When you are hurt in a car accident, remember that you have the right to work with a Marietta car accident attorney who can help you seek the compensation you desperately need to recover.
No one expects a traffic accident, but there’s no question that you can’t forget about it after it happens. Major injuries, huge hospital bills, and the stress of not knowing how to pay for it all can weigh heavily on anyone.
Making matters worse, traffic injuries in Marietta have risen dramatically in recent years. In Cobb County, where Marietta is located, there were just 7,940 injuries resulting from 23,597 crashes in 2013. But in 2017, there were 35,140 accidents resulting in 12,496 injuries and 53 tragic deaths.
Fortunately, those involved in a serious car accident have legal rights. They can seek compensation from insurance companies representing at-fault drivers and other negligent parties. A third-party liability claim can help victims recover financially and medically after their accident. A successful injury claim can pay for medical bills and other damages related to your accident, such as lost wages.
To explore your options for filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit against any negligent parties after your collision, talk to a Marietta personal injury lawyer at Rafi, Brown and Stokes – Injury Lawyers today. You can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced attorney by contacting us now using our convenient form or calling 404-948-3311.
How Does Your Marietta Car Accident Attorney Help?
In car accident cases, the plaintiff (the one suing the other driver) must prove that the other driver’s negligence caused their injuries and property damage. What does this mean? You must demonstrate how the other driver failed to exercise reasonable care to avoid the accident.
Every driver has a duty of care—or responsibility—to act in a way that doesn’t endanger others. Georgia’s contributory negligence code, Georgia Code Section 51-12-33, establishes that if the plaintiff is partially at fault for the accident, the courts will reduce the damages awarded by the percentage to which they were at fault. If you, as the plaintiff, are found to be more than 49% at fault, you may not receive compensation.
Hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to help you gather evidence, assess the amount of damages to claim in your lawsuit, and negotiate on your behalf with insurance claims adjusters. Rafi, Brown and Stokes – Injury Lawyers can help you seek a favorable out-of-court settlement to get you the compensation you deserve.
What To Do After A Serious Car Accident In Marietta
The decisions you make in the aftermath of a crash can have major consequences for the health and safety of everyone involved. Your actions could also affect your ability to file a strong car accident injury claim or lawsuit after your collision.
To improve your chances of a positive outcome, do the following after your accident:
- Check on everyone’s health status, and then immediately call 911. Request an ambulance for anyone injured, including yourself and a police respondent.
- Make no effort to move seriously injured parties, especially those with possible spinal fractures or head injuries. If you are seriously injured, wait in a safe place with your injured areas elevated until EMTs arrive.
- If you can move safely, take photos of the accident scene before the vehicles are moved. Then, take photos of your injuries, vehicle damage, etc.
- Avoid discussing the accident with anyone at the scene other than police officers. Do not apologize or attempt to take the blame. Likewise, do not assign blame. Describe the events as you remember them.
- Seek medical attention as soon as you can. Describe your accident scenario and injury symptoms in detail to attending physicians. Your words will be included in the medical report, so be specific and cover your bases.
- Follow your doctor’s orders for recovery. Ignoring doctor’s orders could hurt your chances of a full settlement.
- Contact an experienced Marietta car accident attorney before speaking with third-party insurers, lawyers, or other parties. Your attorney can help you prevent major mistakes, like revealing information you weren’t obligated to.
- Contact your insurer and tell them the basic details of the accident. Do not speculate or describe more than is necessary.
- Avoid discussing the accident on social media or with acquaintances. Your words could be used against you by defending insurers or attorneys representing potentially at-fault drivers.
Forms Of Compensation Available After A Marietta Car Accident
Our Marietta car accident lawyers rely upon experts’ input and experience from past cases to seek a fair settlement offer.
We often pursue the case through the courts if no fair settlement can be reached. We have faith in our ability to accurately assess the total cost of your damages based on several areas. Expert depositions, tables of recent damage costs, and other solid data back our figures. This information provides strong evidence to juries that increases our client’s chances of obtaining a fair injury award.
Major forms of car accident compensation your claim can seek include:
- Past medical expenses
- Future medical costs
- Wages lost from missing work
- Lost future wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of intimacy and support from family members
- Property damage reimbursement
Every car accident injury case is different. Some accident victims may be eligible for higher amounts of compensation or different types of damages based on their experiences. Accordingly, there is no way to predict how much a successful case will bring victims until a settlement can be agreed upon or a jury decision is reached.
What Are Common Car Accident Injuries In Marietta, GA?
Car accidents in Marietta can cause a variety of bodily injuries, some more severe than others. Always seek medical help after an accident, even if you don’t feel hurt, to rule out major injuries. Keep documentation of your doctor visits and receipts for bills to aid in your car accident claim.
Some of the most common injuries to look out for after a car accident include:
- Whiplash
- Back and chest injuries
- Broken or fractured bones
- Internal bleeding
- Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
How Can Our Marietta Car Accident Attorney Help You Establish Fault and Deal with Insurers?
Insurance companies often use aggressive tactics to limit the compensation available to auto accident victims. They may convince you that you must release all of your medical records or make a recorded statement. They may also dispute fault, claiming that their policyholder was not responsible for the accident or that you were responsible.
First, know that insurance representatives are not your ally when seeking a claim. Having a lawyer negotiate with them on your behalf can eliminate many risks posed to a claim, such as an injury victim implying that they weren’t hurt until days after the accident.
Second, know that you will still have a viable injury claim as long as you are not 50% or more at fault for the accident. Georgia’s modified comparative negligence laws allow victims to obtain the portion of total damages caused by each defendant according to their negligent actions.
Your Marietta car accident attorney will do everything they can to investigate your accident and determine fault using relevant Georgia laws and prior case rulings. They can give your case the strongest chance of obtaining maximum legal compensation.
What Are Common Causes of Car Accidents In Marietta?
Avoidable circumstances cause many car accidents in Marietta. When a driver makes a mistake or a poor decision while driving, such as getting behind the wheel after drinking, they could be found negligent. Proving negligence is a major component of successful car accident injury cases.
Common types of driver negligence that tend to cause car accidents in Marietta include:
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive/reckless driving
- Street racing
- Driving too fast for the conditions
- Following too closely
- Failure to observe hazards
- Running stop signs and stop lights
- Failure to maintain control of the vehicle
Risky driving behaviors like these cost actual lives in Marietta. Drunk driving caused 77 traffic fatalities in Cobb County between 2013 and 2017. Speeding led to 67 car accident deaths in the same period.
Act Quickly To Avoid Georgia’s Personal Injury Statute Of Limitations
If you or a close family member have recently been hurt in a car accident, speak with a lawyer as soon as you can. The statute of limitations in Georgia for bringing up a claim or lawsuit against negligent parties is two years. There are some exceptions, but the earlier your case is started, the better your chances of a positive outcome.
When you schedule your initial case review at Rafi, Brown and Stokes, speak with an understanding and informative car accident lawyer in Atlanta for free. Contact us online or call 404-948-3311 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.
