Suffering a serious injury from a car accident is one of the worst experiences you can have on the road. An accident can lead to irreparable damage to the vehicle, permanent physical damage to the body, and lasting psychological trauma to anyone involved. All of that damage also comes with a financial cost. Who should be responsible for paying that cost? Certainly not a victim who is not responsible for the accident.
In Georgia, if one party is more than fifty percent liable for an accident, then it is their responsibility to pay for the damages. But that doesn’t mean the insurance companies will immediately comply with this statute. They will use every trick imaginable to avoid full compensation. Our Marietta car accident lawyers at Ted A. Greve & Associates will fight for your right to receive fair compensation.
Our personal injury attorneys will handle every legal aspect of the car accident claim from preparing the evidence to negotiating with insurance companies. You will have the full weight and expertise of our legal team behind you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to pick up your phone and call us at (800) 693-7833 for a free initial consultation.
Georgia Car Accident Statistics
2020 was the first year Georgia experienced an increase in car accident fatalities since 2017. There were 1,600 reported roadway fatalities; an increase of nearly 200 from the previous year and almost twice as many fatalities as 2018.
The average settlement for personal injury claims involving car accidents was $18,400 in 2019. 2021 is looking to be even worse with more than 1,400 fatal accidents already occurring in the first half of the year.
How Much Does a Marietta Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Many car accident victims never reach out to personal injury lawyers because they incorrectly believe they won’t be able to afford the cost. In reality, there is no initial cost to calling our law firm and our lawyers are only paid if you reach a favorable settlement. We work entirely on a contingency fee. That means we don’t get paid if you don’t get paid. The final amount we received is a percentage based on the amount of the settlement.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Being in a car accident is stressful and frightening. It’s important to take the right actions for the sake of your health and your case.
Stop the Vehicle and Call the Police
Under no circumstances should you drive away from a car accident without reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities. Not only would that prevent you from filing a personal injury lawsuit it is also illegal and could result in jail time.
Check on Anyone Involved
Do not leave the scene of the accident until the police have arrived and the report has been filed. In the meantime, you should examine yourself as well as check on any other parties involved in the accident.
Exchange Info
Most of us are familiar with the idea of exchanging insurance information following an accident. There is additional information you should gather while there. That includes the name, telephone number, and vehicle registration of the other driver. You can also gather information from any witnesses to the accident.
Record the Scene
Try to gather as much evidence as possible before the vehicles are moved. The best way to do this is to record the scene or take pictures with your phone. Show where both vehicles are in relation to the road and where the impact occurred. You should also take pictures of any injuries as soon as possible. All of this evidence will be very important when proving fault and assessing damages.
Visit the Hospital
This is important even if you believe your injuries are minor. A trained professional may be able to identify an injury that you are not yet aware of. The hospital visit is also important for creating additional records that will be used when evaluating damages.
Don’t Admit Fault
Throughout these various steps, you should never admit fault to anyone, whether the police, the other drivers, or anyone else involved. Fault will be determined at a later time using the evidence and reports that are gathered. By admitting fault, you may make it impossible to prove otherwise and lose your chance to receive compensation.
Call Our Car Accident Law Firm!
Our attorneys are here to help. As soon as you are able, you should pick up the phone and call our office at (800) 693-7833. We will hear the details of your case and help advise an appropriate course of action. There is absolutely no charge for our initial evaluation of your accident claim.
What is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident?
The average settlement for car accident claims varies by state and is influenced heavily by the details of the accident. Cases may settle for as high as $325,000 in rare cases or as low as $5,000. Currently, the national average settlement for a car accident claim is $18,400.
When Should I Get a Lawyer for My Auto Accident?
In Georgia, we advise always contacting a car accident lawyer if you suffered a serious injury from an accident. Even if you were partially at fault for the accident you may still be awarded a settlement amount for the damages experienced. There is no risk or harm in making the call and discussing your options. But the longer you wait to make the call the more difficult the claims process will become.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer?
Many victims believe they do not need a lawyer to handle their claims. Perhaps an insurance adjuster has already offered them a settlement amount. But we advise always contacting a lawyer. If an insurance company is offering a settlement early, then it’s very likely they are aware that you could receive significantly more if pushed. Here are the benefits we offer:
Case Preparation and Filing
We’re here to help with the legal obstacles from the very beginning. That starts with preparing the case, collecting evidence, and filing the claim. This lets the insurance company know that you’re here to play hardball and won’t be accepting any low offers.
Settlement Negotiations
From that point forward, we will enter an ongoing state of negotiations on your behalf. The insurance adjusters will continue to offer sub-par offers, but those offers will rise as we bring forward more and more compelling evidence. In most cases, we will reach a satisfactory settlement amount capable of covering all economic and non-economic damages.
Representation at Trial
A small percentage of cases are not settled out of court and must head to trial. We are there to represent you and your rights during this time. Our job is to prove fault and the extent of damages to the judge and jury. Ultimately, we believe the jury will agree with our finding and demand that the defendant pay adequate compensation.
How Much Can I Expect to Receive for My Damages?
The compensation received is not an arbitrary guess nor is simply the cost of the damaged vehicle or injury. It is a combination of the damages, both physical and psychological, that were caused by the negligence of the defendant.
Our lawyers calculate this amount by relying primarily on financial records and victim testimony. The amount you can expect to receive will depend on what these records show as well as the extent of psychological damage caused.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover?
There are three types of damages that you can recover in Georgia:
- Economic Damages: This is the literal cost of damages expressed through financial records, such as medical bills and repair costs.
- Non-Economic Damages: This is a representation of the psychological cost of the accident. It can include stress, emotional damage, and pain and suffering.
- Punitive Damages: These are enforced as a form of punishment for extremely reckless defendants. Georgia caps punitive damages at a total of $250,000 of which a portion must be paid to the state treasury.
How is Fault Determined?
We work around the clock to determine who is at fault in a car accident. We do this by collecting as much evidence as possible. Our three primary sources of evidence include:
- Police Report
- Physical evidence from the scene
- Eyewitness accounts
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
Georgia has a statute of limitations of 2 years for car accident claims. You must begin the filing process for your claim within this time period or the case is considered void and cannot be revisited at a later date.
What Can I Do if Insurance Denied My Claim?
The two most common options are to file an appeal or to begin a lawsuit. If the claim was denied the first time, then the appeal may not be effective. The lawsuit will be against the person responsible for the accident and they will hand over the case to their insurance provider. We handle many cases where the insurance company at first attempts to deny the claim.
What if the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
Though illegal, some drivers are still on the road without insurance. If you are involved in an injury with a party that does not have insurance you still have a few options at your disposal. You can file a compensation claim with your own insurance company or you can proceed with filing a lawsuit against the individual responsible for the accident. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, then your own insurance company will make an effort to cover the damages you experienced.
How Can I Obtain an Accident Report?
You can receive an accident report by filing a request form with the Georgia Department of Transportation. They may request a small filing fee for this paperwork.
Types of Car Accidents We Handle?
Our Marietta car accident lawyers have experience handling a variety of vehicular accidents. Some of those include:
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Distracted Driving
- Hit and Run
- Rideshare Accidents
- Rear-End Accidents
- Head-On Collisions
- Uninsured Motorists
- Rollover Accidents
- Speeding Accidents
Call Our Marietta Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
The road can be a dangerous place even for the most careful of drivers. Georgia accident and fatality stats have increased dramatically over the last two years and are continuing to climb. If you are someone you know has been involved in an accident that led to injury, then you need to discuss your options with a lawyer as soon as possible. Call our accident law firm near Marietta today at (800) 693-7833 for a free evaluation.
