Macon Personal Injury Attorneys

When you lose someone you love because of a fatigued truck driver, drunk motorist or safety violations on a construction site, an experienced Macon wrongful death lawyer can answer your questions and represent you in protecting your legal rights, and seeking compensation for medical bills, funeral expenses and lost financial support. Family members coping with the premature loss of a loved one resulting from a violent criminal act or a preventable accident can experience especially intense pain.

While insurance claims and financial issues might not seem like a priority when confronting the emotional hardships of the death of a family member, the financial recovery from a wrongful death claim, or if necessary a lawsuit, can provide necessary financial support for surviving family members when a breadwinner dies. Our Macon wrongful death attorneys handle the legal and insurance issues for our clients so that they can focus on overcoming their grief. Montlick and Associates is committed to providing a voice to those who have been silenced by the negligent, reckless and intentional acts of others. We have been seeking monetary compensation for surviving family members in Macon and throughout Georgia and the southeast for over thirty years.

Wrongful Death Law in Macon, Georgia

There are essentially two categories of wrongful death under Georgia wrongful death laws:

Intentional Misconduct: These cases typically involve criminal activity, such as murder, vehicular manslaughter, elder abuse and similar types of criminal acts that cause a fatality. When a wrongful death is the result of a criminal offense, the responsible party typically will face a criminal prosecution, but civil litigation provides a basis for obtaining financial compensation for the victim.

Negligent Conduct: In broad terms, Georgia wrongful death law defines wrongful death in such cases as a fatality caused by the failure of an individual to exercise reasonable care. There are many types of unsafe behavior that can create hazards and cause accidents, such as:

• Reckless driving
• DUI
• Texting and driving
• Motorcycle accidents
• Trucking companies that fail to comply with safety regulations
• Construction accidents
• Negligence by health care providers
• Incidents involving defective products
• Slip, trip and falls involving the elderly

Georgia wrongful death claims generally will be brought by a surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse, the action may be brought by a surviving child. Even if a spouse brings the action, the proceeds of the wrongful death lawsuit also must be shared with the children of the decedent. See O.C.G.A. §51-4-2. The percentages distributed between a surviving spouse and the children of the decedent depends on the number of children so you might want to ask an experienced Macon wrongful death attorney about the appropriate distribution in your case. Finally, if there are neither spouse nor children of the deceased, the right to sue falls to the decedent's surviving parents and, if there are no parents, then to the decedent's estate.

Under Georgia wrongful death law, there are three general categories of damages that can be available in a legal action involving a fatal injury:

• Medical, funeral and other necessary expenses stemming from the injury or death of the decedent (O.C.G.A. §51-4-5(b))
• Full value of life of the decedent (O.C.G.A. §§51-4-2(a), 19-7-1(c)(1)).
• Pain and suffering, medical bills and other damage arising between the time of injury and death (§9-2-41) (This portion of the wrongful death case is referred to as a "survival action.").

The determination of the types of compensation available and value of your claim will depend on the unique facts, but you can obtain more specific information about your situation by scheduling a free consultation with an experienced Macon wrongful death attorney at Montlick and Associates.

Representing Macon Wrongful Death Victims and Their Families for More than 39 Years

Our Team of Macon wrongful death lawyers at Montlick & Associates have been representing the families of wrongful death victims for over thirty years. If your loved one suffers a wrongful death, we invite you to call us for a free consultation today. No matter where you are located, our Macon wrongful death lawyers are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-523-6333). You also can visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Zealous Advocates for Pedestrian Accident Victims – Macon Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

Whether you are struck by a motorist who is busy texting on a cell phone or your child is hit by a car while walking to school, we invite you to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Macon pedestrian accident attorney at Montlick and Associates so that they can review the facts and evaluate your legal options. When motor vehicles slam into pedestrians, these types of collision often result in the most serious type of collision-related injuries. Without the benefits of the protection provided by the hard metallic enclosure of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the risk of broken bones, compound fractures, spinal injuries, brain damage and loss of limbs is so much greater for pedestrians. The human body is simply not designed to withstand impact with a motor vehicle.

When you or a loved one experiences these types of severe disabling injuries, spiraling medical bills and prolonged periods of disability can cause financial hardships that distract accident victims from focusing on their physical and emotional recovery. If the pedestrian injury victim is responsible for a significant portion of household income, financial hardships will be felt by the entire family. Although a personal injury or wrongful death claim can provide necessary compensation for pedestrians who suffer injury and their families, insurance companies utilize a wide range of strategies to derail such claims for financial recovery. Because young children are more likely than older people to be hit by a car, insurance companies routinely blame child victims for causing their own injuries. Insurance companies frequently contend that a child pedestrian darted into traffic, so their insured have no way to avoid the collision. Our Macon pedestrian accident lawyers are used to these tactics and zealously fight for the rights of our clients.

Macon Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Provide Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I pursue financial compensation under Georgia pedestrian accident laws if I was jaywalking when I was run down by a vehicle?

While crossing the street outside a crosswalk in the middle of a block might constitute "comparative negligence," this does not necessarily preclude you from recovering damages. If the judge or jury determines that you are partially responsible for causing your own injuries, any recovery might be reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault assigned to you for causing your own injuries. Under Georgia's negligence laws, a pedestrian injury victim will be barred from any recovery if the judge or jury finds the pedestrian fifty percent or more at-fault.

Do drivers own any higher degree of care to pedestrians?

While both drivers and pedestrians generally owe a duty or ordinary care, the duty imposed on drivers of motor vehicles is higher because the failure to drive safely poses a more significant risk of injury to other people.

What are some of the most common forms of negligent driving that cause Macon pedestrian accidents?

While any driver that is not paying attention, obeying the rules of the road or driving in a prudent manner might strike a pedestrian, some of the most common types of driving conduct that lead to pedestrian accidents include:

• Fatigued and drowsy driving
• Failing to yield
• Multi-tasking (i.e. distracted driving)
• Entering a crosswalk without stopping at a stop sign or traffic light
• Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Failing to drive at a safe speed

What types of financial compensation can be sought in a Macon pedestrian accident lawsuit or insurance claim?

Although the specific damages recoverable will depend on the circumstances of the accident, there are several types of damages that might be awarded, such as:

• Costs of medical treatment
• Lost income (past, present and future)
• Emotional anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Impaired quality of life
• Loss of companionship
• Wrongful death damages (burial/funeral)
• Punitive damages

Pursuing the Compensation Injured Pedestrians and Their Families Deserve for Over Than 39 Years

If you or your loved one suffers serious injury or a loved one dies in a pedestrian accident, we invite you to call us for a free consultation today. No matter where you are located, our Macon pedestrian accident lawyers are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-523-6333). You also can visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

When you are injured in a car accident in Macon or lose a loved one in a fatal Macon car crash, the emotional, physical and financial impact can be enormous. There are a wide variety of collisions in Macon, involving all types of motor vehicles, such as passenger vehicles, SUVs, pickup trucks, tractor-trailers, motorcycles and bicycles. The size and mass of the vehicles involved and degree of protection provided by a particular form of motor vehicle can have a substantial impact on the seriousness of your collision and the extent of the injuries that you suffer. Even injuries that do not result in permanent impairment of mental and physical limitations, such as impaired reasoning skills, diminished memory, loss of mobility and chronic pain can result in long periods of disability and physical therapy.

Our dedicated and experienced Macon auto accident attorneys at Montlick and Associates know that a Macon motor vehicle accident can have a profound impact on one’s life. People tend to take the simple pleasure of a pain free life for granted until it is suddenly taken away in a tractor-trailer collision on Interstate 75, or someone is hit at a pedestrian crosswalk near The Shoppes at River Crossing. If you are injured by a careless driver who violates Georgia Rules of the Road, fails to focus exclusively on driving or engages in aggressive driving to shave a few minutes off the driver’s trip, the way you navigate insurance and legal obstacles may determine the financial resources that are available to aid your recovery.

The insurance industry makes billions of dollars by NOT paying valid car accident injury claims or deceiving injury victims into believing that their claim is worth far less than its true value. The other driver’s insurance company may suggest that you are only entitled to a nominal monetary recovery because there was minimal vehicle damage in your collision. Many times when people are rear-ended even at relative low rates of speed, they suffer whiplash injuries that cause pain to the back and neck for months. It is important to obtain medical treatment following a Macon auto accident even if you suffer only mild headaches, minor pain or stiffness to the neck or other tolerable symptoms. Whiplash injuries or concussions can seem minor but result in months of discomfort and time off work. If you delay obtaining medical attention until your symptoms are more obvious, the insurance company may argue that you are lying or distorting the seriousness of your injuries.

Types of Unsafe Driving That Cause Macon Auto Accidents

Most personal injury actions to recover damages for injuries suffered in Macon car accidents are based on the law of negligence. Negligent driving is essentially the failure to exercise reasonable care when driving to avoid causing injury to a third party. Third parties that may pursue a claim against a driver who causes injury may include a wide range of people who suffer injury including drivers of other vehicles, passengers in other vehicles, passengers in the unsafe driver’s vehicle, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Sometimes the issue of establishing the cause of an accident can be complicated. Most times the issue of fault is at least debatable so it is important have an experienced Macon car accident attorney on your side.

Some of the most common causes of Macon auto accidents include the following:

• Not complying with right of way rules
• Driving while distracted by cell phones, eating, putting on makeup and other tasks
• Drunk driving
• Speeding so that one cannot respond as quickly to an emergency situation
• Not stopping at lights or stop signs
• Defective motor vehicles
• Following too close especially in adverse weather conditions
• Tractor-trailer driver fatigue
• Changing lanes without turning and looking
• Unsafe turns
• Failure of public entities to modify unsafe roads or build roads safely

Seeking Monetary Compensation for Macon Motor Vehicle Injury Accidents

The injuries someone suffers in a Macon car accident range from mild to permanent and life-altering. There are many types of injuries that a Macon auto accident victim may suffer that cause severe pain and emotional distress. When you suffer injuries in a motor vehicle collision in Macon, the hardships that must be endured also extend to the accident victim’s family. Loss of family income or assistance with household and child rearing responsibilities can cause stress for an entire family. Some of the kinds of injuries that you may suffer in a motor vehicle accident in Macon include the following:

• Dislocations of joints (e.g. knee, shoulder, elbow, etc.)
• Trauma to the head resulting in brain injury
• Severe burns requiring skin grafts
• Injuries to the back and spinal cord
• Paraplegia and quadriplegia
• Torn ligaments of the knee
• Fractures
• Whiplash causing pain to the neck and back
• Fatalities

While a personal injury action cannot alleviate your pain or restore lost physical or mental functioning, it can have an enormous influence on your quality of life when you suffer severe injuries in a Macon car accident. The monetary recovery you receive in your Macon auto accident lawsuit may facilitate obtaining excellent medical care and rehabilitative services, paying your household finances and providing for the basic needs of your family. Some of the types of financial compensation that may be available include the following:

• Expenses associate with medical treatment, hospital care and similar costs
• Intangible loss like pain and suffering and impaired quality of life
• Lost wages and reduction in future earnings
• Adverse consequences to one’s marital relationship
• Wrongful death related expenses (funeral/burial)
• Property damage (car repair or replacement)
• Emotional distress
• Punitive damages

While not all of these types of damages will be available in every Macon car accident action, an experienced Macon auto accident lawyer at Montlick and Associates may be able to assess your case and let you know what types of damages you may be entitled to in your Macon personal injury case.

Know your legal rights! If you or someone you love has been injured in a Macon car accident, our experienced Macon car accident lawyers at Montlick and Associates are committed to seeking the best possible outcome for our clients. We encourage you to schedule a free consultation because there is absolutely no obligation for us to evaluate your Macon car accident claim. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.