Macon Car Accident Lawyer

Macon Car Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one needs assistance with a car accident, call our Macon accident attorneys at 478-845-6464 day or night, even on weekends. Have you been involved in a car accident? If you have, the Merritt & Merritt Law Firm is here to help. A Macon car accident lawyer can assist you with your claims from obtaining medical treatment to getting your car repaired without a hassle from the insurance company.

After any accident you should go immediately to the emergency room for treatment. We strongly recommend going to the ER no later than 3-5 days after the accident. We have had clients to feel fine until a month later; therefore, it is important to monitor your health.

If you or a loved one needs assistance, call us at 478-845-6464 day or night, even on weekends.

Proving Fault for Your Car Accident in Macon

In Georgia, the at-fault party, which is the person who caused the accident, is responsible for damages caused by their negligence. Some states, including Florida, are what we call a no-fault state. Put another way, in Florida each driver, regardless of fault, bears their own medical expenses and property damage cost. However, Georgia law states that if you cause the accident, you must pay for the other person’s damages: medical bills, car repair costs, pain and suffering, mental anguish, etc.

Our experienced Macon Injury and Accident Attorneys have litigated fatal accidents to major whiplash cases. For over 40 years we have gotten our clients favorable results with millions recovered from big insurance companies. When you choose Merritt & Merritt Law Firm as your legal counsel, trust our team to help determine the optimal path for your recovery and to assist you in securing compensation in the most efficient possible manner.

Various Accidents:

• Bicycle Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Police Car Accidents

Types of injuries:

• Brain and back injuries
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Facial injuries
• Internal injuries
• Psychological injuries

It is possible for any vehicle accident in Macon to result in several severe injuries to those involved. A victim may not only require immediate emergency care but also extensive long-term rehabilitative treatment if they sustained a catastrophic injury. The victim’s economic damages will quickly compound, so it is vital for them to know their options for recovering their damages and to seek legal counsel they can trust as quickly as possible after their accident.

Car Versus Truck Accidents in Georgia: Why Injuries Are So Catastrophic

Think about the relative size and weight difference between cars and trucks. Then you’ll realize why accidents between these two types of vehicles can be among the most catastrophic on Georgia roads. Generally, a large tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler, including cargo, weighs about 80,000 pounds. If a truck is pulling a second trailer the weight will be significantly more. Compare this with the average weight of a car at 4,000 pounds. It’s easy to see why most serious injuries and deaths in large truck accidents are the occupants of the smaller, lighter passenger vehicles.

In Georgia, there are many strict regulations that must be followed by commercial truck drivers, but accidents still happen. Driver error, mechanical failure, dangerous weather conditions and other issues cause or contribute to car and truck accidents. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and other serious injuries can result.

If you’re driving a car, to avoid these types of accidents, be a predictable driver. Pass a truck quickly, pass on the left, avoid distracted driving, give a truck in front of you plenty of space, and stay out of a truck’s blind spot. If you believe another party is responsible for causing your recent vehicle accident in Macon, it is vital to work with an attorney who has proven experience handling accident claims similar to yours.

How Macon’s Traffic Patterns Create High-Impact Collisions

Macon’s layout and mix of traffic poses some specific safety threats for anyone on the road.

The city’s roadways span urban and rural areas, seeing a wide range of traffic over the course of any single day. Its network of highways connect commuters, commercial vehicle drivers and other travelers from multiple regions. This leads to a mixing bowl of hazards, including stop-and-start congestion, high-speed merging areas and complicated intersections that can result in high-impact collisions.

High-impact crashes are those that are likely to cause extensive vehicle damage, significant injuries and even death. In our Macon car accident lawyers’ experience, the tend involve certain common factors:

• High speeds: The faster vehicles are traveling, the more force involved in a crash.
• Multiple vehicles: Chain reactions in heavy traffic make secondary collisions common.
• Severe angles: T-bone and head-on crashes pose higher risks to drivers and passengers.

These accidents are much more than your typical fender benders. It is crucial to be able to understand how they happen in order to establish who is to blame.

Traffic patterns can play a huge role in causing high-impact collisions. Macon and other commuter cities see morning and evening rush hours that create intense surges in traffic volume. Roadways designed to handle moderate volumes are routinely stretched beyond capacity during busy morning and evening stretches.

The result is congestion, with vehicles frequently braking, accelerating, merging and changing lanes. Stop-and-go conditions put drivers in close quarters, and even slight distractions or delays in reaction time can result in collisions. Snarled traffic is a recipe for disaster when commuters are in a hurry to get to work or return home from work. Impatient drivers may take risks, like weaving through traffic, cutting off other vehicles and speeding to beat lights, that increase the chances of crashes.

Merging and Weaving

Some of the most heavily traveled roads in Macon are the highways that feed in and out of the city, including I-75 and I-16. They frequently feature on- and off-ramps that are spaced close together, giving drivers smaller windows to make decisions. Drivers entering the highways often must merge into fast-moving traffic. Those looking to get off of highways may be forced to move across multiple lanes in order to do so.

This constant merging and weaving interrupts traffic flow, creating congestion. It also creates conflict points where collisions are more likely to occur.

Intersection Design and Signal Timing

About 22% of all fatal traffic accidents statewide happen in or near intersections, according to data compiled by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. These crashes occur for a number of reasons, but poor intersection design and signal timing flaws are often factors.

Some of the most common intersection design flaws limit drivers’ visibility. Construction, buildings, signs and trees that get in the way make it harder for drivers to spot other vehicles, traffic lights, stop signs and other important information. Poorly lit intersections put everyone at risk.

Sometimes the problem is not that drivers cannot see road signs, it is that the road signs do not exist at all. Large, multi-lane intersections force drivers to make quick decisions about lane choice, often without enough advance signage. Drivers may hesitate, change lanes at the last minute or run lights, all behaviors that increase the likelihood of collisions.

Then there is signal timing. Short green lights force drivers to hustle through yellow lights or even blow through red lights. Inconsistent timing between adjacent lights create waves of stop-and-go traffic. Even small delays can contribute to congestion in high-volume arteries, especially during rush hours.

Recovering From Your Car Accident in Macon

The state upholds the fault rule for resolving vehicle accidents, meaning the driver at fault is liable for the resulting damages. Every driver is required to have auto insurance for this reason, and their insurance coverage goes toward paying for any damages they cause in an accident. When another driver is clearly responsible for your recent accident, filing a claim against their insurance policy is generally your first option for recovering your damages.

Your Macon car accident lawyer can make filing your auto insurance claim much easier. They will assist you in gathering the evidence you will need to send to the insurance carrier, resolve any disputes raised against your claim, and ensure that the settlement offer you receive is fair and reasonable under the terms of the at-fault driver’s policy. Once you secure as much as you can through insurance, a personal injury suit may enable you to recover any remaining losses.

Success with your personal injury suit in Macon requires proving exactly how your damages occurred and identifying the party responsible for causing those damages. Under the state’s personal injury laws, the plaintiff has the right to claim full repayment of any financial losses they suffered because of the defendant’s actions. These are likely to include vehicle repair or replacement costs, medical bills, and lost income.

It is important for the plaintiff to remember that they can not only claim compensation for their immediate financial losses resulting from a car accident but also their projected future losses. For example, if you are unable to work because of a permanent disability you developed from your injury, the defendant could be held liable for the future income you are no longer able to earn.

In addition to these economic damages, a plaintiff also has the right to claim pain and suffering compensation, and Georgia law does not limit the amount they can seek in a motor vehicle accident claim. If a defendant broke the law in causing the accident, the plaintiff could also receive punitive damages in addition to the economic and non-economic damages recovered from their claim.

The team at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has successfully handled many cases for clients in Macon, and we are prepared to put our experience to work in your impending case. Our goal is to help you feel more confident about your legal situation, maximize your recovery in the shortest timeframe possible, and address any unexpected challenges that arise with your case as efficiently as we can.

If you need further assistance, please contact us at 478-845-6464 or wecare@merrittandmerritt.com.

For more Macon-Bibb County Car Accident Statistics view link:
http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/fullpanel/uploads/files/bibb.pdf

Emergency Contact Information:

Macon-Bibb County Police Department
911 1st Street
Macon, GA
Ph: (478) 751-7500

Bibb County Sheriff’s Department
668 Oglethorpe Street
Macon, GA
Ph: (478) 746-9441

General Macon Information:

33 things to do in Macon

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g60920-Macon_Georgia-Vacations.html

FAQs

Q: How Do I Prove Fault for a Car Accident in Macon?

A: You can prove fault for a car accident in Macon by levering various forms of evidence and witness testimony. Statements from witnesses who saw the accident happen and even from others involved in the crash could be invaluable to your recovery efforts. Physical evidence can include photos of the accident scene, the damage to your vehicle, and your injuries, and digital evidence you may need may include drivers’ cell phone records and traffic camera recordings.

Q: What Happens if More Than One Party Is at Fault for an Accident in Macon?

A: If more than one party is at fault for an accident in Macon, fault will be divided among all liable parties with percentages that reflect each party’s degree of liability. When a plaintiff in any personal injury case is found partially liable, their fault percentage is taken from their case award as a penalty as long as they are less than 50% at fault. If a plaintiff is 50% or more at fault, they cannot claim compensation from any other liable party.

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Car Accident in Macon?

A: The amount of compensation you could claim for a car accident in Macon depends on the scope and severity of the damages you suffered in the accident. The at-fault driver is liable for any damages they caused that their insurance won’t cover. The total case award you obtain may include compensation for your property damage, medical bills, lost income, and your pain and suffering.

Q: Why Should I Hire a Macon Car Accident Lawyer?

A: You should hire a Macon car accident lawyer because you are substantially more likely to not only succeed with your case but also maximize your recovery with their assistance. The right attorney can be an invaluable asset no matter what your recovery efforts may entail. Trust your Macon car accident lawyer to guide you through the auto insurance claim filing process and help build a comprehensive personal injury suit that aims for maximum recovery.

Q: What Will It Cost to Hire a Macon Car Accident Lawyer?

A: The cost to hire a Macon car accident lawyer may only be a percentage of your case award. Merritt & Merritt Law Firm uses a contingency fee billing policy, meaning our client only pays a percentage of their case award as our fee, and only if and when we win their case. There is no fee at all if we are unable to secure compensation for our client, so there is no financial risk to choosing our firm as your legal counsel.

If you have further questions or need to discuss a potential claim, contact us at 478-845-6464 or via our free case review form.