If you were injured while walking in Savannah, Georgia, you need a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer. Pedestrian accident victims can suffer severe injuries. If you struggle to pay medical bills because you are off work after the accident, a Spiva Law Group attorney can help you pursue the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related losses. Start your case today by speaking to one of our attorneys in a free consultation.

What Are the Main Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Savannah?

Pedestrian accidents can occur quickly and without warning. If you were walking or jogging and were hit by a motor vehicle, you could be seriously injured. Despite your best efforts to stay safe on the road, careless drivers can cause a crash.

Some of the common factors in pedestrian accidents include:

Drunk driving
Speeding
Distracted driving, including texting and driving
Driver fatigue
Road construction
Failing to yield the right-of-way
Poor visibility
Accidents in crosswalks while a car turns left

What Are the Most Dangerous Intersections in Savannah?

Tragically, 11 pedestrians are hit by Savannah drivers each month, and most of these accidents occur in Savannah’s historic district. Whether they are tourists visiting the city or locals walking to work, statistics show pedestrians are at risk at the following dangerous Savannah intersections:

W. Broughton Street and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Fahm and Oglethorpe
Mall Way and Hodgson Memorial Drive
W. Bryan St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Drayton and Oglethorpe

If you were struck by a vehicle at one of these intersections, you need a lawyer to handle your pedestrian accident case. With an attorney from Spiva Law Group, you can be confident you have a strong legal advocate in your corner who will fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Are Common Injuries from a Pedestrian Accident?

Pedestrian accident injuries can vary widely, from minor lacerations to life-threatening traumatic brain injury (TBI). The extent of your injuries largely depends on the size and speed of the vehicle when it struck you and where your body first came into contact with the vehicle.

Because the motor vehicle often first strikes the pedestrian’s lower body, typical injuries include broken bones, severe lacerations, and pelvis fractures. These injuries can require surgery and extensive physical therapy.

If the pedestrian lands on the hood or their body is thrown over the vehicle, they can suffer serious injuries to their abdominal area or chest, which may be life-threatening or even fatal. They may also sustain injuries to their arms and hands if they try to catch themselves in the collision. Such injuries can be debilitating for the accident victim, especially if it affects their ability to work or care for their family.

Perhaps the most critical injuries, and those that are most often fatal, are those pedestrians can suffer to their face, neck, and head. They may range from lacerations and concussions to jaw fractures, significant neck and vertebrae injuries, and TBIs. Pedestrians are susceptible to any of these injuries when their head hits the vehicle or pavement. Severe disfigurement can result, which can also be emotionally challenging for the victim.

What Steps Can Pedestrians Take to Keep Themselves Safe?

To keep yourself safe as a pedestrian in Savannah, be sure to follow the rules of the road. Although some accidents are unavoidable, you can take certain precautions to keep yourself out of harm’s way, including:

Obeying all traffic signals
Using the sidewalk, if available
Crossing the street at crosswalks
Paying attention to the traffic around you

What Are Georgia’s Laws Regarding Pedestrians?

Georgia’s laws aim to keep pedestrians safe when sharing the road with motor vehicles. To help, the state enacted laws concerning pedestrians’ right-of-way and use of crosswalks:

Drivers must stop to let a pedestrian cross the road in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the half of the road the vehicle is traveling in, even if there is room to drive around the pedestrian in the crosswalk.
Pedestrians cannot suddenly leave a curb or safe place and cross into the path of a moving vehicle that cannot stop in time to avoid an accident.
If a pedestrian tries to cross the road at a point other than a crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, the pedestrian must yield to the oncoming vehicles unless they have already entered the road.
Georgia law prohibits pedestrians from crossing a roadway intersection diagonally unless a traffic-control device permits it.
While most people assume “jaywalking” is always illegal, the term does not appear in Georgia law. Instead, crossing the street outside of crosswalks is legal in most places as long as the pedestrian yields to motor vehicle traffic.
Drivers and pedestrians can be confused by crosswalk signals, specifically the flashing “Don’t Walk” signal. For pedestrians, it means they should not start crossing. However, it does not give drivers the right of way at a green light. Even with a green light, drivers must stop and wait for pedestrians already crossing in adjacent crosswalks.

To stay safe on Savannah roads, drivers must keep a proper lookout for pedestrians. Pedestrians must also take the proper precautions to ensure their safety and avoid accidents.

Can I Be Compensated If I Was Hit by a Driver While Walking?

You may be eligible for compensation if you were injured when walking. Your attorney will assess your injuries and financial losses to determine how much you can pursue. You might be entitled to claim money for:

Medical expenses
Lost wages
Loss of future earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Mental distress

How Do You Prove Fault for the Accident?

You must establish the at-fault party’s liability through the available evidence in the aftermath of a pedestrian accident. Your personal injury attorney will gather information when building your case, including:

The accident report, if available
Photographs of the accident scene
Eyewitness testimony
Any video surveillance from nearby businesses

When you work with an attorney from Spiva Law Group, you can trust your lawyer will thoroughly investigate the facts and circumstances of your case, collect all available medical records so they understand the full extent of your injuries, and seek the compensation you deserve.

Could a Pedestrian Be to Blame for the Accident?

It is possible that the driver or their insurance company may try to blame the pedestrian for the accident. Thankfully, you can still recover compensation even if you may share some fault for the collision.

Georgia law has a modified comparative negligence rule. This means that even if you were partially (but not mostly) at fault for the accident that resulted in your injuries, you could still seek money from the driver. However, the court reduces your judgment award by the percentage of fault it assigns you.

For example, if you are 40 percent at fault for an accident, you can still recover 60 percent of the total compensation you’re entitled to. But if a judge or jury finds that you are 50 percent or more responsible for the accident, you cannot recover any money.

Some defense lawyers and insurance companies will try to allege that your fault exceeds 50 percent so that they do not have to pay for your injuries and losses. It is critical to contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately after your accident so they can start building a strong case and defend against these tactics when you bring your pedestrian accident claim.

Does Georgia Have a Time Limit for Filing a Pedestrian Accident Claim?

You have two years from the accident date to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit under Georgia law. If you fail to file your lawsuit before this deadline expires, a judge will likely dismiss your case, and you will lose the opportunity to pursue compensation in court.

Before the two-year deadline, your attorney will develop a solid case on your behalf. They will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident, assess the at-fault party’s liability, and gather your medical records and expenses so they understand the complete picture of your injuries and losses. It is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after the accident to give them ample time to build your case.

Contact a Savannah, GA, Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

If you need a Savannah pedestrian accident attorney, call Spiva Law Group. Our personal injury attorneys understand that the legal process may be intimidating, especially when you are trying to recover from injuries. An attorney from Spiva Law Group will guide you every step of the way and answer all your questions. We want to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Contact our Savannah pedestrian accident lawyers today for a free consultation.