Macon Car Accident Lawyer

Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney After a Motor Vehicle Crash?

If you or a family member has been injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident in Macon, you should talk to a lawyer, even if your injuries seem minor. Those initial aches and pains could be painful, long-term conditions requiring months of expensive treatment and physical therapy.

A major accident can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and you shouldn’t have to pay for a collision you didn’t cause. A car accident attorney in Macon could help you get the money you deserve.

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

To legally protect yourself after an auto accident, you should document the incident, gather evidence, seek treatment for your injuries, and contact a lawyer.

Document the Crash

After the accident occurs, you should:

• Dial 911 to report the accident to the local police department or sheriff’s office and inform the responding officers of the incident.
• Photograph the accident scene, your injuries, and the damage to both vehicles.
• Don’t take responsibility or apologize to the other driver. Instead, you can express your concern by asking if they are okay.
• Gather witness testimony, including names and contact information.

Following these steps can help document the collision, which is important for your insurance claim.

Seek Medical Treatment

Following a motor vehicle accident, it is important to seek medical attention, even if you do not feel any immediate pain. Injuries may not become obvious immediately, so it’s best to be safe and get checked out by a doctor.

Make sure to document all doctor appointments, notes, and other information related to your injury.

Document Everything

Document what occurred before, during, and after the accident. Note your emotions after the accident and how your injuries have impacted you daily. Additionally, keep track of the names and contact information of those you spoke with about the crash.

Get Estimates for Car Repairs

Research the cost of repairing your vehicle (or replacing it if it’s totaled). It’s best to get a few different estimates before the other driver’s insurer gets involved.

Document Your Damages

Be sure to organize all relevant information regarding your accident in a single file. This should include receipts, documents, and notes in a folder or envelope.

• Your auto accident claim number
• The insurance adjuster’s name
• All medical bills and paperwork from doctors and hospitals
• Quotes for vehicle damage repairs
• Names, phone numbers, and addresses of relevant contacts

Call a Car Accident Attorney in Macon

It’s easy to get taken advantage of if you don’t know how to handle the insurance company, and a good lawyer can ensure that doesn’t happen. Schedule a consultation with an experienced attorney who can make sure you are doing everything to protect your rights after the crash.

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 at every step, even if you need to take the at-fault driver to court.

The purpose of a lawyer is to protect your legal right to compensation for the financial losses and other damages you face because of the crash.

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.

What Can a Macon Car Accident Lawyer Do for Me?

After being involved in a collision, you may receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company. The claims adjuster will sound friendly and sympathetic, which could lead you to believe they have your best interest at heart and will handle everything.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Insurance companies profit by paying out as little as possible on a claim. The money the insurance company offers may not be enough to cover your initial medical care, let alone the cost of long-term treatment.

Common insurance company tactics include:

• Asking you “friendly” questions about your injuries and how you’re feeling: They can then use your response against you to reduce the value of your claim or deny it outright.
• Offering you a quick settlement: They hope you’ll take the money before you learn the true extent of your injuries and their long-term cost. If you accept this payment, you sign away your right to recover anything else.
• Delaying the processing of your claim: They may wait months before doing anything, hoping you’ll get desperate and take whatever they eventually offer.
• Blaming you for the crash or claiming your injuries aren’t as serious as they are: They may even try to claim that the accident was your fault.

Without a lawyer, it’s hard to recognize these tricks and fight against them. Insurance companies have many lawyers and trained representatives, and most accident victims have never dealt with a similar situation.

This could put you at a disadvantage if you don’t have an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side. In fact, the insurance company may immediately offer more money once they realize you’ve hired a lawyer.

What Kinds of Costs Can I Win in a Macon Car Accident Case?

In Macon-Bibb County, you can recover multiple damage types plus additional damages under certain circumstances. We commonly recover the following types of damages for our clients:

• Medical costs
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Loss of future income (if your injuries are long-lasting)
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment

When an accident is especially serious, you may be entitled to recover additional damages. This may happen if you are facing a permanent disability, severe ongoing pain, or the loss of a close family member. Punitive damages may also be awarded in rare situations.

We know that no amount of money can compensate for what you’ve lost. But we also know that a large settlement can make it easier to get the care and treatment you need and begin rebuilding your life.

How Can I Tell if I Have a Car Accident Case?

It’s challenging to know if you have a car accident case until you discuss your case with a professional. People often come into our office thinking their injuries aren’t serious enough to warrant a claim. Or they’ve convinced themselves that they did something wrong or that the collision was beyond anyone’s control.

Legally, however, accidents rarely just happen. Chances are, someone was careless, wasn’t paying attention, or broke a traffic law. We call this kind of behavior “negligence.” When someone is negligent, you have a right to financial recovery from the liable party.

We have won money for our clients in all types of car and truck accidents, including the following:

• Head-on crashes
• Rear-end accidents
• “T-bone” collisions
• Collisions involving hazardous roads or bad weather
• Distracted driving accidents
• Reckless driving incidents
• DUI accidents
• Collisions caused by defective tires or other defective parts

Even if you are the victim of a hit-and-run or if the other driver didn’t have insurance, you could still be entitled to financial recovery.

Will I Have To Sue Someone?

Not usually. Once in a while, an insurance company won’t negotiate. When that happens, we will explain your options and give you our opinion about the likelihood of winning in the local courts. If you decide to take your case to court, our litigation team will be with you.

We can usually negotiate with the insurance company and resolve your claim outside of court. We can do this because we begin every case with a thorough investigation.

We look at police reports, witness statements, and medical evaluations to understand what caused the crash and what you will need to recover as fully as possible. Once the insurance company sees our evidence and evaluation, they will likely make a reasonable offer.

How Do I Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in Macon, GA?

Many people think that any lawyer can handle any case, but lawyers are like doctors: they tend to focus on one specific field. Just as you need a cardiologist for a heart attack, you need a personal injury lawyer to handle your car accident case.

To find the best personal injury lawyer for your auto accident claim, look for these qualities:

• Experience: An experienced attorney knows how to build a case and present it to insurance companies. Our lawyers also have connections with medical specialists and crash experts who can help make your claim stronger.
• Represents accident victims exclusively: A law firm focusing only on helping injured victims is more likely to take an aggressive stance against insurance companies.
• Doesn’t charge up-front fees: Medical bills pile up quickly after an accident, and you shouldn’t have to worry about legal fees on top of that. Look for a lawyer who won’t charge you unless you receive a settlement or court award. Attorneys fees should be taken from the money you get when you win.

It’s important to consult with a lawyer as soon as you can after you are injured. The sooner your auto accident attorney begins building your case, the sooner you’ll get the money you need to pay for your medical expenses and recovery.

Our Law Firm

We began as a small law office with a simple idea: accident victims deserve affordable legal representation to get the largest financial recovery possible.

Since then, we have helped thousands of injured victims get the money they need to pay for treatment and avoid going into medical debt. We want to learn more about your case and explain how we can help you.

Talk to a Macon Car Accident Attorney for Free

You shouldn’t have to absorb the cost of injuries someone else caused. At John Foy & Associates, we are committed to getting you the financial recovery you deserve. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation where we’ll review your case and explain your options.

Don’t settle with an insurance company without first getting professional legal counsel. A car accident lawyer in Macon could help you get the maximum compensation for your injuries. Contact us by phone or fill out the online form to schedule your initial consultation.