Car accidents can be painful, stressful, and frustrating—especially if the accident wasn’t your fault. You might wonder where to turn and whether or not the situation is being handled in the best way. Most of all, you’re likely dealing with medical bills or repair costs to your vehicle as a result of the accident. One of the biggest questions victims of car accidents have is: “Do I still need a lawyer if I didn’t cause the accident?”
The short answer is: yes, absolutely. In fact, if you aren’t at fault, it’s especially important to get a lawyer, because your own insurance won’t usually help you and the other party’s insurance will try as hard as possible to pay you less than you deserve.
If you suffered any type of loss in the accident, such as injuries or vehicles damages, you’re entitled to financial recovery—and a car accident lawyer can help you pursue it.
How does fault work in a car accident in Georgia?
In order for you to make a claim for financial recovery following an accident, the other party must be guilty of negligence, or carelessness, that led to the accident. This means they’re “at fault” for the accident and for your damages because they weren’t driving carefully or following Georgia traffic laws. Negligence can take several forms, including:
- Drunk driving accidents
- Not properly following traffic signals or laws
- Driving distracted, such as while texting
- Driving too close to the vehicle in front of them
When a driver in a car accident is determined to be at fault, their car insurance company is responsible for paying the victim’s damages from the accident. Damages can include any costs you’re dealing with as a result of the accident, such as medical bills and treatments, repair costs, and income lost from having to miss work. The costs are paid either through a settlement with you and the at fault driver’s insurance company or through a car accident lawsuit.
In either case, this is where a car accident lawyer is crucial for victims of a car accident.
What can a lawyer do for me if I’m in a car accident and the other person is at fault?
If you’ve found yourself as a victim of a car accident caused by someone else, an experienced car accident lawyer can help you in several ways:
Making sure you get the money you deserve.
Insurance companies can sometimes cause a lot of trouble for car accident victims. To reduce the amount of money they pay out to you, the insurer of the at-fault person may attempt to pay you a low-ball sum upfront, making it seem like they’re helping. While this money may be tempting, taking it will settle the case for them and prevent you from recovering the amount of money you really need—and car accident recovery costs are usually more than you think.
A car accident lawyer will advocate for you and hold the insurers accountable for what your claim is really worth.
Proving fault of the other party.
Another way insurers may try to reduce what they pay you is by trying to spin the situation or partially blame you for the accident. It’s not uncommon for car accident victims to get phone calls from the at-fault person’s insurance company, and we urge our clients to not pick up the phone. This is because the person on the other line is experienced at trying to get the victim to talk about the accident and possibly say something that could be used against them.
Instead, you should contact a good attorney before speaking with insurers about any part of accident. Your lawyer will investigate the case and compile the type of evidence that shows fault of the other party as well as the costs you’re dealing with as a result. Car accident lawyers have connections with doctors, investigators, and other experts needed to estimate your costs and provide what insurance companies need to pay out a fair offer to you.
Expert legal advice.
Personal injury cases like car accidents can be complicated and confusing if you aren’t used to dealing with legal matters. A lawyer can help you determine the best course of action to get what you need to move on from the accident and not be left with hefty costs for something you didn’t cause.
Get Free Advice from a Car Accident Lawyer Today
Our attorneys are solely dedicated to helping car accidents victims get what they need to recover after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. We never charge anything unless we win you money. Plus, we’ll offer you a FREE consultation to speak with one of our attorneys risk-free. Call us today at 404-341-6555 or fill out the form to your right for the free consultation.
