
Voted Best Personal Injury Law Firm By Georgia Lawyers
Macon Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
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TESTIMONIALS
I called Matt after several people recommended him. He was very kind and did a very good job on my son’s case. We are very thankful for the work he did. Most importantly, he was never hard to reach and answered every question we had while going through the process. Matt is the only attorney I will ever call in the future.
- Emily
My husband is a cyclist that did not fair well against an SUV recently. Matt and his team took phenomenal care of us, allowing us not to stress out (too much) about the little things. Matt and his team handled everything with professionalism. We know we made the right call.
- Jane
So glad I hired this firm after my rearend car accident. Matt embodies the skill set and values I was looking for. He treats every case like a mini war, and was a zealous advocate on my behalf. And he did so in the most competent and skillful manner. He listened, was empathetic and understood my legal and nonlegal problems.
- Jared
My 85-year old mom was in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured motorist. His love, thoroughness and commitment to her case helped us through this accident and her cancer treatment. She underwent successful lobectomy and chemotherapy and is doing exceptionally well. We are immensely grateful.
- Lindy
It was important to me to get the maximum money I could for my broken neck and arm. After getting jerked around for months by State Farm, I interviewed several firms and chose Mr. Wetherington. I’m glad I did. He forced the insurance company to pay twenty times their last offer to me.
- Veronica
It is an honor to share my experience with Mr. Wetherington. He was able to get answers about what happened in my son’s wreck that other attorney’s were not able to do. I am so thankful for the work that he did and he was very thorough in his explanation of why the vehicle had a “defect.”
- Anonymous
My case did not settle. The person that hit me only had minimal policy limits. Fortunately, I had my own insurance, which should have provided more money. My insurance company, Allstate, treated me like garbage. We had to sue them and go all the way to trial, which we won.
- Jane Doe
Matt Wetherington is the attorney who is suing the booting companies. We need to do everything we can as a community to help him succeed. God bless you, Mr. Wetherington!
- Michael
The best! Great people and always friendly.
- Jamal
Service Location
Georgia has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, Georgia ranked #4 in pedestrian deaths in the nation for 2021, behind only California, Texas, and Florida. In all, 348 pedestrians died in Georgia. Thousands more people get injured each year in collisions with motor vehicles. Even worse, these statistics show no signs of improvement. Indeed, fatalities for 2021 were much higher than the numbers for previous years.
At the Wetherington Law Firm, P.C., we have assisted many injured pedestrians bring claims for compensation when they are hurt in accidents. You have a challenging road ahead of you. Contact us so we can bring a legal claim the correct way.
Why Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Macon
Pedestrian accidents are largely avoidable if everyone acts carefully. Nonetheless, we see pedestrian accidents stemming from:
- Negligent Drivers: A motorist is distracted by a phone or food and doesn’t see a pedestrian step into a crosswalk. Others make a right-on-red turn but fail to scan to see that the way is clear.
- Reckless Drivers: Alarmingly, far too many motorists speed through intersections before the light turns red, or they pass too closely to pedestrians.
- Poor Visibility: Fog, rain, and even darkness make it harder to see pedestrians.
- Negligent Pedestrians: Some pedestrians cause collisions because they try to rush across the crosswalk when signs tell them to stop.
Many pedestrians are unsure what happened. One moment they stepped into the crosswalk and the next they found themselves in pain and on their back. Our lawyers are adept at piecing together how an accident unfolded and identifying the fault for the collision.
How Can You Recover Compensation For Your Injuries?
If a negligent driver injured you, we can make a claim for compensation on the driver’s liability coverage. Generally, we seek compensation for:
- Medical treatment
- Future medical treatment
- Past and future lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
Estimating the value of a claim requires experience and legal knowledge. Our Macon pedestrian accident lawyers can review your injuries, including any pay stubs or medical bills. These documents help establish economic losses.
Non-economic losses like pain and suffering are different. Being pain-free is, admittedly, worth any amount of money. But an insurer is only likely to offer so much based on the severity of your injuries. This is one area where a skilled attorney makes a big difference. We will collect evidence of your pain, emotional distress, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. We can then present a powerful case to an insurance adjuster that you deserve the maximum compensation allowed under the circumstances.
An Overview of Georgia’s Pedestrian Laws
The Georgia Code has multiple laws spelling out the duties of both motorists and pedestrians:
- Section 40-6-90: Pedestrians must obey all traffic control devices that apply to them, such as “Do Not Walk” signs.
- Section 40-6-91: Drivers must stop and let pedestrians cross within the crosswalk, and vehicles cannot overtake a stopped vehicle. Pedestrians also can’t suddenly run in front of a vehicle, even if they are in the crosswalk.
- Section 40-6-92: When pedestrians don’t use a crosswalk to cross, they must yield the right of way to vehicles on the road unless the pedestrian has already safely entered the road.
- Section 40-6-93: Motorists must use due care to avoid a collision with a pedestrian. This might include sounding their horn and being especially careful around children and the impaired.
These laws protect the orderly flow of traffic and pedestrians. Sadly, countless motorists ignore their duty to be careful.
Comparative Fault & Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian crashes are not always black and white. Sometimes, a pedestrian is also negligent or reckless. For example, a motorist might have been speeding down the road. But a pedestrian lunged into the road jaywalking.
Georgia recognizes comparative fault. An injured pedestrian can only sue if they are less than 50% responsible for the crash. If they go over that amount, a defendant can ask a judge to dismiss the case.
Even if you are less than 50% to blame, your compensation is reduced proportionally by your degree of fault. Here is an easy example: if your case is worth $50,000 but you are 20% at fault, you will receive $40,000 at most.
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations for Pedestrian Accidents
Georgia’s statute of limitations lays out the maximum amount of time you have to bring a lawsuit for a personal injury. Under Georgia Code § 9-3-33, you have at most two years. The clock typically starts to run on the day you got struck and injured.
If you miss this deadline, then the defendant can ask the judge to dismiss your case. You won’t be able to receive compensation from this defendant.
Speak with a Macon Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
Our experienced injury attorneys at Wetherington Law Firm are ready to help any injured pedestrian. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss what happened. From our Macon office, we proudly represent victims of pedestrian accidents in Macon, Rutland, Bolingbroke, Griswoldville, Dry Branch, East Macon, Lizella, Byron, Elberta, Gray, and the surrounding areas.