If you have received medical attention after an Atlanta-area failure to yield accident and are worried about your ability to cover all the expenses, the Bader Scott Injury Lawyers hope to help. The law offers many options to pursue financial compensation to cover your expenses and costs arising from the collision. Call our offices today at (404) 888-8888 for a free-of-charge consultation.
A failure to yield accident can occur at or on:
- Busy traffic lights
- Freeways, onramps or offramps
- Passing lanes
- Highway lanes
- Stop sign crossroads
- Unmarked T-intersections
- Odd-angled intersections
The law in Georgia states that drivers owe a debt of caution to nearby roadway traffic. If you or your Atlanta car accident lawyer can prove that a driver violated the Official Code of Georgia Ann. (O.C.G.A.) § 40-6-180 when striking your vehicle, you may have a valid legal strategy. Much still would depend on legal research and analysis specific to your local municipal or county court system.
Why Some Drivers Fail to Yield in Traffic
There are myriad reasons why drivers fail to yield. Some of the most cited include:
- Distracted driving (using the phone or eating)
- Tired driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Mechanical failure
Driving with impairments such as these is something you can find on Georgia roads any given day. It does not usually result in bodily injury or a collision, but when it does, people often choose to work with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer.
Bader Scott Injury Lawyers represent people who were hit by a driver failing to yield in the Atlanta area. If you have more questions, or for an informational phone call tailored to your case, call our office today as soon as you can at (404) 888-8888.
For a free legal consultation with a failure to yield accidents lawyer serving Atlanta, call (404) 888-8888
The Aftermath of a Failure To Yield Accident
One of the most time-sensitive and urgent issues after a failure to yield accident is to visit the doctor. It is difficult to skip or delay this step and expect to receive compensation for your injuries. Defense attorneys will argue that if you were well enough to cancel on the doctor, then you were not injured.
They will also try to argue that your injuries arose after the accident, in the lapse of time. Overall, it is an important point to reiterate that the doctor is a necessary step on the road to recovery. For example, if you are not experiencing direct physiological problems, but are having mental health symptoms after your auto collision, this would be an important thing to mention to your doctor. Personality changes, thought pattern alterations, drowsiness, or moodiness can all be symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion. These can be early warnings of much more serious hidden problems and would warrant a trip to the doctor.
After the doctor’s visit, you will have a clearer prognosis about how to proceed. Based on this prognosis, your legal team will be able to best calculate the appropriate amount of damages and how to proceed in the legal system.
Below are some serious, but common injuries that can occur after a failure to yield:
- Concussion
- Spine problems
- Whiplash
- Cuts or abrasions
- Sprains or bone fractures
There are serious health problems that can be latent or hidden after a traffic collision. It is best to leave these potential diagnoses to the medical professionals.
Checking Your Police Report
It is understandable if you did not have the police physically arrive at the scene of the accident. Some municipal police are extremely busy, and if a driver can still operate their vehicle, that will typically be the most affordable way to clear the scene of an accident. In this case, it is crucial to file a report with the department to indicate that you may be hurt and plan on getting a formal medical diagnosis. However, the law still requires you to have called the police at your earliest possible chance and inform them of the accident. It will be up to their discretion as to how to record the incident, and whether to accept any amendments to their report. Ultimately, that report only reflects the officer’s opinion, but this opinion can be very influential in the settlement process.
However, you will want to verify the accuracy of the information in your police report early-on. Factual errors or oversights in this document can lead to exponentially larger problems down the line. If you are feeling anxious about working with the police or confronting them about an error in the police report, it may be time to call an Atlanta failure to yield accident lawyer, who will be able to work on a contingency basis without charging you out of pocket along the way.
Atlanta Failure to Yield Accident Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
Timing of Next Steps
You or your attorney will need to file a claim and a demand letter with the responsible insurance agency or party. This action needs to be done promptly after an accident to provide each side enough time to react to the events.
If another driver’s failure to yield caused your injuries, you have a maximum of two years to file your lawsuit under the O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Even if your injuries are taking longer than two years to unfold, it is crucial to file your lawsuit before this timer expires, or your legal rights will be forfeited for that injury.
People who were hit by a driver failing to yield often seek damages for:
- Car repair or replacement expenses
- Hospital invoices
- Transportation receipts
- Ambulance bills
- Specialist invoices
- Prescription receipts
- Therapy bills
- Lost expected wages and earnings
Courts allow victims to recover for these types of damages when driver negligence has been proven. Courts also allow for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and grief. These are more complex, subjective, and difficult to calculate. If you have more questions about what people in your situation have been able to settle for in the past, you may be ready to speak with an Atlanta failure to yield accident lawyer.
Bader Scott Injury Lawyers may be able to accept your case and represent you in court. Since we work on a contingency basis, we only charge our clients if we win their case. Call us at (404) 888-8888 today to get started.
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