Unfortunately, the City of Atlanta has a bad reputation for traffic intersection accidents. This is due, in part, to poor signage in the area, as well as negligent, careless, and distracted drivers.
Many intersection accidents happen when drivers become distracted while behind the wheel or fail to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle at a traffic intersection. For example, the driver might run a red light, stop sign, or yield sign – to attempt to get through the intersection quickly – and negligently strike another vehicle.
If you recently suffered injuries in an intersection traffic accident, you should speak with experienced legal counsel as soon as possible about your accident, as well as your legal options for recovering monetary compensation.
Your car accident attorney can also help you file a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company, negotiate with the adjuster handling your claim, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit in court if the insurance company does not offer you appropriate compensation.
Finally, your lawyer can help you make informed decisions throughout your case, including whether to accept a pending settlement offer or litigate your case in the court system. Your lawyer will do everything possible to pursue the maximum monetary recovery you need for your intersection accident injuries.
What are the Most Dangerous Intersections in the Atlanta Area?
Due to poor signage and significant traffic volume, several intersections in the Atlanta region are dangerous.
Some of the most dangerous intersections include:
- Piedmont Avenue/Monroe Drive
- Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard/Wheeler Street
- Buford Highway/Lenox Road
- Memorial Drive/Hill Street
- Briarcliff Road/North Druid Hills Road
- Butner Road/Camp Creek Parkway
- State Road-139/Bolton Road
- Buford Highway/Lenox Road
- Roswell Road/Abernathy Road
- Moreland Avenue/Constitution Road
- Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard/Wheeler Street
- Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard/Wheeler Street
If you suffered injuries in an accident in one of these locations, seek legal representation right away to explore your options and help you pursue a personal injury claim or lawsuit with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Your attorney can retain an accident reconstruction to investigate your crash – especially if the other driver’s insurance company disputes liability or fault for your accident.
Your lawyer can then determine your eligibility to file a claim or lawsuit seeking monetary recovery for your accident-related losses, including property damage and personal injuries.
Common Causes of Intersection Accidents in Atlanta
Intersections in Atlanta usually occur because of negligent and reckless drivers. When drivers do not follow posted traffic laws, they may cause an accident, and others might suffer injuries and experience intense pain and suffering.
One common cause of intersection traffic accidents is failing to yield the right-of-way to other traffic. When a driver enters an intersection after failing to stop at a red traffic light, yield sign, or stop sign, the chances are good that a severe traffic accident will result.
Intersection accidents can also happen when people drive recklessly, such as by speeding.
Drivers who speed excessively can quickly lose control of their vehicles, preventing them from stopping in time to avoid serious accidents and injuries at a traffic intersection.
Intersection accidents also frequently happen when drivers become distracted while behind the wheel. A driver is distracted when they don't observe the road.
Some of the most common forms of distracted driving include:
- Roughhousing and engaging in horseplay with passengers in the vehicle
- Listening to loud music in the vehicle
- Changing radio stations or adjusting the volume control on the vehicle's stereo system
- Making a phone call on a cellular device that does not have Bluetooth capabilities
- Programming a GPS navigation device while driving
These activities can potentially turn a driver's eyes off the road and limit their concentration. Consequently, a distracted driver may not notice an approaching vehicle at an intersection or fail to see or appreciate a stop sign or traffic control device, negligently bringing about an accident.
Finally, far too many intersection accidents are the result of intoxicated driving. Some drivers fall under the influence of alcohol, while others are under the influence of drugs.
Most drivers of passenger vehicles with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher are legally intoxicated. Alcohol and other drugs can cause drivers to lose coordination and concentration. For example, a drunk driver may experience blurred vision, dizziness, limited focus, delayed reaction time, and slowed reflexes.
As a result, the driver may be unable to stop their vehicle at an intersection in time to avoid a crash. Alternatively, the driver might fail to see another car – or a traffic control device – due to their intoxication.
If an intoxicated driver proceeds through a traffic intersection at a red light or without stopping at a stop sign, they may cause an accident.
If you recently sustained injuries in an intersection traffic crash, a skilled auto accident attorney in your area can help.
Your lawyer can review all of your legal options after discussing the circumstances of your accident with you. Your attorney can also develop a plan of action for maximizing the total compensation you receive in your intersection accident case.
Who Is at Fault for a Traffic Intersection Accident?
In any traffic intersection accident case, the driver who fails to yield the right-of-way at the appropriate time is the at-fault driver.
However, to recover monetary damages, the accident victim must satisfy a legal burden of proof:
- First, the injured accident victim has to establish that the other driver owed them a duty of reasonable care. In the context of an intersection accident, a driver has a responsibility to follow all traffic laws, including signs and traffic control devices.
- Next, the injured accident victim has to show that the other driver failed to yield the right-of-way or otherwise violated a traffic law or regulation on the books. This breach of the duty of care must have been both the foreseeable and the actual cause of the intersection accident.
- Finally, the accident victim must show that they suffered at least one physical injury in their accident.
When satisfying the legal burden of proof in an intersection accident case, your lawyer can retain an accident reconstructionist to piece together how the accident occurred and determine who was at fault.
Similarly, your lawyer can retain a medical expert to prove the necessary causal connection between the intersection accident and your subsequent injuries. A medical expert can also establish, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, the permanence of your injuries.
Injuries in Traffic Intersection Crashes
Victims of traffic intersection accidents can suffer serious injuries, depending on exactly how the accident occurs, the accident victim's bodily movements, and the vehicles' speeds. In general, the more forceful an intersection accident, the more serious the injuries.
Some of the most common injuries that victims of intersection accidents suffer include:
- Open lacerations
- Soft tissue neck and back injuries
- Broken bones
- Rib fractures
- Bruises
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Full or partial paralysis injuries
- Fractured vertebrae
- Death
One of the best ways to ensure you recover the compensation you deserve is to follow through with your medical treatment regimen. Specifically, you should treat all of your injuries continuously, refrain from significant gaps in your medical treatment, and wait for a medical provider to formally discharge you from treatment rather than discharging yourself.
By following through on all recommended treatments, including doctor appointments and physical therapy sessions, you show the insurance company that your injuries are severe and that you deserve to recover appropriate compensation. You also significantly increase your chances of making a full recovery from your injuries.
During this time, your attorney can stay busy by gathering essential documents in your case, including your medical records and bills, and assembling a settlement demand package for you.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim after an Intersection Accident
Following a dangerous traffic intersection accident, a car accident attorney can file a personal injury claim on your behalf. In most situations, your lawyer will file this third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
As part of the claims-filing process, your attorney will submit a settlement demand letter that makes a formal demand for monetary compensation, along with various vital documents in your case, including:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Injury photographs
- Photographs of the intersection
- Property damage photographs
- Medical reports and bills
- Lost income documentation, if you are bringing a claim for lost earnings
Your attorney will then submit these documents to the insurance company and work to negotiate a fair settlement offer from the adjuster. If the adjuster does not offer you reasonable monetary damages, your lawyer can always threaten them with litigation and actually file a personal injury lawsuit if that step becomes necessary.
Will my Car Accident Case go all the Way to Court?
The majority of auto accident claims settle at some point along the way. However, if the insurance company does not offer you the total monetary damages you deserve, your lawyer may file a lawsuit on your behalf, and litigation will take place in the court system. Even while your case is pending in court, it can resolve at any time up until trial.
During the litigation stage of an auto accident case, the parties will exchange documents, answer written Interrogatories, and take one another's depositions. The parties may also attend a pre-trial or settlement conference with the court to resolve their case before trial.
If pending issues persist, the parties can take their case to a jury trial for a resolution. They may also decide to take their case to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) hearing, such as a mediation or binding arbitration. Your lawyer can help you determine how best to pursue the compensation you need to recover for your accident-related injuries.
Monetary Damages in Intersection Accident Cases
Victims of intersection accidents frequently suffer debilitating injuries, some of which are permanent. Accident victims who can establish the legal elements of their claim or lawsuit deserve to recover various types of monetary damages.
First, accident victims can receive compensation for their economic or tangible losses. Those damages include compensation for lost earnings, loss of earning capacity, and related medical expenses.
If a medical provider determines that the accident victim may need to undergo medical treatment in the future, the accident victim can recover those anticipated costs as part of their case.
Additionally, intersection accident victims can recover monetary damages for their intangible losses, including their inability to use a body part, loss of life enjoyment, pain and suffering, inconvenience, loss of spousal companionship, and permanent disfigurement or disability.
Your attorney can help you determine which damages you can recover in your case and can help you reach a ballpark figure for a possible settlement amount or jury verdict.
You should never take an insurance company’s word regarding how much your claim is worth. They will certainly undervalue your losses, especially your intangible and future losses. The right attorney will know how much you deserve based on your losses and how similar cases resolved.
Call an Experienced Intersection Accident Attorney Today
Accident victims have a minimal amount of time to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit following an intersection accident. Specifically, accident victims must file their lawsuits within two years of their accident date. Otherwise, they may inadvertently waive their right to the monetary damages they need.
Given that some injuries sustained in car accidents can have lifelong effects, the stakes are high.
A knowledgeable personal injury attorney in Atlanta can help you take prompt legal action in your case and file a timely lawsuit in the court system well within the statutory deadline.
Your lawyer can then advocate for you during settlement negotiations and litigation proceedings in pursuit of the maximum monetary compensation you deserve for your injuries.