If you’ve been hurt in Mableton, Georgia, you’re likely stressed about how you’ll pay for your medical bills, make up for lost wages at work, and more. But under Georgia law, you are entitled to financial recovery if the accident wasn’t your fault.
You have rights, and a personal injury lawyer in Mableton can make sure those rights are upheld. The personal injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates have spent the last 20 years helping injured victims recover the money they need to pay for their expenses and move on with their lives.
Who Is Liable for My Injury?
Georgia is an at-fault state, which means the person whose actions caused the accident is liable for all costs. In other words, they must pay for the accident victim’s medical bills, lost wages, any property damage, and other expenses that result from the accident. These costs are known legally as your damages.
In most accidents, such as a car accident, it’s the at-fault person’s insurance company that will actually pay for the damages. And it’s often the insurance company that will put up a fight and try to pay less than what they are actually liable for. This is one big area where a Mableton personal injury attorney is invaluable.
What Evidence Do I Need to Win Money for My Claim?
To make an insurance claim for all your damages, you and your attorney need to prove the other person caused your accident. To do this, you’ll need evidence of their fault and subsequent liability for your costs.
Your personal injury attorney will do a lot of research and digging to compile evidence of the other person’s fault, but there are actions you can take to help too. Here are some steps to take after a personal injury accident.
Call the Police
When there is an accident in Georgia involving an injury or property damage, in most cases, you are legally required to report it to local police. This is great for your personal injury case because it creates a record of the accident.
When the police arrive at the scene, tell them exactly what happened and how you were hurt, including vehicle or other property damage resulting from the accident.
This is also a good time to mention any suspicious behavior you might have noticed from the at fault person. For example, if you were in a car accident and suspect drunk driving, let officers know about it.
Take Pictures
Picture evidence can be really helpful to a personal injury case. Photographic evidence shows exactly what the scene looked like immediately after the accident. Use your phone to take photos of:
- The accident scene
- Your injuries
- Any property damage
- And any other details you think might be pertinent to your case
This may include the other driver’s license plate if you were in a car accident. If the person who caused the accident is acting aggressive or intoxicated, you might also try getting a video of their actions.
Exchange Information
No matter what type of personal injury you sustained, it’s always a good idea to exchange names, phone numbers, and addresses with the responsible person as you’re waiting for police to arrive.
See a Doctor
Get medical attention for any injuries as soon as possible – even if you feel okay or don’t think they’re that bad. There are two main reasons for doing this:
- It creates a record of your injuries from a medical professional, including any diagnoses and treatment plans you discussed.
- Injuries can worsen with time, and seeing a doctor can help you treat them before they get more painful or expensive.
Call a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you haven’t done this already, contact a personal injury attorney in Mableton who has experience with your type of accident. They will be able to help you every step of the way, including gathering information and creating an insurance claim that accounts for all your damages.
Mableton Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 404-400-4000
The Key to Winning Your Personal Injury Claim
With this evidence, our personal injury lawyers in Mableton can get to work proving the four keys to winning any personal injury claim:
- Who is responsible
- What they did wrong
- How what they did wrong hurt you
- How much your injuries cost you
If we can show all four of these, the insurer will be forced to admit your valid claim to compensation. Naturally, their side will do their best to show that we did not prove these things. Things like:
- We sued the wrong party
- What looked like neglect was in the standards of reason or the duty of care
- That your injuries were caused by something else
- That your injury and other losses are not as expensive as we claim.
An Insurance Company Has Already Offered Me Money. What Should I Do?
Never accept the first offer and always speak with a personal injury lawyer before taking any money or signing anything with the insurance company. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, which means they care about their bottom line and are always looking for ways to cut costs.
One of the ways they can do this is by offering the accident victim a lump sum of money up front and hoping they take it. They know you are likely worried about paying for your medical bills and other expenses.
What they offer you might seem like a lot at the moment. However, that amount is almost never close to the amount that will actually cover all your damages. The insurer might also seem concerned about your well-being and want to help, but again, they are really most worried about the dollar amount.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Mableton, call 404-400-4000
Don’t Fall for Shady Insurer Tactics
What sounds like genuine concern, like questions about how you’re feeling, is more likely a dig for evidence the insurance company can use against you. They might point to the fact that you said you were feeling fine on the phone (even though you were just being polite) and, therefore, your injuries aren’t as bad as your claim says.
It’s best not to give the insurance company a recorded statement or even speak to them until you’ve contacted a personal injury lawyer in Mableton. Then, you can direct any calls from the insurer to your attorney. Plus, your attorney will be able to calculate how much your insurance claim is actually worth so that no expenses fall through the cracks.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia?
Under Ga. Code § 9-3-33, you have up to two years to sue for an injury claim before you hit the statute of limitations in Georgia. This is the deadline to bring a case forward. If you wait too long, you lose your right to make a claim or sue in court.
An insurance policy may have an even shorter deadline to bring forward a claim, and certain cases can accelerate the timeline to mere weeks. It’s never in your best interest to wait to file a claim. We encourage you to speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
Talk to a Mableton Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
Don’t get left paying the bills for an accident you had no fault in. You need a good personal injury lawyer in Mableton who knows how to advocate for your rights to full financial recovery. At John Foy & Associates, we’ve spent the last 20 years doing just that for our clients.
We want to help you get the money you deserve – and we don’t get paid unless we win your case. For a FREE consultation with one of our attorneys, call us or fill out the short contact form on this page to get started. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call or text 404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form