A car accident in Georgia can occur for many reasons. A change in road or weather conditions may force a driver to make an unexpected action that leads to a collision. The failure of a driver to pay attention to their surroundings may result in a distracted driving accident. Every motor vehicle accident will have a cause that is related to its unique facts and circumstances.
Many accidents occur, however, because of negligence. Negligence happens when a person does not act how a reasonable person would in their situation, causing another person to suffer damages. A distracted driver, an intoxicated driver or a speeding driver may all be considered negligent if they cause vehicle collisions. There are other ways not listed here that drivers in Georgia can be negligent as well.
The courts in Georgia recognize that victims may also, from time to time, hold some liability for their own car accident injuries. If a victim is partially responsible for the accident that harmed them, their right to recover their damages may be reduced. This is because the state recognizes contributory negligence in personal injury cases.
A victim who was partially responsible for the crash that hurt them may not recover their damages if they could have avoided harm by acting reasonably. If their harm could not be avoided, their recovery may be reduced in proportion to the amount of responsibility they hold for their own injuries if their percentage of fault is less than that of the other party. More information about this significant personal injury topic should be sought from a motor vehicle accident attorney as this post does not provide any specific legal guidance or advice.
