Motorists traveling through the roads and streets of Atlanta, Georgia should exercise extreme caution at all times to avoid car accidents. Potholes, road debris, and reckless drivers mean even careful motorists could be hurt in an accident at any time.
Even seemingly minor accidents can have long-lasting consequences for the drivers and passengers involved. If you or someone in your family has been injured in a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia, it is imperative to retain legal aid in securing your rightful compensation.
At the SHElaw firm®, our team of experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers is ready to provide you with guidance and expert advice in your quest for rightful compensation. We can help you properly calculate the value of your damages and give you the best chances of success in facing off with insurance adjusters for the opposition.
Call our Atlanta law firm today at 470-378-1162 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case review and consultation.
How Much Does an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
At the SHElaw firm®, we handle car accident cases and other personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that we offer the full range of our legal services — from filing the case to the final court trial if it comes to that — at no upfront costs.
If the case is lost, we shoulder all the risks and will charge our clients nothing at all. If we win, we will take our fee from the settlement amount or the compensation awarded in court. Essentially, you have nothing to lose and the compensation you badly need to make a full recovery to gain.
So, don’t take chances on your health or future. Call us today at 470-378-1162 and arrange for a FREE consultation with our legal team today!
Related: What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?
What Should You Do After a Car Accident?
The aftermath of a car accident no matter how big or small can be full of tension and confusion. But don’t let your emotions get the better of you. This is the time to keep your cool and act decisively to protect your interests and bolster the strength of your upcoming legal case.
Here are a few important pointers to keep in mind if you find yourself in an Atlanta car accident:
Contact the Police
The first thing to do is to call 911 if anyone is seriously injured. Even if no one is hurt, make sure you notify the police so they can make a full report. The police report is important to your case so make sure you get the names, badge numbers, and precincts of the officers who arrive on the scene. This way you will be able to request a copy later.
Help Others
Take a moment to assess your injuries and physical condition after the accident. If you are unharmed, you should provide first aid to other people involved in the accident. Be sure to exercise extreme caution when making your way around the scene of the accident and don’t leave the scene until the officers have made their report.
Exchange Information
Be polite as you exchange your contact and insurance information with the other driver. Don’t apologize or discuss who was at fault. Also, get the names and numbers of any eyewitnesses whose testimony can shed light on the case.
Record the Scene
Use the camera on your cell phone to take as many pictures as you can of the scene of the accident. Get some close shots of the damage to vehicles and property as well s any visual injuries. Take some wide-angle shots of the vehicles in relation to each other, the scene of the accident, road debris, and any traffic signals or obstacles in the area.
Never Admit Fault
It is normal to feel all sorts of emotions in the aftermath of an accident, but be very careful what you say and do so as to protect your case. A simple comment like “sorry” can be misconstrued by the opposition as an admission of guilt.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you believe you are unharmed, it is a good idea to visit a doctor who can rule out the presence of hidden injuries that could cause problems later on. Medical records are critical in establishing that the accident caused your injuries.
Call a Car Accident Lawyer!
Don’t attempt to deal with the agents of the insurance company. If you are injured, you should concentrate on making a full recovery. Call the experienced car accident lawyers from SHElaw firm® and allow us to handle the legalities.
How Much Compensation Should You Expect for Your Car Accident?
Without a careful examination of the details of your case, it would be difficult to predict the amount of compensation you can expect. According to information from the Insurance Information Institute, the average payout for 2019 was just over $18,000 for personal injuries alone.
The amount of compensation you can expect will be determined by the amount of damage, the severity of your injuries, how long it takes you to recover, whether you are left with a permanent disability, and other factors.
Ultimately, the amount of compensation you can expect will be decided through negotiations with the insurance providers. This is why it makes sense to have a legal professional in your corner who is familiar with the technicalities of personal injury. This will ensure that there are no loopholes the opposition can use to deny your rightful compensation.
What Type of Damages Can I Recover?
Your car accident lawyer in Atlanta will fight to maximize your compensation. There are three categories of possible damages in a Georgia auto accident case.
Economic Damages
These are damages that are reasonably easy to identify and prove objectively. They include things like medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and reimbursement of future wages lost as a result of the accident.
Non-Economic Damages
These are typically much harder to calculate as they are meant to account for how the accident and the injuries you sustained have impacted your life. They include pain and suffering, physical impairment, lowered quality of life, and loss of companionship (if you lost a loved one in the accident).
Punitive
If the at-fault driver is found to have shown a reckless disregard for others or malicious intent to cause harm, the court may award you punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to be paid as punishment for the extremely reckless behavior on the at-fault driver’s part, such as drunk driving.
Why Do I Need an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer?
Here are some of the ways a car accident lawyer in Atlanta, GA can help you.
Case Preparation
When you get a car accident lawyer, they immediately get to work to assess and evaluate your case to establish the cause of the accident. They will also look at witness statements, interview them, hire experts such as accident reconstructionists, file the necessary paperwork, and build a solid case on your behalf.
Settlement Negotiations
When settlement negotiations start, the insurance company will likely make a low-ball offer. This will probably not be enough to cover medical bills, not to mention the pain and suffering and lost wages. You shouldn’t accept an offer without talking to a lawyer. Your auto accident attorney will use their specialized knowledge to negotiate with the insurance company and win you a favorable settlement.
Trial Preparation & Representation
Most car accident cases settle during the negotiations phase. However, the insurance company may sometimes try to get off too cheap. Your car accident attorney will advise you on the best course of action. If a lawsuit is the next step, then your lawyer will proceed to represent you in court.
When Should You Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident?
Within minutes of the accident, the insurance companies will dispatch claims adjusters to begin protecting their interests in the claims process. They will try to shift the blame to the victims and thereby reduce the payouts they will be required to make or avoid them altogether. This is why you will want to retain legal counsel as soon as you can.
An experienced car accident lawyer will know exactly how to protect your interests from crafty insurance adjusters.
While it is always wise to contact a car accident lawyer after a wreck, here are a few situations where it’s especially important to have a qualified legal professional protecting your interests:
- You Suffered Injuries and/or Significant Property Damage.
- The Accident Was Caused by the Actions of Another Party.
- Your Claim Has Been Denied.
- Your Injuries Are Severe and Permanent.
- Your Accident Was Caused by a Government Agency.
How Is Fault Determined?
To show fault, you have to prove four main elements as outlined below:
- Duty of Care: All drivers have a duty of care towards everyone on the road. They must obey traffic laws and act as a reasonable person would.
- Breach of Duty of Care: Breaching the duty of care may be something as simple as driving while intoxicated or not looking before you back out.
- Causation: You also have to demonstrate that the defendant’s actions caused the accident and the injuries you suffered.
- Damages: You have to show that you suffered damages, for example, medical bills and pain and suffering.
It’s worth noting that Georgia’s negligence law follows what is referred to as the comparative negligence standard. This means that drivers’ negligence will be compared against each other to establish what, if anything, you can recover as compensation.
For example, if the other driver is 75% responsible for the accident and you were 25% at fault, your compensation award would be reduced by 25% due to your negligence. If you are found to be 50% or more at fault for the accident, you would not be entitled to any compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
Car accident claims usually have strict filing deadlines. You have to file a personal injury claim within two years of the date of the accident. If you violate this statute of limitations, your claim will be dismissed. In other words, you will not have the right to seek justice and compensation for your damages.
What If Insurance Denies My Car Accident Claim?
At the SHElaw firm®, we make every effort to see each claim through to its successful conclusion and do everything in our power to ensure that our clients receive the reparation they deserve and need.
If your insurance company rejects your claim, we are prepared to help you appeal the decision. Even if it means taking the matter to court, our car accident lawyers are prepared to go to extreme lengths to protect your interests and rights.
We have the skills, experience, and expertise needed to argue your case in front of a judge or jury—all you need to do is call 470-378-1162 now to speak to a professional Atlanta car accident lawyer.
How Can I Obtain an Accident Report in Atlanta?
You can request a copy of the accident report from the Georgia State Highway Patrol or the Atlanta Police Department. You can also purchase a copy of the accident report from buycrash.com.
Types of Car Accident Claims SHElaw firm® Handles
We handle all kinds of auto accident cases here at the SHElaw firm®, including:
- Reckless Driving
- Speeding Accidents
- Texting and Driving
- Distracted Driving
- DUI Accidents
- Rideshare Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Hit and Run Accidents
- Head-on Collisions
- Rear-End Accidents
Call Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Atlanta Today!
As you can see, defending your rights to compensation for your injuries in a car accident case is no small matter. If you are determined to get full compensation for your injuries and protect your future in the event of an accident, you will need a qualified legal representative.
Call 470-378-1162 and make arrangements for a FREE consultation with an Atlanta car accident lawyer from the SHElaw firm®. We will carefully examine the details of your case and help you obtain your rightful compensation.
