If you are in a car crash in Gwinnett County, you need a seasoned Gwinnett County car accident lawyer who specializes in car accidents. A Gwinnett County personal injury lawyer working for tRafi, Brown, and Stokes can help. Call (404) 800-9933 now to schedule your free consultation.
Gwinnett County Car Accidents Statistics
Car accidents are all too common in Gwinnett County, and many are catastrophic or even fatal. In 2018 alone, Gwinnett County saw 27,309 crashes, 280 of which involved serious injury and 62 of which were fatal.
Ongoing interstate construction and large numbers of people moving to the area continue to add to the growing number of accidents in Gwinnett County. Keep reading to learn more about what to do after an accident, common types of injuries, and damages you may be able to recover.
What To Do After Being In An Auto Accident In Gwinnett County?
If you are in a car accident, there are a few steps you can take that will help you stay safe as well as help your case if you choose to pursue legal action. Keep reading for a few tips on what to do.
If you were already in an accident and you didn’t take these steps, don’t worry – a Gwinnett County car accident lawyer from Rafi, Brown, and Stokes can still help you.
1. Move your vehicle to a safer location.
The first step you should always take after getting in a car crash is to move your vehicle to a safer location. If you get into an accident in the middle of an intersection or on a busy road or highway, your car blocking the roadway could cause another accident.
If your car is drivable, move it to the shoulder of the road or into a parking lot. If you are unable to safely drive your car because your car is too damaged or you are injured, stay in your car and do not get out until the police and/or an ambulance arrive.
2. Check yourself and your passenger(s) for injuries. Call an ambulance if anyone is injured.
Once you are in a safe location, check to see if you or any of your passengers are injured. If there are any injuries or you suspect someone might be injured, dial 911.
Even if it seems like a small injury, calling an ambulance is recommended to ensure the safety of you and your passengers. If you are injured, wait for the first responders to arrive. Do not attempt to move from your vehicle to avoid worsening any injuries.
3. Call the police.
If you did not need to call for an ambulance, you should still call 911 to report the accident and request that a police officer come to the scene.
Once the police arrive, they will evaluate the scene of the accident, speak with you and the other driver, and make a report. The officer may give you or the other driver a ticket. Keep a copy of any tickets issued as evidence.
4. Gather evidence at the scene.
If you are uninjured and it is safe to leave your vehicle, collect as much evidence as possible from the scene of the accident. Take photos of the wreckage, the road where the accident occurred, and your vehicle and any other vehicles involved in the crash.
If there are any injuries, document them with photos as well. You should also gather the name, contact information, license plate number, and insurance information of the other driver. If there is a police report or ticket written, be sure to obtain a copy of that as well.
5. Call your insurance company.
Call your insurance company to notify them that you have been in an accident and give the date and time of the crash. You are not required to give them any other information about the accident, and in fact, you should refrain from giving them further details.
Without meaning to, you might say something that makes it difficult for you to get coverage for damages or injuries. Hold off and let your attorney follow up with your insurance company.
6. Hire an attorney who specializes in car accidents.
The best way to make sure you are taken care of after your accident is to hire an attorney who has experience representing people injured in car accidents.
Attorneys at Rafi, Brown, and Stokes have expertise in handling car accident cases. Work with a Gwinnett County car accident lawyer who will treat you like family and help you get the most compensation possible after your accident.
Common Car Accident Injuries
There are many types of injuries that can occur as a result of an accident, but several are common for victims of car crashes. If you find yourself injured after your car accident, you may have sustained one of these common types of injuries:
Whiplash and Other Neck Injuries
Whiplash usually happens at the moment of impact. When you are driving and suddenly stop, your head will be thrown back and then forward because of inertia.
Whiplash is most common in rear-end collisions. Whiplash and other neck injuries can range from mild to severe and victims will usually recover. These injuries can result in neck and shoulder pain and may be treated with pain medication, ice, and physical therapy.
Back Injuries
Back injuries are one of the most common types of injuries that can occur as a result of a car accident.
Herniated discs, muscle damage, and nerve damage are all potential back injuries. Injuries to the back can be painful and affect your mobility and range of motion.
If you suffer a back injury in a car accident, it is crucial that you go to the doctor as soon as possible. Further strain on your back could worsen the pain and make your injury more severe or even permanent.
Internal Injuries
In accidents where the cars were moving at high speeds, internal injuries are more likely to happen. The high speeds cause harder impacts that can lead to internal bleeding or damage to internal organs.
One example of this type of injury is a collapsed lung from the impact of the airbag during the crash. Another example is broken ribs from a similar type of accident.
Internal injuries can be very serious and can sometimes go undetected because they aren’t visible. If you are feeling unwell at all you should go to the doctor immediately.
Head and Brain Injuries
The sudden impact of a car crash can cause injury to the head and brain. These injuries can range in severity from mild concussions to serious traumatic brain injuries.
A concussion is swelling in the brain caused by hitting or suddenly jolting your head. When your brain hits against your skull it can cause a concussion.
More serious traumatic brain injuries can involve bleeding in the brain, breakage in the skull, or issues with cognitive functioning due to impact. These are among the most dangerous injuries that can result from a car accident.
If you think you may have a head or brain injury, seek medical care immediately.
Spinal Cord Injury
Another one of the more serious injuries you can sustain from an accident is a spinal cord injury. An injury to the spinal cord or its surrounding nerves can cause pain and affect mobility and feeling in different parts of your body.
With more severe spinal cord injuries, victims can experience paralysis. One case of this is paraplegia, an injury to the nerves or vertebrae in the neck or upper back portion of the spine that causes paralysis in both legs.
Another example is quadriplegia, which is paralysis in both arms and both legs as a result of an injury to the vertebrae or nerves on the spinal cord located in the middle or lower back.
Spinal cord injuries can be very serious and even life-threatening, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately after an injury. Prompt treatment could reduce or limit the long-term damage to the spinal cord.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Other Anxiety Disorders
One of the most common car accident injuries is also one of the most ignored and overlooked, and that is psychological damage from the crash. The traumatizing car accident you experienced can leave you with post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or panic disorder, just to name a few.
These disorders can cause panic attacks, anxiety, and even outbursts of anger upon reminders of the crash. Psychological illnesses are just as real and painful as physical injuries and can have serious negative impacts on your life.
If you are feeling unsettled or experiencing new emotional responses after your accident, please do not ignore these feelings. Reach out to a mental health professional for an assessment. You may be treated with medication, therapy, or both.
Why Is It Important To Hire An Attorney After A Car Accident In Gwinnett County?
Your accident might seem like something that can be resolved smoothly without legal assistance, but by hiring a lawyer, you are saving yourself from a lot of trouble and financial hardship. Just because you want to pursue legal action against a negligent driver doesn’t make you “sue-happy.” This is a common misconception; courts don’t award compensation to just anyone. Yo have to prove that you suffered harm because of someone else’s wrongdoing. You must have evidence and a valid case.
By holding a negligent party accountable for their actions, you’re helping keep dangerous drivers off the road, which can help prevent more injuries and deaths.
Here are just a few more ways that you can benefit from hiring a car accident attorney.
1. They’ll Protect You From Predatory Insurance Companies
The most common mistake people make is trusting their auto insurance companies to have their best interest at heart.
Many insurance companies exhibit predatory behavior such as low-balling you with unfair offers and tricking you into paying way more than you should. A car accident attorney can help protect you from big insurance companies’ tricks. We will handle all communication with your insurance company, which helps you in several ways.
First of all, it eliminates the risk of you accidentally saying something about the accident that allows them to deny you coverage or give you less coverage for the accident. Second, it saves you from falling for any low-ball offers. When we communicate with the insurance company, we are looking out for your best interest and using our experience to detect when they are not treating you fairly.
2. They’ll Represent Your Best Interests
Another reason that you should hire an attorney after an accident is that we represent you and only you. Whether we are facing your insurance company, the insurance company of the other driver, or the other driver themselves, we will be looking out for what is best for you.
When you work with a Gwinnett County car accident lawyer from Rafi, Brown, and Stokes, you will be taken care of. We genuinely care about you getting the best treatment possible for your injury and making your life as easy as possible in the wake of your accident. Your accident and injury are stressful enough – let us take care of the legal side so you can focus on getting better.
3. They’ll Obtain Maximum Compensation
The most important reason you should hire a car accident attorney is because a good lawyer will help you win the maximum amount of compensation available. Without a lawyer, you might not even realize that you can be compensated and lose out on the money you deserve.
When it comes to compensation, victims are paid in damages. Damages are essentially payments made to the victim of the accident for the trouble that the accident has caused them. There are two categories of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages serve to compensate the victim for financial burdens of the accident and injuries. Examples of this include medical bills, lost wages, and loss of earning potential.
Injuries come with a steep price tag – emergency room bills, ambulance bills, follow-up doctor visits, medications, and medical devices are just a few of the many types of medical bills that can get very expensive, very quickly.
Luckily, a good lawyer will be able to help you recover compensation for these things in damages.
The same goes for recovering damages related to income and wages. If you were out of work with an injury and missed wages, or if your injury is preventing you from being able to make as much money as you used to, you can recover for these things.
Non-economic damages exist to compensate the victim for hardships that are not financial in nature but are byproducts of the accident. An example of this is pain and suffering or emotional distress.
A Gwinnett County car accident lawyer with our firm will examine your case and help you to find all the damages you deserve and help you win the maximum amount of compensation for those damages.
Injured In A Car Accident In Gwinnett County? Call Rafi, Brown, and Stokes.
If you were injured in a car accident in Gwinnett County, we want to help you. The experienced car accident lawyers at Rafi, Brown, and Stokes can help you fight and win your case, helping you to get justice for the wrong that has been done to you and win the compensation you deserve.
Car accidents and the injuries they bring are overwhelming and hard enough on you – you shouldn’t have to worry about your case, too. We want you to focus on getting better, and not drowning in medical bills. We want to bring justice to your case and hold the party who caused the accident responsible.
Your first consultation is always free, so there’s no risk in calling us. The earlier you reach out, the earlier you can recover damages for your injury. Call (404) 800-9933 today to schedule your free consultation with a Gwinnett County car accident lawyer from Rafi, Brown, and Stokes.
