Car Accident Lawyers in Georgia

Understanding Car Accidents

Car accidents are unexpected events that often have serious consequences. Overcoming these consequences can take a lot of time and resources. To effectively resolve issues related to car accidents, you should contact a lawyer. Georgia car accident lawyers will handle the settlement of your car accident case. They have experience handling car accident cases and a passion for obtaining fair compensation for their clients.

What Do Georgia Car Accident Lawyers

A Georgia car accident lawyer’s work begins immediately upon hire. First of all, the lawyer begins to prepare the case materials. To do this, conduct a thorough investigation of the accident, and determine the cause of the accident and the degree of guilt of each participant. Collects evidence, and reviews police reports and witness statements. Requests medical bills and specialist reports. Forms a claim and calculates compensation claims.

Next comes the stage of negotiations with the insurance company. Probably the most critical stage, at which most cases are successfully resolved. During negotiations, the lawyer’s task is to convince the insurance company of the fairness of the client’s claims and to achieve payment of the due compensation.

Not all matters can be resolved through negotiations. In this case, they are sent to court. Georgia car accident lawyers prepare defense tactics based on the collected case materials. And in court, he tries to prove to the jury the validity of the client’s claim for compensation.

What Qualifications Should Georgia Car Accident Lawyers Meet?

Knowledge
A successful car accident lawyers in Georgia must have a good legal education. This will be the basis for his future career. Must also have in-depth knowledge of local laws. This is usually supported by a license to practice law in your state.

Experience
A good Georgia car accident lawyer should have positive experience in handling cases of car accidents: be able to conduct an accident investigation, collect the necessary evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent the interests of clients in court.

Compassion
What sets good Georgia car accident lawyers apart is the ability to maintain an ongoing dialogue with their clients throughout the settlement process. This helps clients stay informed and feel supported by a lawyer.

Ways to Find Georgia Car Accident Lawyers

Start your search in the simplest and most accessible way – ask your relatives, friends, and acquaintances, maybe someone has been in the same situation. They will be able to recommend a lawyer if they are satisfied with his assistance.

Social networks have ample opportunities to find the right people. Visit specialized legal forums or groups. Check out the recommendations and ask your questions. After spending some time, you can find recommendations for Georgia car accident lawyers.

Continuing your search on the Internet, visit specialized directories such as Avvo or FindLaw. By selecting the search criteria you are interested in, you can create a list of potential candidates for hiring.

Also, check the websites of local law firms. Read about the experience of car accident lawyers in Georgia and reviews of their clients. This will give you information to think about and consider collaborating with the lawyers you are interested in.

Submit your request to the Georgia Bar Help Desk. They likely have a database of qualified car accident lawyers in your area.

It is advisable to attend initial meetings with selected Georgia car accident lawyers. There you can ask questions that interest you and understand how well the lawyer suits your requirements.

Recommendations for Actions After a Car Accident

After a car accident, it is advisable to take some helpful steps. They can be divided into the following categories:

Health and Safety
Seek medical attention if you are injured or feel unwell.
Help other members get medical help if they need it.
Move to a safe place to avoid causing another accident.

Incident Notification
Call the police and wait for them to arrive. Get an accident report from them.
Notify your insurance company of the incident.

Collection of information
Take photos of damaged cars.
Exchange the necessary information with other participants in the accident.
Save contact information for witnesses.
Consult a car accident lawyer in Georgia.

What Not to Do After a Car Accident

After a car accident, it is not recommended to do certain actions that could negatively affect the settlement of a car accident case.

Admitting guilt may affect your ability to file a claim or may reduce your compensation. When communicating with the police, insurance company, and other participants in the accident, try to avoid the topic of admitting guilt.

Agreeing to a quick settlement is not always the right decision. Insurance companies often underestimate the level of compensation for quick settlements. In addition, some injuries may appear later, and then rehabilitation will not be covered by compensation. Consult with a car accident lawyer before accepting a settlement.

Failure to seek medical help promptly is also considered incorrect action. Timely identification of an injury will allow for more effective treatment and connection of this injury with the consequences of an accident. This may lead to compensation for restoration costs.

Understanding Compensation in Car Accident Cases

In Georgia, compensation is available for economic and non-economic damages:

repair or replacement of damaged property
medical bills
lost wages
rehabilitation costs
pain and suffering
scars and mutilations
loss of consortium
other associated costs associated with the accident.

Punitive damages may also be awarded. To do this, it is necessary to prove that the guilty party acted intentionally, with malice, or with complete indifference to the consequences.

Tips to Prevent Getting Involved in a Car Accident

Follow the traffic rules: do not exceed the permitted speed limit, and do not ignore traffic lights.

Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is better to use a taxi or public transport.

Pay full attention to the traffic situation: do not text, use the phone, or eat or drink while driving.

Avoid aggressive driving: maintain a safe distance, do not brake sharply, and use turn signals to indicate your maneuvers in advance.

Adapt to weather conditions: increase your distance, reduce your speed, turn on your fog lights, and take other actions to improve driving safety when weather conditions worsen.

Keep your car in good condition: undergo maintenance on time, check the brakes and tires.

Number and Types of Car Accidents

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), 384,528 accidents occurred in Georgia in 2022:

• Fatalities – 1,982
• Serious Injuries – 8,653
• Visible Injuries – 35,288
• Complaint Injuries – 105,978

The following types of accidents have been recorded:

Factors and Causes of Car Accidents

GDOT’s 2022 report shows common causes of crashes:

The most common factors can also be identified:

Typical Injuries in Car Accidents

Head injuries
They are one of the most dangerous injuries in road accidents. Depending on the strength of the impact, they can manifest themselves in the form of concussions, skull fractures, paralysis, and even death.

Whiplash
The most common neck injury in car accidents. Often during a collision, there is a sudden movement of the head, which leads to an overload of the neck muscles. Whiplash may not appear immediately, but may take some time to appear.

Back injuries
Displacements and fractures of vertebral discs pinched nerves, and damage to the spinal cord are all back injuries. Such injuries usually lead to long-term rehabilitation and even disability.

Lacerations and burns
Injuries in road accidents are very common, but most are not critical. Exceptions may include damage to large blood vessels or deep burns.

Limb injuries
Depending on the type of collision, the arms or legs may be injured, or both. Joint dislocations, bone fractures, soft tissue bruises, and, in worst cases, amputation.

Car Accident Laws and Case Types

The following vehicles are most often involved in accidents (according to GDOT data for 2022):

This provides insight into who is most often represented by Georgia car accident lawyers.

Georgia is a fault state. This means that damages from a car accident are recovered from the at-fault party.

Georgia has a comparative negligence statute. The percentage of fault of each party is assessed and the party with a percentage of fault less than 50% can file a claim for damages. In this case, the amount of compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault.

Minimum insurance requirements have been determined:

• $25,000 for injury or death of one person
• $50,000 for total injuries or deaths
• $25,000 for property damage.

FAQ: Georgia Car Accident Lawyers