Auto accidents are a major cause of injuries and deaths and the second leading cause of ER visits and hospitalizations in Georgia, and Sandy Springs is no different. In 2019, Sandy Springs reported a fatal accident count of 9 with 13 cars involved in those collisions. 2 of the crashes were caused by drunk drivers. Individuals that were involved in the accidents were 17, with 10 fatalities being recorded. Pedestrians that were caught up in those fatal crashes were 4.
Our car accident attorneys charge lawyer fees on a contingency fee basis. A Sandy Springs car accident attorney will not charge you upfront. Instead, we will try to get you the best compensation possible since we only get paid if we win your case. If we do manage to win your case, we will take out a percentage of your settlement or compensation award as lawyer fees.
Being involved in a car accident can leave one confused and disoriented. Listed below are the recommended steps you should take following a car accident:
Dial 911 right after a car crash. Georgia laws require you to contact the police for accidents that result in property damage over $500 or injuries regardless of who may be at fault. The police report is a key piece of evidence in your personal injury claim.
If you can move, check on the others and render help where you can. Never try to leave the accident scene before the ambulance or the police arrive unless remaining there poses a danger to your welfare or safety.
Talk to the other involved parties and exchange relevant information. Ask the police for assistance if they do not cooperate. Also, getting the other driver’s info lets you know if they are covered by insurance. Some of the information you should make a point of getting include: driver’s license number, address, name and contact information, car insurance info (policy number and company), and the license plate numbers.
Document the overall scene of the crash and make sure to capture the damages as well as your injuries. Take lots of photos from different angles to get a clear picture of the extent of damage, roadway hindrances, and any variables that could have caused the collision.
In the moments following the accident, your empathy may conjure a false narrative in your mind. Do not accept blame for the crash as it may work against you. Don’t even apologize to anybody because it suggests that you are admitting fault.
Get treatment for your injuries. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent, that’s why you need to see a doctor even if you feel ok. Visiting a doctor will begin documentation of likely injuries associated with the accident and this will help tremendously when it comes to negotiations with the insurance provider.
Car accident settlements vary depending on the specific case. What’s more, they are largely dependent on negotiations between both parties. Typically, settlements for accidents that result in physical injuries range between $15,000 and $19,000. To get an estimate of the settlement amount in your case, contact the car accident attorneys at Adkins Legal in Sandy Springs, GA.
Time is a crucial factor in car accident cases. You should get an attorney as soon as possible because insurance carriers will not hesitate to start evaluating your claim. There are a lot of legal procedures and deadlines that an experienced car accident lawyer knows how to navigate.
The law doesn’t require you to have any legal representation. But, you would benefit a lot from having a car accident attorney in Sandy Springs in your corner. Here are a few of the ways in which we can help you:
A Sandy Springs Car Accident Lawyer will analyze your case and prepare an action plan. Once we file a lawsuit, we will start strategizing on the way forward. We will then embark on building a strong case by interviewing witnesses, gathering police reports, and collecting evidence.
Once we set the foundation for fighting the insurance company, your attorney will be your voice against the insurer. After we calculate your car accident claim value, we will negotiate for the best possible settlement.
Sometimes insurers try to get off cheap using unscrupulous tactics. That is where an Adkins Legal car accident lawyer comes in. If push comes to shove, we are ready to go to trial and fight until we get you the compensation you are entitled to.
Insurers often use a settlement formula when computing the worth of a car accident claim. The criteria used to assign these values involve the following factors:
Car accident settlements may range from hundreds to millions of dollars depending on the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries, the extent of damages, and the insurer’s willingness to pay. If the insurer refuses to pay up, we will proceed to trial to try and persuade the court that you are legally entitled to get the requested settlement fee.
A car accident claim can help you recover compensatory damages and punitive damages. Compensatory damages offer financial and non-financial compensation and they include economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to quantifiable expenses, damages, and losses that you have incurred as a result of the accident like:
Non-economic damages refer to non-financial or non-quantifiable damages or losses. They include:
Apart from compensatory damages, you can also recover punitive damages. These damages aim to punish the at-fault driver and discourage them and others from engaging in similar behavior in the future.
Georgia uses modified comparative negligence when determining fault for car accidents. This system assigns a proportion of blame to each driver involved in the crash. One driver may be entirely responsible for the accident but that is not always the case. Sometimes drivers can hold varying degrees of responsibility.
The statute of limitations for Georgia car accidents is two years. You have two years starting from the date of the crash that caused your injuries to file your claim. You need to abide by this deadline because if you bring your claim after this time frame expires, your claim will almost certainly be denied. Therefore, it is vital to act before the deadline.
Navigating the claims process in the legal system is not easy. There are several ways in which our Sandy Springs Car Accident Lawyer can help you:
When insurance denies your claim, it is not the end of the road for you. They do this sometimes to try and discourage you. You can submit a complaint with the Georgia insurance department. Once we re-evaluate your claim after it has been denied, we will tell you whether you have a case to pursue.
If you get into a crash with a driver who doesn’t have insurance, your own automobile insurance policy can be used to cover the damages as long as your policy has coverage for uninsured motorists.
You can obtain a car accident report in Sandy Springs from three avenues: BuyCrash.com, the local police department, and the Georgia State Highway Patrol (GSP).
Having handled many car accident cases, these are the most common auto accident injuries that we have seen:
These are some of the most common accidents that our attorneys at Adkins Legal handle in Sandy Springs, Georgia:
