The majority of fatal auto accidents in Atlanta happen on our highways. The main causes of fatal car accidents include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving while fatigued
- Distracted driving
- Failure to signal
- Speeding
Driver negligence causes harm to many Atlanta residents every year, resulting in annual fatalities that number in the thousands. It can be difficult to navigate the aftermath of a fatal car accident, especially for the families of those who’ve lost their lives during the tragedy.
If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, the personal injury attorneys at the Dressie Law Firm are here to help.
Negligent drivers should be held accountable for their actions, and you deserve access to any resources that can help you to recover from the significant loss your family has suffered.
DUI in Georgia
Driving under the influence in Georgia is a significant cause of fatal accidents for Atlanta residents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 400 fatalities occur from Georgia DUI accidents annually. This is more than 25 percent of all traffic fatalities recorded in Georgia.
If you’ve lost a loved one in a DUI accident, you may be entitled to compensation, which can include punitive damages. Punitive damages are an award that may exceed the expected economic costs associated with the accident, and they are intended to punish the defendant and deter future intoxicated driving.
This is because drunk driving can constitute gross negligence. An experienced litigator will be able to help you in pursuing the maximum compensation, as well as gathering evidence to support a potential gross negligence claim.
Driving While Fatigued
Driving while tired may not seem like a big deal, but it has the potential to be of equivalent risk to driving under the influence. Being exhausted can impair your ability to drive safely and may inhibit your motor skills and reaction times, which can increase the likelihood of collisions.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving can result in accident fatalities and can take many forms. You can be distracted by your mobile device, as well as by other passengers inside the vehicle. There are three main types of distracted driving:
- Visual: Anything that causes you to look away from the highway
- Manual: Removing your hands from the steering wheel
- Cognitive: Operating the vehicle without being mentally focused on driving
It’s crucial to connect with a personal injury lawyer to ensure that accountability is accurately assessed when pursuing your claim. You have a greater chance of recovering the maximum award amount available if your attorney can clearly prove the other driver was distracted and that their distraction led directly to the crash and your injuries.
Failure to Yield or Signal
Failure to obey traffic signs or signal turns or lane changes is a form of negligence. Fatality accidents can be ascertaining who did what more difficult, especially if there are no surviving witnesses or the only person capable of testifying to what happened is the responsible driver.
To prove negligence in a failure to signal case, you and your legal team may have to gather evidence from a variety of sources including:
- Video from traffic cameras or business or home security cameras
- Passerby witness accounts or the accounts of other drivers
- Personal testimonies
Failing to signal and ignoring various traffic signals (like red lights) can easily result in collisions, especially at intersections or on highways where multiple cars can be affected, resulting in fatalities.
Speeding
Speeding-related fatalities have deathly consequences for Georgia residents. The faster the vehicle is going, the higher the likelihood of an impact being fatal or resulting in severe injuries for drivers and passengers in the speeding vehicles and vehicles surrounding the negligent driver.
We’re Here to Support the Loved Ones of Those Involved in Fatal Accidents in Atlanta, GA
If you’re trying to put your life back together after a fatal accident in Atlanta has robbed you of a family member, the Dressie Law Firm team is here to help. We’re experienced litigators who will thoroughly evaluate your case and gather relevant evidence to pursue just compensation on your behalf. For a free case evaluation, call us at (678) 726-1429 or connect with us online.