Injured In A Golf Cart Georgia
Both residents and visitors to Georgia know that golf carts are popular methods of transportation. Not only to golf carts provide transportation for those looking to get in a few rounds of golf, but these vehicles can often be seen on regular roadways throughout the state. However, accidents involving golf carts can lead to severe injuries for drivers and passengers. These vehicles are particularly vulnerable to collisions with traditional passenger cars. If you or somebody you love has been injured in a golf cart accident, you need to know that you may be entitled to compensation.
Golf cart accidents in Georgia can lead to severe injuries
Golf carts are typically not able to reach the same speeds as a traditional vehicle, and they are not legal on all roadways in Georgia. Outside of a golf course, it is up to local municipalities to determine the laws regarding these vehicles. Golf carts are immensely popular in coastal regions and beach communities, but they have also become popular in many inland areas as well.
Unfortunately, golf carts do not usually have many safety features built-in. They lack airbags, passenger restraints, and “crumple zones” designed to lessen the consequences of an impact. This often leads to severe injuries in the event a crash does occur, including the following:
- Spinal cord injuries with paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Working or dislocated bones
- Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
- Amputation injuries or crush injuries
- Internal organ damage or internal bleeding
Determining liability in a Georgia golf cart crash
The liability for a golf cart crash will typically be determined in the same way the liability is determined in a traditional vehicle crash. This will certainly be true for accidents that occur on regular roadways. Fault in these cases could fall onto the driver of the golf cart, the driver of another vehicle involved, or on multiple parties.
Golf cart crashes that occur on a golf course will typically not involve traditional vehicles, and liability may fall onto the operator of the golf cart or on the golf course owners. The actions of the golf cart operator will be closely scrutinized to determine whether they had any liability for the incident. However, the fault may also fall onto the golf course owner or operator if they have provided a defective golf cart to the users or if they failed to provide safe riding conditions on the course.
What type of compensation is available for a Georgia golf cart crash?
If you or somebody you love has sustained a golf cart crash injury caused by the negligence of another party, there may be various types of compensation available to you. This could include:
- Coverage of all crash-related medical bills
- Lost wages if you cannot work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of personal enjoyment damages
- Property damage expenses
The total amount of compensation awarded in these cases will vary depending on the facts related to each particular situation. If the injury victim shared any fault in the incident, they will still be able to recover compensation so long as they were not 50% or more at fault. However, under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence laws, the injury victim will receive reduced compensation based on their percentage of fault. Due to the complicated nature of these cases, it is strongly advised that you work with a skilled Atlanta personal injury attorney who has experience handling these injury incidents.