Albany Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Albany, you don’t need to handle everything alone.  A good car accident lawyer can help you get the money you need to focus on your recovery.  Even when your injuries seem minor, they can develop into long-term conditions costing tens of thousands of dollars.  More serious injuries can require years of expensive treatment.  But you don’t have to pay for an accident you didn’t cause.  Put an Albany car accident lawyer on your team.

At John Foy & Associates, we help accident victims get the maximum financial award possible.  In fact, that’s all we do.  We began as a small local law office, and over the past 20 years we have grown into one of the biggest and most highly regarded law firms in the state.  We’d like to explain how we can help you.  We’ll give you a free consultation to go over your case and discuss your options.  Call us at 229-232-8678 and get your free consultation today.

What Can I Do to Protect My Rights After a Car Accident?

To legally protect yourself after a car accident, you will need to document the accident, gather evidence, get your injuries treated as soon as possible, and seek legal help.

Getting Your Injuries Checked Out

After you’ve left the scene, see a doctor as soon as you can to have your injuries checked out. Some car accident injuries take time to fully show up, so you should see a doctor even if your pain is minor. The sooner you can get treatment and create a record that you saw someone for your injuries, the better it is for your case.

Also, keep track of all medical bills, doctor notes, and other records of your injuries and medical expenses.

Do I really need an Albany car accident lawyer?

Many accident victims are reluctant to hire a lawyer because they think it’s not worth it.  They believe the insurance company will offer a fair settlement and that lawyers will charge high fees without getting them more money.  This is simply not true.  Insurance companies aren’t interested in being fair to you.  They want to make a profit, and one of the ways they stay profitable is to pay as little as possible to accident victims.  They have several ways of tricking you into accepting a low settlement:

• They sound friendly and concerned and then use whatever you say against you.
• They encourage you to take a settlement right away. They know that you haven’t had a chance to find out what your injuries will really cost, and they also know that if you take the “quick cash,” you’ll sign away your right to ask for more money later.
• They don’t do anything. They wait for months, letting your medical bills pile up before they offer you any money at all.  They hope that you’ll be under so much financial pressure that you’ll take anything you can get.
• They say the accident is your fault to avoid paying anything, or they question your injuries so they won’t have to pay as much.

A good personal injury lawyer has seen these tactics many times and knows how to deal with them.  But most accident victims alone are no match for an insurance company with teams of lawyers on its side.   When you hire a lawyer, you get an experienced advocate who will fight for you.  In many cases, insurance companies offer substantially more money just because there’s a lawyer on your case.

What costs and expenses can I get in a car accident claim?

The City of Albany and Dougherty County follow Georgia law, which allows accident victims to recover all their costs and damages.  We routinely recover these types of costs for our clients:

• Medical costs such as doctor and hospital bills
• Prescriptions
• Vehicle repairs, including body shops and replacing a totaled car
• The cost of missed time from work because of the accident

If you were seriously injured in your accident, you may be able to recover even more money for a permanent injury, disability, ongoing pain, or even the loss of a loved one.  Of course, money cannot reverse these tragic losses, but it can give you financial security to make it easier to get treatment and cope with life after the accident.

How do I know if my car accident claim in Albany is valid?

Many people second-guess themselves after accidents, questioning whether they did something wrong or minimizing the effects of the accident.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Your accident happened for a reason, and you are doing yourself and your family a disservice if you don’t get a professional opinion on whether you have a claim.  Most car accidents happen because someone is “negligent,” meaning they were careless or didn’t follow the law.  If someone else was negligent, you have a valid claim.

We have successfully handled claims in many kinds of accidents, including:

• Head-on accidents
• Rear end collisions
• “T-bone” accidents
• Accidents caused by rain, dense fog or hazardous roads
• Texting and distracted driving
• Driving under the influence
• Defective tires and other parts
• Accidents causing whiplash

We have recovered money even when the other driver fled the scene or didn’t have insurance.

Will I have to file a case in court?

The majority of auto accident claims are resolved before anyone files a lawsuit or goes to court.  In rare cases, an insurance company won’t negotiate at all and it may make sense to take the case to the local courts.  If this happens to you, we will advise you on your options and your chances of winning at trial.  If you decide you want to go to court, we have experienced litigators who will take care of everything.

Most of the time, however, we present a strong case to the insurance company and they then offer a fair settlement.  We investigate every case and build the strongest possible claim through police reports, witness statements, expert evidence, and medical assessments of the extent of your injuries and what you will need to recover.  Many times, our evidence alone prompts the insurance company to make a substantially higher offer. 

How do I find the best Albany car accident lawyer near me?

There are lots of lawyers out there, and it can be hard to know which one to choose.  Here are some suggestions:

• Choose a personal injury lawyer who represents accident victims. Lawyers have areas of expertise, and you want a lawyer who is familiar with personal injury claims.  A lawyer who represents accident victims exclusively will have your best interests at heart and will not be sympathetic to the insurance company.
• Choose an experienced lawyer. An experienced lawyer knows how to deal with insurance company tricks, has experience working with experts to build your case, and will be able to give you a good assessment of what your case is worth and how you should proceed.
• Choose a lawyer who won’t charge you up-front. You should never pay fees up front in a personal injury case.  Choose a law firm that only charges a fee if it wins money for you.

Above all, see a lawyer as soon as you can after your accident.  The sooner your lawyer begins working on your case, the better your position will be with the insurance company.

Talk to an Albany Car Accident Lawyer for Free

At John Foy & Associates, we’ve seen the devastating effects of car accidents first-hand, and we want you to get the money you need to stay on the road to recovery.  We’ll meet with you for free, with no obligation, to talk about your case and help you decide what to do next.  Call us at 229-232-8678 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.