Were you recently injured in a car accident in Alpharetta, GA? Our experienced Alpharetta car accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group are ready to help fight for your legal rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (800) 364-4444 to speak with an attorney for a 100% free consultation.
You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and more. Contact our Alpharetta, GA law offices to discuss the legal options that might be available to you following your car accident. The next steps are very important. Let Shiner Law Group help you with your car accident case today.
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Were You Involved in a Car Accident in Alpharetta, Georgia?
Alpharetta, GA, is a beautiful community, partially thanks to the Big Creek Greenway that goes through the area, but it is also one that can be dangerous when driving on its roadways.
Individuals who are involved with accidents on those streets generally experience a lot of stress. In fact, in many cases, those are life-altering moments, physically and mentally. For those reasons, you want to make sure that you consult the services of a knowledgeable Alpharetta car accident lawyer to ensure that you are compensated fairly for any acts of negligence, recklessness or carelessness that may have caused it.
Effects of a Car Accident in Alpharetta
Those who have never been in a car accident often minimize the effects of one, not fully realizing just how much one could change their lives.
Physical injuries are possible, and, in many cases, they may not be immediately apparent.
Some of the latter type include internal bleeding, whiplash, back injuries, concussions and injuries related to muscles, ligaments and tendons. Post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias and anxiety can result from being involved in a car accident as well and are also often not immediately noticeable.
A partial list of possible injuries that may occur that are usually much more apparent at the time of the accident include burns, broken bones, spinal cord injuries and cuts and lacerations.
Also, financial issues, such as damage to a car and the treating of one or more hurt individuals, can result in extensive expenses that need to be taken care of in order to avoid needing to declare bankruptcy or something similar happening.
What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Alpharetta?
Should you be involved in an accident, it is important to do a number of things to increase the chances of you being fully compensated for what happened:
- See if yourself or anyone else is injured. If necessary, call 911, and wait until the police arrive. Also keep the police department’s non-emergency number in mind; it is (800) 364-4444.
- Take pictures of any injuries or property damage as well as surrounding areas and conditions.
- Note relevant names, license plate numbers and insurance company information.
- Reach out to an experienced Alpharetta car accident attorney.
- Contact your own insurance company to report the accident and receive reimbursement, if applicable. Speak with your attorney before talking with any insurance companies.
Where Do Car Accidents in Alpharetta, GA Occur?
The number of fatal car accidents in Alpharetta numbered one in 2019, five in 2018 and four in 2017. A total of 17 vehicles were involved, and 10 of the 28 involved people died. Of course, the numbers of non-fatal accidents that still involved serious injuries and damage to property are much larger than those.
One of the best ways to avoid being involved in an accident is to take note of some of Alpharetta’s most dangerous intersections:
- Brookside Parkway and Georgia State Road 120
- Georgia State Road 9 and Windward Parkway
- Georgia State Road 120 and Morris Road
- Georgia State Road 120 and North Point Parkway
- Georgia State Road 120 and Georgia State Road 400
- Georgia State Road 400 and Haynes Bridge Road
- Georgia State Road 400 and Mansell Road
- Georgia State Road 400 and Windward Parkway
- Haynes Bridge Road and North Point Parkway
Be especially observant in these areas, and avoid them if doing so is possible. In particular, be careful when traversing Georgia State Roads 120 and 400.
Also take note of real-time traffic maps.
With that said, it is good that the city of Alpharetta has been working on putting changes into place that are designed to slow speeding traffic there. This was partially in response to a traffic study that found that 85% of those driving on its streets sped more than 10 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit.
Types of Car Accidents in Alpharetta
There are numerous types of accidents that occur in Alpharetta. Here are a few examples:
- Rear-end accidents, which are amongst the most common ones, occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the back of another. In some cases, this creates a domino type of effect with numerous cars being involved in this type of accident in one place. Not paying close attention to the act of driving, not adjusting to changing road conditions and not keeping enough distance between cars are common causes.
- T-bone collisions, which can cause a tremendous amount of damage due to the relative lack of protection from the force of impact, occur when a vehicle impacts another from the side. A common place for this type of accident is an intersection, while one or both cars are being turned or when both drivers are going straight but believing that the intersection is theirs to enter when that is only the case for one of them.
- Head-on crashes tend to be the most damaging as the amount of impact increases significantly relative to the speed of the two cars. In other words, the damage that is expected to result from a pair of vehicles both going 40 mph that are then involved in a head-on collision will be much more significant than if one car was being driven 40 mph into a stationary object.
Also keep in mind hit-and-run accidents, which result when one or more individuals who are directly involved with the accident depart from where it occurred without making themselves available to provide information about themselves, their vehicles or their car insurance or to offer any assistance to others who may need it. These cases, by their nature, are more complicated, particularly if the person’s license plate number was not seen or noted before they departed.
Causes of Car Accidents in Alpharetta
Causes of car accidents in Alpharetta occur for a number of different reasons.
One of those is one or more drivers being distracted. This can occur as the result of eating or drinking, shaving, putting on makeup, texting, fiddling with the radio, trying to look at a map to determine if the best route is being taken, looking towards the back seat while talking to someone there or even rubbernecking while passing an accident that had occurred earlier.
Driving recklessly is another one. As noted above, speeding, one example, is a common occurrence in Alpharetta. Others include changing lanes suddenly and without warning, crossing a double yellow line while passing another vehicle, going through a red light and tailgating.
Sadly, driving while impaired is also common as some individuals on our roadways have consumed alcohol or drugs prior to getting behind the wheel. Keep in mind that the legal blood alcohol level in Georgia is 0.08% for those 21 years of age and older and 0.02% for license holders younger than that. However, it is best to not consume any of these substances before getting into the driver’s seat.
Driving while drowsy or, as often results from drowsiness, asleep causes numerous accidents in Alpharetta as well. This is a factor that is often discounted but should not be. Consider that those who have been awake for 20 hours are generally impaired similar to someone with a 0.08% blood alcohol level.
Medical conditions can also cause accidents. For example, someone with epilepsy might have a seizure while driving. For that reason, these individuals must have been seizure-free for at least six months before being allowed to receive a driver’s license in Georgia.
Of course, poor weather or road conditions can cause accidents that are not the fault of drivers. However, in the case of poor road conditions, the city of Alpharetta or another entity responsible for the upkeep of them could be. It depends on the specifics of the accident, conditions and location.
Having defective auto parts in one of the vehicles involved in a crash is another possible cause. In that case, the manufacturer or possibly a repair shop that was involved with the parts may be at fault.
Who is Responsible For an Alpharetta Car Accident?
It is not always clear who is negligent during a car accident or even if anybody is as, in some cases, nobody was actually at fault. Conversely, sometimes, all parties involved with it are at fault. This not always being a simple element is one of the most important reasons why it is so important to consult the services of an Alpharetta car accident lawyer as soon as possible following an accident.
For example, at the time of the accident, you might not have known that the other driver was eating or distracted while driving. Or perhaps they were 20 years old, had drunk just enough to get over a 0.02% blood alcohol level and appear completely sober. Or you may not have realized that the airbag in your car was defective and that its manufacturer is at fault for your injuries being much more severe than they otherwise would have been.
Any party that has been deemed to be negligent will need to provide compensation for expenses such as medical bills related to physical injuries, treatment for and effects of emotional distress and mental health issues that have resulted and any lost wages.
Statute of Limitations For Car Accidents in Georgia
Keep in mind Georgia’s statute of limitations. According to Georgia Code Section 9-3-33, the statute of limitations as it relates to most personal injury lawsuits, such as is generally the case with car accidents, is two years. This time period generally starts at the time of the accident although that clock can start later if you discover an accident-related injury at a later time. In that case, the two years would commence then.
How an Alpharetta Car Accident Lawyer Near Me Can Help Today
It is essential for you to have legal representation from an Alpharetta car accident attorney who understands the various elements that are important in a case such as this.
One of the benefits of doing so is having a lawyer who understands the laws that are local to Alpharetta and Georgia and how those relate to the crash that you had been involved with.
We also know how insurance companies go about, in many cases, compensating you as little as possible and can counteract those strategies and ensure that you are compensated fairly.
Extensive investigation into the accident and who might be at fault and to what degree is an important element of the services that we provide for each of our clients. This generally includes gathering evidence.
Legal guidance and advice and regular updates on your case will also be provided. In addition, we will represent you in court if that proves to be necessary.
Make sure to reach out to Shiner Law Group for a free case evaluation as soon as possible following your accident, and we will discuss what we can do for you.