Helping Clients Injured in Read-End Crashes in the Atlanta Area
Many of us know the feeling of sitting in traffic and, suddenly, someone crashes into the back of your car. In some cases, you can get out and exchange information, get the car fixed, and move on with your life with a minor inconvenience. In other situations, however, what some people may call a “fender-bender” can significantly disrupt your life.
Too many people know from experience that rear-end accidents can be surprisingly serious. While these crashes are not as deadly as rollovers or head-on collisions, rear-end accident victims regularly sustain serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment and may keep them from working or living their lives for some time. When rear-end crashes involve different types of vehicles, such as motorcycles or semi-trucks, they can often be deadly.
At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, we work with clients who suffered many types of injuries and losses from rear-end accidents. We take these crashes seriously, and we always fight for full compensation for every client. In addition, never assume that you cannot recover simply because you were the rear driver, as we know that it is not always your fault. We will examine what happened and advise you of your legal rights. Contact Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC for a free case evaluation right away.
Rear-end Crashes in Atlanta
While traffic accidents can happen anywhere, Fulton County has the highest number of reported traffic crashes than any other state in Georgia. Fulton County crash statistics for a recent year include the following:
- 60,984 reported accidents
- 12,875 people suffered injuries in accidents
- 129 people did not survive a traffic accident
Since rear-end accidents are the most common type of traffic incident, you can bet that a large number of the nearly 61,000 crashes in Fulton County involved a rear-end collision.
As public transportation ridership steadily declines in Atlanta, more and more people are transporting themselves to work, school, and other obligations on a daily basis. With about 500,000 people in the city itself and close to 6 million persons in the Atlanta metropolitan area, anyone who drives knows there are a shocking number of cars on the roads and highways every day. Such high-volume traffic causes many problems, including a regular occurrence of rear-end collisions.
What Caused Your Rear-End Accident?
Georgia law, like many state laws, prohibits drivers from following another vehicle too closely than what is prudent and reasonable given the road conditions, traffic, and speed of other vehicles. Because of this law, Georgia has a presumption that when a driver hits another car from behind, the rear driver was at fault. This is because, in theory, the rear driver should have been far enough back to be able to slow down or stop to prevent the collision.
Rear drivers do cause many rear-end accident for a variety of reasons, including:
- Distracted driving
- Tailgating
- Impaired driving
- Speeding, especially in adverse weather conditions
- Improper lane changes
Distracted driving is a leading cause of rear-end accidents, as many drivers are looking at their phones or otherwise away from the road and fail to see traffic slow or stop in front of them in time.
However, at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, we have seen accidents stemming from many different circumstances, and we know the rear driver is not always to blame. The law allows the rear driver to present evidence to rebut the presumption of fault if another party caused the accident to occur. The following parties may also cause you to hit the back of another vehicle:
- The driver behind you – If you are stopped at a stoplight and a car crashes into the back of yours, the force will likely send your car crashing into the one in front of you. In this situation, you were not following too closely or acting negligently in any way, so the driver behind you should be liable for all of the damage and injuries for every vehicle involved.
- The front driver – Front drivers can often be negligent in ways that lead the car behind them to crash. This can include suddenly slamming on the brakes, failing to signal for a turn, cutting off other drivers in lane changes, failure to yield, and more. If you were following at a reasonable distance and still could not avoid the crash, the front driver may be to blame.
- Non-drivers – Sometimes, neither driver is to blame for a rear-end crash. For example, if your vehicle has defective brakes and you crash because your brakes malfunction, the brake manufacturer should be held liable. Also, if you lose control of your vehicle because you encounter a road hazard, the government entity responsible for road maintenance should be liable for your losses.
Common Injuries
Determining liability is critical because rear-end crashes can cause surprisingly severe and lasting injuries. Injuries can be particularly devastating if a car hits the rear of your motorcycle or if a large commercial vehicle crashes into the back of your car. Some common injuries can include:
- Head trauma
- Lacerations and burns from airbags
- Chest injuries from seat belts
- Soft tissue damage
- Fractured bones
- Facial fractures
- Concussions and brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Dislocated joints
All of these injuries can result in piles of medical bills and lost income if you need to take time off work. Serious injuries can also result in extensive pain and suffering or even permanent impairments that prevent you from living your life as usual. Accident victims often have the right to seek compensation for their losses by filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party. This is a complex process, though our law firm will assist you every step of the way.
