Facing a car barreling straight for you is terrifying. Accidents that occur when people drive their cars the wrong way on Georgia’s roads are more likely to be head-on, or sideswipe crashes at significant speed, which sends the potential for harm soaring.
The Smyrna wrong way car accident lawyers at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers know a car accident injury can cause complete upheaval to your life. We have spent years helping personal injury clients just like you get back on their feet, and we’re ready to put our knowledge to work for you as you seek a full and fair compensation settlement or judgment. You can call us today for a free consultation.
Car Accident Compensation in Smyrna, Georgia
There is a lot to consider when you’re preparing a claim for injuries sustained in a car crash in Georgia. Our Smyrna car accident attorneys will expand on the compensation you could recover when you come in for your consultation, but there are several factors to keep in mind.
If your case is successful, you will receive “damages,” typically monetary compensation, which is meant to help you become whole again or as close to whole as possible, depending on the severity of your injuries. If you have lost a loved one in an accident, please accept our condolences. The damages you and your family may receive cannot replace your loved one but may help provide some support.
Following are the types of damages you may receive:
Economic
Medical expenses accrued from the day of the accident and estimated future medical expenses, such as:
- Hospital stays
- Emergency room visits
- Treatment
- Medication
- Transportation
- Physical therapy
- Medical devices
- Prosthetics
- Medical equipment
- Surgery
- Specialist care
- In-home care
- Rehab
- Short-term and long-term care/assisted living
- Adaptation of vehicle or home
- Treatment your loved one may have received prior to death
Income reduction or loss:
- Income you lost if you couldn’t work during recovery
- A change in income if your injury requires you to work at a lower-paying job
- A loss of income if your injury makes it impossible for you to work for the foreseeable future
Property damage or loss:
- Replacement or repair, if possible, of personal property damaged during the accident
- Replacement or repair, if possible, of the vehicle involved in the accident
Costs associated with the loss of a loved one:
- Funeral and burial
- Loss of future financial support
- Reduced inheritance
Non-Economic
Non-economic damages don’t normally have a specific dollar amount, like a ride in an ambulance or a prescription. You receive bills for an ambulance ride or drugs and know exactly how much they cost, but it takes more deliberation to attach an appropriate dollar figure to non-economic damages, such as:
- The physical and mental pain and suffering you experience during the accident and as you recover, and the long-term pain and suffering you may experience with some injuries
- Impaired quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disability
Non-economic damages associated with the loss of a loved one:
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering your loved one experienced before death
- Loss of the care and guidance your loved one provided
Our Smyrna wrongful death attorney can advise you on whether you and your family can recover damages via a wrongful death action.
Punitive
Punitive damages are seldom awarded as the circumstances must be extreme to warrant them. The intent of such damages is more to punish the defendant rather than compensate the plaintiff.
Parties must show how the defendant “showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or that entire want of care which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences.
Georgia’s Comparative Negligence Rule
There is one more thing to keep in mind when trying to put together a compensation case. Georgia is an at-fault state, which means the negligent driver is usually responsible for compensating those who suffered in the accident.
But it isn’t an all-or-nothing rule. If the court determines each driver was 50% responsible for the accident, you may not be able to file a claim against the other driver. Or, if the court determines the other driver was 80% responsible and you were 20% responsible, you may file a claim, but if you receive compensation, it will not be 100% of the damages, but 80%, as the 20% that is your responsibility for the accident will be deducted from the award. It’s called comparative negligence in Georgia.
For a free legal consultation with a wrong way accidents lawyer serving Smyrna, call (404) 888-8888
Bader Scott Injury Lawyers – A Legal Team on Your Side
Owner and founding attorney Seth Bader and managing partner attorney Bader Law believe integrity and personalized attention lead to incomparable results for our clients. Our personal injury attorneys and professional legal staff come to work each day eager to serve by helping our clients find the justice they deserve. We are proud to have been voted best law firm, best in client services, and best personal injury attorneys.
Our attorneys provide a free initial consultation during which we ask you to share your story, and we answer your questions. If, at some point, you want to move forward with our law firm, you pay no attorneys’ fees until we secure a full and fair compensation settlement or judgment for you.
As your attorneys, we perform many duties, such as:
- Investigate the wrong way car accident that occurred in Smyrna and gather witness statements along with video footage and still image, review the scene of the accident as it was on the day, including road and weather conditions, and reconstruct the accident to help determine the cause.
- Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
- Communicate with officials and others as your go-between.
- Prepare for trial and represent you in court if we cannot reach a fair settlement.
Smyrna Wrong Way Accident Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
Call Bader Scott Injury Lawyers Today About Your Smyrna Wrong Way Car Accident
In Georgia, injured parties generally have two years from the accident date to file a civil lawsuit, per O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Because memories fade and evidence is harder to find as time passes, we encourage you to call us as soon after the accident as possible. Our Smyrna wrong way car accident lawyers look forward to assisting you through this difficult time.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form