After a car accident, you may be struggling with medical bills—and that’s only the beginning. You may be coming to terms with long-term, serious injuries or chronic pain. You may be out of work and unsure if you will ever be able to go back. You may wonder how you will support yourself and what the future holds. But you are not alone. You can get help paying for your accident. You need to talk to a car accident lawyer in Union City.
Helping accident victims has been our law firm’s mission for decades. We don’t charge you anything unless we get money for you. Let us give you a FREE consultation. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
Which driver is liable for the accident?
In car accident cases, Georgia is a “fault state.” The driver who is “at fault” must pay for the full cost of the accident, including everyone’s injuries and the damage to their cars. Because of this, figuring out who’s at fault will be a big part of your car accident claim.
Usually, fault is based on a legal concept known as “negligence.” Negligence is another way of saying that a driver caused an accident by not being careful enough. The law requires you to use a reasonable amount of care on the road, including following traffic laws and using safe driving practices. When drivers don’t do this, they are at fault based on their negligence, and their insurance company must pay. Examples of negligent behaviors might include looking at a phone instead of the road, driving too fast, changing lanes aggressively, or drinking and driving.
Will the at-fault driver’s insurance pay for the accident?
Normally, yes. Most accidents should be covered by an insurance policy, but that doesn’t mean the insurance company will want to pay. The insurance company may try to deny or minimize your claim, and this is why it is important to talk to a car accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
A lawyer can look at the insurance company offer with a professional eye. And a lawyer knows how to make a strong case to get you every penny you deserve. That offer you got from the insurance company was almost certainly not enough to pay for the real costs of your injuries and their impact on your life. However, the insurance company wants to get rid of your claim quickly and cheaply, so it can keep more profits for itself. The trouble is, if you take the insurance money now, you can’t ever ask for anything more, no matter how badly you need the money.
An Atlanta Georgia car accident lawyer understands that this is how insurance companies operate. A lawyer will work hard to negotiate the best deal possible. A lawyer can also send you to doctors who know how to diagnose your injuries and tell you what treatment you need, and how much it will cost. Just putting a lawyer on your team can mean the insurance company comes up with a far better offer.
What if the at-fault driver was uninsured?
It will be more complicated to get the money you need, but you’re still able to do so. Normally, your lawyer will look at several different options for how best to get your settlement paid. This could involve drawing on another insurance policy, or simply have the court order the other driver to pay you the money in installments. There are legal ways of enforcing this order so that they really do pay, even if it takes time.
How do I know if my injuries will be covered?
Potentially, any injury can be covered as long as it happened as a result of the accident. We frequently help people recover money for these common injuries:
- Whiplash, the most common car accident injury
- Head injuries
- Damage to limbs, fingers or joints
- Internal damage that requires surgery
- Cuts and stitches
- Burns or smoke inhalation
Even minor injuries are covered, and you should always get medical attention—even if you went home believing you weren’t hurt. Later, when the shock and excitement of the accident wore off, you might have felt pain, dizziness or other symptoms. This is common, but you should never ignore your symptoms. Always see a doctor as soon as you can. This can speed up your healing process and help you make a strong claim with the insurance company.
What else will my claim pay for?
Your claim will play for two other kinds of costs or “damages”:
- The actual costs you have to pay, such as car repairs and the loss of income from missing time at work
- Money for intangible damages, like experiencing extreme pain
This second kind of damages is often what makes up the majority of your settlement. Insurance companies will often leave off any compensation for pain and suffering and other losses in their first offer, but you have a right to it. This money can’t erase the effects of a traumatic accident, but it can help reduce the impact of serious losses like a disability, a severed limb, scarring or lifelong pain.
What if I lost a loved one in a car accident?
Your family has a right to recover money in your loved one’s place. You have the right to the same costs and damages as they would have themselves if they had lived. Your settlement should also include money to pay for funeral expenses, and wrongful death damages, which can help your family maintain a stable financial situation after your loss.
Wrongful death cases require extreme care—everyone involved will be trying to avoid liability and minimize what they pay. You and your family need to talk to a lawyer.
Talk to a Union City Car Accident Lawyer for Free
Our lawyers have only one goal: to help you get your life back together after an accident. We don’t charge you a thing unless we get money for you. Let us give you a free consultation to discuss your claim—with no obligation. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
