North Georgia Car Accident Attorney
Serving State of Georgia from Our Offices in Cartersville
The number of fatalities related to motor vehicle accidents in Georgia has increased over the past five years, and the data is troubling. In 2018 in the US, 36,350 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents, and 1,407 fatal collisions occurred in Georgia.
What’s more, this data does not account for the thousands of people who are not killed in car wrecks, but who are severely injured.
If you are looking for a reputable car accident attorney in Cartersville or anywhere in the state of Georgia, you can count on the personal injury lawyers at Pritchard Injury Firm. Our car accident attorneys have been helping victims understand their rights and options following a crash for years. Our legal team is also ready to help you navigate the claims process.
You can schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyer by calling us directly at (470) 577-8152 today.
What are Common Causes of Car Accidents in Georgia?
Multiple circumstances cause car accidents, but they are often due to the negligence and distraction of other drivers. If that’s your case, it might be wise to start searching for a “car accident attorney near me.”
The most common reasons for car accidents include:
- Speeding
- Not Signaling When Switching Lanes
- Reckless Driving (Swerving, Rapid Lane Changes)
- Damaged Roads
- Construction
- Driving Under the Influence of Drugs/Alcohol
- Severe Weather
- Failure to Obey Traffic Rules
- Distracted Driving
- Fatigue
- Improper Turns
- Teen Driving
Were you involved in a car crash? Did you suffer personal injuries or damage to your car? If so, do not hesitate to call our personal injury lawyer. We can help get you the compensation you deserve. Call us today.
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?
After a car crash in North Georgia or the surrounding areas, you may be wondering whether or not working with a personal injury attorney is necessary.
Working with lawyers depends on numerous factors, including the degree of injuries, whether or not fault is disputed, and the amount of insurance in place. Nevertheless, working with a lawyer is almost always beneficial.
Advantages of working with a car accident attorney near you include:
- An attorney will help investigate your car accident: Following a car accident, you maintain the right to file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurer or file a lawsuit directly against the at-fault driver. In either case, you will be tasked with proving the accident, and your injuries would not have occurred but for the negligence of the at-fault driver. This often requires more than just claiming such. An investigation with Pritchard Injury Firm can help turn up compelling evidence, and our lawyer can manage all elements of this investigation on your behalf. In addition, we can hire accident reconstruction experts and other professionals to help ensure your case is airtight.
- An attorney will calculate your damages: Another aspect of the claims process is showing the damages you have suffered. Again, merely stating that you have suffered X amount in damages will not be enough; you’ll need to submit evidence proving this. Our injury lawyer can gather evidence, organize medical bills and statements, and even hire financial experts to provide insight into the value of your claim.
- An attorney will represent you in all interactions with the insurer: Dealing with an insurance adjuster can be challenging, especially as you recuperate from injuries. Your Georgia personal injury attorney will represent you in all interactions with the insurer and advise you of best practices when speaking to an insurer.
- An attorney can negotiate your claim and file a lawsuit if necessary: Finally, when a settlement amount is featured, your attorney reviews the offer, rejects it, or enters negotiations to maximize your settlement if it fails to compensate fully on your behalf. Should settlement negotiations fail, your attorney can file a lawsuit and litigate your case in court.
What to Do Following a Car Accident
Following a car accident, our lawyers recommend taking specific actions to preserve your right to damages.
After a car accident, you should perform the following actions:
- File a police report: Police typically require that your report is filed immediately.
- Gather evidence at the scene: Make sure to take plenty of photos. Solid evidence such as photographs may be used to help your case in court.
- Seek medical care: Seeking medical care is the most important thing that you could possibly do. Oftentimes, victims are in shock after a crash, and unaware of the severity of physical harm that has been done. Make sure to seek medical help as soon as possible.
- Protect the scene: Protecting the scene of the crash is important for helping to prevent other accidents from occurring. Keeping your flashers on or setting up flares could be helpful.
- Provide your insurer with notice of the accident immediately: The faster you take action, the better it is.
- Reach out to a Georgia car accident attorney: Hiring an attorney is critical for ensuring that you receive the best possible outcome regarding the monetary compensation that you rightfully deserve.
If you’re wondering, “Where can I find car accident injury attorneys near me?” know that our law office in Cartersville, Georgia is a phone call away. Our accident injury lawyers are happy to travel to your location if you cannot travel to ours.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Car Accident Settlement in Georgia?
Waiting for the money you are rightfully entitled to is not easy. Especially if you suffer from emotional distress or physical harm, the time it takes to receive your car collision settlement in Georgia will depend on several factors. A fast payment does not always guarantee that you will receive the full potential of the monetary compensation entitled to you. Taking the time to negotiate a settlement properly may be time-consuming. Still, it may work in your favor in the long run.
Factors influencing the time it takes to receive your car accident settlement include:
- Your recovery time
- The overall value of the damages done
- The willingness of your insurance company to settle the case
- Whether or not you have to go to trial in court
- The extent to which you or the driver were at fault
Working with a reputable injury lawyer will ensure that your case is thoroughly examined. In addition, your attorney will be able to tell you approximately how long it will take to settle your specific car accident case.
Is Georgia A No-Fault State?
No, Georgia is not a no-fault state. Georgia operates under a “fault” system. This means that if you were injured in an accident, it matters whether you are at fault. If you are, then you can’t make a claim with your own bodily injury insurance policy.
You also can’t make a claim with another driver’s insurance policy. However, if you weren’t to blame for the accident, you need to identify who was. You can then make a claim on that driver’s policy. Georgia recognizes “proportional comparative fault.” This means both drivers can be to blame, so we need to identify each side’s percentage of fault.
To learn more about Georgia's fault system, read our relevant blog post.
Schedule Your Free Consultation Now
Being involved in a car accident can be scary. However, our Georgia car accident lawyer at Pritchard Injury Firm understands what you are going through. Our legal team is here to serve you.
Reach out to get more information and a free case review.
Suggested Reading:
- Understanding Negligence In A Georgia Car Accident
- Tips When Hiring A Personal Injury Attorney Cartersville, GA
- Georgia Car Insurance Laws
- How To Get Your Cartersville, GA Police Accident Report
- Common Rear-End Car Accident Injuries In Cartersville, GA
Simply call us at (470) 577-8152 or contact us online for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
We also serve residents in Cobb County and Cherokee County – if you have suffered injuries after a car accident in the state of Georgia, you should contact us immediately to get started on your case.
Georgia Statute of Limitations for an Auto Accident
While it can be difficult to bring forth a claim in the days and weeks following your accident, especially if you are dealing with psychological and physical injuries, filing as soon as possible is the best option.
Filing on time is essential for a myriad of reasons – a delay in initiating a claim can block the recovery of benefits you deserve. In addition, evidence related to your case can be destroyed if it is not collected shortly after a crash. Finally, delaying could risk breaching the state’s statute of limitations.
A statute of limitations is a legal time limit determining the time you must file a claim after an accident.
If you breach this critical deadline, you revoke your rights to sue, and you will be unable to recover compensation for the harm you suffered.
As outlined in Georgia Code Section 9-3-33, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is two (2) years from the date of the accident/injury. Therefore, the law means you must file your lawsuit within two years or entirely lose your right to legal action.
Types of Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident
Car accidents can result in a range of injuries, some mild and some severe.
Over the years, our law firm has seen many common types of car accident injuries, which include:
- Head and traumatic brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, like whiplash
- Neck and back injuries
- Bone fracture injuries
- Facial injuries
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- And more
In addition to requiring medical care – which can be very expensive – injuries are often painful and debilitating. They can prevent a person from returning to work and earning an income, sometimes indefinitely.
Our personal injury lawyers will advocate for your right to recover 100 percent of the damages you have suffered in a car accident, including compensation for your medical expenses, pain, suffering, property damage losses, lost wages, and any other noneconomic or noneconomic damages.