You should deal with a car accident without a lawyer only if you are confident that you understand the full value of your tangible and intangible losses related to the accident, can protect your right to pursue legal action, and are ready to call for backup from an attorney if you run into complications.
Even if you believe you can handle negotiating a fair claim on your own, we recommend discussing any settlement offer you may receive with a local car accident lawyer before you sign anything. It can be difficult for accident victims who do not see as many car accident cases as a personal injury law firm to understand the full scope of their losses and put a fair value on them.
A Car Accident Lawyer Can Put a Fair Value on Your Case
We do not recommend that you deal with a car accident without a lawyer. In our experience, accident victims generally do not put a fair value on their case. This is often because they fail to identify some of the common expenses or losses suffered, undervalue their losses, or do not put a fair price on their own intangible damages such as pain and suffering.
When we take on any personal injury case, we consider the damages you suffered, collect evidence, and put a just value on your losses before we begin negotiations. Any misstep in this process could leave money you deserve unclaimed.
We may be able to identify, prove, value, and recover compensation for losses that include:
- Medical treatment, prescriptions, and related costs
- Ongoing care costs
- Lost income, benefits, and reduced ability to work
- Property damages and vehicle repairs
- Related out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering, mental distress, and other intangible losses
In a fatal car accident case, the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 51-4-2 allows certain family members to pursue wrongful death damages as well. If your loved one passed away in an Atlanta area car accident, we can help you understand the value of your family’s losses, as well.
Trying to take these steps and recover a payout on your own for the fair value of these and other losses will likely be stressful, difficult, and leave you uncertain about whether you received fair compensation.
For a free legal consultation, call (404) 888-8888
Car Accident Attorneys Will Protect Your Right To Pursue Compensation
One of the most important roles of a personal injury lawyer is to protect clients’ rights to hold the negligent party liable and seek damages. In a car accident case, this means filing an insurance claim against the at-fault driver or taking them to court.
There are several ways a car accident lawyer in Atlanta will do this. First, they will immediately take over all communication regarding your case. This service will include statements to the insurance company and paperwork related to your claim. The insurance company is likely wanting you to say something that will allow them to reduce their policyholder’s liability to you, and your attorney can reduce the risk of this happening.
Your lawyer will also ensure you meet all applicable deadlines. In a car accident case, O.C.G.A § 9-3-33 generally offers two years following the date of your accident to take action to begin a lawsuit. Missing this deadline would mean losing the right to take the case to court.
Some Car Accident Cases Can Become Very Complex
While most Atlanta car accident cases, especially property damage cases, are generally pretty straightforward, some can quickly become complicated and require knowledge of the law that you are unlikely to have unless you are a personal injury attorney.
When you have a complex car accident case, you can always call on a lawyer for help. For example, consider this situation:
A driver failed to yield at a green light and turned left in front of you. That driver’s insurance company claims that you are partially at fault in the collision because you were speeding. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-11-7, if they can show that you were responsible for a portion of the accident fault, you can still recover compensation. However, it will be significantly reduced.
An attorney may be able to help you in several ways:
- Show you were not speeding
- Prove your speed was not a factor in the accident
- Present evidence to minimize the portion of fault assigned to you
- Mitigate the effects of their accusations in some other way
Other situations when an attorney may be necessary to deal with complex legal situations include:
- When the vehicle that hit you was a tractor-trailer truck or another commercial vehicle
- When the driver who hit you was a government employee working at the time of the accident
- You were injured in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident
- You suffered catastrophic and permanent injuries
- Your case is likely to go to court
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Speak to a Member of Our Atlanta Car Accident Team Today
Our team believes in accountability. We believe all car accident victims should be able to hold the at-fault driver responsible for their damages and recover fair compensation. We are dedicated to helping accident victims do just that. We may be able to help you build a case and seek a payout to cover your accident losses and expenses.
At Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, we review the merits of car accident cases at no cost to the victims and handle these cases based on a contingency fee. We only get paid when our clients get paid. If we do not secure a settlement or win an award at trial, we do not receive any attorney fees.
To learn more or get started with a complimentary case review today, call (404) 888-8888. We have team members who can discuss your Georgia traffic accident case with you today. We may be able to help you no matter where you are in the claims process, as long as you have not yet signed a settlement agreement.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
