Columbus Car Accident Lawyer

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.

Documenting the Scene

After the accident happens, you will need to:

• Call the police to report the accident and tell responding officers what happened
• Take pictures of the accident scene, your injuries, and vehicle damage to your car
• Avoid admitting any blame or apologizing to the other driver until you have all the facts
• Talk to witnesses and get their names and contact information

Each of these steps can help create a record of the car accident, which is crucial for your insurance claim.

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.

Taking Notes On the Accident

Keep a record of what happened before, during, and after the car accident. Write down how the accident made you feel and how your injuries have impacted your day-to-day life. Also, record any names and contact information of people you’ve communicated with about your accident.

Getting a Car Inspection

Assess how much your vehicle damage will cost to repair (or replace, if your car was totaled). You might see a few different inspectors for an average estimate of how much your vehicle damage is worth before the other driver’s insurance company steps in.

Documenting Your Damages

Keep track of all costs associated with your car accident. Use a file or folder to save documents and notes in one place. This should include:

• Your claim number
• The insurance adjuster’s name
• All medical bills and records
• Quotes for vehicle damage repairs
• Full names, phone numbers, and addresses for all relevant contacts

Calling a Car Accident Lawyer

Schedule a consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer who can make sure you are doing everything to protect your rights after the accident. It’s easy to get taken advantage of if you don’t know how to handle the insurance company, so a lawyer can make sure that doesn’t happen. They can also help fight for the fair settlement you deserve.

If the insurance company or other driver fights against your claim, your lawyer will be there every step of the way – even if you need to take the driver to trial.

Basically, be cautious in everything you do or say after a car accident. Avoid admitting blame, apologizing, or downplaying your damage - and get a trusted lawyer on your side who can help you take the right actions for your case. The goal is to protect your legal rights to full compensation for all the damages you face because of the other driver’s negligence that led to your accident.

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.

How a Columbus, GA, Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You

Costs mount quickly after a car accident. Often, they’re much more than you first expect and far more than the insurance initially offers. Your lawyer serves as your interface with the insurance company, preventing insurers from misleading you or turning your words around on you. Their focus is on saving money by paying you as little as possible. 

However, a good car accident attorney in Columbus is your ally in getting the financial recovery you need so that you can get better and move on. Some of the questions to consider when deciding whether you need a car accident lawyer are:

• What is the total cost of my medical bills?
• Will I need more treatment or physical therapy in the future?
• Did I miss time at work because of my injury?
• Can I return to work in the foreseeable future?
• Will I need a new car?

Valid Car Accident Claims in Georgia

The only way to know for sure if you have a case is to talk to a Columbus car accident attorney. Every day, people get in accidents that they think are minor, or that they wrongly believe are their own fault. You may feel there’s nothing you can do. But as time goes on, the true costs of these accidents become clear, and often it’s too late to go back and make your case. 

Examples of situations that might give you a valid claim include:

• Accidents due to dangerous road conditions
• Defective tires
• Distracted driving accidents
• Head-on collisions
• Rear-end collisions
• Hit-and-run accidents
• Speeding accidents
• Rollover accidents
• Whiplash injuries

Do You Have to Sue Someone in a Car Accident Claim?

Many cases are settled successfully without filing a lawsuit. Your lawyer acts as your negotiator and will inform the insurance company they have taken over your case. The insurance company will then have to bargain with them, not you. Your car accident attorney should present a strong case with evidence to show the true cost of the accident and push for a fair settlement.

In some cases a claim does involve filing suit. The lawsuit is against an insurance company, not another driver. It is always your choice whether to proceed to a lawsuit or not, and it’s often not necessary.

Will You Have to Go to Court for a Personal Injury Case?

You will likely not have to appear in court. The majority of car accident claims are settled without a trial. Insurance companies generally want to avoid a trial and to have the case over and done with quickly. Even when a lawsuit is filed, they will often end up settling out-of-court long before the trial date. Your lawyer can handle the meetings and negotiations without you being present.

In some cases, a car accident claim will go all the way to trial in the Columbus court system. It’s  understandable that you may not want to appear in court, but your car accident lawyer can work to make sure it is as fast and painless as possible. 

How Much It Costs to Hire a Columbus Car Accident Lawyer

You pay nothing for a Columbus car accident lawyer unless you win a recovery. Your case begins with a free consultation where a car accident lawyer determines whether you have a strong claim or not and if their help can serve your needs. If so, you’re billed nothing until you successfully win compensation. Attorneys’ fees come out of the final financial recovery. 

You Don’t Have Much Time to File a Claim for Your Car Accident

You need to move quickly. In Georgia, you have up to two years to file a car accident claim, as per state law §9-3-33. However, there are times when the deadline may be shorter. You have the best chance of success if you file your claim right away. With time, evidence can be harder to collect, witnesses’ memory fade, and the pressure to settle only gets more intense.

No matter what kind of car accident you were in, speaking to a lawyer should be your first move. It may be the best thing you ever do for your case.

Georgia Modified Comparative Negligence Law

According to Georgia statute §51-12-33, you are still eligible for compensation even if you’re partially responsible for the car accident. The modified comparative negligence statute does not bar recovery if you are found to be less than 50% liable for the accident. Your compensation, however, will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Compensation You Can Receive for Your Damages

Without a car accident lawyer, it’s your responsibility to convince an insurance company, or a jury, that you deserve the compensation you are asking for. Noneconomic damages may include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Mental distress
• Disability 

Economic damages can include, among other things:

• Medical expenses
• Car repairs 
• Any out-of-pocket expenses 
• Lost income

A Columbus, GA, car accident attorney can total up your damages and provide evidence of the monetary impact your injury has made. This information will be used in settlement negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company. 

Proving Negligence in Car Accident Cases

A car accident often occurs after one or more drivers act carelessly on the road. To strengthen your case, it is important you and your lawyer prove the other party acted negligently.

The foremost element of negligence is a duty of care. All drivers have a legal obligation to obey the rules of the road and operate their vehicle reasonably. The reasonability component includes actions such as observing traffic signals, driving at a safe speed, and using your blinkers and headlights. 

The court requires you then to show that the driver who acted carelessly breached the duty of care they owed you. A car accident lawyer can help you prove to the court that there was a breach by providing evidence from eyewitnesses, traffic surveillance footage, and medical reports of your injuries.

Talk to a Columbus Personal Injury Lawyer for Free

Our mission is to get you back into the best health possible after your injury and to make sure you don’t have to pay for it. John Foy & Associates is one of the largest and most respected car accidents firms in Georgia. We have a strong record of success and offer a free consultation.

When you call our office, we do more than other law firms. We send out an investigator to interview you and document the damage to your car. Then we build the strongest case possible, determining the real amount you’re owed and helping you get it.

Let our car accident attorneys in Columbus help you. Call us or fill out our online form and get your FREE consultation today.