A car accident can turn your life upside down, leaving you filled with pain, fear, and confusion. Following the crash, you could be facing debilitating injuries, mounting bills, and financial troubles from time away from work. Such an emotional time can be daunting and draining.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone. Our Gainesville car accident lawyers have the experience and resources to handle your claim so that you can focus on making a full recovery. We take great pride in representing personal injury victims and helping them get the justice and compensation they need and deserve.
If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash, contact H Groves Law as soon as possible to discuss your case with our personal injury lawyers in Gainesville, GA. The initial consultation is free of charge.
Car Accident Statistics
Based on data from the Georgia Department of Public Health, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injury deaths in the Peach State and the second leading cause of emergency room visits.
The Georgia Department of Transportation reported 331,796 total car accidents in 2020. Of these, 1,588 were fatal. About 125,000 car crashes resulted in injuries. 1,664 people died on Georgia state highways the same year. This is compared to 1,492 in 2019 and 1,505 in 2018.
How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Personal injury lawyers in Georgia, including car accident lawyers, work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t have to pay for legal services unless you win the case. If we lose the case, you owe us nothing. When we win the case, you only need to pay us a percentage of the compensation amount.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Here is what you should do after an auto accident in Gainesville, Georgia.
Call the Police
This will ensure that you not only get a full report on your car accident but also get an ambulance dispatched for the injured persons. When the police do arrive, you should be honest about the accident, but only mention the important details.
Keep in mind that reporting an accident is required in Georgia if there are any injuries and/or property damage worth $500 or more.
Check on Others, Do Not Leave
Don’t drive away from the scene of the accident without reporting it, no matter how minor the accident seems. Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious offense with dire consequences. If anyone is injured or unconscious, try giving first aid and call 911 for help.
Exchange Info
Record the relevant information from other drivers involved in the crash. Get details such as names, addresses, emails, license information, phone numbers, and insurance information. Be sure to also obtain their contact details and short statements if possible.
Record the Scene
With a smartphone, it’s easy to document the scene of your accident and collect evidence. Get pictures or videos of any skid marks, damage to the vehicles, injuries sustained, the position of the vehicles, and any other relevant details. If there were witnesses on the scene, get their accounts of the accidents.
Never Admit Fault
Emotions could be running high after the accident, but staying calm is key. You have to be very careful about what you say to the other driver. Never apologize or admit to any blame, even if you feel some of it could be your fault. What you say could be used against you, even if you said it out of concern or politeness.
Seek Medical Attention
If you were hurt in the accident, you should immediately seek medical attention. If you suffered smaller injuries, a local urgent care center might be a more convenient and affordable option than taking a trip to the emergency room. However, for more serious injuries, you will likely need a trip to the hospital.
Always see a doctor even if you believe you’re fine because you could have internal injuries.
Call a Car Accident Lawyer
When you can, reach out to a Gainesville car accident lawyer. You don’t have to bear the burden of paying all the medical bills and the other damages you suffered due to the carelessness of another person. Talk to an experienced car accident lawyer today at (770) 329-1868.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident?
It’s not easy to give an estimate of the average settlement for car accident cases in Georgia. Keep in mind that every case varies significantly, and it can be difficult to give an exact number considering that most personal injury settlements are done out of court and are kept private.
The settlement amount you ultimately receive will be based on the nature of the injuries you sustained, the amount of property damage, the time spent away from work, whether there are temporary or permanent disabilities, and a lot more.
Get in touch with our Gainesville car accident lawyers to learn more about what your case may be worth.
When Should I Get a Lawyer for My Auto Accident?
Not everyone who gets into a car accident will need to seek legal help. However, if your crash involved serious property damage, serious injuries, or there are specifics you don’t agree with, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
If any of the following situations apply to your case, you should contact a lawyer right away.
- The crash caused significant injuries to you, a loved one, or someone else.
- The fault in the crash is not clearly established.
- The accident involved another driver, person, or entity.
- The collision happened in a school zone.
- The accident happened in a construction zone or work zone.
- The collision involves a public vehicle or a government staff vehicle.
- You feel that you are not in agreement with the police report.
- The other driver didn’t have insurance.
- The insurance company is sending mixed messages or is providing confusing answers to your questions.
Note that there are no drawbacks to consulting with an experienced auto accident attorney. We provide all our clients with a free consultation, and we can guide you about your legal options, advise whether you have a case, and help you get justice.
Why Do I Need a Gainesville Car Accident Lawyer?
Here are some of the benefits of hiring H Groves Law for your car accident case.
Case Preparation
Our team will handle all aspects of your case from beginning to end. We’ll prepare and file all the necessary paperwork, collect all of the available evidence, communicate with the relevant parties, and ensure you are always up to date with the progress of your claim.
Settlement Negotiation
We will be handling any and all communications with the insurance companies. By this point, we will have calculated the amount of compensation you are eligible for. In case the insurance company denies your claim or is unable to reach a suitable settlement offer, we are prepared to fight for you in court.
Trial Preparation & Representation
If the settlement negotiations are not successful, we will proceed to file a lawsuit in court. While lawsuits can be lengthy and therefore more expensive, sometimes they are the best option. Our auto accident attorneys have extensive trial experience.
How Much Can I Expect to Receive for My Damages?
There’s no way to calculate how much you can expect to receive as a settlement without having to review your case. There are usually so many variables involved in car accident cases, and the amount you may receive will be based on:
- The lost income from time spent away from work
- The time you need to make a full recovery
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- The amount and type of therapy you need
- The negotiations between your lawyer and the defendant’s (at-fault party) insurance company.
What Type of Damages Can I Recover?
While no two cases are alike, car accident victims are usually able to get compensation for economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are financial losses. Examples include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages
- Lost capacity to earn future wages
- Property damage
- Medical devices and any in-home care or assistance required
Non-Economic Damages
You can recover compensation for non-monetary losses, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional distress
- Disability
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive Damages
Depending on the specifics of your case, the court may decide to award punitive damages. These are only awarded in a few cases where the defendant is found to be grossly negligent and are meant to serve as an additional punishment to the defendant. Such cases include drunk driving.
How Is Fault Determined?
For a person to be found liable for a car accident case, your attorney must satisfy the following four elements of negligence law.
- Duty of care: All motorists have a duty of care to follow all the traffic laws and drive carefully for the sake of other road users.
- Breach of duty of care: The person must have violated this duty of care towards the plaintiff, such as by violating traffic laws.
- Causation: This breach of duty of care must have been the cause of the accident and the resulting injuries.
- Damages: The victim must have sustained damages that are compensable under Georgia law.
Additionally, Georgia is a comparative negligence state, meaning that you can recover compensation even when you’re found to be partially responsible for the accident.
However, you must be less than 50% at fault to claim compensation. Your settlement amount will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
Personal injury claims in Georgia have strict deadlines. You must file a car accident claim within two years from the date of the accident, for most cases. Otherwise, you lose the chance to bring the case forward in the future.
How Can a Lawyer Help Me File My Insurance Claim?
For your claim to be successful, you want to work with a lawyer who has extensive knowledge and understanding of Georgia’s personal injury laws and experience dealing with insurance companies. For this reason, you don’t want to file the claim yourself.
Here are some of the ways our experienced attorneys can help.
- We Organize and assess the police and medical records
- We collect evidence to support your claim.
- We work with experts like accident reconstructionists and independent investigators to build a strong case.
- We handle communications with the other party’s insurance company.
- We stop you from making common mistakes, such as sharing inaccurate information.
- We advise you on when it’s wise to accept a settlement offer and when it’s not.
- We calculate your current and future losses.
- We negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf.
- We represent you in court if the insurance doesn’t agree to a fair settlement.
What Can I Do If Insurance Denies My Claim?
In case your claim is denied, it’s not the end. You can still get the compensation you need and deserve.
You should request a letter of denial from the insurance company if the company has not provided one already. This will give you a written explanation of why the claim was denied.
A car accident attorney can help you appeal the decision if your claim was unfairly denied. We can also help you file a complaint with the Department of Insurance of the company that is acting in bad faith.
Do I Have a Case?
It’s normal to wonder whether you have a case, especially if the specifics of your case appear to be complex.
If you want to be sure, you should contact the experienced Gainesville car accident lawyers at H Groves Law for a free case evaluation. Don’t forget that the more you wait before contacting a lawyer, the harder it will be to collect all the evidence needed to prove your case.
What if the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
In case the other driver didn’t have insurance at the time of the accident or was underinsured, it can be a confusing situation. Fortunately, you can still recover compensation from your policy if you were covered for uninsured or underinsured motorists. Alternatively, you could opt to sue the driver directly in court.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Gainesville, GA Today!
If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash that wasn’t your fault, you need to act fast and get legal assistance right away. At H Groves Law, we take pride in helping car accident victims get the compensation they deserve.
Call (770) 329-1868 today to schedule a free consultation with one of our car accident attorneys in Gainesville, GA. You can also fill out our online contact form to book your appointment now.
