Drivers in Georgia owe a duty to others on the road to operate their vehicle in a safe and cautious manner. This duty extends to the necessary act of changing lanes. Cars can get into accidents while:
- Changing lanes on the freeway
- Darting across lanes on a boulevard
- Cutting into a left-turn lane
- Pulling in front of traffic on a highway toll plaza
- Crossing a solid white line or HOV barrier
- Not leaving enough space for nearby drivers
- Needlessly slamming on the brakes after making a lane change
Whether or not you are surprised, the above behavior occurs all the time on Georgia roads, and sometimes defensive driving is not enough.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a roadway collision after another driver made an unsafe lane change, you may want to work with an Atlanta unsafe lane changes accident lawyer to pursue financial compensation on your behalf.
Call Bader Scott Injury Lawyers today for a no-obligation consultation at (404) 888-8888. We will not charge you money unless we win your case, and you receive compensation for your damages.
Types of Damages Courts Pay Victims
At the expense of the party who negligently caused your auto accident, courts will award you for your losses directly stemming from the collision. Judges instruct juries to adjust damage amounts based on information such as:
- Amount of medical and healthcare costs incurred
- Damage to your vehicle
- Doctor-mandated therapy and prescriptions
- Missed wages or historical earnings
- Documentable pain and suffering
These are areas where courts typically try to restore victims financially to their previous state before the injury. Court awards are based on what a jury in your area would likely grant, and insurance defense attorneys are well-aware of court history in your local area. This case history determines what settlement offers you will likely see from the insurance company. An attorney is typically retained by victims to assess the reasonability of the insurance company’s final offer.
Often, legal teams will choose to file a lawsuit but wait for the victim(s) to recover to a stable medical baseline to best estimate the total costs of the injuries. Settling too early can be a mistake if future therapy expenses are not accurately predicted and accounted for. To mitigate this risk, you may want to partner with an Atlanta unsafe lane changes accident lawyer.
For a free legal consultation with a unsafe lane changes lawyer serving Atlanta, call (404) 888-8888
Laws That Protect Victims of an Unsafe Lane Change
The Official Code of Georgia Ann. (O.C.G.A.) § 40-6-123(b) holds that a turn signal must be used to notify nearby drivers of an impending lane change. If a driver violated this law immediately before your collision, you may have a viable legal strategy for financial compensation. Dashboard-camera footage can be extremely helpful in making this an open-and-shut case if you have fully identified the driver.
If you sustained injuries in such a collision, it still may be difficult to prove that your injuries originated directly from the crash. If you have anything similar in your medical history, the defense could seize on that information to obfuscate your case. Hiring a lawyer can make it easier to focus on healing while also ensuring that the police report and your medical records are in order and shine a comprehensive and truthful light on the relevant facts of your case.
Under O.C.G.A § 40-6-180, the law requires drivers to manage their vehicles in prudent ways on the road. If a Georgia driver who hit you was negligent, then you could have legal grounds for financial recovery. Drivers may seek damages in situations where a driver negligently:
- Did not look in mirrors
- Failed to check blind spots
- Slipped on rain going too fast
- Slid on ice at an unsafe speed
- Tried to pass unsafely in an oncoming lane
Unsafe lane change cases can devolve into one person’s word against another. Many victims hit by a driver making an unsafe lane change struggle to prove that it was the at-fault driver who made the unsafe lane change, not them.
For a free case review, call Bader Scott Injury Lawyers at (404) 888-8888 today.
Atlanta Unsafe Lane Changes Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
Advantages of an Attorney in Unsafe Lane Change Accident Cases
Instances like this result in many people working with an Atlanta unsafe lane changes accident lawyer. Your legal team will be able to
- Prudently work with insurance agents (who do not act in your interest)
- Manage evidence procurement from the field
- Find and work with any witnesses
- Study case law to determine the best legal strategy
- Argue your case for you before a jury if needed
Urgent Issues After an Unsafe Lane Change Accident
The most urgent need after a Georgia auto collision is to call 911. If you are still able to drive your car, the police may ask you to file a minor accident report online, where you can indicate that you may be injured. Be sure to record the name of the phone operator in a journal you keep of your related experiences.
It is crucial to eventually file a report with the police so that you have a record of the collision. You may not know that you were injured after an unsafe lane change accident, and a licensed medical professional is the minimum standard you should accept for diagnosing any problems that might be hiding after a roadway crash.
Filing a claim with the insurance company is another urgent issue after a car crash. Making sure the police report and medical records are factual and support your case is also important. It could be important to clarify details about previous conditions so as to differentiate them from the injury you sustained in your accident.
There are several other time-sensitive issues with any car accident settlement, including one originating from an unsafe lane change, which an Atlanta unsafe lane changes accident lawyer will be able to explain in full.
Prudent Next Steps
If you have more questions about an unsafe lane change made in Georgia or the Atlanta area, the team at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers wants to hear from you. Call our office for a no-obligation, free consultation. We will listen to you explain the facts of your situation. Then we can make an early determination as to how you can proceed, and whether we will be able to take on your case. Call us today at (404) 888-8888.
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