A good auto accident attorney is the only individual who will really be on your side throughout the entire legal process after your accident. That is why we strongly recommend that you contact a trustworthy lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. That will help your case in a number of important ways – with the ultimate goal of you receiving a full financial recovery for all of your damages and costs.
After you start to work with an auto accident attorney, they will begin to research your accident case. That can include the following:
– Send out an investigator to the accident scene (or recreate the accident)
– Take photos of the scene and/or damage to your car
– Thoroughly interview you about your accident
– Obtain statements from witnesses
– Review police reports of your accident
– Research the driving records of you and the at-fault driver
– Consult with experts and analyze your medical records
The more information that you and your attorney are able to collect about your accident, the stronger your case will be. Your attorney will search for ways to prove that the other driver was negligent (or careless) and caused the accident. If the driver was doing something or not doing something they were supposed to do to prevent a car accident from occurring, then they were negligent.
Under Georgia’s personal injury law, a negligent party can be found to be “at fault” for an accident. That means they are liable to pay for all of the damages caused by the accident.
What “damages” refers to is any losses caused by an accident that you can be compensated for. Damages may include the following:
Special damages, including financial losses for things like car repairs, lost wages, and medical bills
General damages such as mental anguish, lifelong disability, pain and suffering, or anything else that might lower the quality of life of the victim.
Damages may account for the future as well. If you have suffered any injuries that are going to need ongoing treatment well into the future, then those can be claimed as well.
Usually, it is easier to quantify special damages since they have a definite price. However, general damages are intended to basically compensate for your suffering. That can be very difficult to calculate. However, car accident attorneys are skilled in ensuring that the final “price” will meet all of your needs as completely as possible. We understand that money cannot bring back everything that you have lost. However, it can help a victim as well as their family cover their expenses and start to move on with their lives.
There is also an even more important way that your Augusta car accident lawyer can help with damages. They will ensure that you seek what you truly deserve from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
After your attorney has reviewed all of the information received from you as well as from their investigation, he or she will create your insurance claim which states all of your damages and injuries, how the other driver was negligent, and ask for financial compensation that is based on these damages.
It certainly would be a positive thing if insurance companies had people’s best interests at heart. Unfortunately, since they are for-profit businesses, they are always looking for ways to save money – meaning they might not want to pay the full amount of your insurance claim. Insurers commonly use certain tactics such as:
– Offering an upfront lump sum of money to you that is a lot lower than what your total losses are worth
– Denying the initial amount of your insurance claim
– Calling you after your accident and then trying to use certain things that you said against you
That is why it is so important to contact an auto accident lawyer before you talk to an insurance company. Do not discuss or disclose any details with anybody other than your car accident lawyer and doctor who is treating you.
Your attorney will get an insurance claim created that accounts for all of your damages – and they will know what needs to be done if the insurance company pushes back against your insurance claim. They will also be able to communicate with the insurance company for you and negotiate if the insurer denies your claim.
A majority of car accident cases never end up going to trial. Your attorney will and the at-fault driver’s insurance company will ideally agree on a settlement amount that covers all of your losses and is fair to you. However, negotiations are unsuccessful at times.
If the insurance company will not budge, then your lawyer might recommend that your case be taken to court. Throughout the court trial, your case will be presented by your attorney. A jury or judge will then use what they have heard in order to determine whether or not you are entitled to receive a financial recovery and the amount.
