If you were in an accident because another driver was speeding, you might be entitled to compensation for the suffering you endured. The Alpharetta car accident lawyers of Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. have over 30 years of experience advocating for injured clients and fighting for the money they’re owed for their injuries. You have the right to hold the other driver liable for their careless actions, and we’re ready to help you.

Car accidents resulted in 1,491 deaths in Georgia in 2019. Speeding is a common factor in vehicle-related fatalities and injuries throughout the country. When someone drives at excessive speeds, they have limited control over their car and require significantly more stopping distance than a car traveling at the posted rate of speed. They’re unable to veer away from an obstacle in the road or brake in time to avoid colliding with the vehicle ahead.

Speeding accidents often lead to debilitating injuries, requiring extensive medical treatment. These injuries cause financial strain and undue stress as you’re trying to recover. You shouldn’t be forced to face the financial consequences of another person’s misconduct. Call the Alpharetta speeding accident lawyers of Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. at 678-213-2401 right now for your free consultation to discuss your case.

Factors Related to Speeding That Increase the Risk of an Accident

Drivers have trouble controlling their vehicles when they’re speeding. If there’s an accident, the impact between two cars is much greater than when both cars are traveling at or under the posted speed limit. Common factors increasing the risk of a car crash occurring are:

A driver merging in front of a speeding car
Incidents of road rage cause motorists to direct their attention to the speeding driver instead of the road ahead
Greater stopping distance is required to come to a complete stop
Shortened time available for a person to react to dangerous conditions
Increased chance of the speeding motorist losing control from sudden maneuvering.

Driving too fast can prevent someone from making the right split-second decision if there’s an emergency, stopped traffic ahead, or hazards in the road. It also leads to a shorter reaction time, limiting the ability to avoid crashing into another vehicle.

The momentum of another car colliding with yours at a high rate of speed can jolt your body back and forth, causing whiplash or a concussion. Subsequent injuries can occur if multiple vehicles pile up or if you’re ejected from your car because you’re not wearing your seatbelt.

The most common injuries associated with speeding car accidents are:

Crush injuries
Traumatic brain injury
Head or neck injuries
Spinal cord damage
Back injuries
Loss of limb
Paralysis
Whiplash
Broken bones
Internal bleeding or organ damage

Severe injuries from a car crash can lead to permanent disability. The medical bills you end up with could put you into debt. You might need ongoing treatment to manage chronic pain or daily assistance performing routine tasks. If you can’t afford medical care, your injury could progress and cause permanent issues you’re forced to deal with for the rest of your life. Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. is ready to take on your case and pursue the maximum compensation you need to cover your expenses.

Georgia Car Accident Laws

Georgia uses a fault system when it comes to car insurance and the financial responsibility of a car accident. That means the person at fault for an accident becomes liable for a person’s injuries, medical bills, and other losses.

Liability Insurance – All drivers must purchase auto insurance with minimum liability limits. There should be at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage and $25,000 in property damage coverage. These limits can cover the cost of repairing or replacing a damaged vehicle, medical treatment, prescription costs, and other expenses the injured party incurs.

Bodily Injury – Auto insurance policies typically have coverage for bodily injury. The losses you can pursue in an insurance claim or lawsuit include:

Medical bills
Lost wages
Lost earning capacity
Out of pocket expenses
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of companionship or consortium

Property damage – The policy limits could pay for any necessary repairs to your car or the cost to replace your vehicle, as well as covering the loss of any other property damaged in the accident.

Modified comparative negligence – Georgia follows the modified comparative negligence statute when determining the financial award amount after a car crash. If a jury determines your actions contributed to the accident, they could reduce your compensation by the percentage of assigned fault. Additionally, if you’re at least 50% to blame for your injuries, you would be prohibited from pursuing any amount of compensation for your losses.

Statute of limitations – A statute of limitations is a timeframe for filing a lawsuit in the civil court system. There is a two-year statute of limitations in Georgia for injury cases. That means you have two years from the accident date to sue, or you’ll lose your right to recover monetary compensation through the courts.

What You Should Do if a Speeding Driver Causes an Accident

You probably suffered multiple losses due to your injury. You should take the necessary steps to protect your rights and prepare for filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

Your work begins at the accident scene, although you might not be in physical condition to get up and walk around. If you can’t exchange auto insurance information with the other motorist or speak to witnesses, let Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. take on those tasks for you.

The two steps you should take first after a car crash are hiring an experienced Alpharetta speeding accident lawyer and seeking medical treatment. While we’re working on the legal aspects of your case, it’s vital that you attend regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments to heal your injuries. Insurance companies often use gaps in treatment as valid reasons for denying claims or offering a lowball settlement. You need consistent treatment to prove the accident caused your injuries, and medical care is necessary to recover.

The steps you take are just as important as the actions you don’t take. Insurance companies often place their interests over those of injured claimants. They want to pay out as little money as possible or deny the claim entirely if they can. What you do and say could negatively affect the outcome of your case, so you must avoid the following:

Don’t provide a recorded statement. The insurance company could use what you say against you to justify denying your claim.
Don’t speak to the insurance company about the accident. You might believe it’s an innocent conversation about the facts of your case, but you could inadvertently provide information that reduces the total compensation you’re entitled to receive. For example, if you admit to texting while driving, they could use the modified comparative negligence statute to diminish your monetary award during a lawsuit. Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. will communicate with them from start to finish of the legal process.
Don’t sign any forms the at-fault driver’s insurance company sends you. If you’re unfamiliar with these documents, you might not realize you’re signing away your rights to the maximum available settlement. We will review everything and assist you in completing them.

What Should I Do if I Lost a Loved One in a Car Accident?

If a driver’s reckless speeding causes the death of your family member, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit. The legal definition of wrongful death in Georgia is the reckless, intentional, criminal, or negligent action of one party leading to another’s death.

The individuals are allowed to pursue a wrongful death case in the following order:

Surviving spouse
Surviving spouse and minor child
Surviving parents
A personal representative of the deceased’s estate

If the personal representative files suit, they must seek losses to compensate the next of kin.

The financial award you can pursue is meant to cover any expenses associated with the fatal injury and losses you suffered due to your loved one’s death, such as:

Funeral and burial costs
Lost wages and benefits, including anything the deceased would have earned if they survived
Medical bills related to the fatal injury
Pain and suffering the deceased experienced before dying
Loss of companionship, care, and intangible benefits provided by the deceased

The statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits is two years. The two-year time limit would begin on the date your relative died.

Contact Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. Today

The Alpharetta speeding accident lawyers of Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. understand the trauma caused by car crashes. It can upend your whole life, affect your family, and lead to physical and emotional pain. Another person is responsible for your injuries and should be held liable. When you hire us, we will put our experience to work and seek the maximum compensation you need and deserve.

We provide personalized attention from the moment clients walk into our offices. We will not leave your side until we reach a favorable outcome in your case. You can depend on us to provide advice, guidance, and support from start to finish of the legal process. Whether we’re filing an insurance claim or litigating your case in court, our legal team will be there to answer your questions, address your concerns, and prepare you for the challenging road ahead.

If you sustained injuries in an accident due to another driver’s negligent actions, call Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. at 678-213-2401 immediately. One of our Alpharetta speeding accident lawyers will meet with you for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.