150,000 for broken foot requiring surgery from pedestrian accident;
Pedestrian Accident Statistics in Athens
Athens is one of the most walkable cities in Georgia. While it should be safe for pedestrians, it unfortunately is not. From 2020 through 2024, Athens had 288 car versus pedestrian accidents resulting in 252 injuries and 19 deaths. As the chart below shows, the number of pedestrian crashes and injuries have increased significantly over the last five years. Drivers have become worse since the 2020 pandemic, driving faster, more aggressively and using cell phones more often, resulting in higher numbers of crashes.
Pedestrian accidents are also far more likely to result in injury or death. From 2020 through 2024, 87.5% of car versus pedestrian crashes resulted in injury. You can see the statistics for each year below:
Causes of Athens Pedestrian Accidents
Frequent causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Failing to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk;
- Distracted driving due to cell phone use;
- Drunk driving;
- Failing to keep a proper lookout for pedestrians;
- Running stop signs and red lights;
- Speeding;
- Lack of sidewalks and poor road design;
Georgia Law on Crosswalks
Georgia law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk. Georgia law O.C.G.A § 40-6-91(a) states:
“the driver of a vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching and is within one lane of the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For the purposes of this subsection, “half of the roadway” means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel.”
Basically, this means that a driver must stop for a pedestrian that is approaching / entering a crosswalk and must remain stopped until they are done crossing.
But pedestrians must be careful too. Georgia law O.C.G.A § 40-6-91(b) states:
“No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield.”
This means that a pedestrian can’t enter a crosswalk when a car is so close to the crosswalk that it couldn’t stop safely.
How To Win a Pedestrian Accident Case
To win a pedestrian accident case, you must prove the other driver was at fault for the accident and caused your injuries. Most of the time, this will be straightforward. If you are crossing in a crosswalk with the “walk” signal and a driver hits you, they will be at fault. But sometimes there can be a dispute about whether you had the “walk” signal or whether you darted out in front of an oncoming car. In that situation, you’ll need evidence to prove that you had the right of way and that the other driver was at fault. This could include witness statements, surveillance cameras, dash cameras, data from the other driver’s car showing whether they were speeding and data from the other driver’s cell phone showing whether they were using their phone at the time of the accident.
What Is a Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?
There’s no simple answer to this question. Read about the factors that go into determining what your case is worth here. Cases involving very serious injuries and deaths can be worth millions of dollars; cases with minor injuries can be worth several thousand dollars. However, the amount that you can recover in a case often depends on the amount of insurance the other driver has and your uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Pedestrian Accident Case?
You can recover compensation for:
- Medical bills;
- Lost income;
- The impact of the accident on you, which the law calls pain and suffering
- Punitive damages, meaning punishment damages, if the other driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol
What Are Your Attorney Fees?
We charge a contingency fee, meaning we take a percentage of the verdict or settlement. If we do not win a verdict or settlement, you do not owe us anything. If we settle your case before we file a lawsuit, the fee is usually 33.3%. If a lawsuit is necessary, the fee is usually 40%. However, in some situations, we do offer lower fees. You can read more about our attorney fees here.
Contact Us
If you or a loved on is injured in a pedestrian accident Ruppersburg Injury & Accident Attorney can help. Contact us today for a free consultation!
