Failure to Yield Accidents

Experienced Marietta Lawyer Helping Victims of Car Crashes

Most reasonable people understand that driving requires paying attention to a number of conditions on the road. Monitoring the car’s speed, being aware of pedestrians, and obeying traffic signs are all basic precautions that are part of safely operating a vehicle. Unfortunately, failure-to-yield accidents happen all too often when an individual chooses to drive recklessly or carelessly. If you have been hurt in the Marietta area, the skilled car crash attorney at Miller Legal Services can help you pursue the compensation that you deserve.

Failure-to-Yield Accidents in Georgia

Collisions when a driver fails to yield the right of way can cause harm to other motorists, passengers, cyclists, or pedestrians. In some cases, a person does not notice or tries to cut off oncoming traffic when making a left turn. Accidents also can happen when a driver fails to yield to a pedestrian using a crosswalk or does not merge carefully from an exit ramp. In Georgia, failing to give the right of way is the second-most cited moving traffic violation. The state Department of Transportation reports that it was also the second-highest contributing factor to Georgia car wrecks.

Take Legal Action to Hold a Negligent Driver Accountable

People hurt in a car accident have the right to seek compensation for their injuries through a negligence claim. This typically arises when a motorist fails to act as carefully as an ordinary person would act in similar circumstances. In order to establish negligence, a victim must show the following elements:

  • The defendant, usually another driver, owed the injured person a duty of care;
  • The defendant breached the duty of care, such as by failing to yield at an intersection;
  • This careless conduct caused the crash in which the victim was hurt; and
  • As a result of the accident, quantifiable damages arose that can be compensated.

A driver who fails to yield the right of way will likely be deemed to have violated the duty of care, since a reasonable person would obey traffic rules. Once a breach is established, the victim must focus on showing that the accident would not have happened if the defendant had properly yielded and otherwise taken appropriate precautions. If the injuries were a direct, foreseeable consequence of the driver’s carelessness, causation probably can be shown.

If you have been hurt because of another person’s failure to yield the right of way, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. Depending on the nature and extent of your injuries, you may be able to recover monetary compensation for lost income, medical bills, pain and suffering, the costs of future treatment, property damage, and any other costs associated with the accident. However, there is a limited amount of time to file a claim for damages, so you should not lose time in protecting your rights by consulting a knowledgeable lawyer.

Discuss Your Auto Accident Claim with a Marietta Attorney

If you or someone you know has been injured on a road in the Marietta area, you should take the time to consult an auto accident lawyer who can help evaluate your claim. One of the most important tasks after a failure-to-yield collision is gathering the facts needed to establish the defendant’s responsibility for what happened. At Miller Legal Services, we know how to collect valuable evidence and zealously fight for your rights. We also represent clients from Roswell, Smyrna, and throughout Georgia. Call us at 770-284-3727 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation today.