Georgia Car Accident Attorney

What Losses Can Be Recovered After a Georgia Car Accident?

Car accident injuries can include broken bones, whiplash, lacerations, internal organ injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries (SCIs), and more. These injuries can be incredibly debilitating. Depending on the extent of your injuries, it might mean you’re missing work for days or, in some cases, you might never work again. Each scenario brings financial pressure from lost income and medical bills. 

A Georgia personal injury lawyer will look at the full scope of your losses, from your current everyday needs to potential future needs (such as ongoing therapy or surgeries), to fight for the compensation you may qualify for. Recoverable losses may include:

• Medical Expenses: This may include emergency room visits, follow-up doctor or specialist appointments, surgeries, diagnostic testing, medications, physical therapy, and even gas and mileage to and from appointments.
• Lost Wages and Loss of Possible Benefits: Missed income from work and the loss of benefits such as salary increases or bonuses may be compensable.
• Diminished Earning Capacity: If your injuries affect your ability to work long-term, those losses are compensable.
• Pain and Suffering: Both the physical pain of your injuries and the emotional distress caused by them may qualify for compensation. 

If a loved one passed away due to a car accident, we give our deepest condolences for your devastating loss. We know that no amount of money will bring them back, but covering their losses and your new expenses can give you space to grieve while keeping your head above water.

How Can a Georgia Car Accident Attorney Help?

After a car accident, handling paperwork and communicating with insurance companies can be yet another frustrating task. Taking the personal injury claim process off your plate can give you the peace of mind to focus on your recovery. 

Our co-counsels can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, handle all of your paperwork, gather evidence to support your car accident claim, and represent you in court if needed to recover the compensation you are entitled to.

You Get an Attorney’s Help with No Upfront Fees

Worrying about affording a lawyer when you are already burdened by medical bills and lost wages shouldn’t stop you from seeking legal representation. Our law firm partners operate on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you have no upfront costs. Their fees are taken as a percentage of your settlement.

Who Is Liable After a Georgia Car Accident?

In 2022, there were 1,797 traffic fatalities in Georgia. Two of the most common causes of these accidents were speeding and drunk driving. Georgia is an at-fault state for car accidents. This means that if a person’s negligence caused your accident, their insurance company will likely cover your losses. Examples of negligent behaviors that often cause car accidents include:

• Distracted driving, such as texting
• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Reckless driving, such as not obeying the speed limit
• Disregarding traffic laws, such as failure to yield

Other parties may share liability for your accident. For example, a mechanic may be partially at fault if improperly installed brakes caused or contributed to the accident. 

Once our law firm partners identify all liable parties, we must prove they are liable.

How Can a Georgia Car Accident Attorney Prove Liability?

Determining the responsible party and establishing their liability can involve many factors. Your legal team needs to look at the whole picture, from road and weather conditions to how each driver acted leading up to the crash itself.

A Georgia personal injury attorney may build a case for liability in some of the following ways:

• Obtaining Police Reports and Medical Records: Documentation of accidents and injuries can be helpful in a few ways. Medical records, for example, can help show the severity of an accident and point to the long-term effect the accident will have on a victim’s life.
• Reviewing Video Footage: Traffic cameras, dashcams, security cameras, and cellphone footage can all show unbiased views of the accident. 
• Interviewing Witnesses: Eyewitness testimonies can offer additional perspectives on how an accident occurred.
• Gathering Evidence: This may include analyzing or taking additional photos of the accident scene. If the accident involved a truck, this could consist of sending the trucking company a spoliation letter requesting it preserve and provide specific evidence.
• Consulting Experts: In some cases, it may be helpful to bring in an expert as a witness. These experts may be highway safety experts, medical professionals, or accident reconstructionists.

Contact The Goldwater Law Firm to learn more about how our law firm partners can help with your case.

Important Deadlines in Georgia Car Accident Cases

There are many reasons to act fast after a motor vehicle accident. The most important is protecting your right to compensation.

Under Georgia’s statute of limitations, you typically have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against an at-fault party. This timeframe generally starts from the date of the accident that caused your injuries. A Georgia personal injury lawyer can ensure all paperwork is filed within any required deadlines for an accident lawsuit.

However, you also want to get immediate medical care to treat any injuries and link your injuries to the accident. Getting in touch with an attorney earlier rather than later also takes the burden off your shoulders. 

What Can You Do if You Receive a Low Settlement Offer?

Your Georgia car accident attorney will offer guidance on any settlement offer that you receive. In many cases, you will receive a much lower settlement offer than you deserve. You can—and should—negotiate for a settlement that covers your injuries. However, you shouldn’t do so alone.

A Georgia car crash attorney can handle this on your behalf. They may:

• Submit a Counteroffer: Counteroffers typically involve gathering additional evidence to support your reason for the higher amount.
• File a Lawsuit: In a lawsuit, your lawyer will build a case for why a higher settlement is needed.

You have the final choice of accepting or rejecting a settlement offer.

Do’s and Don’ts After a Georgia Car Accident

The first and most important thing to do after a car accident is to ensure your safety. However, some other do’s and don’ts after an accident may help strengthen your personal injury claim. 

Do:

• Call the police. Police officers will secure the scene and ensure that everyone involved is safe. Additionally, the crash reports they write are often key pieces of evidence. The dispatcher can also send paramedics to the scene.
• Take photos, if you are able, of the accident scene and your injuries. For example, if the accident occurred because someone made an illegal turn, you should take photos of any posted signage restricting that type of turn.
• Seek medical care as soon as possible (if you did not receive treatment at the scene). Early treatment is often beneficial for recovery. Additionally, medical documentation of your injuries can be vital for your injury claim.
• Continue receiving medical care. If you skip appointments or disobey your doctor’s orders, you may give the insurance company an excuse to deny or devalue your claim.
• Keep track of documentation, such as receipts for bills related to your medical care.  

Don’t:

• Take the blame when talking to police or insurance adjusters. It can be natural to feel guilty after an accident, but remember that the only person at fault was the one who caused the accident. Don’t apologize for the accident; the insurer can use this against you.
• Post on social media about the accident. Photos and posts from social media can be used against you.
• Give a recorded statement. The insurance company can use what you say during this to “prove” you caused the accident or claim you are uninjured.
• Confront the other driver. In some cases, exchanging information is safe. However, if the driver seems aggressive or inebriated, you should avoid interacting with them.