A car accident can leave you wondering what you should do next. Should you go to the doctor? Who will pay for your doctor bills and car repairs? And what should you say to the lady who called from the insurance company? If you were in a car accident in College Park, we have answers for you. Our lawyers can help you make a claim and get you money to cover all your losses from the accident.
Our years of experience have earned us a reputation as some of the top accident lawyers in the state. Our whole practice is devoted to helping people who have been injured. We’d like to meet with you, free of charge, to talk about your injuries and explain what we do. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
I don’t think I was badly hurt. Should I go to the doctor anyway?
Car accident injuries can fool you because they may not be apparent right away. The excitement of the accident releases hormones that can mask pain and other symptoms. This may lull you into thinking you weren’t injured. Later, as you feel pain, stiffness or dizziness, it can be hard to admit that you might have been hurt in the accident after all. It’s tempting to just wait and see if things improve on their own.
But avoiding the doctor’s office is usually a mistake, for two reasons:
- You are missing the opportunity to get treatment that will help you heal faster —and may even save your life. Muscular injuries are usually easiest to treat right after they occur, and the longer you wait, the more likely you are to feel long-term effects. Concussions and other head injuries can develop serious complications if you don’t treat them.
- You could be destroying your chances of getting insurance money to pay for your injuries. When an accident victim doesn’t see a doctor for weeks, insurance companies see this as a red flag that the victim is making up the injuries to make a quick buck. Or, the insurance company may say that the injuries were caused by something that happened after the accident. If you see a doctor right away, you make it clear that you were hurt in the car wreck.
Who is responsible for my medical bills and car repairs?
The driver whose negligence caused your accident must pay all the costs. Negligence means a driver didn’t do what a reasonably careful driver would have done under the circumstances. This might mean the driver wasn’t paying attention to the road, obeying traffic laws, driving at a safe speed in bad weather, or maintaining a safe following distance. Most of the time, the negligent driver’s insurance company will be responsible for paying you.
Most accident victims can recover their healthcare costs and the expense of fixing or replacing a damaged vehicle. You may also be able to recover money from the insurance company to make up for the time you had to be absent from work because of the accident. You may be eligible for money for pain, emotional suffering, and the negative impact the accident has had on your life. We know that money can’t buy your old life back or make up for what you have lost. But it can ease your mind, relieve some of your stress, and give you the tools you need to continue your recovery.
The other driver’s insurance company just called. What should I say?
Many car accident victims get a phone call from an adjuster at the other driver’s insurance company. Adjusters usually seem pleasant and friendly, and they may ask how you are feeling or want you to answer some questions so they can get your claim processed quickly. This sounds helpful, until you realize that the adjuster’s role is to find a way for the insurance company to deny your claim or pay you as little as possible.
Adjusters are trained to ask questions that will trip you up and get you to say things that will hurt your claim. The best course of action is to avoid talking to the adjuster at all. If you work with a car accident lawyer in Atlanta, your lawyer will take care of interactions with the insurance company, ensuring that you won’t say anything that can be used against you later.
If you do talk to the adjuster, there are three simple rules to keep in mind.
- First, don’t offer any more information than you absolutely have to. Stick to the basic facts of when and where, and don’t elaborate or offer your opinion.
- Second, never agree to give a recorded statement. It’s not necessary to your claim, and its entire purpose is to get you to make damaging statements that can be used to attack your credibility, blame you for the accident, or deny your claim.
- Third, don’t accept any money without talking to a lawyer first. Remember, insurance companies want to pay you as little as possible, and it’s unlikely they have generously offered you a fair amount. A lawyer can evaluate the offer and make sure the insurance company is not trying to trick you into taking less than you deserve.
A car accident lawyer can take care of your claim from start to finish, freeing you from the stress of dealing with the insurance company and letting you focus instead on your physical and emotional recovery. In many cases, the insurance company will offer you substantially more money simply because you have a lawyer.
Talk to a College Park Car Accident Lawyer for Free
We have been getting money for car accident victims for decades, and we’ve got one of the best track records in the state. Your first consultation with us is free, and we won’t ever charge you a fee unless we win you money. We’d like to talk to you about your claim and the ways we can help. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
