You have rights after getting into a serious car accident in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. With help from a lawyer at Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, you may be able to hold the other driver or a different party responsible for your damages. You do not have to take on the claims process alone. Call our law firm at (770) 225-4710 today to discuss your case with one of our attorneys.
Catastrophic Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
At Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, we are equipped to handle car accident claims involving life-altering catastrophic personal injuries. Our Peachtree Corners car accident attorneys know how to fight for maximum compensation for injuries that will linger with a victim for weeks, months or for life. No matter how serious you or a loved one’s injuries are, please contact our lawyers for a free consultation.
- Bone fractures
- Loss of limb
- Organ damage
- Permanent disabilities
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Severe burns
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Wrongful death
Catastrophic injury cases are generally worth more than minor car accident injury claims in Peachtree Corners. If an insurance company tries to underestimate the past and future costs associated with your catastrophic injury, trust a lawyer from our law firm to help you negotiate for a fairer amount.
What to Do After a Car Accident
One of the first things to do after you get into a car accident is to call the police. Georgia state law requires police reporting for an accident that causes personal injuries, deaths or at least $500 in property damages. Calling the police can help you establish fault and prove the collision happened to an insurance company. Take photographs of the scene of the accident. Seek medical care for your injuries and request copies of your treatment documents. Once you have received treatment, contact an attorney about how to proceed with an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
What If the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
If the at-fault driver has no insurance, call the police from the scene of the accident to report the issue. Then, contact your insurance provider to find out if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance that will cover your damages. If not, you or your attorney may have to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver instead. A third party such as an auto part manufacturer may be liable for your damages. A Peachtree Corners car accident lawyer can help you explore all potential outlets for financial recovery after a crash with an uninsured driver.
Should You Give Recorded Statements to Insurance Adjusters?
Soon after your car accident, an insurance adjuster from the at-fault party’s company may contact you and ask for a recorded statement. He or she may claim that this statement will help expedite your claim, getting money into your pocket faster — but you should never give a statement before speaking to your lawyer.
It is important to recognize that it is not in the insurance company’s best interest to provide you with maximum possible compensation. They have to pay for these expenses, after all — and a settlement offer they provide will likely be much lower than what you need.
In addition, you may not know the extent of your damages at this point in your claim. Your doctors may still be creating a care plan and you may not know how much your treatment will cost. You may not know the emotional and physical impacts of your injuries yet.
Giving a recorded statement at this stage may lead you to state facts that may not apply in the future. The adjuster can use this statement to argue against any additional requests for compensation, even if the statement no longer applies. For best results, contact Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC before speaking to an insurance representative.
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Cases
In Georgia personal injury cases, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit in civil court. If you file your claim after this deadline passes, the court will likely dismiss your claim and you will not be eligible to collect the compensation you need to recover. With mounting medical bills, lost wages, and other tangible and intangible costs, failing to file your lawsuit within two years can cause serious hardship.
While they may seem restrictive, statutes of limitations help you ensure you present the strongest possible case to the court. Filing your case within two years helps prevent crucial evidence from disappearing or deteriorating beyond comprehension, and ensures your witnesses’ memories are still fresh. Waiting decades to file a claim may lead to destroyed or missing evidence and unavailable and unreliable witnesses.
Errors and research time can impact how long it takes to file your claim. To ensure you meet the statute of limitations, contact Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC as soon as possible. We will act quickly to file your case in Georgia civil court to preserve your chances at collecting compensation.
What Damages Can You Collect in a Car Accident Claim?
Under Georgia law, you have the right to collect compensation for damages you sustained a car accident that someone else was responsible for. There are two main types of damages you can collect in a car accident lawsuit: economic and non-economic. While non-economic damages involve the emotional harm you incurred, the economic damages help you recover the tangible out-of-pocket losses.
Common damages in Georgia car accident cases include the following.
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages during recovery time
- Disability accommodations and equipment
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Disability and disfigurement
- Loss of future earning capacity
In certain claims, you may be eligible to collect punitive damages as well. Georgia courts only award punitive damages in car accident lawsuits that involve willful misconduct, fraud, oppression, malice, wantonness, and a conscious disregard for negative consequences.
For example, if the at-fault driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident, the court may see this as a conscious disregard for negative consequences and award you additional damages.
Determining Liability in a Car Accident
Liability for your car accident will come down to the party behind the main, or proximate, cause of the collision. In other words, the car crash would not have happened were it not for the negligence, omission, recklessness or tort of the liable party. Determining liability may take an investigation of the car accident, complete with eyewitness interviews, photographs of the scene of the collision and reviews of police reports. Common liable parties in car accident claims are drivers, auto part manufacturers, companies and the government.
Contact a Peachtree Corners Car Accident Attorney
Please contact us for a free consultation with an attorney in Peachtree Corners about your recent auto accident. Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC law firm handles all types of car accidents, including bicycle, pedestrian, motorcycle and truck accidents. Request your meeting today at (770) 225-4710.