Have you suffered severe traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, or other critical injuries in a car crash? Do you believe someone else’s negligence contributed to your collision? If so, you may be entitled to total financial compensation. However, pursuing legal action can be overwhelming.
Having an experienced Alpharetta car accident lawyer take on your case could make all the difference. With our firm backing you up, you can get the legal guidance and support you need to make the liable party pay. Consider your legal options when you contact our office to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
How Car Accident Claims in Alpharetta Work
Your car accident lawyer in Alpharetta, GA, is responsible for guiding you through the claims process every step of the way. Once you know better how the insurance and civil claims process works, you may feel more empowered and confident in pursuing your case.
Generally, you can recover compensation after a car crash in two primary ways. These options involve filing a claim with the insurance company or bringing your case to court. Here is more:
Filing an Insurance Claim After a Car Accident
Filing an insurance claim is one of the top ways to recover compensation for your damages. However, dealing with the insurance company will take a lot of work. In addition to the multiple insurance laws that could influence your case, the insurance company may also stand in your way.
Georgia Auto Insurance Laws
Here is a little about how auto insurance claims work. Your Alpharetta car accident attorney will be responsible for figuring out how your insurance claims work.
Georgia follows fault laws for car accidents. After a collision, you will file a claim with your auto insurance provider instead of the liable party’s insurance provider.
Suppose you purchased your no-fault insurance coverage to supplement your auto insurance policy. In that case, you might have a chance to file a claim with your own insurer, despite Georgia being a fault state for car accidents. However, filing a claim with your insurance company could be costly, as the insurer could increase your rates upon policy renewal.
What Insurance Settlements Pay For
When you file a claim with the insurance company, you may be hoping to get every single loss covered and avoid going to court. However, this is rarely the case. When you file a claim with the insurance company, insurers are only obligated to pay you up to the highest limits of the policyholder’s claim.
Georgia auto insurance laws require a minimum of $25,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage, $50,000 per accident and bodily injury liability coverage, and $25,000 per accident and property damage liability coverage.
If the liable party only purchased the minimum of $50,000 per accident and bodily injury liability coverage, but your medical expenses exceeded $250,000, you would still have approximately $200,000 in medical bills that need to be covered. Since insurance settlements do not frequently cover every loss, it is always important to be prepared to file a civil lawsuit as well.
Expect to Be Accused of Shared Liability
Dealing with the insurance company is going to take a lot of work. Insurance companies are not on your side because they lose money every time they pay out on a claim. For this reason, you should not be alarmed if the insurance company attempts to blame you for causing the accident.
Since Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence system with a 50% threshold, you will not lose your right to compensation for sharing blame as long as your portion of the fault is not greater than 50%. Your car accident attorney in Alpharetta will be by your side to assess liability accurately if you are not taken advantage of by greedy insurers.
Car Accident Insurance Claim Deadlines
Your car accident insurance claim must be filed within the deadline. Generally, insurance companies allow for up to 30 days to pass before the expiration date. Unfortunately, if you do not file your insurance claim before the specified deadline, the insurance company has the authority to deny your claim.
What to Expect When Your Case Goes to Trial
When your motor vehicle crash case needs to go to trial, having a car accident lawyer working for you could make all the difference. Here is more about what to expect when your car accident claim goes to court:
Recoverable Damages in Court
Although certain limits come with filing an insurance claim, the same is not true when you bring your case to trial. In court, you have the right to be made whole. The liable party should repay you for every loss you experienced due to their negligent actions. Examples of the general and special damages you could win include:
- Loss of income
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle damages
- Emotional distress
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Healthcare costs
Statute of Limitations
Just like your insurance claim needs to be filed before the deadline, so does your car accident lawsuit. According to the Georgia statute of limitations, you only have two years from the date of your accident to file your claim unless your lawsuit has been tolled in some way. Failure to file your car accident claim before the expiration date means you lose your chance to have your case heard by a judge and jury.
Meet with a Car Accident Lawyer in Alpharetta for Help Today
Do not let the individual or entity who caused your injuries get away with paying you less than you deserve. You can take legal action against them and fully recover your damages with help from a reputable Alpharetta car accident lawyer.
Are you ready to take charge of your insurance and civil claims? When you complete our secure contact form or call our office to schedule your free consultation today, learn more about what is next for your case.
