Decatur Car Accident Lawyer

If you or someone you love was hurt in a car accident in Decatur, it’s crucial that you speak to a good lawyer.  The injuries from the car accident may seem minor at first, but they can develop into serious long-term conditions that can cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical care. When you call our Decatur car accident lawyers, you get someone who will fight for you.

For over 20 years, John Foy & Associates has represented car accident victims like you. When we sit down with you, our goal is simple: to make sure you get the fullest possible recovery from your injuries, and to get you the money you need to do it. Call John Foy & Associates at 404-400-4000 today to get your free consultation.

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 damages—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.

Can you go it alone without a lawyer?

You can always pursue a case without an attorney, but your odds are better if you hire one. Why? Because insurance companies tend to take you more seriously, an attorney can help you hire experts to testify on your behalf, and your attorney can review your case to make sure you’ve accounted for every damage to which you are entitled.

Even if your accident was minor, you can still reap the benefits of hiring a good attorney to help you.

How can a Decatur car accident lawyer help you?

Many people injured in car accidents make the mistake of thinking that the insurance company will take care of everything.  Sadly, this usually isn’t the case.  Insurance companies are businesses, and businesses make decisions that benefit their bottom line.  This means it’s in their interest to pay you the smallest amount possible—even if it’s not enough to cover your care and other expenses. 

Insurance company “tricks”

Insurance companies may even use some deceptive tricks, including, but not limited to:

• Calling you and asking “friendly” questions, like whether you’re feeling better. If you say you’re doing well, they may later use your own words against you to prove that you don’t need more money.
• They may give you cash as soon as you report your accident—before you know how much the injury will really cost you. If you take their offer, you sign away your rights to anything else. 
• Or, they may drag their feet for months before doing anything to process your claim. They do this so that financial pressure will build up, making you desperate to take any offer they finally make. 
• In some cases, the insurance company may even blame you for an accident that clearly wasn’t your fault—or they may tell you that your injuries aren’t as bad as they really are.

If you don’t have legal representation, fighting the insurance company’s tricks is hard.  Insurance companies have an army of lawyers, and they know that most victims don’t know where to begin to fight a complicated legal claim.  When you get a lawyer of your own, you make it a fair fight.  In many cases, simply having a lawyer on your side is enough to get a higher offer right away.

What costs can you recover in a car accident claim?

In general, almost all expenses or losses caused by the car accident can be covered by your claim.  The most common costs are:

• Medical bills
• Medicine
• Car damages
• Lost wages or missed work time

And, if the accident had serious consequences—like a permanent injury, a disability, severe physical pain, or even the death of a loved one—you could potentially win a much larger recovery.  No amount of money can ever make up for these horrible losses, but it can help ease your financial burden when things are difficult. 

How do you know if you have a valid car accident claim in Decatur?

The rule is not to doubt yourself.  If you haven’t spoken to a professional, don’t talk yourself out of having a claim.  Many people think of collisions as pure accidents—or they somehow blame themselves for what happened, even if it wasn’t their fault.  But the law doesn’t see it this way.  Most car accidents happen because one party was careless, inattentive, or broke a law, which is called “negligence.” If the other driver was negligent, you have a valid case. 

We’ve helped people win a recovery in all types of car accidents:

• Head-on accidents
• Rear-end accidents
• “T-bone” crashes
• Dangerous road conditions
• Distracted driving accidents
• Drunk driving accidents
• Faulty tires
• Whiplash and other neck injuries

Even if the other driver is uninsured, or fled after a hit-and-run, we may still be able to help.

Do you have to go to court for a car accident claim?

Most car accident victims never go to court.  Every once in a while, if the insurance company refuses to negotiate, going to the local courts may be the best choice.  If this happens, we will tell you if we think your case is likely to win at trial, and if you choose to move forward, we will take care of everything.  Ultimately, going to court will be your call. 

However, for most cases, no trial is needed.  Insurance companies will pay if we present a strong case.  When you bring John Foy & Associates on board, the first thing we do is investigate your accident for ourselves.  We utilize police reports, witness testimony, and expert medical opinions to show exactly what happened—and most importantly, what it will take to help you fully recover.  This is usually all it takes to get the insurance company to make a fair offer.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in Decatur?

At John Foy & Associates, we don’t believe that you should pay anything upfront for legal representation.  That’s why we offer a simple payment structure:

• Your consultation with us is always free
• You pay nothing out of pocket
• If we don’t win you money, you won’t pay anything

If we win a financial recovery for you, our fee is paid as a percentage of what you recover.  You keep everything else.  This allows you to get the legal help you need without taking a risk—which we believe is only fair.

Is there a deadline to file a car accident claim in Decatur?

Yes.  The court system in the City of Decatur uses deadlines set by both state and federal laws.  The exact deadline can vary substantially depending on the details of your case:

• Some car accident cases are allowed up to two years to file
• Other cases only give you a few weeks after the date of the accident

If you miss your deadline, you will probably lose your right to recover any money at all.  This is why it’s crucial to speak to a good lawyer as soon as you can. 

Talk to a Decatur car accident lawyer for free

You don’t have to face your pain alone.  At John Foy & Associates, we’ve been winning car accident cases for over 20 years.  Let us give you a free consultation and show you what we can do for you.  Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.