Macon Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident in Macon, you should talk to a lawyer right away – even if your injuries seem minor.  Those minor injuries can turn into painful, long-term conditions needing months of expensive treatment and physical therapy.  And a major accident can leave you with hundreds of thousands of thousands of dollars in medical bills.  You don’t have to pay for an auto accident you didn’t cause.  A Macon car accident lawyer can help you get the money you deserve.

At John Foy & Associates, we’ve been helping car accident victims for over two decades.  We began as a small law office with a simple idea: accident victims deserve affordable legal representation, so they can get the largest financial recovery possible.  Since then, we have helped thousands of accident victims get the money they need to pay for treatment and avoid falling into medical debt.  We’d like to give you a free, no obligation consultation to explain how we can help you too.  Call us at (404) 400-4000 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.

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.

What can a Macon car accident lawyer do for me?

After a car accident, you may receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company.  The insurance agent will probably sound friendly and sympathetic, and this may lead you to believe that the insurance company has your best interest at heart and will handle everything.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Insurance companies are out to make a profit, and they do this by paying out as little as possible after an accident.  The money the insurance company offers may not be nearly enough to cover your initial medical bills, let alone the cost of long-term treatment.  Insurance company tactics include:

• Asking you “friendly” questions about your injuries and how you’re feeling. They then use your answers against you when processing your claim.
• Offering you money as soon as you report the accident. They hope you’ll take this quick cash before you have a chance to find out the true extent of your injuries and their long-term cost.  If you accept this money, you sign away your right to recover anything else.
• Delaying processing your claim. They may wait months before doing anything, hoping that you’ll grow desperate and take anything they eventually offer.
• Blaming you for the accident to avoid paying anything; or claiming your injuries aren’t as serious as you say they are.

Without a lawyer, it’s hard to recognize these tricks and fight against them.  Insurance companies have plenty of lawyers and trained representatives, and most accident victims have never had to deal with a situation like this before.  This puts you at a disadvantage unless you have an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side.  Sometimes, the insurance company will immediately offer more money as soon as they see you’ve hired a lawyer.

What kinds of costs can I win in a car accident case in Macon?

In Macon-Bibb County, you can recover just about every expense you can think of, plus additional damages in certain cases.  We commonly recover these types of costs for our clients:

• Medical expenses
• The cost of prescription drugs
• The cost of fixing your car or buying a replacement
• The cost of the time you lost from work because of the accident

When an accident is especially serious, you may be entitled to recover even more.  This may happen if you are facing a permanent disability, severe ongoing pain, or the loss of a close family member.  In these cases, we know that money can’t begin to make up for what you’ve lost.  But we also know that it can make it far 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?

The short answer is, you can’t, unless you discuss your case with a professional.  Many people come into our office thinking their injuries aren’t serious enough to make a claim.  Or they’ve convinced themselves that they must have done something wrong, or that the accident was just “one of those things.” Legally, however, accidents don’t just happen.  Chances are, someone was careless, or wasn’t paying attention, or broke a law.  We call this “negligence.” When someone was negligent, you have a right to financial recovery.

We have won money for our clients in all types of auto accidents:

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

You may be entitled to a financial recovery even if you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident, or if the other driver didn’t have insurance.

Will I have to sue somebody?

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

Most of the time, we are able to negotiate with the insurance company and resolve your claim without having to go to 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 exactly what caused your accident and what you will need to make as full a recovery as possible.  Once the insurance company sees our evidence and evaluation, they usually make a fair offer.

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

Many people think that any lawyer can handle any kind of case, but lawyers are like doctors: they tend to focus on one specific field.  Just as you don’t want a foot doctor for a heart attack, you need a personal injury lawyer after a car accident.  To find the best personal injury lawyer for your case, look for these qualities:

• Experience. An experienced lawyer knows how to build a case and present it to insurance companies.  Experienced lawyers have connections with medical specialists and accident experts who can help make your claim stronger.
• Represents accident victims exclusively. A law firm that focuses only on helping accident victims is more likely to take an aggressive stance against insurance companies.
• Doesn’t charge up-front fees. Medical bills can pile up quickly after an accident, and you shouldn’t have to worry about legal fees too.  Look for a lawyer who won’t charge you unless you win money.  Legal fees should be taken out of the money you get from the insurance company.

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

Talk to a Macon Car Accident Lawyer for Free

You should never have to bear the cost of a car accident that wasn’t your fault.  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 go over your case and explain your options.  Call us at (404) 400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.